Page 32 of Hard to Break

“If you were a guy, you wouldn’t even think about it.”

“I know, but I’m not. I want to spend time with my kids.”

“Tim’s going to have to man up and do more.”

“That’s what I’m hoping. How about you? Are you working on any new brand partnerships?”

I sip my drink. “With Vivaro still investigating internally, whatever that means, it’s harder to land deals. I don’t have regular money coming in.”

As generous as Miles has been, insisting he can cover both our living expenses, I want to pay my own way.

“I’m still thinking about this job Chloe offered me with the Kodiaks,” I say.

“I bet a lot of people would love to work with the world champions. Does working for the team excite you?”

We’re surrounded by people collaborating, friends and colleagues from all over the world, all at the top of their game and thrilled to be here and doing what they’re passionate about. They’re carving out new directions, breaking new ground.

“Yes and no,” I say. “It’s a good opportunity. It’s not as if I have dozens of job offers.”

Ruby frowns. “The most enthusiastic I’ve seen you was working on campaigns for the Kappas, or hearing you talk about Nova’s art career. One of the reasons I knew we’d be friends was because you cared about contributing to a cause that was bigger than yourself.”

“I thought it was because there were hardly any Black girls and we had the same taste in shoes.”

She laughs. “It does help, having that conviction you’re making a difference. When the days are rough, I remind myself of a patient I helped who would have been worse off otherwise.”

“The exhaustion melts away?” I ask wryly, though my heart warms at the thought of how my friend helps people.

“No. But it feels good enough that when the alarm goes off the next morning, I get up.” My friend winks. “When is Miles getting in?”

“Landing at five. He’s meeting me for dinner. I haven’t heard how his sponsor call went.”

“How are things going? You’re living together and dating in the open. That’s a big deal.”

I bite my lip. “It was easier back when we were sneaking around—before he got his shoe deal and named to the all-star game, and before I took up this cause as the defender of online creators or whatever.”

“You’ve got big-girl problems now, like what happened after the all-star game.” She cocks her head. “I was worried about you guys.”

I tell her about the ketamine they found in Miles’s system.

“You think someone drugged him?” Ruby’s gaze sharpens. “I see it all the time. People come into the ER. It’s too easy.”

“It could have been an accident. Right?”

“Sure.” Ruby’s mouth parts. “What does Miles think happened?”

“He brushes it off. I think he wants so badly to get back to normal. We haven’t really talked about it.”

My big sis folds her arms. “Maybe it’s time you do.”

“Holy hell.”

Miles’s reaction is worth every second I spent getting my hair and makeup done before our date. My hair is half pinned up, the rest falling in waves down my back. My dress ends high on my thighs, and my four-inch heels mean I barely have to tilt up my chin to meet his gaze as I lean back against the side of the limo.

“You clean up good, Princess.”

I take him in as he crosses the distance between us. His cocky smile is sexy as sin.

He looks delicious himself, his lean legs clad in dark jeans. A zip-up knit sweater a few shades darker than his eyes clings to strong shoulders, the hard planes of his chest and abs. His jaw is sharp, his hair waving across his forehead.

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