Eric appreciated her thoughtfulness, yet he felt conflicted. "Actually," he said, "Mr. Grant would prefer it if you were a little clingier."
Mia Grant simply smiled at that, saying nothing.
As he was handling her luggage earlier, Eric noticed a separate bag lying across her suitcase. Something occurred to him, and he asked, "I heard you recently made a purchase... for a golf club?"
"You know about that too?" Mia Grant frowned. "Well, so much for the surprise."
"Don't worry, Mr. Grant doesn't know yet," Eric said with a smile. "Ah, so it's for him. A birthday present?"
"Mhm. I heard he likes to play golf?"
Eric paused to think, then murmured his assent.
Mia could sense the hesitation in his response.
"He doesn't like it?"
Eric quickly insisted he did. "Mr. Grant likes anything you give him. It's the thought that counts."
"I wasn't asking about that. I'm asking if he likes golf."
"I suppose... it's alright." Eric avoided her eyes.
