Irreplaceable
Chapter 27

The auction had gone even better than last year's. If the numbers floating around her head were correct, she had raised more money this year. But this year, she had gotten more people to donate their time instead of items. Last year, she had twelve people from around town who volunteered to give a day to charity, whereas this year, she had twenty-four. And everyone was finally getting into the spirit of it.

Now that part of the auction was done, so she could concentrate on the donated items. Ruth was supposed to be in charge of it, but since she was pregnant, she had asked Rafferty to do it. Not that Mia was worried about Rafferty's ability to organize, she just knew he hadn't done it before.

When Ruth had called to tell her that she was making Rafferty do it, Mia had been slightly mad at her friend. Ruth had known Rafferty wouldn't say no to his sister. He would do anything for her. But Mia had made sure not to include him in her auction. She wasn't ready to have that part of her life mix with this part yet.

Yes, they spent every Friday night together, all night. But that was all. Neither had pushed for a relationship, and neither had pushed for more time together. It had been a month and a half, and they hadn't talked about them or the future. And they had told nobody. Her reasoning had been that she didn't want to rock the boat-she enjoyed their time together too much to have people talking about them-but in reality, she was scared that once everyone knew, it would be over. And she never wanted it to end, even if it was just one day a week.

Sadly, she was looking toward a month where she would be unable to see him on Friday night. April was going to be busy. Natalie and Tess were both getting married on two separate weekends, so two Friday nights would be the bachelorette sleepovers. Then tonight, they were missing their movie night because of the auction. That left one Friday of the month free, and that was Easter weekend, which meant her sisters were going to be coming up, and her mom was talking about a family meal to greet them. Her whole April too busy for her once a week night with her husband.

As she walked through the school hallways toward Rafferty's auction area, she was deciding what day during the week would be best to change Friday to. Maybe Tuesday? Or Thursday? Would he even agree to a change? Maybe he was busy other days... she had never asked.

"How's it going?" Mandy asked from behind her.

Stopping, she turned to her cousin. "Good, looks like it's a success."

Mandy was holding her tiny son in her arms. He was close to four months now. After spending two months in the NICU, he was happy and healthy now that he was home. And so was his mother, who was glowing. Maybe because she was already pregnant again So far, that was a secret only the book club knew. But Mia knew it was more because she was madly in love and had every one of her dreams come true by being a mom to the baby in her arms.

"I'm so glad it's working out again. But I wasn't too worried; everything you do works out. I saw you talking to Nick Nelson. Is there something I should know about? Is romance in the air?" her cousin hinted, bouncing the baby in her arms. "No, we were just reminiscing about high school," Mia stated the truth.

"He's divorced now," Mandy informed her. Though she hadn't heard officially, it had been the rumor going around. But she wasn't interested. She was busy this month.

"Oh, that's nice. But I have to make sure Rafferty isn't messing up the donated items auction. Ruth bailed on me." Mia pointed toward the school wing the auction was happening in, just out of her sight.

"I was the one who mentioned that she shouldn't spend the night on her feet." Mandy was a nurse practitioner, and Ruth was her patient.

"Well, she shouldn't have made Rafferty do it," Mia tried to keep the annoyance at their friend from her voice.

"I think he was happy to," Mandy said, looking down that hallway also.

"Still, she never has time for him unless she wants something. And he does it," Mia grumbled. She had known that they were siblings for a year now, and she saw it all the time, but nobody else probably did. "I've never noticed." Mandy looked at Mia with a puzzled expression.

"I'm sorry, Mandy, I have to go." Mia turned to make sure he was doing okay. And she was too busy to have Mandy distracting her right now.

Leaving her cousin, she walked into the auction area and saw him right away. He was talking to her little sister, Kipling, who had volunteered to fill in the gaps during the event. And here she was, just flirting with Rafferty instead of doing actual work. Deep breaths, she commanded herself as she walked up to them. He was wearing gray slacks and a black polo shirt today. Rafferty was the first to notice her and smiled his s*xy smile at her. But had he used that s*xy smile on her little sister? "How's the auction going, Mia?" he asked, still smiling.

"Fine," she hissed at him before turning to her sister. "Don't you have something else to do, Kipling?"

Her baby sister gave her an odd look and shrugged. Without a word, she walked away, disappearing into the crowd, looking at the items that would be bid on.

"Are you a little stressed?" Rafferty asked with a look of concern.

"No, I'm not!" she growled at him, then added, "I just don't need you flirting with my eightteen-year-old sister."

"I was talking to your sister, not flirting with her."

"Just remember, she's eightteen," Mia hissed and turned away from him.

Grabbing her arm, he stopped her in her tracks, leaned in, and whispered into her ear, "You're the only Lawson I want in my bed."

He let her go.

She was stunned. Had he just said that in public? Looking around, she tried to see if anyone was watching them. Nobody was watching them, so she hurried back out of the area. Going to check on something else, anything else.

What was happening to her? Was she actually jealous of her sister, who was just talking to the man? The man she was sleeping with? Maybe if their relationship was public, she wouldn't be so jealous of everyone he talked to. Every time she saw him with another woman, she wanted to push the woman aside and yell that he was her husband and to get her mitts off him. Instead, she just fumed about it.

For the rest of the evening, she ignored both Rafferty and the silent auction area until she couldn't anymore, then it was so busy, she didn't have time to think about him or talk to him. After ten, she didn't see him anymore. He must have left. Though she should be more relaxed with him gone, she wasn't. Had he left alone?

Over the next two hours, she couldn't stop wondering who he could've left with while she worked to get the school clean. That and getting the auction items handed out or put to the side until Monday when she would meet people who couldn't make it back tonight.

At midnight, she was exhausted and just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep. Forget her jealousy and anger. Parking in her usual spot, she turned off her Jeep and went up to her apartment. Her quiet, lonely apartment. She slipped out of the dress she had worn and put on leggings and a sweatshirt. At the door, she stepped out of her pink winter boots and shut off her light.

The two-block walk was short. It was a warm night for the first week of April, and it made her excited for summer. Kicking off her shoes inside his door, she went up the stairs and into his bedroom, where she slipped off her clothes and slid into bed with him. It was Friday night after all.

Her side of the bed was freezing against her naked skin, but when he pulled her into his arms, she was instantly warmed by his body. Sighing, she nestled into him.

"Goodnight, Mia," he whispered into her hair. Not mentioning their fight.

"Goodnight, Rafferty," she didn't say anything about it either.