Page 86 of Hard to Break

I grin, competitive spirit flaring. “Bring it on, hotshot.”

We head to the first challenge—a shoot-out. The rules are simple: sink more baskets than your competition in one minute. Miles, naturally, will be in his element, but I've picked up a thing or two over the years.

“Ladies first,” Miles teases, handing me a ball.

I quirk an eyebrow. “Careful what you wish for.”

The whistle blows, and we're off. I sink my first shot, then my second. Miles matches me basket for basket, his form perfect, his concentration intense. But I'm no slouch either. As the seconds tick down, we're neck and neck.

“Ten seconds!” the announcer calls.

I grab my last ball, take a breath, and let it fly. It arcs through the air, then… swish! Nothing but net.

The buzzer sounds, and the crowd goes wild. Miles sweeps me into a bear hug, lifting me off my feet.

“Unbelievable!” He laughs. “You ever want to retire from PR, you have another career waiting, Princess.”

As we catch our breath, I spot a familiar face making its way through the crowd. My brother, decked out in event gear, grins as he approaches.

“Not bad,” he says, clapping Miles on the back.

“Jay!” I pull him into a hug. “I thought you weren't getting here until later.”

He shrugs. “Couldn't miss my little sister showing up the pros. Plus, I heard there's a relay race that needs a third wheel.”

Miles chuckles. “More like a secret weapon. You in?”

Before Jay can answer, there's a commotion from the autograph tent. I spot Waffles darting between tables, a string of fans in pursuit.

“Oh no,” I groan. “I thought we had him secured.”

“I got this,” Miles says, already moving. “You two head to the relay. I'll meet you there.”

As Miles disappears into the crowd, I can't help but marvel at how different things are now. A year ago, I wouldn't have trusted anyone else to handle a crisis, big or small, but Miles has shown me that I'm not alone anymore.

“Earth to Brooke.” Jay's voice cuts through my thoughts. “You good?”

I nod, smiling. “Yeah, just… reflecting.”

Jay's expression softens. “It's good to see you happy.”

“Even if I’m with Miles?”

He grins, rolling his eyes. “Yeah. I’m sorry I was a dick about it. I’ve never seen him care about anyone the way he cares about you, and once I realized that, I knew I’d square with it.” He folds his arms. “This way, I can keep an eye on both of you. And if someone’s dodging my texts, I’ll find out.”

I’m still laughing as Miles jogs up, slightly out of breath but grinning triumphantly. “Crisis averted. Waffles is now the proud owner of about fifty new toys from the merch tent.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “My hero.”

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asks when we’re both quiet a moment.

I take a deep breath. “I was just thinking about how far we've come, how much we've both changed.”

He nods, understanding in his eyes. “For the better, I hope?”

“Definitely,” I say softly. “I never thought I'd trust someone like this. But you've shown me what real partnership looks like.”

Miles takes my hand, his touch gentle. “I used to think being friends with everyone was safer, easier. I didn’t have to risk being really close to anyone. But what we have? It's worth every challenge, every risk.”

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