Page 81 of Rules Of Our Own

I shrug and can feel my cheeks growing hot. “It’s not like I’m coming up with anything new. I’m just trying to rework it a bit.”

River leans forward so his elbows are on his knees, and his forearms are loose between his legs. He’s done that thing I love, where he rolls up his sleeves, and I have to force myself to breathe.

“Mia, you’re smart, and unique, and determined. Don’t for a second doubt it. You’ve done so much already, and now it’s just that last push. We’re all here to help, but don’t forget you’re the one making this happen.”

I can’t stop my eyes from burning this time, and I blink back the tears. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“Thenwetry something else.” River says it so simply, in his perfectly confident tone, that I can’t help but believe him. It’s like a massive weight lifted from my shoulder.

“Just like that?”

“Just like that, Kitten. Now, what sticky note should we start with first?”

I take a deep breath. “The thing that’s causing me the most problems right now is I can’t afford a web designer, and for any of this to work, I’m going to need a working website. I was thinking about using Kickstarter, but I checked it out, and it’s not quite right. Unfortunately, the few YouTube videos I’ve watched haven’t magically made me into a coder.”

River grabs the bright yellow sticky note. “I’ll handle that.”

“What do you mean you’ll handle it?” I gasp.

“Exactly what I said. I’ll get it done. What’s next?”

I sit silently for several seconds, realizing just how much I needed someone to take some of this load off of me. To not ask me a bunch of questions on how they were going to do it, but to just wave a magic wand and get it done. A smile curves my lips as I picture River holding a fairy wand, waving my problems away.

Alex winds my hair around his finger. “What’s next?”

“Well, Misty’s going to help me set up an event, but I need someone to host it. Someone who’s not afraid to talk on camera and who’s charismatic.”

“Kitten, you could’ve just asked. You didn’t need to go through the trouble of describing me.”

My mouth falls open. Theaudacity. “You’re too cocky for your own good.”

“I don’t remember you complaining about me being cocky before.”

“Come to think of it, it could’ve been bigger—” I squeal as his fingers dig into my sides, sending ticklish shivers through me. “Stop. Stop!”

“Not until you take it back.”

I’m gasping for breath between my laughs. “I take it back.”

Sometime during his torture session, he’d positioned himself over me on the couch. He lowers down until his mouth is so close to mine I can feel each breath before he reaches for the floor, pulls up the pink sticky, and sits back. “This one’s mine.”

* * *

I roll over, wiping the drool from my mouth, and blink open my eyes. I’m in my room, safely tucked under the covers. I have fuzzy memories of being lifted into strong arms and gentle lips on my forehead. I close my eyes, trying to relive that moment, but it’s gone, like a dream you can’t remember.

I grab my phone, scrolling through social media for a few minutes before pulling myself out of bed to face the day.

The sun is illuminating the apartment in bright, warm tones that wash away the shadows. It’s nine, so I still have five hours before I have to meet Gerard, and the nerves are already settling in.

There’s a plate covered in tinfoil on the counter with a sweet scent wafting off it. I slowly roll back the foil and uncover blueberry pancakes.

There’s a note beside it.

I know you plan on skipping breakfast, but I want you to eat every last bite. Can you do that for me, Mia?

-River

P.S. Syrup and whipped cream are in the fridge

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