Page 31 of Loving You

I narrow my gaze at him.

What the hell kind of response is that? I’m opening my mouth to ask just that when he beats me to it.

“It’s a compliment, Quinn. Up until this moment, you and I have had zero things in common. You feel a bit more human than you did an hour ago.”

He might mean it as a compliment, but it doesn’t feel that way.

“Just because we’re different doesn’t mean I’m less human. You do realize people are meant to be different. To be their own person. To mold their own path. Being different from someone else isn’t wrong.”

He blinks but then he just keeps staring at me.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. But just so you know, if we are going to make this work, we need to be honest with each other.”

He just goes back to eating his lunch, as do I, and we fall into a silence that I can’t quite describe. It’s not weird, but it’s not good. It's like we both know that not talking is the right move right now.

Once we are finished and Hudson brings the bill, I try to grab it first.

“I’m paying,” Miles says in a clipped tone.

“I can buy my own lunch.”

“This was a work lunch, so it’s on me.”

“Just let me buy my lunch.”

“I’ll let you buy your lunch if you tell me what’s going on.”

I sigh and hop off the stool.

“Leave him a good tip,” I say over my shoulder.

I walk out the door and instantly spot Cherry across the street. I don’t think she sees me, but I feel defeated all the same.

Two months. I’m only here for two months. It shouldn’t be that hard to do this.

Miles steps out of the bar, and Cherry’s radar senses he’s nearby. Before I can think better of it, I slide my hand into Miles’s and start walking to the shop.

If we are going to make this work, he’s right—he should know as much as he can.

“Andy and Sully got engaged last summer,” I say as we walk. “Over the last few years, people I know have all been getting engaged or married, and when Sully proposed to Andy, that meant I was the only single one left in that group. I was tired of hearing them talk about how I needed to meet someone, so when they brought up my dating Danny, Sully’s brother, I panicked and said I did have a boyfriend. I gave them your name.”

“Jesus,” he whispers. “Why?”

“Because the chances of them ever running into you seemed highly unlikely. I had no idea they’d come here for their wedding.”

“Wedding and summer vacation,” Miles adds. “So, you didn’t come back to my shop yesterday because you wanted to help me.”

“Not entirely. I knew I could help you and help myself at the same time.”

Miles groans.

“This is going to turn into a mess.”

“I know, but please don’t change your mind. It’s eight weeks. Once the summer is over and we go our separate ways, we can tell everyone we broke up and be done with it.”

Miles doesn’t say anything as we get closer to the shop.

“What else do you need to know?” I ask.

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