Page 13 of Catch
She laughed, but it wasn’t a carefree sound. It was filled with disbelief. “I have money,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t need charity.”
“Nothing charitable, Lox. But I live here alone. I work a lot. Not sure you’ll find a better place in town to hide.” I locked eyes with her, my words heavy with sincerity. “Because I promise, someone will find you if anyone else knows you're here.”
She was processing the offer, mulling it over in her head. Then nodded. "I never intended to get pulled over and then become a burden to the officer.”
“I never intended to harbor a fugitive,” I laughed. “Yet here we are.”
Chapter Seven
LOXLEY
By noon,I was feeling fresh from a long shower, on my sixth cup of coffee, and shamelessly curled up in yet another one of Miles' oversized T-shirts.
Miles had left to run errands, saying something about needing supplies to help him "aid and abet," which I knew was about his invitation to let me hide at his place. I figured it was probably just grocery shopping and had offered to pay, but he shook it off, explaining how the store would get suspicious if he paid with a credit card that didn’t have his name on it. I doubted it, because no one ever even checked the cards, but I didn’t argue.
Based on the grandeur of his house, I assumed the Harmony Haven police department had him on a high paying tier or something. The place was a large three bedroom, four bathroom home, with vaulted ceilings and so many high-tech appliances that I half expected the fridge to start asking me how my day went.
Before he left, Miles pressed a button on a remote control and curtains opened, showing off floor to ceiling windows that ran the length of the wall. There was a breathtaking view of theNorth Georgia hills that I hadn’t seen when we drove up after dark the night before.
That was where I had been, curled up on the couch, nibbling on a granola bar as I stared out at the scenery. That, mixed with the silence, and the lyrics were forming in my head.
Just a girl and a heart full of runaway dreams.
Then you pulled up like an answer to a prayer and smiled at me.
I was about to pull out my phone and turn it on to jot them down when I heard the back door open in the kitchen. Springing to my feet, I tiptoed towards the kitchen, my bare feet barely making a sound on the hardwood floor. Of course, the moment I put a little weight on the floorboard closest to the doorway, the creaky wood gave me away.
Miles stood in the doorway, bags of groceries in both hands, his eyebrow quirking in amusement as he watched me enter the room.
“Hey,” Miles smiled, nodding at the new shirt I was wearing. “I see you found the closet.”
“You said to help myself,” I shrugged, giggling at the pink Loxley Adams Tour t-shirt I chose. “This one stood out in your sea of greys, blacks, and blues.”
“Well you can’t have that one, it’s mine.”
“I’d never think of stealing from a fan,” I winked. “What did you get?”
He was setting bags on the table we had sat at for coffee earlier, the sound of plastic crinkling as he began unpacking them.
“More coffee,” he grinned, holding up the basic can of Folgers ground medium roast like it was some sort of treasure.
“Ahhh, my favorite!”
“I was able to assume that much,” he laughed, then pulled something else out. “Also, I got you a pad and some pens. I hadsome here, but these looked cool, and I thought it may inspire you. I’m sure you like to do things digitally, but this…”
My jaw dropped. It wasn’t the pens themselves, or even the pad, but the sheer thoughtfulness of it. The glistening in my eyes must’ve caught the sunlight because it felt like the room got a little brighter. “Miles.”
“You don’t have to use it, Lox. I was just thinking…”
It had been less than 24 hours since I’d met Miles Brooks, and already he had done the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me. The unexpected kindness hit me harder than I anticipated, an emotional wave crashing over me. I couldn’t seem to find my words, so instead, I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his neck.
He froze at first, clearly surprised. But then, slowly, his arms slid around my waist, holding me gently, like he was trying to make sure he wasn’t overstepping.
“You okay?” he asked, his voice soft and full of concern.
I nodded into his neck, my breath catching just a little. The warmth of his body and the steady rhythm of his breathing had a calming effect, grounding me in a way I hadn’t expected.
We stayed like that for a minute, oddly comfortable for two people who were essentially strangers. But honestly, it felt like I’d known Miles for far longer than the less-than-24 hours we’d spent together. He didn’t know it, but his kind smile had been the only thing that kept me going since the last time I was in Harmony Haven.
