31. Chapter Thirty-one

Saoirse was being weird.

First, she'd roped me into going to look at a litter of kittens with her after work, claiming Clementine needed a companion. We all knew Princess Clem would obliterate her enemies with a single swipe of her paw. And Luca and Saoirse were too busy worshiping her to even think of sharing their hearts with another.

Even though I didn't buy she was genuinely looking for another cat, I'd agreed to go along. Because kittens. Maybe I'd adopt one for myself.

My house was kind of a hell hole at the moment, though. It'd probably be better to wait until I had floors and my electrical wires were no longer exposed.

That could be a while—especially since I'd taken a sledgehammer to almost every single wall. While cathartic, the physical manifestation of my frustration had only created a big fucking mess for me to clean up.

Saoirse had been driving around a neighborhood I recognized as being near Daisy's. Up and down streets, she kept checking her phone and muttering.

"Why did I ride with you again?" I asked.

"We're saving the environment by carpooling. Weston would be proud of us."

"I don't think you know where you're going."

"I'm following the directions, but they're unclear. Oh, look. Daisy just texted. She has something I need to borrow. Let's go there, then we'll come back for the kittens."

I stared at the side of her blonde head. "What do you need to borrow from Daisy?"

She lifted a shoulder. "Oh, you know, girl things. It's private, Miles."

"Do women loan out their vibrators?"

She burst out laughing. "I don't think so. If they do, I don't want to know about it."

A minute later, she pulled up in front of Daisy's place. Strangely, Saoirse seemed to know exactly how to get here. Then again, I didn't know every move Daisy made. Maybe she and Saoirse hung out regularly.

Saoirse patted my knee. "Come on. It's around back. I need your help."

"So, your secret girl thing is heavy?"

Her nostrils flared. "What are you today, the question man?"

I followed behind her, noticing Reed's light on next door. I hadn't talked to him in a few days. I made a mental note to text him. He was starting his music class soon, but he was probably bored at home. Kid might've wanted to make some money by cleaning up drywall some idiot had scattered all over my house.

We rounded the corner to the back of the house, and I was about to ask if Daisy knew we were coming when everyone I knew and loved sprung out of nowhere screaming, "Surprise!"

I stumbled backward from the force of my shock. My first thought was we'd messed up someone else's surprise. Then I scanned the crowd and decorations and landed on a banner strung between trees that very much had my name and "congratulations" on it.

Finally, there was Daisy, walking straight toward me, a "1" balloon in her hand.

She'd remembered.

This beautiful, confusing, fantastic fucking woman had remembered I'd been one year sober today.

"Daisy, what did you do?"

She was giggling as she fell into my arms, squeezing me tighter than her diminutive muscles should have been capable.

"Did you honestly think I would let this day go by without celebrating the shit out of you, Spreadsheet?"

Squeezing my eyes shut, I buried my face in the top of her head, inhaling her cupcake and Daisy scent. I hadn't let myself be close to her like this since that night by the lake. I'd missed the feel of her on a bone-deep level.

"Thank you, Cupcake."

She rubbed slow circles in the center of my back. "Don't worry, I told my family it's your one-year anniversary of going to the gym. I don't know if they bought it, but they wanted to celebrate you anyway."

I held her tighter for keeping my privacy, and for having a family who thought enough of me, they wanted to celebrate my accomplishments.

"I don't have words."

She pulled back from my embrace, still grinning. "You don't have to have words. Have a balloon." She shoved the ribbon attached to the "1" into my hand. "Now, let me take a picture."

Humoring her, I stood with my balloon, smiling at the camera. She got one in before Saoirse and Luca crowded around me. Then little Hazel threw herself in front of us, cheesing like we were all here for her. Landry tried to drag her away, but we told her to stay, so then Edie needed to be in it too.

By the time Daisy took the final picture, everyone she'd invited was surrounding me. Even Reed had shuffled into the frame. Flipping the camera around, she held it in front of her and took a selfie with all of us.

The whole thing was so damn wholesome and sweet, it felt like watching someone else's life. Then Kit handed me Joey, who screeched and slapped my cheeks, Luca threw his arm around me, telling me the cat ruse had been his idea, and Edie started rubbing her tummy and patting her head.

I looked up, my eyes landing on Weston. He was watching it all, a bemused expression taking over his face.

"You still manage to be the life of the party," he quipped.

"Can't help it. They're moths to my flame."

Elliot breezed by, plucking his daughter from my arms. "Congratulations, Miles. Doing anything for a year straight is difficult. Changing a lifetime of habit isn't for the weak."

I blinked at him. "I—thanks."

He nodded once, then went to find his wife, who he was even more protective of now that she had another bun baking in her oven.

I swiveled to Weston. "Did you see that? Elliot said something nice to me."

He chuckled. "He's capable. I'm pretty sure he's been playing into the same nemesis schtick you have for the last decade. Is it time to give it a rest?"

I scratched the side of my head. No way Weston believed all the tension between Elliot and me had been a schtick. Maybe it was now. Maybe we were all right.

"Nah. Why start now?"

"Good. I would have been alarmed if you and Elliot had started being nice to each other."

I pretended to gag. "Don't say it."

Weston put his hand on my shoulder and sighed. "I get I failed you."

"You didn't."

"I did. I saw you at least once a week over the last year and didn't notice you were sober." He scrunched his eyes…his whole face. "I always have this idea of you. My wild, crazy kid brother. The creative, the irresponsible. But that idea isn't you. You're not a series of adjectives. It's my fault for being focused on what is right in front of me and not what's always been beside me. I'm sorry for that, Miles. I see you now."

What I'd always wanted. Why I'd acted out, had made a spectacle of myself, misbehaved, ruined dinners and furniture, just so Weston would see me. It had only taken me completely turning my life around and no longer begging him for a crumb of attention to finally have it.

It was as good as I'd always thought it would be.

"Shit, West. Don't make me cry. I'm not going to be a public crier." I scrubbed my face with my hand. "I get I haven't given you a reason to believe I'd follow through on my promises. But the stakes are higher for me now. I've got Peak Strategies, my house—"

"Daisy," he added. "Me and Elise. I wasn't there for you like I should've been growing up, but I'm here now. You get that, Miles? I'm here, even if there are times you're not at your best. I'm still going to be here."

Oh hell. That had done it. I hung my head, nodding. "I get it," I replied thickly. "Thank you."

He pulled me into a tight hug. This was only one of a handful he'd given me since I was a kid, and it was one for the ages. Made me feel cared for and secure that my big brother had my back.

After that, I was passed from person to person. Food was shoved into my hands, and Whitney Mae made sure my plate was never empty. Everyone sat around me, sharing stories and tall tales. There was barely a minute without laughter. Even Reed had managed a smirk or two.

I ended up beside him when I went to toss my plate in the garbage. "Is that track ready to send me?"

He looked at me with a pinched expression. "Why were you an alcoholic?"

"I, uh…I thought the story was I'm a gym bro."

He clucked his tongue. "That might work with the little kids, but I'm not stupid. I hear things."

"Right." I nodded, suddenly queasy. I'd gotten this kid to admire me, to think I was sort of cool. The last thing I wanted was for him to know how boringly fallible I was. "I can't say for sure why I'm an alcoholic. Genetics has something to do with it. Growing up in an environment where alcohol was constantly flowing contributed. When I got older, I felt like I had to be trashed to be interesting. I used my alcoholism as a reason for my failures instead of facing the real problem: me. A lot of reasons, none stronger than the rest."

His mouth had fallen open sometime around my second reason. "Whoa. I didn't expect you to be that honest."

"I don't have a reason to lie to you, kid. If you ask me a straight question, I'm going to give you as straight an answer as I can."

He rubbed the back of his neck, kicking some rocks by his feet. "I guess all those reasons made it hard to get sober."

"Yeah," I sighed. "Didn't think I'd be standing here. Never thought anyone would throw me a one-year party."

"That's Daisy." He looked up at me, the confusion fleeing his expression. "She knows what's important. That's why she's always after me. Showing me I'm not alone. Guess she's doing that for you too."

"Guess she is. Aren't we the lucky ones?"

I glanced at Daisy on the other side of the patio, bouncing baby Joey on her hip. She looked stunning and happy. My gut twisted with what I now recognized as longing for her. She had to stop being so goddamn wonderful or I would never get over her.

A couple hours later, the party was winding down. Daisy was bustling around, throwing things away and stopping to chat with anyone who grabbed her.

I finally had my chance to speak to her and stepped into her path. "Daze."

Her momentum had her stumbling into my chest, a giggle bursting out of her. "Some warning might've been nice." She patted me right over my tumbling heart. "After all, you're all buff from your year at the gym. This is like granite."

"Daze," I said softer now, catching her big brown eyes. "Thank you for this. All of it. Bringing everyone together, your support. I can't—I've never had someone like you in my life."

Her breath hitched. "I can say for sure I've never had someone like you in my life either. I feel lucky to know you. It's my privilege to be here for your one-year anniversary and help you celebrate it."

My throat tightened. "Good party," I gritted out.

"Yeah," she sighed. "Great party."

Before I could say anything else, Saoirse called my name. Daisy backed up a step, until we were no longer touching. I turned to Saoirse, cocking a brow.

"Luca and I are heading out. Want a ride back to your car?"

"Oh, uh…" I checked back with Daisy. "You need help cleaning up?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. It's almost done. Besides, it's your party—you don't clean."

"All right." I rocked back on my heels. "I think I'm gonna head out with them. Thank you again, Daisy-daze. I'll always remember this."

"I hope you remember all the people who showed up for you, Miles. You don't have to go it alone anymore." She pushed up on her toes and kissed my jaw, and it took all my willpower not to grab her and bring that kiss where I really wanted it.

Instead, I backed away from her, just as I'd been doing for weeks. "Goodnight."

Her eyes searched mine then settled. "Goodnight, Miles."