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“You don’t look very happy,” I murmur.
He narrows his eyes. “I don’t?”
“Is it bad?” I ask.
“I’ll let Elena tell you.”
Miles and I exchange a look. He swallows, his throat shifting. We both know this could be terrible news. And then what? After last night, I don’t think I can end this.
Mom is waiting for us in the garden, pacing with a mug of coffee cradled in both hands. When she spots us, she stops, her gaze settling on me as a tight smile touches her lips. It’s tense, but at least sheissmiling.
“Sit down,” she says.
Her tone is hard to read. It’s like she’s purposefully keeping her voice level, so I can’t tell how she feels about it, but I remember when we told her. Well, when I blurted it out. I’ll never forget the look of betrayal on her face.
“Does anybody want a coffee or anything?” Noah asks, hovering at the edge of the table as Miles, Mom, and I take our seats.
“No,” Miles and I say with the same tightness in our words.
Noah nods, sits, then looks across at Mom.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” she says, looking at me, moving her forefinger around the rim of her coffee mug almost like a nervous tic. “About becoming independent early. About growing up fast. You’re right. I put a lot on your shoulders that I should never have.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I protest. “I washappyto be there for you, Mom. I’m proud of how I was able to support you. Never think I resent you for it because I don’t.”
“Thank you.” Another smile, less tense this time. “That means the world to me, but you’re right. You’re far more mature for your age than most women…farmore mature than I was at your age. And you…”
She turns to Miles.
“I’ve known Noah for three years, and in all that time, you’ve never dated. You’ve never had a girlfriend, or if you have, you didn’t tell Noah.”
“I haven’t,” Miles says, his voice fierce and firm. “I came to terms with the fact that I would probably be alone forever. I won’t say I was okay with it, exactly, because I always thought about having a family, but I’d never choose a woman just for the sake of it.”
“So you were ready to be alone and let your dreams of being a father die?”
“Wow, Mom,” I say, attempting a joking tone. “That’s quite a macabre way to put it.”
But she isn’t biting. She keeps her eyes locked on Miles.
“Yes,” he says. “I’ve got my work to keep me busy.”
“And your charity,” Noah puts in.
I glance at Miles. “Your charity.”
He shrugs.
Noah laughs softly. “My modest big brother. Miles does a lot of work for underprivileged communities, cutting his rates to arrange youth centers, community cafes, and places like that.”
“I could’ve done with those as kids,” Miles says.
I study my man, the subtle curve of his lips, and the darkness behind his eyes. He wants to fix all the things he’s experienced, all the pain, not dwell on or disappear into it.
“But that changed when you saw my daughter… your step-niece.”
“It did, and I know I should’ve been ashamed. I should’ve done what most other men would—bury that thought deep down and never think about it orheragain. I tried. I really did, but with each passing day, I felt like I was losing my mind.”
“Because you couldn’t stop thinking about having sex with her?”
