Page 56 of Here and Now
She lets out a weary sigh. “I’m so sorry, Penny. I didn’t know we were going to get a storm like this or I never would’ve sent Ethan. You’re okay, though?”
“I’m good now.”
“Okay. If you need me to get Ethan, just tell me.”
“No! He’s fine. We’re with Miles, and honestly, no one should be driving in this storm.”
To further punctuate that point, the thunder booms so loud I swear the house shakes.
“Yeah, I would agree there.” Cora lets out a huge wail, and I hear Eloise trying to shush her. “I should go. Cora isn’t enjoying the storm. Call me if you need anything and stay safe.”
“You too.”
We hang up, and I head out to the guest room, where the boys are. They’ve transformed the room into sheets and blankets hanging off things. “You boys okay?”
Kai’s head pops out from the bottom between two sheets. “We built a fort.”
“I see that.”
“Coach Miles helped!”
I smile. “That’s nice. Do you need anything?”
“No, but I’m sorry to say this to you, Mom. No girls allowed in the fort.”
I back up, raising my hands. “I see, well, have fun in the fort.”
“We will!” he says before disappearing under whatever they’vecreated in there. I walk back down the hallway toward the center of the house. The house seemed to split like a Y. When we entered, we went to the left part where the bedrooms are. I’m assuming the other branch is where the kitchen and living room are.
Sure enough, it is.
Miles is sitting on the couch. He changed out of his wet clothes into a white T-shirt and blue joggers. He looks relaxed, sexy, and like a freaking ad for a men’s underwear collection. His legs are propped up on the coffee table, and he has his phone in his hand with his black-rimmed glasses on, television on mute.
Seriously, I just wish he wasn’t so freaking appealing. Why is he so hot with those glasses on?
He’s sexy without trying and my stomach clenches.
No, no stomach clenching allowed. Keep it together, Penny. He’s a friend. He’s not delicious and completely fuckable. He’s ... off-limits.
“Hey,” I say softly, entering the room.
He puts his phone down and looks up with a smile. “Hey, did you see the boys?”
“I did. They are very happy in their fort where no girls are allowed.”
He chuckles. “Last time Ethan built one, it was adults, so this is no doubt thanks to Kai. Make yourself comfortable.”
I don’t know that that’s going to happen, but I come around and sit in the corner of the sectional. “Thank you again.”
“Penelope, you don’t have to thank me. I would never let you sit in that house like that.”
“You didn’t know the tree was going to fall,” I say, tilting my head.
“No, but I knew there was a chance something could be wrong. I know the area pretty well and could see the bolts striking all around.”
“It felt like the ground was cracking,” I say, shuddering a little.
Miles pulls his glasses off, tossing them on the table as he sits up fully on the couch. “I’m not really a fan of storms, but this one is pretty wild. So much so that I was slightly afraid at one point.”
