Page 121 of Spies Don’t Fall for Their Best Friend

My mom laughs. “What scared me wasn’t only whatever the secret might be. It was knowing there was something important affecting our relationship while I didn’t have all the information.”

My stomach twists. I know it’s not the same thing. But it also kind of is.

I stare down at the countertop. I want to tell him and somehow already know what he’ll say. I want to skip over the second between the truth leaving my mouth and his response. I want guarantees. Unfortunately, dating an actual spy has not provided me access to time travel.

“I’m scared,” I say.

Her expression softens. “I know.”

“What if it changes how he sees me?”

“It might.”

I glare at her. “You are terrible at reassurance today.”

“I’m trying to give you something better than reassurance—the truth.”

I make a face. “Very inspirational.”

She smiles. “I don’t know exactly what Miles will say. But I know him well enough to trust that whatever he says, he’ll mean it. And I know you well enough to know you can handle hearing his answer, whatever it is.”

I breathe in slowly. Then out.

“You don’t have to ask him to decide your entire future right then, Reese.”

That sounds kind of like what Miles said to me when he told me he loves me.

“You’re simply telling someone you care about something important and true about you.”

Someone I care about. That feels like a laughably inadequate description for Miles.

I look down at my phone sitting beside my purse. There’s a message from him from twenty minutes ago that says, Dinner tonight? I haven’t responded yet.

I pick up my phone. My heart immediately starts beating a million miles an hour as I open the message and type a response.

Reese: Yeah. Come over at seven?

Miles: I’ll be there.

Just three little words, and my stomach drops. There’s no going back now. I lock my phone and slide it into my purse.

My mom stands and kisses the top of my head. “You’ve got this, sweetie.”

I stand and put my purse over my shoulder. Spark gets up, too. Then my mom comes over and hugs me again. Not the quick kind or the excited kind from earlier. The kind where she holds on for however long it takes before I am the one to pull back.

Then I leave before my courage can change its mind.

CHAPTER 21

NO WARNING LABEL

MILES

By the time I reach Reese and Charlie’s townhouse, I have spent an unreasonable percentage of the drive thinking about the protocols around kissing hello.

Last night, I kissed Reese for the first time. Well, and the second and third time, too. And a fourth. But does that mean I kiss her every time I see her?

Is that what we do now?