Nora #2
Once everything was settled, he said he’d be back shortly with some more bread before disappearing toward the kitchen.
“That was amazing,” Amanda said, leaning back in her chair once our plates had been cleared.
“I know,” Miles agreed. “I thought I’d have room for dessert, but those au gratin potatoes ruined me.”
“For real,” I said. “My mom went through an au-gratin-potato phase when I was in fourth grade, so I’ve eaten my fair share through the years. But the restaurant’s version was on an entirely different level.”
“Sounds like I’ll have to try those next time I come,” Theo said. Then lifting the dessert menu the server had dropped off, he asked, “Does anyone have room for dessert?”
“I honestly don’t think I could eat another bite,” Amanda said, glancing down at her plate. “But maybe we should get some to go? I’m pretty sure the gift cards cover dessert, too.”
“That chocolate soufflé sounded too good to pass up,” I said, nodding. “I vote yes to dessert.”
A chocolate soufflé was probably something that tasted best when hot, so maybe I could fit in a bite or two before we left, just so I could enjoy it as the chef intended.
When the server returned with the leftover food I’d asked him to box up for me—yes, there was no way I was letting the leftover half of my expensive steak go to waste—we each ordered dessert to go.
Theo and Miles took care of the check with the gift cards, and a short while later, we were walking out together, holding brown paper bags with the Serpent and Apple logo printed on the sides.
“Well, this was fun,” Theo said once we stepped onto the sidewalk, the evening air warm and soft as the sun dipped lower behind the buildings.
“It was,” Miles said, surprising me by reaching for my hand. His fingers laced easily with mine, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “We’ll have to do this again sometime.”
“Definitely,” Amanda said brightly.
I glanced at Theo, curious how he felt about that. About her.
Aside from that brief, awkward moment when Amanda had assumed he was divorced instead of widowed, the night had gone smoothly.
I hadn’t been paying close attention to their conversation during dinner, since I’d been enjoying my own conversation with Miles. But from what I’d noticed, Theo and Amanda seemed comfortable together—connecting over parenting, balancing kids with careers, and the rare chance at a social life.
At one point, Amanda had even asked him a legal question, which gave him the chance to show off just how much he was in his element where interpreting the law was concerned.
Did he like her? Was she someone he would have asked out on his own if this double date hadn’t already been arranged?
By his own description of what he was drawn to—dark hair, brown eyes, confident, independent—Amanda certainly fit the type.
“Guess we should go pick up our kids from Lia and Romeo,” Amanda said, breaking the thread of my thoughts.
“You’re probably right,” Theo replied, sighing. “Hopefully, they haven’t done too much damage in the last five hours.”
We said our goodbyes on the sidewalk, Amanda and Theo heading off toward Theo’s black Volvo as Miles slipped an arm lightly behind me.
A moment later, a valet pulled up in Miles’s Lexus, the engine purring softly as it came to a stop in front of us. Miles thanked him, then opened my door.
The inside of the car smelled faintly like his cologne—warm and familiar—lingering just enough to make me smile as I adjusted in my seat.
“Well, that was fun,” Miles said as he pulled onto the road, heading toward my apartment.
“It really was,” I said, smiling out the windshield as the streetlights blurred past.
“Now we just have to find a time for that hot air balloon ride.”
“Yeah.” I glanced at him. “Which means you should probably respond to the group text Amanda sent this morning.”
He frowned. “What group text?”
I laughed under my breath. Of course. Mr. Popular probably had more unread messages than I had spam emails.
“She was wondering if we could all go on the twenty-fourth. Early. Like sunrise early.”
“Oh.” He thought for a second. “What day is that?”
“Not this Saturday. The next one.”
“I think that should work,” he said. Then his mouth curved. “Good thing it’s not this Saturday since I’ve got a hot date to a wedding.”
He shot me a wink.
“You totally do,” I said, my stomach doing a little swoop from the way he’d winked at me.
“Do you mind texting the group back for me before I forget?”
“Sure.” I pulled my phone from my clutch, opened the chat thread, and typed quickly.
Me: Miles was too popular to notice this thread earlier, but he says the 24th should work.
“Done,” I said, locking my phone.
“Perfect.”
“Should I send you a calendar invite, too?” I asked, half teasing, half serious.
“Probably a good idea.” He laughed. “I’m not convinced my short-term memory has fully recovered from all the concussions.”
“Really?” I asked, a flicker of concern slipping in.
“I’m mostly kidding,” he said, glancing at me with a grin. “I’ve had a couple, but I’m still functioning. Promise.”
“Nothing like putting your body on the line for a sport,” I said.
“Yep.” He slowed at a red light. “What about you? Any bad gymnastics injuries?”
“A few,” I said. “Mostly sprained ankles. A torn ACL. Tendonitis.”
“No broken bones, though?” He looked genuinely impressed.
“Nope. But I did get a concussion once.” I held up a finger before he could think I’d had it too easy. “Hit my head on the balance beam when I was thirteen.”
“Ouch.” He winced. “That sounds painful.”
“It was.” I exhaled. At least, I assumed it was. I couldn’t actually recall much from that day.
That whole summer had been disorienting. Like I’d disappeared into an alternate reality that now just felt like a really bad nightmare.
He turned down the road that passed campus, and my gaze drifted to the apartment building where Lucy and I had lived for the last three years.
“Did you live in the athletic dorms when you were here?” I asked. “Since you went to Eden Falls University?”
“I lived there freshman year,” he said. “After that, a few of us moved into a frat house.”
“That sounds fun.”
“It was.” He laughed. “And yeah, I definitely didn’t follow the coaches’ advice about partying and drinking as closely as I should’ve.”
“Sounds about right for a college guy.”
“Yep.” He grinned. “And clearly I wasn’t spending that time refining a wine palate.”
“You don’t say,” I said, thinking about how the two of us hadn’t even come close to finishing the bottle at dinner. I wasn’t a big drinker anyway, but on the rare occasion that I did have something, I was definitely more of a fruity cocktail kind of girl.
Miles pulled up in front of my building a moment later, easing into the curb.
“Well,” he said softly, glancing over. “Here we are.”
“Home sweet home,” I said lightly, thinking the run-down Victorian home that Lucy and I split with a middle-aged couple was probably a far cry from the place Miles and his pro-football-playing money called home these days.
Miles walked me up the front porch, the night air still warm against my bare arms.
“I had a really great time tonight,” he said, his voice easy and sincere.
“Me too,” I said. And I meant it.
“And I’m looking forward to Saturday,” he added.
“Same,” I said. Playing his fake girlfriend at Ian and Maddie’s wedding should be fun. Even if I hoped that after tonight there might be at least a small spark that wasn’t pretend.
“I’ll pick you up a little before five,” he said. “That should give us plenty of time.”
“I’ll be ready,” I promised.
Another pause settled between us, and for a second, I wondered if he might be thinking about kissing me.
But instead of doing what I was hoping for, he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me.
And the hug was nice.
Not a kiss, but still. It had been so long since I’d been held by a man I was attracted to, that I’d almost forgotten what a simple embrace could do to my nervous system.
“Thanks again for coming out with me tonight,” he said, pulling away just enough to look me in the eyes.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said automatically.
And then immediately regretted it.
It sounded lame. Like I was sixteen and needed a lift home from my brother’s friend.
Which wasn’t entirely inaccurate, considering Miles had been one of Ky’s best friends since the time they attended Eden Falls Academy together.
His mouth curved into a half-smile, like he could tell I was internally cringing and found it more endearing than awkward.
But then, before I knew what was happening, he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek.
“Good night, Nora,” he murmured. “Sweet dreams.”
“Good night, Miles.”
He held my gaze for a second longer than necessary, then turned and headed down the stairs with his hands in his pockets. I watched until he disappeared from view before unlocking my door.
Once inside, I closed the door softly behind me, leaning back against it and exhaling as my fingers brushed the warm spot on my cheek where he’d kissed me.
Miles Hawthorne kissed me.
Not on the lips like our quick peck on New Year’s—but still. He’d chosen to do it of his own free will and choice.
I smiled, my chest feeling light. Happy.
And as I headed up the stairs to the door that led into the living area, I couldn’t stop smiling about how good tonight had been.