"Really?" Mia asked hopefully.

He nodded. "Not only does Ray have a warrant out for his arrest, but he has a past he doesn't want to catch up to him. He and I came to an understanding of sorts." Cameron gave her a rundown of Ray's past transgressions, and the threat still looming over him, and how Cameron had no qualms using that information if Ray ever contacted Gina again. "Trust me, between jail time and his theft, he's gone for good."

She trusted Cameron unconditionally. The guy was solid as a rock and as good as his word. Her own thoughts startled her, but before she could reflect on her realization, Cameron spoke again.

"Gina has already given a statement to the police, and so have I," he said and nodded his dark blond head toward Mia's roommate. "Why don't you go over there and let her know you're home."

Mia suddenly didn't want to leave Cameron, even to cross the room to Gina, but her friend undoubtedly needed her comfort and support, and that was more important at the moment.

A cop came up to talk to Cameron again, and Mia took that opportunity to walk over to where Gina was sitting on the couch. She settled in next to Gina and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through all this alone," Mia said, wincing at the large band-aid the medic had put on her forehead, certain it hid a sizeable wound. "But I'm so glad you're okay."

"Because of Cameron," Gina said gratefully. "I don't want to think about what could have happened if he hadn't showed up when he did." She shivered.

"The guy is a regular white knight," Mia joked, and that comment earned her a smile from Gina.

After a moment, Gina's expression grew serious. "Mia, there's something I need to tell you."

Mia tipped her head. "What is it?"

"Even before today with Ray, or Billy, or whatever his name is," she said with a frown, "I'd already made the decision to move back near my sister. Spending last weekend with her and my nieces made me realize how much I miss being close to my family. And right now, I think that's where I need to be."

As much as Mia would miss Gina as a roommate and friend, Mia understood. As the medic asked Gina a few last questions about how she was feeling, Mia glanced to where she'd left Cameron, but he was gone from the apartment.

Just as he was gone from her life.


THE turnout for Mia's stained-glass art show at the Brennan gallery was a huge success, more than anything Mia ever could have anticipated. When Amy had told her she was sending invitations to more than one hundred of her best clients, Mia had been skeptical and figured she'd be lucky if a fourth of that number showed up. But now, as she glanced around the crowded gallery, she found herself overwhelmed by the number of people milling about and perusing her artwork-even if a good two dozen of those guests were her immediate family.

Even Cameron's sisters had shown up with their husbands, and it was so nice to see all of them again. But their presence made her all too aware of the fact that Cameron had obviously opted not to come to the showing. It was a good twenty minutes into the event, and although a part of her understood why Cameron might want to stay away, another part of her had secretly hoped he'd attend. After all, he was the reason why she was having the show in the first place.

Sighing, she accepted a flute of champagne from a passing tray and took a sip of the bubbly liquid as she watched Scott and Alex and their wives, Ashley and Dana, disappear into the far room where Amy had displayed her erotic stained-glass pieces. Mia's stomach dipped nervously, because while her family had been surprised to learn that she'd put her stained-glass designs into an art gallery, they still didn't know just how provocative some of her art was. But they were about to find out, and she could only imagine and anticipate their shocked reactions.

However, no matter what they thought, she'd decided their approval no longer mattered. This was who she was, and there was a piece of her in every design and picture. If her family didn't learn to appreciate her art, she knew many others who would.

She'd spent every spare moment of the past few weeks making as many designs as she could for the show-most of them the erotic pieces, because that's what had captured everyone's interest the most. She'd been grateful for the distraction because it left her little time to think about Cameron and her aching heart, or just how empty and lonely the apartment was now that Gina had moved out. But after tonight, she was going to have a whole lot of time to think about things she'd put out of her mind for weeks. And she wasn't looking forward to dealing with herself, for fear of what she might uncover.

The next hour whirled by in a quick blur. Between being introduced to dozens of Amy's clients, to doing a quick interview for the local newspaper for a piece they planned to write up about her and the show for an upcoming article, Mia was swept up into the excitement and satisfaction of a successful event. It wasn't until she saw Scott and Ashley heading her way that she realized she'd yet to talk to her family about the erotic aspect of her artwork.

"Wow, this is quite an event," Scott said, seemingly awed by all the people and the flurry of activity around him. "And I have to tell you, none of us had any idea you were putting naked pictures into your designs."

Mia couldn't tell if Scott approved or not. "I just put those into some of the artwork. There's plenty of stained-glass designs without naked people in them," she said, waving her hand toward a collection of floral pieces that were very G rated.

"Those erotic designs are beautiful, and very impressive." Ashley looped her arm through her husband's and smiled up at him adoringly. "Scott bought me the mermaid one."

Mia stared in shock at her brother. "You did?" She couldn't believe he'd spent that kind of money on one of her stained-glass designs.

He shrugged. "It's a very unique piece, and we both liked it. Besides, I want to be sure I get one of your first, original designs. That way when you become this famous artist, it'll be worth a whole lot more." Scott winked at her.

Now Mia just outright gaped at him. "Is this my brother Scott talking? The guy who turned down my idea of incorporating my stained-glass designs into the family business?"

Scott frowned at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just surprised, is all," she said with a shake of her head. "You crushed my hopes and dreams when I came home from college, and now you're suddenly one of my biggest supporters."

"Of course I am. God, Mia, Dad and I had no idea we were crushing a dream of yours, or else we never would have said no." A wealth of regrets deepened the blue of Scott's eyes. "I guess we didn't realize just how serious you were about your stained-glass art. And if we'd really known and understood how important your art was to you, we never would have deliberately held you back."

Mia paused in thought, surprised by her brother's reaction. She'd been so insecure back then, that at the first sign of rejection she'd automatically pulled back and kept her artwork to herself instead of putting up an argument. How unlike her, a woman who was so aggressive in all other areas of her life, she thought wryly.

Then, through the years, she'd kept her erotic pieces hidden, until she'd shared them with Cameron and he'd given her the confidence to pursue her greatest passion. She knew in her heart that her family loved her despite their overprotective ways, but it was Cameron who knew her better than any of them.

"I suppose now that you've made it on your own, very successfully I might add, that Alex and I should start looking for a replacement secretary?" Scott teased.

Her brother might have been joking, but Mia had given that a lot of thought the past few weeks. She'd come to the conclusion that if she wanted to make this her career, she had to give her stained-glass art one hundred percent of herself.

"This is what I love, Scott, and I can't see myself doing anything else," she told her brother. "So I guess you can consider this my two weeks notice."

Scott's mouth gaped open, and Mia tried not to laugh. She'd definitely shocked Scott with her announcement, but before he could reply, Alex and Dana joined them and then Steve and Liz. Soon, she was surrounded by the entire Wilde clan as they complimented and congratulated her on her designs and the phenomenal success of her first show.

Mia approached her stepmother, Amelia, who she'd yet to get a moment alone with tonight. She was standing next to Mia's father, and it struck Mia in that moment just how in love the two of them were. Her father deserved that, and Amelia deserved so much more than Mia had ever given her. Like her affection. Her love. A real mother-daughter relationship.

Mia's throat grew tight with the realization, and she swallowed back the knot and smiled at her father and Amelia. "Thank you both for coming tonight," she said and kissed her father on the cheek, then Amelia's. "It means so much to me to have the entire family here."

"We wouldn't miss something as important as this, Mia." Amelia grasped Mia's hands and gave them a warm squeeze that spoke volumes. "Your father and I are very proud of you."

The truth of Amelia's words reflected in her eyes, and another swell of emotion rose within Mia. For so many years Mia had been so caught up in her own personal pain and rebellion that she'd denied Amelia any real emotion. And it was so obvious just by looking into the other woman's eyes that she was still hoping it would happen one day.

God, Mia'd been so incredibly selfish!

"Mia," Amy called out from across the gallery where she was standing with a middle-aged couple. "Would you mind coming over here, please? I have someone interested in talking to you about having a custom piece designed."

Mia hated letting this moment between her and Amelia pass without saying more, but she had no choice. "Excuse-me," she said and went to discuss business with the couple.

Once again, the business end of her new career took precedence. One custom order led to another, and in between were the stained-glass purchases the guests were making so they could take their art home with them tonight. Finally, the last call was made for anyone who was interested in placing a bid on the silent auction items.

Needing a break and a moment alone to catch her breath, Mia slipped into the back room where the erotic pieces were displayed while everyone else was congregated in the front area of the gallery. She took a drink of her second glass of champagne as she glanced at one of her designs with a SOLD tag attached to it, feeling both giddy and amazed at how much the piece had gone for-almost enough to pay her rent for the next month. Amy had told her everything was going so well that Mia could easily expect a five-figure check before the night was through.

Her success was definitely heady, but one thing was undeniably missing from tonight's festivities: the one man who'd made it all possible. Cameron. She felt that loss in a soul-deep way. Even though she'd accomplished so much tonight, she had no one to share it all with.

"You look absolutely beautiful tonight."

The deep, sexy voice belonged to only one man she knew. Mia was certain she was dreaming, or hallucinating, until she spun around and found Cameron standing directly behind her. He looked so good, with his tousled dark blond hair, a collared shirt that showed off his wide shoulders and chest, and a pair of khaki trousers that fit him to perfection. Although his demeanor seemed reserved and guarded, his gorgeous green eyes told Mia just how much he wanted her. Still.

She was so elated to see him, she nearly jumped right into his arms. Instead, she exclaimed breathlessly, "You came!"

Disappointment, and even a hint of sadness, passed over his features. "You didn't think I would?"

Her fingers curled tight around her champagne flute. "Honestly, I wasn't sure."

"You still haven't learned to believe in me, have you?" It was a simple question that didn't require an answer, and he didn't wait for one. "I've been here for a while. An hour at least. I've been watching you bask in your well-earned success."

She laughed and shook her head. "Amazing, isn't it?"

"Not considering the talent in all these designs," he said with a smile that went straight to her senses. "I had no doubt you could do it."

"I owe you a huge thanks," she said, the words feeling so inadequate when they'd shared so much.

"It's not your gratitude I want, Mia." There was a bite to his tone, and he glanced away for a moment as if to compose himself before looking at her again.