On Saturday evening Mia was home alone with plans to bake cookies to bring to her parent's the following day. Her visit with Brenna was fine, except she was less concerned about her neighbor's annoying habits. Her sister was more interested in whether he was cute and single. Mia wasn't a snob, but she didn't see herself with a construction worker, even if he could afford the same rent as she was paying. After Mia had some cuddle time with Declan, Brenna left.

Her cookies were cooling, and she was relaxing with a book when she heard her neighbor's door buzzer. She looked out to see a nondescript black sedan similar to what her boss, Celia used as a car service.

As she pondered the presence of the car, her neighbor climb into it wearing what she suspected from the back was an expensive cut dark-colored suit. Why was a construction worker dressed in a formal suit?

The following afternoon, Maggie Reilly greeted Mia with a kiss. Mia sighed as her mother inspected her, as if to ensure Derek hadn't broken her.

"I'm fine. Really."

"That man, you know I never liked him."

Mia rolled her eyes, as she placed her cookies on the kitchen counter. Her mother had treated him like a member of the family.

"I'm fine." She could repeat it twenty times, but her mother would believe what she wanted to believe. Instead, she changed the subject. "Where's dad?"

Her mother sighed. "In his garage."

Mia nodded. Her father's latest hobby was restoring his '65 Mustang. Maggie Reilly fussed about the time he spent tinkering in his garage, but Mia suspected she'd complain more if he was underfoot constantly.

"He was called in last night, so he should be sleeping."

Brian Reilly was a reconstructive surgeon. Although many referred to him as a plastic surgeon, Mia knew better. Their comfortable lifestyle came from facelifts and boob jobs, but his real expertise was in reconstruction after trauma or because of birth defects. If they called him in, it meant there was an accident victim who needed him.

The first time her father met Sage's mother, he was pleased to see Bea allowed herself to age gracefully without surgically lifting everything that sagged. Mia knew from the time she spent at Sage's family estate Bea Petersen was different than most socialites. She preferred getting her hands dirty tending her beautiful gardens over a morning at the spa or a champagne brunch. Thinking of Bea and her gardens reminded Mia of the night she made her wish. It was odd, but she could still remember the excitement pulse through her body during their dance and the kiss which followed. She never mentioned the encounter to a single soul.

The arrival of Brenna, Noah and Declan interrupted her reminiscing. Mia knew her mother would be too busy with the baby to fuss about her single status.

Mia asked Noah if he had caught up to Derek. "Finally. All he could talk about was the pressure."

"You pressured him, not me." Mia reminded him.

Noah put up his hands. "Hey, he was old enough to settle down. I'm fortunate to know what he's missing, because I married a Reilly girl." Noah kissed Brenna.

"He was the one who decided he didn't like me enough. He's probably already dating someone prettier."

Brenna shook her head. "Mia, he'll have a tough time finding someone as pretty as you."

She had no proof, but her pride had invented a story he was in love with another woman. Probably a nurse at the hospital.

Brenna looked at her husband with dagger eyes. "Is he seeing someone new?"

"If he is, I don't know about it. It's only been a week and you know he's avoiding me. Just so everyone knows my loyalty is to Mia not him."

Mia was glad Noah had her back. Both of her siblings had chosen spouses she loved, but they set the bar high. She would not settle for just a nice guy. Mia wanted true love. She wanted to find a man who made her feel like she had those few minutes on the garden path.

Brenna turned to Noah. "How about Tony you work with?"

"No more doctors!" Mia didn't want to run into Derek at every turn.

When she returned to her apartment, it wasn't dark, and it surprised her to find her neighbor on their shared back porch. It was the first time she had seen his face. He had on paint stained work clothes and more paint smudged on his cheek. His hair looked like an awful case of bedhead with a piece flopped out of place on his forehead. He was tall and built like a tradesman. Oddly, he had a similar look to Edward Calhoun, but her neighbor had blue-gray eyes. Edward's eyes, not that she saw them in the dark, were a brilliant blue. She knew because she had seen pictures of him online. There was the slightly more obvious difference, this guy was a painter or builder, but Calhoun was a business mogul.

"You'll be happy to know I installed a sensor light up there." He pointed to the wall space between their two doors. She had to convince her eyes to stop staring at his flexed muscles as he lifted his arm. "I don't want to be responsible if you're injured."

"Thank you. I'm Mia Reilly."

"Ms. Reilly." He paused a moment and nodded before walking through the door into his apartment.

He was rather abrupt and rude, but she loved her apartment and as long as her neighbor stopped playing his music at night she didn't care. Although based on his comment about being responsible, he owned the building. She wondered if he was responsible for the quality craftsmanship.

Celia strolled into Mia's office on Monday morning.

"How was your weekend, Mia?" Celia was friendly and reminded her of Bea the first time she met her. The two women were friends and Bea had recommended her for the job.

"Quiet, but nice. I had dinner with my parents."

"Did you see Sage?"

"No, they stayed in New York. I saw my nephew. He's very sweet."

"Your mother is lucky. I'd like some grandchildren." She looked sad. Her only son was not ready to settle down. Mia was well aware he had a reputation of being an oversized child.

She took Mia by surprise. "You should date Monty. I'll arrange a dinner."

Montgomery Whitby was heir to the Whitby dynasty. Mia didn't know whether he was the third, fourth or tenth. As far as she knew, he hadn't worked a day in his life. He was handsome, but Mia wasn't interested in getting involved with a playboy.

"Celia, you realize there is no point. Monty isn't looking for a relationship and I'm not his kind of girl. Besides even if I were to change him, I'm not a suitable match."

Mia was well aware Aidan's marriage was unique. Sage's family while wealthy was not the Whitby's. Sage wasn't next in line to run the family business, so her parents valued love and potential of which Aidan had proven he had a bucket full of both.

Mia might have been worthy enough to marry a doctor, perhaps even a renowned one like her father, but she was never meant to marry into the Whitby family or any other family like theirs. She was content working for them and living a simple life.

"Why can't there be nice smart girls like you with the right pedigree?"

Mia laughed. "Pedigree reminds me of dogs."

"My dear, many of them are." She winked.

"Stop making me laugh!"

"Most of them have no sense of humor either. They all grew up in stifling environments."

Mia said, "There's at least one, but Sage is taken."

"She was a smart girl. The only other girls in her league aren't interested in Monty. One he already dated, and the other knows him too well." She sighed. "I'll move on, I'm sure you have plenty of work to do."

Mia knew she may dress up like Cinderella and go to the ball, but no prince would ever come looking for her. The one she danced with hadn't, but then again he had been engaged and had since married.

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