17
It had been three days since Kelly left, and Miles felt like his world was falling apart. He couldn’t focus and was feeling run down. The staff was feeling better and coming back to work just as the second half began feeling sick. Miles tried his hardest to avoid contact with people, but he thought it was catching up to him.
Or perhaps he was just devastated about Kelly leaving.
Jackson and Ethan walked into the kitchen while laughing over something. Miles had been expecting them to come in for lunch, so he was currently preparing their favorite burgers.
“Hey, man,” Jackson said, leaning up against the counter.
Miles nodded in response and flipped the burger before looking over. “Food is almost ready.”
“How are you doing?” Ethan asked.
Miles could feel his brothers’ eyes on him as he prepped their food. The problem with working with your siblings was they were always around each other and could easily read one another. This was unfamiliar territory for him as it had been so long since he had cared for someone, but he knew they could tell he was off. With the looks his family kept throwing at him,his feelings must have been plastered across his face. He hadn’t been able to help the smile that always came to his face when Kelly was around. And now that she was gone, he was back to his serious self.
“I’m doing all right.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his brothers exchange a look. Miles took the burgers off the grill and put them on the buns along with all the toppings they liked. Then he slid one plate down the counter to Ethan.
“I’m fine, guys. Really.”
Then he slid Jackson’s, but gave it too much force and it slid right off the counter. The plate shattered on the floor, and the burger scattered everywhere. The three brothers stared at it before Jackson and Ethan’s gaze turned to Miles.
“Yeah, you seem fine,” Jackson said.
Miles groaned and dropped his head. “Fuck,” he muttered. He sat down at the counter and dropped his head into his hands.
“Dude, go get her,” Ethan said.
Miles looked up. “I can’t just drop everything and go. I have a kid.”
“And Emma would be ecstatic to have a sleepover at one of her uncles’ houses or at her grandparents’. You know that,” Ethan said.
Miles sighed. “I feel like I can’t do that.”
“So take her with you,” Jackson said. “Emma would love to fly on a plane for the first time and go on a quick vacation. Especially if she gets to see Kelly.”
Miles scrubbed his face. “Is this crazy? Falling for a woman I barely know.”
“Dude, you’re preaching to the choir. Did you forget I barely knew Lily? Jackson doesn’t count since he’s known Mia forever, but Noah barely knew Jessa. Maybe Kelly is your one. Andconsidering none of us has ever seen you like a woman quite like this, I think it’s worth pursuing,” Ethan said.
Jackson nodded in agreement. “Don’t make yourself always wonder what could have been.”
His mind whirled with the possibilities. He hadneverfelt this way, and he didn’t think he ever would again. Could he really just let it pass him by?
“You’re right,” Miles said. He stood up. “I’m going to go get her.” Then his eyes moved to the food on the floor and the broken plate. “But first I’ll make you a new burger.”
Jackson shook his head and reached for Ethan’s. “We can split this one and share.”
Ethan slapped Jackson’s hand away. “Get the fuck off my burger.”
Jackson held his hand as if it had hurt. “Damn. So testy.”
Miles chuckled. “I’ll make you another. Why don’t you guys clean up that mess while I do this?”
Ethan picked up his burger and took a big bite. “Jackson can. My food will get cold otherwise.”
“Prick,” Jackson grumbled.
