Page 18 of Blue Jeans in Low Beams

“Oh,” Milo responds, clearly not able to look me in the eyes either. At least we’re on the same page. “Miss Belle will be delighted. What’d you make?”

“Slutty brownies.”

“Slutty what—” he cuts himself off, eyes going wide, right before letting out a loud, deep guffaw. “And what exactly makes your baked good reputationally challenged?”

“Peanut butter cups,” I answer quickly. “It’s a layer of cookie dough, then peanut butter cups, topped with brownie batter.”

Our eyes lock and Milo smirks. A sinister, panty-melting smirk. Fuck me.

“Peanut butter cups. I look forward to trying your…peanut butter cups.”

Oh, I’ll let you eat my peanut butter cup… NO! I did not just think that…

I need to change the subject, stat.

“Err, ummm…is that what you’re wearing?”

I nod toward his T-shirt. Royal blue with the image of a nametag sticker on it, the name Amanda Hugginkiss scrawled into the name slot.

A man to hug and kiss… Yes, you are…

“This? Ha…no,” he tells me, back to avoiding my gaze. “Miss Belle would shoot me if I wore this to Sunday dinner. I’ll put on a button-down.”

“Oh, okay. Good to know.”

“Right, so… I’m gonna hop in the shower. Meet you by the door at four thirty?”

“The door?”

I panic again, trying desperately to remember if I forgot something. But I got nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“Unless you have plans after, I figured we’d ride together out to Magnolia Manor.”

Oh. My insides ease, and I heave out a long, heavy breath. If he wants to carpool over to his parents’, then things between us can’t be that bad. Sure, they’re a bit tense, but time will ease that. We’ll be back to pseudo brother and sister in no time.

Phew!

“I’d like that.”

“The door at four thirty then. Don’t forget the sluts.”

He gives me a wink, then turns on his heel, heading toward the bathroom.

“Slutty brownies!” I correct him, barely holding back a laugh.

“I’ve heard it both ways!”

7

MILO

Thankfully, the ride to Magnolia Manor is uneventful.

It’s also silent.

Could hear a pin drop, silent.

So much so, this is the first moment since I upgraded my truck, buying my very first brand-new off-the-lot vehicle last summer, that I regret it. Because we don’t even have the road noise to help fill the space between us. Nope, nothing but silence.