Page 298 of By His Vow
His hair is a wild mess, sticking up in all directions. His eyes are barely open and surrounded by dark, swollen circles, and there is a thick pillow crease in his cheek. He looks exhausted, confused, but kinda cute, in an annoying big brother way.
“Tate,” he rasps. “Fuck. Are you okay?” He pushes himself up, letting the sheets fall from his body.
“Ew, dude. Put it away,” I tease when his toned torso comes into view.
I immediately feel better being able to tease him.
“You’re just jealous because it’s hotter than anyone you’ve ever been with.”
“Dangerous territory, Miles,” I warn.
“Shit, yeah. I need coffee.” He glances to the side and balks. “Do you know what time it is here?”
“I’m sorry, I can go. I just?—”
“No, no,” he says, propping himself up against his headboard and resting his cell on his knees. “I’m here. How are you?” he asks a little hesitantly.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “You know. Processing, I guess.”
He stares at me. Really stares at me. It makes me want to recoil and hide.
“You look good,” he says, forcing a bitter laugh to spill from my lips.
“I don’t, but thanks for the confidence boost, Bro.”
“No, I mean it. I think the English countryside is doing you some good.”
Still unconvinced by his assessment, I change the subject, although not to anything less painful.
“They’ve sold the cottage.”
“Shit,” Miles hisses, dragging his hand down his face. “I know, Tate. I’m so fucking sorry. As soon as KC got those papers, everything just?—”
“It’s okay,” I lie. “I knew what I was doing when I instructed Richard to initiate our divorce. It’s the right thing to do.”
His expression turns sad, reverent even.
“Miles,” I warn. “Do not tell me that you’re going to argue about this. You hated the idea of us being together.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “I did hate it. But then…I dunno,” he says with a shrug. “I saw the two of you together and I guess it all just kinda made sense.”
A laugh full of disbelief and amazement bubbles up.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No,” Miles says firmly. “I saw it, Tate. You really liked him.”
Tears burn my eyes as the cold hard truth in his words slams into me.
“Miles, please. Don’t do this. Talk to me about?—”
“Work?” he asks with wide eyes, already predicting that I’m not going to want to go there either.
“Shit,” I mutter. “I’m sorry." I’ve already said it in the email, but it’s not enough. I’m not sure sorry will ever be enough for the way I left.
“I know you are, T. It’s okay. I understand.”
“Is everything…going okay?” I don’t want to know, but also, I do. Warner Group is Miles’s entire life now, and I want to know how he’s doing, how he’s coping.