Page 84 of Before This Ends (Before)

“You’re funny.” She giggles, then asks, “Do you want to help me with my homework?”

“Sure.” He places Dolly on the floor, then takes the list of spelling words she hands him. While he reads them out loud, she writes them down, then the two of them go over the list to see if there are any she missed.

As I’m putting the chicken parm in the oven to melt the fresh mozzarella I put on top, Miles walks through the door. His smile for me is soft, but then he sees Dayton, and his face lights up.

“Uncle Dayton is here!” Winter shouts as she runs to give her dad a hug, and he picks her up.

“I see that.” He walks over to his brother, who stands, and the two of them embrace with Winter still in his arms. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I said the same thing,” Winter says, and Dayton smiles at her.

“I wanted to surprise everyone.”

“How long are you here for?” Miles asks, placing Winter on her feet, and she wanders into the living room to join Dolly under the coffee table.

“A week. I have an interview with the district attorney’s office next week.”

“You’re finally gonna make the move?” Miles walks around the island to where I’m standing.

“Depending on the offer they give me,” he replies quietly.

“Do Tucker and Clay know?”

“Not yet. I don’t want anyone to get excited until I know for sure I’m accepting the job.”

“I’ll keep it to myself for now,” Miles says, resting his hand on my lower back. I tip my head back to look up at him, and he brushes his lips across mine. “Dinner smells good.”

“Thanks,” I say quietly, and he squeezes my waist.

Dragging my eyes off his, I find Dayton looking between the two of us. “When Hazel called me bitching about you two being a thing, I thought she was full of shit.”

“Yeah, she wasn’t happy,” Miles agrees.

I look up at him, and he dips his chin to meet my gaze. “You never told me that.”

I mean, sure, I assumed she didn’t like me, but I also convinced myself it was all in my head, because she seemed mostly fine when we all had dinner together.

“Because it doesn’t matter how she feels or if she’s happy or not,” he replies.

“She’s Winter’s mom, so it kind of does.”

“Are you sleeping in her bed?”

“No.” I frown, and he shrugs.

“Exactly, then it doesn’t matter how she feels about you.”

“Miles.”

“I didn’t meddle in her relationship when she and her husband started dating. I trusted her. Now, she needs to return the favor.”

I press my lips together. I can see his point, but still, I don’t like it.

“She’ll come around once she gets to know you,” Dayton says softly, and I focus on him. “She’s just protective of all of us, and you’re around her baby. Just give her some time.”

I nod, then step out of Miles’s hold, asking, “Salad or broccoli?”

“I’m good with whatever,” he says, watching me, and I look at Dayton.

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