Page 81 of Heart Set on You

Rylee

I hate the way I left Vancouver. After we had breakfast on his patio I made sure Miles left for his meeting. But once he was gone I couldn’t bear the thought of staying one more minute in that house. It took me all of 10 minutes to change out of his T-shirt and into my own clothes and call an Uber to take me to the airport.

That was five days ago.

I walk to my grandparents’ kitchen in my bathrobe, my hair wrapped up in a towel. My gran is at the stove making lunch.

“For you,” she says, handing me a glass of sweet tea. “Have a seat at the table. I’m making pan-fried chicken and field beans. You need to eat.”

A few minutes later, she joins me at the table with a heaping plate of food that she sets down in front of me.

“Now,” she says. “Are you going to tell me what is going on with you because I can’t take one more second of your moping.”

I don’t answer right away, instead reaching for my napkin and folding the corners into little triangles. I’m afraid that once I start talking, I won’t be able to stop the tears that have been threatening to fall for days. It’s only been days but my whole world feels off kilter. They say it’s the first couple of days that are the hardest but that’s a lie. Every day since leaving Miles has been excruciating.

“Spill it, Rylee-Jay. I’ve raised you since you were 13 and I know you better than anyone.”

“Gran, I’m fine,” I say, trying to convince her.

“How about you tell me why you’re here in Tennessee with us and that gorgeous man who gets stars in his eyes every time he looks at you is in Los Angeles?”

Stars?

My heart swells hearing that, hoping it’s true. But I still can’t find the words to answer her.

“It’s true. He loves you from here to hereafter and five miles past that. Anyone can see that.”

I feel my heart crack in two.

I’m in love with Miles.

That’s what this feeling is, the one deep down in my chest. I love him. I love how he makes me feel like I’m the only person in the world when we’re together. I love his smile that lights up an entire room, and how he loves his family more than anything. I love the way he makes me laugh.

I know that I’m in love with Miles, but there is still just so much left to figure out. Being with him feels like an impossible dream.

“It’s not enough, Gran. Sometimes all the love in the world isn’t enough.”

Besides, he never asked me to stay.

“Now that’s as crazy as a betsy bug,” my gran blurts. “I’ve never seen you as happy as you are when you’re with Miles. He makes you all weak in the knees, which makes me happy because that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. To find someone who loves you like your daddy loved your momma.”

She sets her hand on top of mine, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

My eyes well up too. I would love to have what my parents had, and with Miles that actually feels possible. At least it did. But I’m a realist. The fact that a guy like Miles Bennett ended up with a girl like me is hard to believe. Now throw in the fact that our relationship has to be long distance? Even I can see that the odds of it lasting are pretty terrible.

“You’re miserable here and your Gramps and I can’t take it for too much longer,” she says. “You should go back to him.”

“I’m scared. He’s Hollywood royalty. He could have anyone he wants. My heart couldn’t take it if he didn’t love me back.”

“Now you’re just talking crazy. I saw the way that boy looks at you. He wants you.” She raises her eyebrows. “The Rylee I know is brave. Tell him you want to be with him, sweetheart.”

I want him too.

“And what if he doesn’t feel the same way?”

“And what if he does?” she replies, her hand squeezing mine. “You’ll never know unless you talk to him. You deserve love, baby. That big kind of love that’s meant for romance novels. Tell him how you feel and then be brave enough to walk away if you have to.”

I could tell Miles that I love him.

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