Pitch Perfect Read Free

gingerly steered off the exit. She spotted a sign pointing to several restaurants and turned left toward town. “How quaint!” she said as the Camry chugged down Main Street. Colorful mid-May flowers spilled over the tops of large terra-cotta planters lining the sidewalk. An old-fashioned bakery named Grammar’s caught her eye, along with several antique shops. When she spotted a vintage clothing store with a sale rack out front, her shopping addiction kicked into high gear, but she lifted her chin in steely determination and kept on driving.
    When Mia stopped for a red light, she watched people meander down the sidewalk and wander in and out of the shops. The town had a warm, welcoming feel to it and the chatter of shoppers sounded cheerful. Mia was used to the hustle and bustle of Chicago, and while she loved the energy of a big city, this slower pace had an instant calming effect on her frazzled nerves. She inhaled deeply and the sweet scent of spring filled her head, making her sigh with pleasure.
    Laughter brought Mia’s attention to her open window and she smiled softly when she spotted children playing in the city park. Young mothers watched over the frolic and fun, bringing a pang of sadness to Mia’s chest. When her father’s first business had failed, Mia’s mother left Mitch Monroe for a man with more wealth. Heartbroken, he had sued for full custody of Mia and had won, but his obsession with financial success kept him from spending much time with his two-year-old daughter, and thus had begun Mia’s long string of au pairs. But just when she would become emotionally bonded to her caregiver, the au pair would move on, leaving Mia feeling sad and making it much safer to find happiness with material things rather than people.
    As an adult and no stranger to therapy, Mia realized that her father’s intense drive to succeed was a direct result of his wife’s desertion, but that didn’t change the fact that Mia had been a lonely little girl longing for her father’s attention and her mother’s acceptance.
    Oh, Mia had visited her mother but had always felt like an outsider in her mother’s new life. Over the years her visits had become few and far between, and sadly she believed that her mother had been mostly relieved.
    A honking horn startled Mia out of her musing. “Oh, just hush!” she grumbled as she eased the car forward, but her mood lightened when she spotted Wine and Diner on the corner. The brick building with the cute red awning looked inviting, but it was the aroma of grilled food wafting through her open window that had her hurrying to locate a spot in the parking lot. “Well!” Mia had to circle twice before sliding into a vacant space, an indication that Wine and Diner was a popular place to eat. “Finally!”
    After she turned the key, the engine coughed and sputtered as if in distress or perhaps relief. “Oh, please start when I get finished eating,” Mia pleaded and gave the dash a quick pat. The door opened with a tired-sounding squeak and she gently closed it before hurrying toward the entrance of the restaurant.
    When Mia entered Wine and Diner she wasn’t surprised to find a line of patrons waiting to be seated. Her mouth watered in anticipation of a good hot meal when the aroma of food wafted her way, and she barely suppressed a sigh. Mia looked at the name tag on the hostess’s black shirt. “Hello, Bella. How long of a wait?” she asked with a big smile but with a hint that she was in a hurry and might leave, even though it was far from the truth. Mia had learned from her father to always use a name and to try to remember it.
    Bella nibbled on her bottom lip and peered down at her chart. “Mmm, about fifteen or twenty minutes?”
    “Oh.” Mia couldn’t keep the disappointment out of her tone but then tried another tactic. “Wow, has anyone ever told you that you look like Eva Longoria?” It was true. She did. “Except, you know, younger.”
    “Actually, I get that