Page 42 of Beginnings By the Sea

I was way past ready for her to be mine again.

19

NYLA

I woke up to the sun shining on my face and dressed in yesterday’s clothes. At first, I couldn’t even remember how I ended up in bed and assumed Miles carried me there. The last thing I could recall was sitting on the couch with Miles and trying desperately to stay awake. I’d had a gazillion phone calls and I was exhausted.

Groaning, I laid back on my pillow. Today was going to be a long, awkward day. Luckily, it was only seven-thirty in the morning, so I had plenty of time to shower and prepare for the Spring Fling. I slid out of bed and searched for my phone; it was exactly where I remembered leaving it on the couch.

When I turned it on, it dinged over a dozen times with missed texts and phone calls. My heart sank when I saw that there was a voice mail from Cohen. I had no clue what was going on with him.

Biting my lip, I pressed the play button and listened to his voice through the phone. “Nyla, it’s me. I’ve tried calling you a few times tonight. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I’ve had some extra things to take care of here in New York, which has put me back a day. I was hoping to get home to you tonight, but it’s looking like I won’t make it until late tomorrow morning. But don’t worry, I’ll be there for the Spring Fling. I’m just sorry I can’t be there to help you set up. Call me back if you can, but if not, I’ll see you soon.”

A sense of relief washed through me, but it only delayed the inevitable. Miles and Cohen were going to meet today, and I really wasn’t looking forward to it. My heart definitely wasn’t ready. Cohen had been so good to me, and the thought of hurting him made me feel terrible. However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

In the end, I was going to have Miles back. What did that entail? I had no clue, but it was exciting not knowing. I just knew it was all going to work out in the end.

After taking a quick shower and picking out a sleeveless floral top and jeans for the Spring Fling, I slathered on some makeup and let my hair air dry so it would cascade in waves down my back.

I stared at my phone, wondering if I should call Everleigh and Jensen to pick me up, or call Miles to take him up on his offer to help me this morning. The whole town already saw him on TV with me, so there was no use in hiding him.

As I entered the kitchen, I made a cup of coffee and forced myself to drink it, hoping the caffeine would soothe my nerves—if anything, it made me more jittery. Still staring at my phone, I quickly ate a muffin and decided just to do what I wanted. I pressed Miles’s name and held my breath while waiting for him to pick up.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he said.

Hearing his voice made goose bumps fan out over my skin. “Thank you for not leaving me on the couch last night,” I replied.

He chuckled. “You’re welcome. I know you used to like taking showers before bed, but I didn’t want to wake you. Hope you’re not mad at me for that.”

“No,” I laughed. “I was able to sleep just fine.”

I always loved night showers because they helped me relax after a long day at the ER. My life wasn’t as hectic as it used to be, so I didn’t need the nightly showers as much anymore.

“It’s crazy how we remember quirks like that, isn’t it?” I said.

“It is,” he agreed, his voice almost sad. “There were times when you’d get in bed thinking I was asleep and run your fingers through my hair. Whenever you touched me like that, I tried to hold onto how it made me feel. When I doubted your love, I thought of moments like that.”

Tears burned behind my eyes and I smiled. “It seems so long ago.”

Silence filled the air briefly, but then Miles cleared his throat. “Is there a reason you called?”

“Actually, there is,” I said, putting my coffee cup in the sink. “I was wondering if you could pick me up and take me to the office. Set up time is about to start for all the vendors.”

“What about Jensen? I thought he and your friend were supposed to do that for you.”

I snorted. “Well, my friend is not getting back until late morning. I have a little bit more time before you two meet.”

Miles chuckled, but there was no humor to it. “Great. I can’t wait. Do you want me to come get you now?”

My heart thudded against my sternum. “If you don’t mind.”

“All right, I’ll be there in a few.”

We hung up and about ten minutes later, he pulled into my driveway. The second he got out of his 4Runner, dressed in a light green T-shirt and jeans with mussed up dirty blond hair, our eyes locked and there was a shift in the air between us. He walked toward me, his eyes raking up and down my body. Everything inside of me trembled. He held out his hand and I took it, loving how his warmth seeped into me; my body wanted more.

“You ready for this?”

I shook my head. “Nope, but I’m ready for afterward.”

---