Chapter 22
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
ANNIE
“Looks like you and Miles get your bookcases from the same place,” I joke as I run my fingers gently across the spines of a set of cozy mystery books I’m not familiar with. I like the occasional cozy mystery as a nice palate cleanser between heavier reads.
Luca sets down my mom’s suitcase and chuckles. “That’s because I built all of them myself. The kid rents that apartment from me. I built him bookshelves of his own as a housewarming gift when he moved in.”
“You built these? Wow.” I have a whole new appreciation for the shelves.
Luca shrugs one shoulder and uncomfortably averts his gaze. He’s a little crunchy just like his nephew, the two definitely have descended from the same family tree.
“This is your last name, isn’t it?” I point to the cozy mysteries by M. Duffy on his shelf. “Are you related to the author?”
“Oh, uh yep.” Luca clears his throat and abruptly exits the room.
My mom giggles nervously. “That was awkward.”
“Maybe he doesn’t get along with the writer.” I shrug. Creative types can be a little temperamental. Considering how grouchy the men in their family are naturally, I wouldn’t be surprised if the author in their family is especially difficult to deal with.
Mom plops down on the brown leather couch in the middle of the formal living room. She whistles as she admires the huge brick fireplace that dominates the only wall not lined with bookcases. “This place is fancy.”
“You’re already imagining coming down the grand staircase like Scarlet O’Hara, aren’t you?” I knew the second I saw the rounded staircase up to the second floor that her fantasies would run wild.
Mom lowers her voice to quote Gone With the Wind. “Frankly my dear?—”
She cuts off abruptly as the front door slams open. We both lean to peer out of the room toward the entryway. The door slams shut again and then Miles storms into view. He looks flustered, his glasses slightly skewed on his face and curly hair sticking up in all sorts of odd directions.
“Hi,” I squeak out.
He wordlessly stalks toward me.
“Miles?” Luca returns to the room and seems more resigned than surprised to see Miles here. “I told you everything was handled.”
Miles glares over at his uncle. “You handle your business your way and I’ll decide how to handle mine.”
I wish I could fan myself as I swoon a little at the growling tone of Miles’ voice. There’s no question what he considers his business as he grabs me roughly by the elbow and tugs me along with him toward the stack of belongings scattered haphazardly right inside the living room.
My mom didn’t carry things in with nearly the amount of care that Luca and I used. The stuff we stacked mostly toppled thanks to her questionable placement of a duffel bag.
“What stuff is yours?” Miles asks.
“Uh…” I point to the two small suitcases standing neatly at the edge of the mess. “Those two suitcases.”
“That’s it?” His eyebrows jerk in surprise as he looks at me up close.
I nod, speechless as he stares intensely into my soul. I can feel him releasing his judgment, obviously having thought I would be responsible for more of the hoard than I am.
My mom is a borderline hoarder. I’m a full-blown minimalist in comparison.
“Okay. Can you grab the door?” Miles easily lifts both of my small suitcases even though one is mostly full of books I’ve acquired since the fire.
My mom stands up, looking confused from person to person as she tries to follow what’s going on. “What are you doing? Where did you even come from?”
“I called him,” Luca admits. “Thought he might want to know what’s going on with his… friend.” Luca practically chokes on the last word.
“And now I’m taking your daughter home with me.” Miles stares my mom down with a challenge in his eyes that’s only sure to escalate things.
I laugh nervously. “Maybe we should all talk before we make any rash decisions.”
Miles shakes his head before I even finish my sentence. “There’s nothing rash about this arrangement. If you stay with me, your mom can keep the car to get herself to work with Luca since she’s farther away from the office now. And you’ll be closer to campus and able to ride with me. Staying with me makes sense.”
My mom scoffs.
Before she can start grilling Miles, Luca puts a hand on her arm. She tilts her chin to make eye contact with him. There’s genuine respect in how she looks at him, a look she usually only reserves for mailmen and The Oscars.
“Miles will take good care of Annie, Hannah. You can trust him.” Luca glances up to nod respectfully toward Miles.
Miles jerks a little in surprise. He must not have been prepared for Luca to label him trustworthy so openly. I got the feeling there was some contention between the two but now that I’m seeing them together in person, I recognize there’s a lot of love there, too.
“How many bedrooms does your place have?” my mom asks Miles, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“ Mom, ” I groan.
She huffs. “Fine. Fine . Just go and try not to get pregnant.” She waves her hands, her cheeks turning pink as she registers what she just said in front of the two men. “Uh, let’s forget I said that.”
“What do you say we get you some nice, calming tea?” Luca suggests, putting his hands on each of my mom’s shoulders and beginning to guide her further into the house.
Just before they disappear from view, I hear her grumble under her breath. “I’m not British or married to a man I hate. I drink coffee like a normal person.” Luca is in for one heck of an argument if he tries to give my mom tea instead of her beloved coffee.
And I’m left with no choice but to grab the door for Miles on our way out, being carted off to someone else’s place for safekeeping for the second time today. I’m feeling great about all sense of control being taken from my own two hands. Totally great. Really great and not stressed at all. Not even a little bit.
I’ve never felt so stressed in my whole life.
And I live and breathe stress. Some people would call me high strung. Some people prefer to call me particular . Either way, the reality is that I thrive with a certain level of stress in my life.
This, though? This is too much stress.
“Are you hyperventilating?” Miles props himself up on his elbows on the bed and looks over at me. I’m all tucked into his bed on the same side I slept on last time.
“What? No!” I try to slow my breathing only to wind up wheezing out my exhale.
Miles snorts. “This is a safe space, Blue. If you can’t be honest with your fake boyfriend, why bother being honest to anyone?”
I know he’s trying to lighten the mood with a joke. The reminder of our massive dishonesty doesn’t help me relax. I haven’t even admitted the truth to Lainey, who has bombarded me with a mass of texts since hearing the news. Luckily, she’s not the kind of friend to hold a grudge about the fact that I haven’t answered yet.
“Okay.” I take a real calming, slow breath. “Going from fake dating to pseudo-living together feels like a lot. Not that I think I’m like moving in or anything…”
I think I’m making things worse.
“This is weird for me too, Blue. And I’m not looking for a long-term roommate but I’m not going to rush you out either. You can stay here until your place gets sorted out. This isn’t a big deal.”
Weird because lying next to him in bed certainly feels like a big deal to me.
“Aren’t you worried the lines are going to get blurred between us?” I sink my teeth into my bottom lip as I wait for him to respond.
Miles takes his time choosing his words carefully. “Things don’t have to be so black and white. Let’s live in the gray area and let whatever happens, happen.”
“I’m way too Type A for that mindset.”
Miles shakes his head and chuckles as he lies back down. “Consider this an exercise in dealing with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Every plot needs a bit of a twist, after all.”
I like the way he infuses book humor into his words.
I like a lot of things about spending time with Miles.
He’s the smartest guy I think I’ve ever met. He’s well-read and quick-witted. Miles is also more handsome than he has any right to be when he’s such a big book nerd at heart. I think he has to be surly because if he was more charming the combination of looks and personality would be too powerful.
My heart is pounding.
Thinking about Miles this intently is stirring… something in my gut. And while I’ve never been the spontaneous type, I feel a sudden urge to do something completely out of character. Something certifiably insane.
I slip out from under the covers and sit up.
“What are you doing?” Miles asks curiously.
As my heart races, I throw a leg across Miles and straddle him, placing my hands on his chest to steady myself. As I lean in, I whisper breathlessly, “I’m adding a plot twist.”