Page 67 of Paper Hearts & Plot Twists

Communication with Miles hadn’t improved. Somehow, it had gotten worse. Now, they weren’t even talking daily. Sometimes Emily would hide her phone away and ignore it for the day because that reminder of him made her sad, and she didn’t have the time or energy to start crying.

In the corner of her room were her three conference bags full of books and other swag. Currently the whole setup was covered by a blanket. Originally, Emily didn’t have time to put them all away, but as time passed she simply couldn’t bear to see and it.

She’d tried putting the books on her shelves and sorting through the items. She thought she’d pick up one of the books and read after work one evening, but the books and everything else there had too many memories, and her heart felt too raw.

She and Miles were still a couple officially, but Emily felt like it was only a matter of time before that ended. This long-distance deal wasn’t working and her heart was already breaking. How could something so perfect and so wonderful slip away like sand in the wind?

Chapter 46

His phone taunted him. The screen remained blank, black. Still. No vibrations. No notifications. No beautiful smiling Emily on FaceTime with him.

Eight weeks ago, Emily Parker had rocked his world at Cupid’s Quill Symposium, and now it was almost like they’d never met and that had never happened. Their talking was fizzling. Their FaceTime was vanishing. Their connection was slipping away.

Miles grabbed the phone and placed it in his glove box before starting the car to continue his journey. He’d promised Mason and Mom that he’d meet the two of them at the Carrier Dome to watch one of the group games for the Olympics together, and they’d both give him hell if he backed out now, not that he actually had a valid reason to back out.

The roads were busy, a testament to how popular this game was. The stadium was even busier. Thankfully, Mason had some pretty high-up connections and parking was no concern for him. He pulled into his space and immediately made his way to the agreed upon entrance.

Mason and his mom were already there, tapping their feet away. Not unusual. Mason was always early when it came to sports, and Mom was always early to everything. Miles saddled up to the two of them, his long legs breaking the distance between them in quick succession.

“Look who decided to join us. We were starting to worry you were going to skip out on us,” Mason teased.

“I’m right on time,” Miles bit back with a roll of his eyes.

“Which is practically late,” Mason said. “We need to get in so we can get a beer in hand and some food before the game starts.”

“We have more than enough time,” Miles said with a shrug.

“You don’t understand the game. You have to be there for the anthem and the pre-game to get into the spirit of it all,” Mason explained. It was an age-old argument they’d had since he’d been serious about sports freshman year of high school.

“You know I have to take your word for it. You’re lucky I’m even here, to be honest.”

“You wouldn’t turn down a chance to spend time with your old and lonely mom,” Patty said with a frown.

“Old and lonely,” muttered Miles. “The woman who goes to tea and book club and a variety of other weekly events and is only in her fifties.”

“Yes, exactly,” she said. She nodded her head sagely. “I’m glad you decided to take some time from your oh-so-busy schedule to spend some time with little old me.”

“Little, maybe, but old, not a chance,” Miles said. He wrapped his arm around his mom and followed Mason through the tunnel to a side entrance where someone in a suit promptly opened the door and allowed them access. They went through some tunnels and emerged in a chromed-out room with an elevator. Mason stepped on and motioned the other two to follow before he pressed one of the buttons, shooting the three of them up where they needed to go.

“Welcome to luxury,” Mason said with a laugh as they stepped out of the elevator onto an open and airy space. Straight ahead were huge windows that showed the stadium below. All around were giant screens, at the moment displaying analysts talking to different players and coaches.

“Look at you, Mr. Fancypants.”

Mason shrugged. “C’mon and I’ll get you guys to our box.” Mason started toward the right, where there were some doors leading into a variety of boxes and booths. They followed him.

Mason’s box was the definition of luxury. Chrome and black decor. A back table filled with food and snacks. Taps for four different kinds of beer, as well as several carafes with water, juice, and assorted sodas. Round tables for gathering, some seats right in front of the window, and two huge TVs completed the room.

“Is this just for us?” Patty asked. “I hope not; I could never eat that much food.”

“A few of my old teammates will join us. They’ll be here closer to kick-off,” Mason explained.

“Oh, thank goodness. Those boys have good appetites.”

“These boys have good appetites too,” Miles teased his mom, wrapping an arm around Mason’s shoulder.

“Don’t I know that. I was the one stuck paying that bill feeding the two of you.”

“And we’re never going to hear the end of it,” Mason said with a laugh.

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