Page 4 of Unscripted with Mila

Opening the door, I stepped inside, inhaling deeply. I could smell the coffee, the scent of bacon, the rich tang of cinnamon. Laughter and conversations were taking place. My brother Reed was talking with my parents, his wife Heather beside him, and I crossed the room, stopping for kisses and hugs with a few people. Reed stood, enfolding me in his embrace.

“Hey, Shortstack.”

I hugged him back, grinning as he pressed a kiss to my head. “Stop it.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “I swear you get shorter every time I see you.”

I sniffed, sitting beside my dad. “I’m the same height I was last month, last year, in fact since I was fifteen and stopped growing. I highly doubt at thirty-two I have much chance of that changing. Besides—” I sniffed “—not my fault you’re so full of manure you sprouted that high.”

He chuckled. “Manure?”

I shrugged. “Manure, bullshit, all the same.”

Everyone laughed, and Dad ruffled my hair affectionately. “You go, Pumpkin. Put him in his place.”

Reed winked at me, and I smirked at him. I loved teasing him.

Aiden and his wife Cami came over, joining us. “Did I hear Mila say bullshit?” he asked, his eyes wide. “Can’t be.”

I shook my head in amusement. “I say a lot worse, Aiden. My readers would tell you that.”

He shook his head. “Nope. Not going there. Not my little Mila. You used to ride on my shoulders and stick your lollipop in my hair to keep it safe and hold on to my ears. You were the cutest damn thing ever.”

I gazed at him fondly. I remembered doing that. He, Maddox, even Uncle Bentley were all wonderful men to grow up around. My uncle Reid was the computer whiz who loved to show us all how to use technology. My brother Reed had worshiped him his entire life, and they remained close to this day. Halton was always around for guidance and wisdom. I had been very lucky to grow up in this family.

“You were always a good sport. Even when my lollys got stuck in your hair.”

He grinned. “A quick soak in the pool got them out.” Then he stood. “Food is ready. Thank God—I am famished.”

Everyone chuckled. Aiden was always famished. So were his sons. It took a huge amount of food to fill them up, and it was always amusing to watch.

I filled a plate and got a cup of coffee, sitting beside Cami. She smiled at me as I sat down. My mom sat on my other side.

“Your dad tells us you’re off to LA in a couple of weeks,” Cami said.

“Yes.”

“How exciting!” she exclaimed.

“It is.” I chewed and swallowed. “A little nerve-racking too.”

“I imagine so.” Cami squeezed my hand. “You’ll do fine. Just remember, they came to you. Your books are amazing, and once the movie comes out, you’ll be even more famous!”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t really want that. I just want to write books.”

“You will. You can do anything you want,” she assured me.

We ate for a while, then I turned to Cami again. “I, ah, actually have a favor to ask you.”

“Sure. What do you need?”

“Well, my usual wardrobe is leggings and loose shirts. Andi suggested that I try to bring some more, ah, professional clothing. And she says I need a couple nice dresses. I was wondering if you could help with that?” Cami had been a fashion designer before she retired. She still made articles of clothing for family, and I needed her advice.

Cami’s eyes glowed, and she clasped her hands. “I would love to!” She sat back, eyeing me. “I have a couple of dresses that would suit you well. And we can go shopping for other pieces.”

“I don’t like restrictive things or anything too tight.”

“No, we can do easy things. Pretty skirts, some nice pants, cool blouses. Mix and match. A couple knockout pieces for anything formal that comes up. LA will be hot, so we’ll stick with all natural fabrics. Bold colors, simple cuts, easy to pack and take care of, but you’ll look like a million bucks! Oh, this will be so fun. I know the perfect shops, and I will run up a couple things. Liv, you have to come with us.”