Page 78 of Reckless

But Gillian Brown was just…well she was fucking lovely. And it was impossible not to really like her. Erin, Harlow had a feeling, would simply make you like her.

“Good morning,” Harlow said to everyone, pretending it was just another day in the life instead of yoga after she’d rolled out of the bed she was just naked in with Miles.

Nora winked. “Let’s get this done. I’m hungry.”

They all rolled out mats and began.

“By the way, I wasn’t able to get two minutes alone with you yesterday,” Harlow told Erin a few minutes later, “but thank you for sending Miles our music.”

“Jeremy felt I’d like your stuff and he was right. I thought your sound would fit with Earthquakes.” Erin gave Harlow a searching look. “I didn’t quite figure on the rest.”

Gillian gave a disapproving grunt and Erin blushed.

“I don’t think Miles figured on it either,” Harlow said. “I sure didn’t.”

“Why not? Look at the boy!” Erin exclaimed and this time Gillian said her name sharply.

“You can’t plan for things like this,” Gillian said quietly. “Yes, my boy is handsome and talented and all those good things. But what you two have, well, that’s not really about good looks.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” Harlow found herself saying, bringing a surprised laugh from Miles’s mother. “I’d be a liar if I said it wasn’t easy to take a look at Miles and want to know more. Or if I listened to his lyrics and didn’t think,hey that guy is interesting. He’s absolutely gorgeous inside and out.”

“What’s your favorite thing about Miles?” Gillian asked.

“He’s always feeding me.” Harlow snorted a laugh. “If I’m tired and I take a shower, when I come out there’s food waiting for me. After soundcheck he shows up to corral me and make sure we go to the mess and eat together. He makes sure I drink hot tea for my vocal chords and when he found out I liked blackberry honey he special ordered it so I can have it with my tea.”

Gillian’s smile was a little shaky.

“He’s nearly always calm at the center of a storm. There can be total chaos and upset everywhere and he just handles things. He’s steady, but not cold.” Harlow blushed furiously. She desperately wanted Miles’s aunt and mother to understand she cared about Miles not for fame or power but for how he was with people.

“Adrian is that way too,” Gillian said. “It’s Brody.”

The night before Harlow had finally met Brody, who Miles considered a second father, and she could see why. She’d watched Brody manage everyone, herself included. Had noticed everyone defer to him at one moment or another. And she’d definitely noted when Miles and Adrian had stood side by side, laughing at something Brody had said, just where some of the physical tells Miles must have gotten from the Brown men.

“Miles told us that it’s you who feeds him,” Gillian told her. “I think you both take care of each other quite nicely. I approve of that. He easily gets caught up in whatever he’s doing and forgets to eat. He doesn’t sleep enough sometimes. He’s got a hard time saying no when anyone asks something of him.”

“Don’t get me started on that,” Harlow grumbled.

“Oh, pet, please, that’s exactly what we want. Do get started. Tell us,” Gillian said and Poppy groaned.

Harlow said, “Everyone wants a piece of him. He doesn’t owe the world a piece of himself. He gets to say no. His job is to go out every night and give a great show to fans. Above and beyond that? I think sometimes he’s too nice. Luckily, between me and Poppy, we try to remind him it’s absolutely his right to not take every single opportunity that gets tossed at him.”

“The promoters came to Earthquakes last week and wanted to add another hour of meet and greet before the show. But for VIP ticket holders who weren’t necessarily fans, but influential people who post pictures online. You know how that goes,” Poppy said to her aunt. “She makes sure he guards his time better.”

Harlow scoffed. “Well, I think Poppy is downplaying just how much she does. I can make sure Miles lives on more than soda and food from vending machines, but it’s Poppy who lulls them all into thinking she’s just so sweet and innocent and then boom, she’s setting boundaries and pushing back to give Miles space.”

Gillian smiled at her daughter and then back to Harlow. “Seems you see the best in both my children. That they both feel the same about you tells me everything I need to know.”

Miles showed up five minutes later, right after they’d rolled up their mats. “Thought I’d find you here,” he said to Harlow as he came in.

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head before he greeted everyone else. She wondered if they’d be upset about that. After all, she’d only been in his life months! But no, Erin and Gillian seemed very pleased and Harlow relaxed just a little bit.

“I just got a text from dad. He made arrangements for us to go get lunch on Granville Island somewhere.”

“Oh yum. Bring me back something tasty,” Harlow said as she stood.

Miles took her hand and pulled her to a stop. “You’re part of theusthat’s going to lunch. Nora, you, and Brian too. Depending on how he’s feeling?”

“Better this morning. I’m probably going to urge him to stay here though. Just get him rested as much as possible before tonight’s show,” Nora said.

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