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Her eyes widened. “I knew it when you held hands on the beach!”
“She sings Milo and Gideon sitting in a tree every time I see her.” Milo handed me his backpack, then knelt so Cammy could jump on. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist before the group of us walked over to join my family.
Beverly’s eyes didn’t fall away from her son as she watched him carry Cammy to go talk with Rachel, something close to awe in her gaze.
We introduced everyone to Beverly, and when we finished with all the hellos, Milo again said, “Hi, baby Jacob,” to Heather’s belly.
Milo let Cammy down just as Mom asked Beverly, “Are you a vegetarian too?”
“Oh, no. I can eat anything. Thank you.”
Mom turned her attention to Milo. “Gideon gave us some ideas to get for you. I researched recipes too. We have vegetable kabobs, and I found what looks like a yummy recipe for a corn salad, black-bean burgers, and grilled ranch potatoes.” Mom was trying, and I loved her for it.
“You didn’t have to go through all that trouble for me,” Milo said.
“Of course we do. You’re Gideon’s friend, so we want you to feel at home.”
“His boyfriend,” Milo replied proudly.
“Yes, his boyfriend. You’ve made him very happy.”
“Mom.” I rolled my eyes.
“Ew, gross. What do you see in this guy?” Orlando pointed to me.
“Oh, lots of things. He’s funny and kind and really talented. He tries all my meals, even if he doesn’t think he’s going to like them. Sometimes he stops by the store and brings me something he thinks I’ll like…this pomegranate tea that made him think of me or a hat when I was working outside and my face got too pink from the sun. He doesn’t care that I eat eggs, toast, and oatmeal every Monday and that I get upset if I can’t. I bought him better sandals that didn’t torture his toes, and he wears them even though the flip-flops don’t bother him. Plus, he’s hot.”
“Damn, I think I might be in love with Gideon too after that,” Heather teased.
“Yeah, same here,” Meg added. “You don’t bring me pomegranate tea.” She playfully swatted Kris.
“You guys could learn a thing or two from me,” I joked with Orlando and Kris, before wrapping my arms around Milo and kissing the top of his head. I liked this boyfriend business. A lot. “You’re hotter,” I whispered close to Milo’s ear.
The group of us hung out at the picnic tables for a while after that. Meg wasn’t feeling well again and had to go inside to lie down. Beverly was quiet. She replied when spoken to and joined in here or there, but I could tell she was trying to figure out what she thought about us, about this whole situation. Every time I looked at her, she was watching me, or Milo, or Milo with me, Cammy, or Rachel.
“Let’s go swimming,” Orlando said after a while.
I looked at Milo, who nodded. Beverly stayed on shore with Heather, Mom, and Dad, but the rest of us went out. I’d forgotten Beverly grew up here, but since she was older than my parents and having had Milo later, they didn’t really know each other.
We played water games, splashed each other, Milo getting into it particularly heavily with Kris once. I was pretty sure he was taking his jealousy out on him.
Rachel kept ahold of Cammy the whole time, but every once in a while, the little girl would ride on Milo’s back so he could swim around with her.
But then he came to me, tangled his arms around my neck, and floated. I held his waist, looking at him, taking in the blue of his eyes and the droplets of water clinging to his lashes, some of them matching up with freckles on his nose and cheek.
“This is one of the best days of my life,” he said.
I felt like he’d just handed me all the happiness in the world. “Mine too.”
And then I kissed him…and my brother and Kris sneak-attacked us, splashing us with water until we broke apart.
“I hate you,” I told them.
They laughed. When Milo and Kris got into it again, Orlando said just for me, “I’m happy for you, little bro.”
I was too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Milo
“I tried to get Mom to come by with me, but she said no,” I told Gene when he let me into the house. She’d decided to spend a month in Little Beach, which I couldn’t believe. If you looked up the word workaholic in the dictionary, there should be a photo of Mom too; she never took time off. Her secretary had actually called me to make sure she was okay. I think they thought she might have been kidnapped and wasn’t really with me, but then I’d never been away from her for so long. If I had, she would have more reasons to travel.
