Page 112 of Blue Jeans in Low Beams

“I mean it.” He looks at me, our eyes connecting, and I see it. My big brother.

The stupid, overprotective pain in the ass. My biggest cheerleader. The one who pushed me into applying to pharmacy school, even though I’d followed a longer than necessary route to get there. He who has always had my back, no matter what.

“I overreacted,” he continues.

“You think?”

Shooting me a look, he huffs out a breath and I chuckle, enjoying that we’ve found our footing again. “Not the way I would have preferred to find out about the two of you, and Brenna, it’s still weird to me, but…I respect that you’re an adult and can make your own choices.”

Hope swoops through me, filling into the cracks left by our fight last week. Brandt’s acceptance feels like nothing short of a miracle.

“Thank you. It means a lot. And trust me, that’s not the way I wanted you to find out.” I stop, letting out a sigh that I feel with every last inch of my body. “I wanted to tell you in person.”

“Sure you did,” he teases.

“I did, promise. Admittedly, I didn’t know how to tell you. Which is why when you asked about the picture, I didn’t come clean. This just didn’t seem like the kind of thing that you say over a text, you know? And the more I thought about it…I knew that I needed to tell you face-to-face. That I’d fallen for someone who treats me better than anyone I’ve ever met. And makes me feel special and smart and all sorts of other things. And yeah, at first it was a little weird because he’s older and he’s your best friend, but I kinda think that’s maybe part of what makes it so special. Because who better to love me than the best friend of my protector?”

I swallow hard, all my emotions rushing to the surface. As much as Brandt’s apology and acceptance mean, it’s all for nothing. Because just like I didn’t hear from Brandt, I didn’t hear from Milo.

And if my brother is standing here saying that he’s okay with it, and I still didn’t hear a peep, then there’s my answer. Willa’s reaching out was not the secret code I hoped it to be. I am not worth it to Milo. All the feelings were indeed one-sided.

Which sucks. No two ways about that.

“Well, when you put it that way,” Brandt says with a wry chuckle. “How can a big brother argue?”

“I’m not sure it really matters.” My voice cracks, betraying me. Concern flashes across Brandt’s face and he reaches out, resting his hand on my shoulder. “Milo didn’t call while I was gone. Clearly I’m not worth fighting for.”

“Up until yesterday, I had a black eye that says otherwise.” Squeezing my shoulder, he turns me to my left.

The lush open field is busy, filled with stage equipment and stations, looking a lot more chaotic than it did a few weeks ago for town movie night. All of that fades away though as my eyes land on the tall, scruffy, tattooed man walking toward us, trademark smirk on his face.

Milo.

Then Brandt’s words register.

“Wait, a black eye?”

He laughs. “Go talk it out with Loverboy over there. I’ll catch up with the two of you at dinner. I hear you have some news to share.”

I nod, unable to do much else. Brandt laughs again, giving me the shove I need toward his best friend.

My heart gallops, slamming into my rib cage. I fight the urge to run to him, partially because my feet feel like cinderblocks and moving them takes a massive effort, but also because I have no idea if he’ll catch me. That smirk says yes, but I’m still unsure.

“Hi, beautiful.”

Milo reaches around me, hauling me into him. Instinctively, I wind my arms around his neck, wanting to be as close to him as possible. The whole world falls away as Milo tightens his grip on my hip, anticipation rising in me, waiting on his next move.

“You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now,” he mutters. His breath tickles my skin, alerting the butterflies in my tummy.

“Then why don’t you?”

“You’d be okay with that?”

“Always.”

Capturing my mouth in his, Milo kisses me in a way only he can. The perfect mix of deep and hard, with a gentleness that is pure perfection. The butterflies take flight, my knees weakening, as he deepens it more. I hold on for dear life, kissing him back the same way. I want him to know how much I missed him. How much I want him. That he’s the only one I want. And all those other feelings that come with it.

All those other things we’ve left unsaid.