Stitch by Jaime Lewis (ebook reader online .txt) 📗

you two? The special today is pot roast with green beans, mashed potatoes, and a corn muffin.”

At the mention of food, Mia’s belly decided to alert the entire mountain population that she was hungry.

Stitch laughed. “I guess I should have fed you earlier.”

“The special sounds yummy, and obviously, my stomach already approved. I’ll take that and a sweet tea, please.”

Stitched loved that Mia wasn’t a self-conscious eater. He’d seen her put away some food.

Apparently, it had surprised Fran too, because Fran smirked at Mia. “I like you, sugar. A beautiful woman with an appetite.” Then she looked at Stitch. “Do I need to ask you what you want?”

“Nope.”

“I’ll add another special in for you. It’ll be out shortly.”

Stitch looked across the table and found Mia staring at him. She leaned back in the chair, and her brown eyes sparkled as she spoke.

“This is a perfect ending to our day. I know I’ve said it several times today, but thank you. I really needed this.”

He reached across the table and took her hand, stroking the top with his thumb. “It’s perfect when you have the right company.”

She didn’t try to pull away. Instead, she relaxed.

“Can I ask you a question?” She asked.

“Shoot.”

“What made you buy a cabin in the mountains? With your job, do you get a chance to come here often?”

Fran set their drinks on the table, and Stitch pulled his hand back to grab his glass and took a sip. He looked back at Mia.

“That’s just it. It’s because of the job. I wanted another place besides my apartment in town. I wanted a place I could escape to find peace and just take in what the world and nature offered. It’s nice to come up here for a couple of days and tune everything out.”

She understood what he was saying. She’d heard Ace say when he would come home for a few days to the ranch in Oklahoma. When he wasn’t out helping on the land, she’d always find him sitting out on the back porch, taking in the peacefulness. Living in New York City and coming to a town like this gave her an understanding of what her brother and Stitch meant.

“I get it, and I can’t disagree with you. It is nice to be able to just relax and not have to worry about life for a few days.”

“I feel like I don’t get up here enough.”

“Well, you should definitely take advantage of it more often. It's a gorgeous town, and the views from your place are breathtaking.”

Stitch grinned.  “The view is what sold me on the place. Before we head back to the beach, there is something I want to show you that I’ve never shared with anybody.”

They talked more about the town and the people that Stitch knew, then before long, Fran delivered their dinner, and they ate while enjoying one another's company.

◆◆◆

When they arrived back at the cabin, Mia wasn’t quite ready to go back inside, so she had asked Stitch if she could sit outside for a little bit. The temperature had dropped as the sun made its descent behind the mountains, and the moon made its appearance. Stitch had some work he needed to handle, so he made a fire in the firepit and then got Mia set up on the deck in one of the lounge chairs he pulled over.

After a quick run-through of his emails to make sure that the world wasn’t falling apart, he sent off a few emails to the base training staff; he then grabbed another blanket off the couch and walked to the back door. He stood in the doorway, watching Mia take in the sights of what his little slice of heaven offered. Watching the day transition into night, Stitch himself got lost in the picturesque view, and in a matter of seconds, the glow of the sun was gone and replaced by the silhouettes of the mountain tops basking in the moonlight.

The nature and scenery fascinated him. His life as a SEAL hardened him over the years. Seeing the darkness and evil workings throughout the world took a toll on a person. But Mia managed to light up his life and remind him he was also a human being, and that there was so much good to see.

He continued to observe her as she watched the doe and fawn making their way through his back yard. The way the moonlight shined down on her as she stood against the railing was a magical sight. It was like heaven shined a spotlight on a true angel. Her face glowed as she took in the movements of the mama deer and her baby. The moment was priceless. Her humbled expression and the way she took in everything around her, as if not wanting to miss out on something, made his heart grow even more. She was a perfect mixture of every quality he imagined his future wife would have. She was sweet, caring, loving, brilliant, and a spitfire when she wanted to be.

He hadn’t mentioned to her yet about speaking to Ace last week, but he planned on doing it tonight because he couldn’t hold back his desire to not show her how much he loved and cherished her.

The fire crackled loudly, and Mia glanced over her shoulder, and her eyes fell upon him. He smiled and moved out onto the deck, taking her hand and leading her to the large lounge chair.  Once he settled himself, he patted his lap, and her eyes widened.

“Please, Mia. Sit with me?”

Without saying a word, she lowered herself, and he scooted over a little.  She turned and snuggled into his side, making him sigh in contentment.

“Did you get what you needed to do done?” She asked in a low voice.

“I did. What were you thinking about before I came out here?”

Her head tipped back, and she looked up at him with her brown eyes. “You.”

His lips curled slightly. “Me? Really?”

She nodded her head yes, but then laid it