Page 36 of Game Day

Knowing Miles, maybe he did.

"Wasn't talking to you," Brooke tosses lightly, cuddling the dog closer.

Miles narrows his eyes at the dog.

Waffles makes a little whine, ducking to rub his face against Brooke’s shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I unwrap the first canvas.

Miles’s expression,the lopsided grin on his handsome face, immediately puts me at ease. "Clay thought you might need help doing a walk-through of the venue. Guy’s busy with… his stuff.”

“Stuff?” Brooke and I say in unison, exchanging a look.

Miles backtracks. “Err… nothing important.”

A twinge of disappointment rises up.

Last night after painting with Mari, I went to find Clay at Mile High. Being close to him always makes me feel more grounded.But I’m not ready to admit that things aren’t clicking with the people who raised him. It feels as if we should be close, or at least that we should all understand one another.

"The venue is under control,” Brooke informs him. “But if we need someone to make coffees, we'll let you know."

He scoffs, feigning wounded.

A couple of girls stick their heads into the room, their eyes purely on Miles. "Hey, are you…?"

I tune them out as they gush over Miles. He turns his back on us as if to say, "If you don't want my attention, someone else does."

Brooke gives Waffles one last kiss before she sets him back on the carpet. He makes a little sound of protest, as though he'd rather be in her arms again, but she's already crossing to me. "Those are really pretty."

"Thanks. Mari and I made them last night.”

She folds her arms, her lips pressing together.

I finish unwrapping one and hold it up. "I'm glad you're here today.”

Brooke nods, her smile back in place. "Of course. We're friends. You know that."

The click of a camera phone and some tinkling laughter has me glancing over to see Miles nod at the girls. They leave, clearly reluctant, and he turns back to us.

“Clay tell you I’m working on an epic plan for his bachelor party?" he asks casually.

"I'm shocked you'd have time around tending to your fan club,” Brooke says.

Miles doesn't take the bait."I make time for what’s important."

"What are you planning?"

"Top secret."

"Whatever it is, it's not as good as Nova's bachelorette," Brooke counters.

I don’t have time to respond before Miles jumps in. “When’s that?”

“Ahhh…” Brooke trails off.

"Clay's is tomorrow.”

"So's Nova's," Brooke says.

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