“No wonder Cal seems to have taken quite a liking to you,” Gil grins. He raises his eyebrows at Miles. And—what? What is Gil even talking about? Taken quite a liking—? “Cal’s never invited anyone backstage before. Now it makes sense.”
Miles is going to self-combust. His face is incredibly hot, and he pokes at his tart some more.
“Cal likes artsy stuff,” Chase explains. He puts his phone down and stares at Miles, just like Gil is. It’s as if they’re putting him undera microscope and studying him. “He’s into deep things.”
“Must be why he’s such a brilliant lyricist,” Gil quips.
“Exactly!”
Gil points toward the door. “Speak of the devil.”
It’s stupid how Miles’s heart does a leap when he turns and Calvin’s there. Calvin greets Gabby at the reception desk and makes his way toward the lounge, and both his friends greet him by knocking their shoulders together. What, is that a band thing? It’s funny how Calvin grimaces in response, muttering something under his breath. Chase pulls over a chair and puts it between him and Miles, so now Calvin has no choice but to take a seat beside him. Miles debates knocking his shoulder against his as a joke, and also to ease the tension between them.
He gives Miles a weak smile when their eyes meet, and Miles’s chest tightens.
“What do you suggest we do while we’re in town, Cal?” Chase asks.
Calvin shrugs. “I like the gym and the bookstore.”
A beat passes. Chase turns to Miles and asks, “What do you suggest we do while we’re in town, Miles?”
Calvin rolls his eyes and sighs.
Miles figures out quickly that Chase isn’t into the same slow, quiet things that Calvin is. “There are hiking trails to some waterfalls. You can rent a yacht, go swimming. We’ve got paddle boards and canoes. We have bonfires on the weekends.” What else was there to do around here, really? Miles scratches his chin. “There are some bars along the lake, but nothing as lively as the ones they have backin the city.”
“I’d love to see waterfalls,” Gil says. “Isn’t the water chilly during this time of year, though?”
“It is.” Frowning, Calvin looks out the window. There are a few teenagers out in the lake. For someone who supposedly likes the lake a lot, he’s never actually in it. “I don’t want to get in the water.”
Chase, apparently, is very much into this idea. He sits up straight and his expression lightens up. “Let’s go see the waterfalls! Can we go right now!?”
“Sure. Crescent Falls is about half an hour away, and it’s not that difficult a trek. The weather’s good right now, too.”
“Aren’t you tired?” Calvin asks. “You drove two hours.”
“No,” Chase and Gil say in unison. They grin and high-five each other, and the synchronization is truly impressive. At least it impresses Miles. Calvin frowns.
They split up to grab their things, and Calvin drags his feet the entire time. Miles finds it pretty funny, especially when Chase suggests they play chicken fight in the water, and Calvin’s expression morphs into about three different versions of mortification. Miles meets them out front. Today, he’s going to be a tour guide for his favorite band. It’s a dream he never knew he had.
“It’s not too far from here.” Miles snickers at Calvin’s frown. “Terrain’s easy, too.”
“Awesome!” Chase says.
Apparently, Miles’s judgment was wrong. Maybe it’s because he’s lived here his entire life and he’s gone down this trail hundreds of times, but he didn’t realize that it’s not that close, and the terrain’snot that easy. This is exactly why he isn’t cut out to be a tour guide. The road’s rocky and some trees have fallen over because of last season’s storms, so they need to climb over those. Fortunately, Chase and Gil seem to love it. They laugh as they mess around, and when Gil almost slips on a mossy rock, Chase snickers.
“This isn’t an easy trail,” Gil says. “But it’s fine. I like it.”
Though Calvin seems to be holding up much better than his two friends, he’s quiet. When he reaches up to wipe his forehead, his shirt rides up, and Miles realizes he’s got more tattoos. There’s a small lily, right above his waistband, on the joint of his hip, and Miles’s brain short-circuits.
“Hah!” Chase points a finger at Miles. “You’re all red! It’s not easy for you, either!”
Miles’s cheeks grow even redder, especially when Calvin turns his head in his direction. He splutters uselessly, attempting to say something, anything, and then gives up and picks up his pace.
When they finally get to the waterfalls, Miles’s guests seem impressed. Gil quickly takes out his phone to take photos, and Chase has the biggest, giddiest grin Miles has ever seen on him. Even Calvin’s frown melts away, and he slowly looks around with what can only be described as amazement.
“You’ve painted this.” Calvin’s standing about a foot away from Miles, and above the sound of the falling water, he almost doesn’t hear him. Chase and Gil run ahead, throwing their bags to the ground and pulling their shirts off.
“Yup.” It’s one of the paintings he did back in university, in his first year. It’s framed in the inn, near the reception.
