Page 27 of Enemies to Lovers

“Was thatyou?” His watery eyes bug out, his restraint and breath held in the veins in his neck.

“No!” I shake my head furiously, pointing to the culprit. “It was…Brewster! Sweet, ever-loving… what is going on inside you?”

The pit looks up happily from his lobster, a low grumble filling the room. He hops off the couch and prances over, his tongue lolling out like he didn’t just try to kill us with methane.

“I think he’s got to go outside.” Miles has covered the bottom half of his face with his Henley. “I’ll take him.”

“You sure?” I choke out.

“Yep.” He nods to the TV. “You get that movie started. I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll also grab air freshener.”

“Good idea.”

“Leash is on a hook in the closet,” I call out as he heads to the door, and I head to the bathroom. I hear the door shut just before I push down on the Glade pine and spray generously. I’d light a candle, but the room might explode.

After half the aerosol is out of the can, I set it on the bar top and tempt fate, taking a sniff. Okay, it’s pine. Christmas. It matches the lights around the window and the tree in the corner, and no longer a butthole. I let out a laugh, leaning against the bar and pushing my face into my hands. That’s one for the books. I hope Miles finds the mood again while we’re cuddling on the couch—and Brewster gets rid of whatever rotted inside of him.

A buzz vibrates my elbows, and I drop my hands, my gaze landing on Miles’ phone. A message lights the screen, and I swear I wouldn’t be so nosy if I didn’t catch my name.

Ransom: So Val’s falling for it, huh? Who knew you had charm? Keep playing, and that internship is yours!

My heart drops to my stomach, leaving a crater in my midsection. Falling for it? Falling forwhat?My brain goes on hyperspeed, pushing away the romantic veil I have for Miles. That lifejacket I left suspended in the waters yesterday floats toward me, and I snatch at it, cling to it, pray it keeps me afloat.

He only asked me out after we knew about our chances with Dr. Goff. He found out I liked him from Joy.

He brought up the internship and then took it back. Maybe he was waiting till after he kissed me—orslept with me—to ask if I’d step away, let him have the position.

And damn it, I would’ve done it.

The sound of the front door muffles in my ears, anger and humiliation mixing together in a fiery mess I’m unsure I can control. When Miles comes around the corner, I only have one thing to say to him.

“Explain yourself, Miles Stoll.”

I stop dead in my tracks, Val’s front door easing shut behind me. A glassy wall fills her eyes, and she sets one hand on her hip, the other on the bar top, her nails giving it a small tap.

“Uh…” I stutter. Brewster whines and paws at my leg, and I bend to unhook his leash.

Val takes in a deep breath, that water-filled gaze flicking to my phone next to her hand and then back to me. “What exactly am I ‘falling for’?” she asks, air quotes and all.

The skin between my brows pulls, and I gape at her. I don’t know what she’s talking about, but when her eyes flick to my phone again, I wonder what the hell sort of thing she saw. It’s not like she can unlock it—

“No answer?” A bite of poison tinges her voice, and I take a step back, nearly tripping over Brewster as he wrestles with his lobster at my feet.

She snatches my phone, thrusting it out to me. “You got a message from your brother. Please, read it and enlighten me.”

I take it from her palm, noticing the tremble of her fingers. I’ve only seen her this angry once in the twenty-one years we’ve known each other. Her freshman science professor accused her of cheating. That wall of tears fell from her eyes as she fought back, her hands trembling, her hair flailing. It was the one time I witnessed her fight for something, instead of it coming so easily.

I open my screen, scanning the message from Ransom. My stomach hollows, and my voice gets stuck on the back of my tongue.

Her jaw clicks, a tear freeing itself from her left eye. She swipes it away before it gets to her cheek. “I’m waiting, Miles.”

I wish I could tell her it’s not what she thinks. That my brother is just joking around. That I’ve been sincere this past week. She can brush this text off, and I can pull her into me. We can pick up where we left off without a worry or care about why I’m here. But it’s all a lie.

I stuff my phone into my back pocket, my nails itching to scratch at my beard, but I keep my hands at my sides. “I don’t know… I don’t know how to…” Explain? Articulate? Well, at least not without hurting her, but I guess that’s a wash, anyway.

“How about I theorize?” she says, crossing her arms. “After hearing about the internship, you went to a party with your buddy. And I was a little loose with my tongue with that buddy of yours, and she went blabbing to you about my feelings. Am I right so far?”

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