11. Milo #2
“I know it’s a lot to take in, and you don’t have to decide now, but there’s a flight on Thursday. Then it’s a couple of hours’ drive from there.”
“Okay. I guess you’ve thought of everything.”
“It’s just a suggestion, Milo. You can say no, and I won’t be upset. I know I just sprung this on you, but I think we could have something really special here.”
Milo’s head was spinning. What did he mean by that?
Did he want Milo to be his boyfriend? How would that work when he was prime minister, and still in the closet?
Before he could get his mouth to work again, the alarm for the oven went off, and Edward was up dealing with dinner.
For the first time since the night they’d met, there was an uncomfortable silence between them, and Milo hated it.
But what was he supposed to say? He didn’t need to spend Christmas with Edward to know there was something more between them.
What would happen if his feelings grew stronger but nothing changed?
Their relationship would still be a secret, and the fear of being exposed would hang over them constantly.
How could he live like that? And if it came out, it would be a tremendous scandal, which was ridiculous, but it didn’t stop it being true.
Edward put dinner in front of him, which was a delicious-looking beef casserole with dumplings and crusty buttered bread.
Before Milo could say anything, he walked away and came back with a jar of pickled red cabbage.
This was his favourite meal his mum used to make for him whenever it started getting cold.
“How did you know?” asked Milo, his eyes watering.
“You told me one night. You know, when you used to do all the talking.”
Milo laughed before he started crying. This had to be the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him. He felt Edward’s hands grip his own. He looked, and Edward was crouching down beside him with a concerned look on his face.
“You don’t have to eat it if it’s triggered something.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just . . . Yes, I’ll do it.”
“Do what?”
“I’ll spend Christmas with you.”
“Oh. My. God. I’m so excited for you,” said Lexie, squeezing him with one of her hugs.
“You’re not pissed off about the last-minute change?”
“Of course not, but I expect all the details when you get back. Well, not all the squelchy stuff. The romantic shit, like that meal he made for you.”
“I know, right?”
Milo still couldn’t believe he’d done that, and it had tasted incredible. It was like a fancier version of his mum’s casserole. Of course, Edward used premium ingredients, but money had been tight growing up, so she’d made stuff work with whatever she could get whilst holding down three jobs.
“What are you going to tell the others?” asked Lexie.
“I was just gonna let them assume I was still with you, if that’s okay? I don’t think the signal will be great there.”
“Is there a way to get hold of you in case there’s an emergency?”
“No idea, but I’ll ask Eddie.”
“And if my parents ask, I’m telling them you’re spending it with Liam because he just broke up with his boyfriend.”
“It was only Liam who thought they were boyfriends, like he always does after any guy fucks him.”
“Details I don’t need to share with my parents. At least this way it’s not an outright lie.”
Milo had avoided Liam. He’d already gone home for Christmas, but not before texting that they would “speak when they both got back,” which sounded like a problem for January Milo.
At least after these few days with Edward, he’d know for certain if there was anything he needed to share.
Liam had been dropped by the guys he was seeing after a few weeks for being too clingy – that always happened with him.
He fell hard and fast and always ended up getting hurt.
Milo hoped he wouldn’t change, though. One day he’d meet a guy who was wired the same way and they’d be perfect for each other.
Liam wanted the big, all-consuming love you got in romance novels, whereas Milo was more of a high-angst, high-stakes reader.
And that’s what he was getting in real life, wasn’t he? Well, at least the high-stakes part.
“What are you thinking about?” asked Lexie.
“Just wondering how this story is going to end.”
“You should write it as a book.”
“I haven’t done anything with the one I’ve finished. I’m hardly going to write another.”
“What?”
Oh shit!
Lexie didn’t know he’d finished his book. Whenever she asked about his writing, he always said he didn’t have time to write.
“When did you finish your book?”
“Fairly recently.”
“Do you want me to tickle you?”
He scowled at her.
“How long, Milo? Or do I need to call Liam and ask him, and perhaps mention you aren’t spending Christmas with me?”
“Bitch! Okay, it was two years ago.”
“What!” she shrieked, making him jump. “Right, this is what’s going to happen. You’re going to send me a copy so I can read it over Christmas. No arguments. And if it’s as good as I think it will be, we’re doing something about it in the new year.”
“Fine,” he grumbled.
There was no point arguing with her. Even if she liked the book, he didn’t have to do anything about it. Although Lexie was a lot harder to ignore than Liam.
“Have you gotten Eddie a present?”
“Yeah. I’m nervous about it, but hopefully he’ll like it.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll tell you if he likes it.”
“Bitch!”
They looked at each other, and both cracked up laughing.
Milo would miss spending Christmas with her, but he was excited to see what could happen being in a cabin with Edward for the next week.
They weren’t due back until New Year’s Eve.
That was a lot of time to spend alone with one person, and hopefully he wouldn’t start the new year with a broken heart.