19. Chapter Nineteen

The most incredible thing happened this week: a woman I'd met at the gallery opening had booked a grazing table for her daughter's baby shower in late June. It wasn't a lot, but to me, it was huge. The start of a dream I'd put off, deeming it too hard to make real.

Yet, here it was, happening.

I'd think, plan, obsess over my layout for her table soon enough, but not until after this weekend in Breckenridge. I planned to soak up the mountain air and relax as much as possible. I hadn't been out of town, not even for a weekend, in ages.

Miles reached across the console to grip my knee. "Nervous?"

"No. Why?"

"You haven't stopped moving since you got in the car."

I released a heavy breath. "Okay, maybe. Slightly. Meeting new people isn't my favorite."

"You know half of them already. Kit's cool as hell. You're gonna love her. Same with Luca. Elliot…well, he'll be there."

I snorted. "Is there something I need to know about Elliot? I seem to recall you referring to him as a friend when you were showing me your ass."

"Yeah, but that was back when you and I were just getting to know each other. Now that we've shed our formalities—"

"You were showing me your ass."

He cleared his throat and went on like I hadn't interrupted him. "—I can be real. Elliot Levy and I would not exist on the same planet if not for the people who connect us. And that's cool. I'm good with that."

"All right. I don't know if I'm any less nervous now."

"Want me to play you a new song?"

I scrunched my nose. "Will that help?"

"Just listen."

Rolling beats started playing, something familiar but not quite. Then Noah Kahan started singing about Vermont in a trippy, sped-up version of the song. It was his voice, but with electronic dance music backing it. I…didn't know what to think.

I turned to Miles. He was beaming, moving his head with the beat. It felt like I was missing something. Surely, this strange remix wasn't the thing making him that happy.

He glanced at me, catching me watching. "It's Reed's."

I flicked my eyes to the screen on the console then back to Miles. "My brother's?"

"Yeah. He sent it to me last night. Amazing, right?"

Head swimming, I let it fall against the rest. The two of them had exchanged numbers last Sunday when Miles had crashed our brother-sister bonding time, but I hadn't believed they'd text each other.

Apparently, I didn't know anything.

"He hasn't let me hear any of his stuff," I admitted.

"He told me. He asked me to play this for you."

My heart leaped into my throat. "Really?"

"Mmmhmm. I get the impression he was too nervous to ask you to listen directly."

I stared at the side of his face, trying to wrap my head around all this. Reed didn't talk to strangers. He barely talked to his family. Miles had wormed his way in on Sunday, badgering Reed in his signature way, teasing him and bombarding him with questions until he cracked. Not a lot, but more than I'd gotten out of him in ages.

And now, this song.

"Thank you," I squeezed out. "I love it so much. Don't tell him I got choked up or he'll never let me hear another one."

He shot me a crinkly-eyed grin. "No worries. I'll play it cool for you."

I clutched his forearm. "I was twelve when he was born. He's my brother, but a little bit my baby too."

He nodded. "I got it, Cupcake. I'll be careful with whatever he gives me, and I'll share it if it needs to be shared, all right?"

"I trust you, Spreadsheet."

It was surprising to admit it, since for me, trust had always been hard won. Miles had wormed his way under my defenses too, and I hadn't even noticed it happening.

The house was far beyond any place I'd stayed before. It blended with the mountains and Evergreen trees of Breckenridge, with its rustic, log-cabin-esque interior, but the inside was pure luxury. In the living room, there was a two-story, gas-powered stone fireplace. With the flick of a switch, it ignited.

Miles and I got the house ready for everyone to arrive. He put welcome packages in each of the bedrooms, claiming this was one of his duties as Weston's best man. I peeked in one, spotting fuzzy socks with this weekend's date and location embroidered on the ankle. There was nothing dutiful about that, but if he wanted to pretend it wasn't a big deal, I'd let him have it.

Coming from Miles Aldrich, it was more endearing than I'd been prepared for.

For my part, I brought a charcuterie board fit for a big party and a couple dozen cupcakes. I might've gone overboard, but when it came to feeding people, that was me. "Too much" was just right. I definitely inherited that philosophy from my mama.

Miles came up behind me as I was tweaking the prosciutto roses. His chest grazed my back, and he gripped the edge of the counter on either side of me, arms paralleling mine.

"Are you ready to be my girlfriend all weekend?" he asked.

I turned my head, looking up at him. "I think I can handle it. It's not like we're going to be expected to fuck in front of everyone to prove we're real."

He went still at my back, his breath catching on an inhale. Then, the weight of his head fell on my shoulder, and a rumbling groan from his chest rattled my spine.

"That's a relief since I'm not into sharing," he uttered, sending goosebumps down my limbs.

"You don't have to share me. I'm all yours until this is done."

He let go of the counter to brush my hair behind my ear. "You didn't say anything about our bedroom."

My tongue was stuck to the roof of my dry mouth. I had to swallow a few times to get it working again. "What would I have said?"

"There's only one bed."

The corners of my mouth twitched, matching the twinges in my belly. "I expected that. It's a big bed."

"As long as you're comfortable."

I leaned my shoulders against his chest. "I think we both know we're playing a role in front of the others. When we close the door of our room, we'll go back to being just us. It won't be a problem."

He trailed his knuckle along my jaw. "Nope. No problem for me either. I'll build a pillow wall so you won't be tempted to venture to my side of the bed."

"Don't worry. I'm not snuggly."

"What? I don't believe that." He wrapped his arms around me, lifting me right off my feet in a tight squeeze. "Look at you being snuggled."

Then his face was in my hair, sniffing and growling, all while swinging me back and forth, my legs flopping like a rag doll. I…giggled. He had me giggling as he manhandled me.

"Is this not snuggly?" he teased. "I don't feel any prickles coming from you. It's all softness and light."

"This is you snuggling me," I wheezed, slapping his arm without any real intention of breaking free. "If you try to do this when I'm sleeping, you'll feel a lot more than prickles."

"Oooh." He paused, his teeth scraping my neck. "I'm intrigued. Like what, Cupcake? Are you going to…nuzzle me? Like this?"

His nose pressed behind my ear, hot air blowing against my skin. I squirmed in his hold, and he used my movement to rotate me in his arms, bringing us chest to chest.

"Now you can properly cuddle me," he whispered along my throat.

"Or get my knee to your balls," I whispered back. "Watch out, Aldrich."

"Your knee's so tiny, it would probably feel like a gentle breeze."

"Oh, you asked for it now, my guy."

I brought my knee up, but since I didn't really want to hurt him, there was no force behind the movement, and Miles easily caught me.

"You can't have my leg," I squealed.

He waggled his brows. "Too late." Then he had my leg draped over his arm and went back to gobbling on my neck and shoulders while I screeched and bucked. His body shook with laughter, even when I hit him. In fact, it shook even harder when I threatened to put shrimp in his cupcakes and shave off his eyebrows while he was sleeping.

A throat cleared. And since we were being so loud, it had to have been even louder.

Miles and I froze, our heads turning to the side in unison. There stood Saoirse, her hand over her mouth, the apples of her cheeks pink. The man next to her, who had to be her husband, Luca, had his head cocked and brow furrowed as he studied the scene they'd walked in on.

"How's it going, Rossis?" Miles asked as though he hadn't a care in the world. "Good drive?"

Saoirse snorted. "Great drive, but I think we should have taken the scenic route. We definitely interrupted something."

Miles gave me a jiggle. "This is nothing. Just me showing Daisy-daze how snuggly she is."

I let myself go limp in his arms so I was just hanging there and gave him a flat look. "Do I seem convinced?"

He flashed me a wide, pleased grin. "You seem cute."

Then he set me on my feet, making sure I was steady and my clothes were straightened. After that, I greeted Saoirse properly and met Luca. A few minutes later, Elise, Weston, Elliot, and Kit arrived.

I felt like the odd man out. They all knew each other and were clearly very close. And the women, dear god were they beautiful. Kit was the only one I hadn't met, and with her long, thick auburn hair and dangerous curves, she fit right in with Elise's girl next door plump sexiness and Saoirse's lithe, outdoor beauty. The three of them together were like an eclipse. Looking at them straight on was so tempting but too powerful for the human eye.

I didn't think I was ugly or anything, but in the face of the three of them, I felt like someone's twiggy, plain kid sister.

I'd have to get over that really quickly. This wasn't high school, and they were welcoming me with open arms. Beautiful and kind. It was almost too much.

The guys took the bags upstairs while the women drifted into the kitchen. Elise stopped in front of the island and pressed her hands together beneath her chin, peering at the board I'd created with wide, alight eyes.

"Wow, Daisy. This is a work of art. The roses…how did you even do that?"

I bit back the urge to dismiss her compliment and tell her it was no big deal. "I used a wine glass. If we have time later, I'll show you. I promise it isn't hard."

She waved her hand over the board. "Maybe not, but this whole thing all together—" she sighed, "—you have quite the eye. I almost don't want to eat anything and ruin it."

Saoirse leaned over her and plucked an olive off the twigs of rosemary I'd placed around the board. "I have no such problems. I can admire while I dig in."

"Please, eat. That"s why I made it."

Elise sucked in a breath like she was going to say something then shook her head.

I touched her forearm. "What is it?

"Well, I was going to say it would be amazing to have something like this at our rehearsal dinner, but then I realized how last minute it is, plus you'll be there as a guest, so I decided to keep my mouth shut," she rushed out.

My heart fluttered in my chest. "You know I'm just getting started with this business of mine. I'm not booked. Even if I were, I'd find a way since you've been so welcoming to me. I'd be honored to create a grazing table for you."

"Really?" She glanced at Saoirse. "I shouldn't have said anything, huh?"

Saoirse went in for a piece of cheese. "Sure you should have. Daisy's building her business. Every job counts. And you will be paying her regular fee, even if she tries to give you a discount."

Elise shook her head. "I would never ask that."

Saoirse pinned me with an accusing stare. "I'm one-hundred-and-ten-percent certain you wouldn't have had to ask. Daisy would have insisted. Luckily, I'm here to knock sense into her before she makes a mistake." She held up a finger. "Take it from the girl who did far too much free labor before I decided to take myself seriously and charge what I'm worth."

I nodded, my eyes bugging. "Okay. I'll take myself seriously."

Kit leaned her elbows on the counter, giggling as she picked up a piece of Manchego and a breadstick. "As someone who joined this group last year, a word of advice: let yourself be swept up, Daisy. It's going to happen no matter what."

I glanced from one gorgeous face to the next. "You guys are so fucking nice."

Saoirse snorted a laugh, and the others chuckled with her. "Why wouldn't we be?" she asked, as if it were that simple.

To her, it probably was. The three of them weren't suspicious of intentions. They were warm and open-armed without needing me to jump through any hoops. I wondered if they had always been like that. Maybe I could get to that place one day too.

If I hung around them for a while.

I corrected myself before letting that thought get too far. There was a time limit to my relationship with Miles.

All this loveliness would disappear from my life right along with him.