Chapter Eight
Eliza – Sunday
I rolled over onto one side, a big beaming smile already spread across my face. I felt like things had gone pretty well with Milo yesterday. I found myself actually liking him quite a lot. He was much easier to get along with than I’d first assumed he would be. He wasn’t as grumpy as he looked; he was actually quite sweet.
Dinner was fun, although there was a definite atmosphere hanging over us, one that I didn’t fully get at first. Then it hit me: in a light, very breezy way, we were kind of flirting with one another. Not with our words, but with the way that we looked at one another and our body language. It was a subtle sort of flirting that I wasn’t used to at all, but found I actually liked.
Of course, nothing could come of it. He was a client, paying to stay in my grandmother’s cabin. I shouldn’t have even been there, and if it wasn’t for my apartment issues, I wouldn’t have been, but it did feel flattering to have someone want to subtly flirt with me. It made me feel a whole lot better about the whole Josh thing, anyway.
It helped that Milo was also about a million times better than Josh, too, in every way. Josh was good looking in a traditional, preppy sort of way, whereas Milo had a raw sexuality to him that I couldn’t help but be drawn to. He had a life for himself, too: money, a business, goals... Looking back, Josh was a bit of a deadbeat, content with his life because he didn’t care enough to try at anything.
If Josh were to see me out with Milo, he would go nuts. He would be so jealous it would eat him up inside.
Not that I cared.
Well, maybe a little bit, but only for revenge purposes.
A sudden crashing sound came from the kitchen, alerting me to the fact that Milo was already awake and getting himself a drink.
Oh, God. That meant he was probably trying to work my grandmother’s ancient coffee pot, which wasn’t any fun even when you knew what you were doing. I raced out to join him, not even thinking about the baby-blue, bunny-print pajamas that I was wearing. I always wanted to be comfortable when I slept, which usually didn’t matter, but in front of this gorgeous, powerful, older man it made me feel a bit weird.
“Erm, sorry,” I stammered, trying to discretely cover myself up with my hands. “I just thought that I would show you how to use the coffee pot. I didn’t think about it because I’m so used to it, but it can be a little awkward.” I took it from him and fiddled with the switches. “Maybe it’s a good thing that I’m here, after all.”
“I agree,” he said deeply. “Thank you.”
I glanced over at him to see him actually smiling at me. A real-life grin that he couldn’t seem to help. “I don’t think that there is anything in the fridge for breakfast, but we could go out if you like? There’s a nice place in town,” I asked on impulse.
“Sure, sounds great.”
We were acting a little like a couple, which was weird and made me even more confused about my feelings. I liked Milo, probably a whole lot more than I should, so this was strange. But I’d asked. I couldn’t exactly take that back.
“Great.” I handed him a mug and grasped my own tightly to me, trying to warm myself up. “I’ll just go and get dressed.”
Once I had shut the bedroom door behind me, I let out a breath that I hadn’t even realized that I was holding. This was intense; I could feel myself going gaga over this guy, and that wasn’t what I needed. I was supposed to be moving on and improving my love life, not complicating it with some guy who was only in town for a couple of months. That was just asking for trouble.
Although no one was asking anyone to get married. Maybe we could have a little fun...
Shit. I accidently caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and realized just how terrible I looked. It wasn’t just the bunny pajamas – it was the messy hair and the totally makeup-free face. I couldn’t believe that I’d gone out there and let Milo see me like that!
I grabbed some much nicer clothing and pulled up my hair into a quick style off my face before applying some makeup to highlight my best features. I didn’t want to take ages and seem diva-ish, but there wasn’t any way I could continue looking so fresh-faced.
As I raced back into the front room, I found that Milo had changed, too. He now had a nice shirt on, which he’d combined with jeans. Although it was just a casual look, my heart pounded like crazy. It felt like he’d made all that effort just for me.
“Erm, shall we... Shall we go?”
I had my car keys with me, but Milo wanted to go in his car. As soon as I slid into the passenger’s seat, I noticed a massive difference – an embarrassing difference. My car was uncomfortable and boxy; this car had soft leather seats, and it felt like there was plenty of room. And a million gadgets, too. I was lucky if my car started, never mind anything else.
“Are you cold?” he asked me with a smile.
“A little.” Then I felt a blast of something warm under my butt, which made me squeal excitedly. “Oh, my goodness, you have heated seats? That’s incredible! I love this.”
It was obvious that Milo had a lot of money. I had ascertained that from the fact that he was willing to triple the fee for the cabin, but now I was starting to wonder if it was so much more. How rich is this guy? Why isn’t he in a flashy hotel? Is that just because of Veil? I glanced into the backseat of the car, where he was sitting, thinking that Milo must love the dog. He might have acted grumpy with me about his dog, but he adored him.
“So, you’re an investor then?” I asked, curious as to how he made his money. I didn’t like him for that reason, there was something much deeper about him, but I wanted to know if there was some quick trick that only millionaires knew because if I could find out what that was, then maybe I could save my business, after all.
“Actually, I own a couple of casinos in Las Vegas,” he replied casually, as if he’d just told me that he liked white bread. “Investment is something that I did in the beginning, and I’m trying to get back into it.”
“Wow, that’s something.” I didn’t know what to say; I was blown away by him. He just seemed so cool about the whole thing.
“You know, the money didn’t just happen, if that’s what you’re wondering.” He glanced at me from the side. “Everyone asks me that. I inherited some when I was young, and I got some advice. I invested it well. After that... Well, I worked hard.”
“Yeah, I can imagine,” I replied, shocked. “That’s impressive.”
“The casinos pretty much run themselves now,” he continued as if he hadn’t heard me. “So that’s why I think I need to go back to the investing. I need something to do with my time.”
“Well, then, I hope the fishing thing works out for you.” I didn’t know how it worked, but maybe if he was investing in a company in Florence, he would be visiting occasionally. If he did visit, maybe we could... hang out or whatever. “Here is the place; come on, let’s go.”
***
Breakfast was amazing, incredible actually. Milo and I got along like a house on fire. It was so strange to find myself getting along so well with someone who I had nothing in common with, but that was exactly what had happened. It was also clear that the more he loosened up, the brighter his face became.
Maybe he was just shy, and it took him a while to get used to people. I didn’t mind that; it was kind of sweet that he was letting me in.
But now we were back at the cabin, and everything felt weird again. It was as if we were both experiencing some very strange feelings and neither of us knew what to do about them. I could have just tackled it head on, of course, but even the idea of that made me all nervous inside.
“I’m going to go and call my landlord again,” I told him with a regretful look on my face. “See if anything is happening with regards to my pipes. I don’t want to become any more of a bother than I already am.”
“You are a happy bother, if anything,” he told me happily. “I like having you around; you make the place brighter.”
I staggered into my room, wondering how to take that. Is he confessing something to me? Telling me feelings in a roundabout way? Oh, God, am I reading things into stuff that isn’t even there?
Instead of calling the landlord like I said I was going to, I called Laynee. I needed her advice in this situation. She would know what to do...
“Hey, there,” she answered in a sing-song tone of voice. “What’s going on?”
“Laynee,” I hissed back, not wanting Milo to overhear me. “I need your help. I don’t know what to do.”
“All right, calm down, what is it?” She sounded a little too concerned, which suggested that I’d probably oversold the issue a bit.
“Okay, well you know how that guy called to book the cabin?” I started, but she jumped in right away.
“Yes, I didn’t clean the damn place for nothing!”
“Well, he’s here, and I’m here...”
“Why the hell are you there?” Of course, she didn’t get it; I barely understood it myself.
“My pipes broke again, and he offered me the room. Anyway, so I’m here, and we’re hanging out—”
“Wait,” she interrupted sharply. “You’re hanging out? Define hanging out.”
“Just eating together, that sort of thing.” I screwed up my nose in shock – did she think that I would be sleeping with this guy? I barely knew him, even if I secretly did want to a little bit. Or a lot. “And it’s confusing me. He’s... He’s nice.”
“Good looking?”
I rolled my eyes; of course, Laynee would go for that point first. “Yes, but not in a Josh way: in like a raw, sexy way.”
“Ugh, thank God. Josh was too dull!” She’d never liked Josh, even when we were together, so this was hardly surprising. She described him as plain looking all the time. “So, are you going to jump his bones?”
“Calling you was a mistake,” I jumped in decidedly. “I should have kept this to myself.”
“Tomorrow at work, you will have to tell me everything. And until then, make sure you’re good, okay? Or if you can’t be good, then at least be careful. Also, remember every gory detail, because I want to know them all.”
I hung up the phone on her, rolling my eyes before flopping back on the sheets. Just because Laynee didn’t seem to see anything wrong with this situation didn’t make it right. I’d half expected her to yell at me, which was probably what I needed to get my head back in the game, but she hadn’t.
I just needed to keep things professional and aboveboard, just for a little while longer. Just until I could go back home.
I grabbed my phone and dialed another number, this time determined to find out when I could go back. “Happy bother” or not, I couldn’t stay here forever.