Page 14 of Deception & Daylight
What began as a casual, long-distance flirtation, blossomed into a flurry of daily texts and stolen moments between classes, filled with heady anticipation. We’ve been in constant contact for almost two months, and I find my mind drifting to thoughts of him more often than I’d like to admit. He’s got this flirty, playful energy, but more than that, he makes me feel seen in a way I hadn’t anticipated. I often catch myself staring at my phone, willing it to light up with his name, as if it might magically appear.
My heart does that annoying little flip it hasn’t done in ages — ugh, what is wrong with me? I never get swept up like this. Miles is... complicated. I don’t fall hard and fast, and I certainly don’t fall for someone as emotionally unavailable as Miles. I’ve caught glimpses of him on Paige’s FaceTime calls with Cade, but we never acknowledge each other. We have an unspoken agreement that, where our friends are concerned, we’ve never met. It’s less complicated that way.
Maybe it’s the effect of watching my best friend fall in love in real time, or maybe it’s insanity, but, against my better judgment, I’m starting to have real feelings for Miles Barlow. He feels like someone I could build something permanent with, and I don’tdopermanent.
2 weeks later
Maggie: Boarding my flight! See you soon. ??
Maggie: Just landed. Meet you at baggage claim.
Maggie: I’m here. Where are you?
Maggie: Are you okay?
I pull out my phone to double check my messages, but the last one is still unread.Where are you, Miles?
An hour passes without a word, so I decide to swipe back to the app to see if he might be online. I need to know if he’s okay. Fuck, why do I care so much? This was just supposed to be a “what happens in Tennessee” kind of situation. I wasn’t supposed to care about this man. Even I can admit that flying more than 800 miles for what amounts to a booty call is somewhat deranged — but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do, you know? I guess I could text Paige to make sure he’s okay, but that would mean admitting we’ve been talking for months, and I’m not ready for the inquisition that’s sure to follow.
My heart sinks as I open the app and tap over to my matches. His entire profile is gone. It would be like he never even existed if it weren’t for the messages still sitting in my inbox. Gone is the casually sexy profile photo that used to reside next to his name, replaced with a faceless image and the word “Unknown” written beside it. He fucking ghosted me.
My lashes grow heavy with unshed tears, and a tight knot constricts my throat. You are not going to let some limp dick piece of shit make you cry, Maggie Watson.He’s not worth your tears.
Present day
“Why does he have such a punchable face?” I ask as Paige snickers in my periphery. We’re all cozied up on the back deck of the cabin, taking in the gorgeous view of the lake as the sun peeks out from behind the clouds. The vibrant blue of the sky is reflected on the surface of the water as it splashes against the shore. Cade is manning the grill while Miles talks his ear off about wood, or screws, or whatever it is contractors talk about these days.
“Punchable, or kissable?” she teases, bouncing her eyebrows suggestively.
I force a laugh. “Definitely the first one.”
“Mmmhmm. Is that why you haven’t stopped sneaking glances at him since you got here? We’re supposed to be having a good time welcoming you back to Oak Ridge. Just pretend he doesn’t exist.”
I discreetly eye the object of my ire, taking in the tight as fuck jeans that hug his ass in the most delicious way. “Kinda hard to do when he’s over there, double-cheeked up on a Sunday afternoon.”
“Ha! I knew you were ogling his ass. Are you ever going to tell me what the hell happened between you two?” I recoil as the memories resurface, hitting me like a splash of cold water. It’s been two years, but the humiliation and heartbreak are still fresh in my mind.
I swallow thickly, the taste of regret lingering on my tongue. It was a mistake to open myself up that way. Allowing Miles to see through the cracks in my armor was a gamble, and I’d lost spectacularly. I didn’t realize just how far I’d fallen until it was too late — until I was standing at the airport in the baggage claim, utterly alone. Faces blurred as I scanned the crowd, hoping he’d materialize, but he never showed, and I never put myself in the position to ever feel that way again.
I shrug. “That’s a long ass story for another day.”
She eyes me suspiciously for a beat, before her face breaks into a wide smile. “Someone’s got asses on the brain.”
“This ass?” Miles pipes in, giving his bubble butt a wiggle.
“More like assholes,” I scoff.
“If you wanna see my asshole —”
Before he can get the rest of his sentence out, I cut him off. “Ew. Don’t finish that. The food smells amazing, and I’d like to have an appetite when it’s ready.”
“You know what else smells amazing…”
“Jesus fuck, Miles.” Cade slaps him on the back of the head, causing his beer to spill.
“Ah man, party foul,” Miles grumbles, his cocky grin never faltering for a second. It’s that smile that drew me to his profile two years ago. He reeled me in with false promises and I bought every word, hook, line, and sinker. He might not have had a fishing photo in his profile, but I took the fucking bait he carefully laid out, and I’m the one who paid the price when he decided I wasn’t good enough.
With everyone else distracted by dipshit’s dramatic display, I quietly excuse myself and head inside for another drink. It’s going to be a long evening.
