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"It's... Beautiful. "Mia breathed, taking in the rows upon rows of different flowers, different colours and species.

Jace smiled contentedly as he watched her face.

She went past the yard to the place the rows began and walked through the pathways smiling, inhaling the sweet, fresh and calming scent of the flowers, watching a small bee buzz maddeningly over a flower here or there.

Wow. She thought to herself, this place is amazing, right out of a romance novel.

Jace trailed behind her, and stopped only once to cut off two roses for her.

"Here. "He said, making her turn around.

He stepped closer and tucked a white rose behind her ear, then handed her another red one and curtsied, making her titter.

"Thank you, you're so sweet. "

Even she was surprised by her own words, and how incredibly charmed she was.

Before she could be completely Jace's, she lifted the rose in her hand and inhaled it's scent for some detoxification.

They continued to walk in silence until they were almost at the centre of the long rows, then Jace led her off track to a random mahogany bench under a tree where they proceeded to take a seat.

They sat silently for a while, each gazing out into the open flower field and absorbing the serene evening air accompanied by the atmospheric chill.

Boy, was Mia glad she brought her trench along.

"What's your favourite flower? "Jace suddenly asked randomly, making Mia turn towards him.

"I've never really thought of that, but I'm guessing it's one of these sweet roses you gave me. Probably the white, I don't like the colour red. "She responded.

Jace turned towards her, and coincidentally, their knees bumped.

"Why do you hate red? "Jace asked, though he wasn't much of a fan either.

Mia tucked a strand of frizzy hair behind her ear, and blinked back a panic attack.

Red.

Red was the colour she saw when her dad was shot, and left lying in a pool of blood. Red was the colour she woke up to find smudged on her thigh, when their house collapsed and a piece of sharp wood found its way to her and lodged itself in.

Red was the colour of seduction.

She closed her eyes momentarily to let herself regain a sane state of mind.

"I just don't like it. "She responded upon opening her eyes.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't really like it either. "Jace said, remembering the time he and his brother were playing with their bikes and he rammed straight into a tree, and for a second all he saw was blood.

"Then why would you give me a red rose? "Mia asked jokingly.

"I just assumed you'd like it, plus they are really sweet smelling and like the universal symbol of-"Jace cut himself short before he could say it and ruin everything.

"Of what? "Mia pushed, clearly sensing the tension and enjoying seeing him squirm.

"Of.. Ah.. Peace? "He tried, making the both of them laugh at the awful excuse.

Their knees had gone from bumping to touching, and know there were little electric sparks travelling back and forth.

"So, why is there a bench sitting randomly in the middle of the farm? "Mia asked, something she had been dying to know ever since since she saw it.

Jace smiled sadly at traced his hand over the top, where Mia realised was little encryption.

She squinted her eyes to read them.

Mary and Jace.

Mia suddenly panicked, discovering that despite the huge lumpsums of money she had spent hiring private investigators over the years, there was still a part of Jace she didn't know of.

Yet.

She was going to leave here with it, even if it killed her. She couldn't risk inadequacy, she needed it for the element of surprise.

But then again, a tiny part of her didn't really want to know.

A tiny tiny part.

She opened her mouth to ask, but Jace beat her to it.

"Mary's my mom. "

"Oh. "

Well, she did not see that coming.

"I built this here for her because we liked to sit out here in the open and watch the sunset with her, and just imagine for a moment how it would really feel if things were a tiny bit different. It was peaceful. "

"Oh. "

Mia was dumbstruck.

But at the same time, this answered a lot of questions, particularly pertaining to why her P. I couldn't find his mother, and why he mysteriously disappeared some weekends and  not even GPS could track him.

For a minute, Mia thought of how soft he was, which was a really bad thing in her eyes considering what she had been through and was still fighting.

Then again, she saw the sadness in his eyes coupled with a mixture of unfathomable emotions, though his face remained completely straight and void of any expressions and respected him for his strength.

And his ability to hide this from her.

She reached out and locked her hand with his on his lap, then proceeded to soothingly rub circles on the back of his palm.

Anything to get him to spill his secrets, or so she told herself.

Jace felt comforted and secure, and part of his mind even wanted to tell her everything, how he got here, and how much of a terrible mess his life was no matter how hard he wished it wasn't.

But he couldn't, even though he completely had faith in her and was falling hard for her, a tiny part of him didn't trust her.

"Am so sorry you went through all that. I know how hard it is to cope with loss. "Mia said softly, jutting him back to life.

He pulled away from her like she was hot iron.

"That's such an awful thing to say! My mom's not dead, she's only sick!"

Mia's jaw dropped.

Well, things escalated fast.

"I'm sorry but can you really blame me?All the things you were saying were practically suggesting it! "She protested.

Jace closed his eyes and opened them more relaxed.

"Sorry, maybe they were. It's just a sensitive topic, that's all. Everytime someone tells me sorry, it feels as if she's gone, and I don't want that to happen. I know she'll get better. "

Mia swallowed hard.

Because that is exactly the same thing she felt with her dad, and even if she didn't know it right there and then, even if her heart, mind, body and soul were resistant, they had made a connection.

Her heart felt buttery and warm and constricted, and she was two seconds away from a panic attack when Jace pulled her close and hugged her from sideways.

Her entire body relaxed, tense muscle by muscle.

She was struggling, everything seemed so futile now, she felt tired and lonely and just about to give up.

Jace saw it all, hugged her tighter as she rested her head on his shoulder and knew she was striving with something, but figured she would let it all out in her own time and pace.

They sat like that for a while, watching the sun set and reliving Jace's moments with his mom as the dusk rapidly approached, and even then neither pulled away.

Two whole more minutes passed in the same state, but those were enough for Mia to regain her composure and pull herself together.

And away from him.

"It's getting dark. "She was the first to speak, her voice raspy and cold, making her clear her throat almost immediately.

"I know. We should probably head back. "Jace responded oblivious to her vocal state, and helping her up from the chair.

They headed back, back to the usual state of things.

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Jace was supposed to be driving home, yet for some reason he took the wrong turn and pulled up in front of the Silverstone.

"Aren't you supposed to drop me off at the office?"Mia turned to Face, who smiled mischievously.

"But our date is not done yet. "He said, this time getting around fast enough to get her door.

She walked with him with her usual poise into the five star hotel, where they proceeded to be led to their reserved table, a quiet place for two by the balcony, overlooking the massive pool.

Mia sat down with her usual elegance and pretend to look through the menu to avoid her date's charming smile and aura of victory.

He obviously still didn't know what was coming for him, and even though he was strong enough for his mother, she doubted he had the resilience for her plan.

"What are you getting? "He asked her, having already ordered himself a mushroom risotto.

"I'm not really hungry. I guess I'll have a chicken salad. "She responded, sulking a little for having been dragged here when all she wanted was to go home and sleep the hot throbbing in her heart away.

The waiter scampered off to take get their orders, and was back before they could blink.

He placed the aromatic dishes on the table with a warm smile.

"Would you like some complimentary wine to go with your dishes? "He asked.

"No, please. "Jace said at the same time Mia said, "I actually don't drink. "

They locked eyes for a minute and cracked huge smiles at each other, making the waiter sashay away to give them some privacy, only to come back with an expensive looking bottle of executive water and two glasses.

"The best I could get. "He said and left them alone for good this time.

"You don't drink wine? "Jace asked Mia, who was carefully toying with her salad.

"I don't drink anything with alcohol. "She said, watching his face for a reaction.

"Me neither. "Jace responded, much to her surprise.

His dad was an alcoholic, so he had grown up despising the product.

They both tasted their meals at the same time.

"This is so good. How come I've never eaten here before? "Mia exclaimed, giving props to the chef mentally.

And to think she had ordered a simple chicken salad.

"I know right?This is the best dinner in town. "

Obviously for the rich and famous. The prices on the menu were enough to send Casey spiraling into an early grave.

Even the water had a distinct divine taste.

"Their service is really good too, but why the hell would there be a complimentary wine? Am sure it costs almost as much as my aunt's pension. "

Jace shrugged.

"I kind of, sort of, know the owner. "

And know he did, because Shane was watching them from afar with a dirty scowl on his face.

It was game on.