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Before I have a chance to pull away, he grabs my wrists and places a sweet kiss on the inside of each one.

“Rain check?”

Since I can still feel Peyton’s glower on me, I reply with only a nod.

Milo’s smile widens, putting those damn dimples on full display.

Satisfied with my answer, he releases his hold on me and struts down the steps toward his friends.

I don’t stick around to watch him leave. Not when Peyton is still standing there in the middle of the street with her friends, watching my every move.

As I close the door, though, I allow myself one last look at Milo.

He’s standing beside his truck with his door open, looking back at me with the happiest smile on his face.

And that’s when a sick sense of dread settles in the pit of my stomach. Because I know just how differently the two of us will remember this night.

Milo will remember finally telling the girl he likes that he wants to kiss her.

But me?

I’ll remember the girl across the street who saw him do it.

And wonder what she’ll do to me because of it.

Chapter 17

Monday

The image of Milo sitting on the curb in front of his childhood home follows me into the next day. Not even a call from Lauren praising the last few chapters I sent her is enough to shake the thought as I make my way downstairs to the breakfast area of the B&B.

Luckily—or unluckily, depending on how you look at it—my melancholic disposition takes a sharp turn when I spot none other than Brooke Trask sitting by herself at a table near the window, staring through the glass as if the answer to all her problems were waiting on the other side. She looks just as miserable as I feel.

Usually, I wouldn’t care one iota about Brooke’s feelings, but today I’m feeling a little more empathetic than usual.

After filling my plate with scrambled eggs and avocado toast, I grab some much-needed coffee and a glass of orange juice, then make my way over to her table with my tray in hand.

“Hi.”

Brooke quickly wipes away the traces of her tears and pastes on a radiant smile, only for it to fall apart the second she realizes it’s me.

“Oh… hi,” she says unenthusiastically.

“Mind if I take a seat?” I ask, already pulling out the chair across from her.

“What are you doing?” she asks hurriedly, catsing a nervous glance around the room.

“Having breakfast.” I laugh softly.

“Yes, I can see that. But why here?”

“You looked like you could use some company.” I set my tray down. “Maybe even a friend?”

She lets out a heavy sigh. “Max, please don’t take this the wrong way, but can you please leave?”

“Oh. Were you expecting someone?” I ask, reaching for my tray, already halfway out of the chair.

Coming face-to-face with another Red is not how I want to start my morning, that’s for damn sure.