Page 79 of Here and Now
I hope she’s right. I’m getting much too close for comfort to not having someone in that spot. If another teacher decides to leave, I’m going to be fucked—and not in the good way.
“If I don’t, I’m going into hiding.”
Lachlan snorts. “I’m sure Killian will allow you to stay in one of his barns.”
“Oh, yes, that’s my dream.”
“You could always stay with Everett.”
“I’ll take the barn,” I reply without a moment of hesitation. “Also, thanks, asshole, you have a house, land, part of the damn Ember Falls, and you haven’t offered me lodging?Dickface.”
His laugh makes me want to punch him in the face. “Ainsley and I like to explore those falls without anyone watching.”
“Lachlan!” She slaps his chest and turns to me. “What he’s saying is?—”
“You like to bang in the woods, I get it.”
Her cheeks paint a new shade of pink. “I hate you guys.”
“You love me,” Lachlan tells her.
“I do, for some stupid reason.” She stares at the man she loves with absolute adoration.
Watching the two of them makes me both happy and sad at the same time. I’m happy because they really do love each other. They are each other’s other half, like Eloise and Doug. Just being around them, though, makes it very clear I don’t have that.
Before I go down the road that I really don’t need to travel down, there’s a knock at the door.
Ainsley hops up and grins at me before going to see who it is. “Hello, Penny.”
“Hi, thank you so much for taking him for the afternoon,” Penelope says, her soft voice filling my ears and my heart.
God, I sound like a dumbass. Fills my heart?
“Of course, come in.”
Penelope enters, and I swear it’s like the fucking sun rising. The sky brightens, the day feels as though anything is possible, and there’s an air of hope that fills me. All that by just seeing her face.
Who cares if I sound like a dumbass? It’s just the truth.
“Miles,” she says my name softly, eyes wide as it’s clear she didn’t expect me here. “Hi.”
“Hello.” I grin, feeling like my bad day just got a little less crappy.
She smiles warmly and Ainsley comes up beside her. “Don’t mind him if he doesn’t say much. He’s had a shitty day and came here to drink beer.”
“Oh? Is everything okay?” she asks. Her big blue eyes are filled with concern and I can’t look away.
“It’s looking up,” I admit.
Lachlan clears his throat. “Hey, Penny, have you ever seen the falls?”
Her eyes shift to him. “Falls?”
“Ahh, so Miles didn’t tell you the secret either?” he tsks. “Well,since Kai is here and he and Rose are out playing, why don’t you two go for a walk and he can let you in on Ember Falls’ greatest secret.”
“You have secrets?” she asks.
Lachlan chuckles. “Doesn’t everyone?”
