“Why, because you’re Mr. Big Baddy and you only need to use your muscles to talk?”
I roll my eyes at him, but I’m glad he’s teasing me and laughing with his heart again.
“Anyway, my point is that it’s still a part of you. Sure, you might be leaning heavily into some people’s fantasies, but I’ve heard you sing. That’s all you. Your heart and your chaotic energy. It’syoupeople fell in love with,” I conclude, and Milo is quietagain.
He’s staring at me with an intensity that could knock even a big guy like me off my feet. And then his face morphs—no, blossoms—into a smile that buries itself straight into my heart.
It’s not a customer-service smile that’s full of straight teeth and even form. It’s pure teasing and chaos and all Milo, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful.
10
Milo
“So how does Milo Tobitt spend his day off?” Rowan asks as he rinses the last of the dishes.
I’d told him they could be left there for Ray, since he’s adamant that nobody besides him can touch the dishwasher. He forgets that it’smyhome, and I only broke the dishwasheronce. It wasn’tmy fault the machine had all these fancy buttons I’ve never seen before.
Once is enough for him to hold it over my head for the rest of my life, apparently, and it seems Rowan is already terrified of Ray’s threats—although I’m pretty sure Ray’s use ofnobodyis only relevant to me—which is why he’s currently washing the dishes by hand, and I’m currently watching him wash said dishes.
I’m sitting on the barstool across from him on the island with my head propped on my hands as I contemplate the rest of my day.
“Well, I need to burn off all the carbs we had last night. That’s first on the agenda, or else I’ll never end up getting to it. Then maybe visit Ethel.”
“Your other BFF.”
He says it as a statement. A fact that he knows to be true, and it catches me off guard.
“Yes, I didn’t expect you to remember that,” I tell him honestly.
“It’s my job to know things about you,” he says gruffly.
I can’t push down the disappointment I feel from his words. Of course, I’m hisjob, but I thought we were getting closer on a level that is beyond boss and his employee. Something akin to friends, BFFs—fake it until you make it, you know?—or maybe even more.
“Yes, anyway, that’s the plan. Exercise, visit my BFF Ethel, and then let the rest of the evening lead me by the toes,” I say with fake cheer.
I push myself to my feetand play off the cloudy haze of confusing emotions.
I’m used to rejection.
I feel close to people I spend time with and consider them friends, when in reality, we’re just forced together because we’re part of something bigger. Like with the members of MYTHS. Like what I’m doing now with Rowan.
The rejection hurts more coming from Rowan, for some reason.
“Well, let’s go,” Rowan says suddenly.
“Go where?” I ask, genuinely confused.
“To the gym? I thought we were going to exercise?”
I stare at him. “You mean you’re going too? You’re going to exercise with me?”
“Oh, sorry. Am I overstepping? I guess it is a little too much.”
“No, no! I just don’t want to force you to hang out with me more than you already need to. Exercising with me isn’t part of your job, after all,” I mutter.
He shrugs. “I like spending time with you. And I need to hit the gym too, so it’s killing two birds at once.”
I take a moment to let his words sink in. “Say that again.”
