“My apologies.” Elio bowed his head. “And I’m sorry to interrupt your evening. May I speak to Milo, please?” he asked and smiled asnicelyas he could.
“Elio? What a wonderful surprise,” Giles said loudly, his lips twitching as he waved for Elio to come in. “We weren’t expecting you.”
“Ha! I was!” Riley high-fived Luna before she bolted into the kitchen behind them. “Giles owes me $20,” Riley declared and held out his hand to Giles. “I said something was up with you two but Giles believed Milo when he said he ate something weird.”
“It could happen.” Giles had his wallet out and was flipping through the bills.
“Like I don’t know what my son is capable of eating!” Riley made an indignant sound. “He’s got Giles’s looks and his mom’s brain but he’s got my stomach and hollow legs! And I built him to withstand anything!” he boasted, planting his fists on his hips.
There was a soft chuckle from Giles. “Milo’s in his room. Go through the kitchen and past the pantry. It’s at the end of the small hallway.”
Elio offered them another bow. He could see why his brothers liked and respected the Ashbys so much and where Milo had gotten his kindness and sense of humor. “Thank you,” he said and smiled at Riley as he passed and headed for the kitchen.
It was clean and warmly lit, a cake resting on the marble island and a glass of wine was waiting by the stove. In the hallway, Elio almost crashed into Luna and laughed as she crossed her arms and squared up to him.
“You don’t look like a physicist or a prince,” she said, eyeing him up and down.
Elio leaned back, frowning. “Don’t I? What do I look like?” he asked and prepared for an amusing or cheeky response but her face pinched as if he was covered in slime.
“You look like trouble, Eli-oh.”
He shook his head seriously. “I promise, I will be on my best behavior.”
“You better be,” Luna said archly. “Milo’s already upset and I don’t like when he’s upset.” She kicked his shin, making Elio jump and yelp.
“I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!” he whispered as he hopped around her.
She narrowed her eyes and pointed at him. “I’m watching you, Eli-oh.”
“Noted,” Elio said and crossed himself.
The little tyrant left Elio with one last warning glare and he was sufficiently chastised. Between his own conscience, his brother’s meddling, and Luna’s threats, Elio vowed to be more careful and to do his best to never hurt Milo again. If he did, he’d leave the country before Luna could kick his other shin. Those little Conversehurt.
Fourteen
“Elio’s here and he wants to see you!” Luna had warned Milo, signaling that the end was nigh. “Want me to kick his butt?”
“Yes, but you’d better not. The dads will have to ground you to avoid an international incident and it’s not Eli’s fault. I’m the one who misread things and went too far.”
“What things?” she asked but Milo groaned as he pulled a pillow over his face.
“I. Don’t. Know.” He hugged the pillow and screamed, letting out the awful pressure in his head and his chest. It felt better, having a thick, soft barrier between him and the rest of the world. “I never want to feel like this about anyone ever again.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to fight him?”
Milo grunted and shook his head under the pillow. “Thanks for offering, though. I’ll be okay. Promise.”
She kissed the pillow and gave it a pat before leaving Milo to face Elio on his own. Which was probably for the best. Luna would be ashamed if she saw the way Milo had crumpled likea wimp in the elevator earlier. There was a tap at the door, warning Milo that it was time for round two and that his humiliation wasn’t complete.
“Come in,” he called and squeezed his eyes shut, listening as the door opened and the sound of heavy boots plodded around the room and to the bed. “Is it okay if I keep the pillow? I feel safer under here,” he asked in a muffled whimper.
There was a sigh as the mattress dipped next to him. Milo was so glad he had consented to upgrading to a king-sized bed two years earlier. He hadn’t wanted to let go of sleepovers with his cousin, Jack, and Luna, but Milo wouldn’t have survived if he had to face Elio while laying on his old bunk bed. It was the kind that had a full-sized mattress on the bottom bunk but Milo would have felt like even more of a child.
“Of course, whatever makes you the most comfortable,” Elio said with an even heavier sigh.
“It’s not your fault,” Milo said before Elio could explain that there had been a misunderstanding. “You said we were friends and I could call you Eli and I went way overboard. I’ve never had a crush on anyone before and I never will again.”
“Please don’t say that,” Elio said, his tone gentle and apologetic. “I said things in the lift that I shouldn’t have, that I didn’t mean. I’ve never had a crush on anyone before either and I panicked.”
