Page 55 of Spies Don’t Fall for Their Best Friend

“No. We got checked out at work.”

“Was your car totaled?”

Miles hesitates. “It was a rental vehicle. And the one we crashed into definitely came out worse.”

My eyes widen. “There was another vehicle?”

“No one was seriously injured,” he says quickly. “We’re sore. That’s all. Ledger was driving.”

“He crashed into another vehicle. So that means he was at fault?”

“Uh…” Miles looks at Jace. “That hasn’t been fully figured out yet. But if you ask Ledger, he’ll say that everyone survived because he was driving.”

“So, am I supposed to be thanking Ledger for keeping you safe or getting mad at him for crashing a vehicle you were in? I’m not sure what my Best Friend duties entail here.”

His smile widens, and something inside me eases. He still looks at me exactly the way he did before he saw the crying, insecure version of me. Like there’s nowhere else he’d rather direct all that attention. “You can probably thank him. But as his brother, I’m going to say don’t, or he’ll get a big head.”

I chuckle. “Well, I’m glad you’re less than ‘seriously’ injured.”

“Me, too.” And then, more quietly, he asks, “Are you doing okay?”

The question carries much more than it normally would. I nod. “I am. And thank you. Again.”

“You don’t have to keep thanking me.”

“I know. But I might anyway.”

“You can thank me by not worrying about a few bruises.”

“I don’t know—that seems unrelated and therefore not a legitimate substitute.”

“Fair.”

Before I can ask him anything else about the mysterious crash, Heidi barrels across the room wearing a sparkly pink dress and carrying a homemade sign facedown against her chest.

“Uncle Miles, I need you.”

Miles turns toward her. “That sounds serious.”

“It is.” She points at the floor. “I need you down here.”

He lowers himself carefully to one knee, trying to hide another wince.

I fold my arms. “That’s a very convincing display of being fine.”

“Shh. I’m being obedient.”

Heidi places a silver paper crown on his head. It’s far too small, so it balances at an angle on his hair. He turns his head a bit to the left and right. “How do I look?”

“So pretty. But I’m the princess, so you’ll have to give it back.” Then she hands him the sign and says, “You’re in charge of guarding this while I go potty. But you can’t look at it.”

Miles turns it so the blank back faces him. “What happens if I do?”

“You’ll ruin everything.” Heidi narrows her eyes at him. “So, no peeking.”

“I promise. No peeking.”

Then she hurries past Mackenzie and Charlie, who are arranging desserts on Evelyn’s kitchen island. Miles watches Heidi go, his expression softening in a way that makes my chest ache. I’ve seen him with her hundreds of times. I know he adores her; he lets her decorate him with stickers and knows exactly how to make her laugh when she’s upset.