MYLES POV

Cali was still asleep when I left her room. The sun has begun to rise, and the last thing I need is for her family to see me leaving her room in the morning.
Last night we had to be extra careful not to make noises and wake them up, resulting in Cali's muffling her cries by giving me a lot of hickeys practically everywhere on my body. I had to wear a turtleneck cardigan for my morning run. Remembering it makes me smile.

Upon returning to Donovan's building, I came across Brayden in the kitchen, looking like a mess with hair disheveled, shirtless, and under-eye bags seeming deep.

"I think we need to have that talk now." He gravely said when he noticed me.

I looked in the direction of the staircase. At least we are alone, as it is still early.

Bray is focused on serving coffee. When two cups were filled, he added cream to both and sugar to one and held out the one with sugar to me.

Skeptical, I collected and he started, "I will kill you if you hurt her, and I am serious, Mills."

Mills?
It sounded like progress.

"Yes, I know." I gulp down almost half of the coffee and pull out a stool by the island. "But you will never get to kill me. You will see."

He looked down at his coffee and continued to stir it with a tiny teaspoon.
"We will see." He mumbled. "You will not treat her like those girls you screw and leave. You won't even do that to her until she's 30."

"Should I leave her when she's thirty?"

"You will leave her, never." He annoyingly glared at me but I stifled the smile.

"So what are you saying?"

"You know what I mean, don't make me say it." He said uncomfortably.

Then he won't like what happened last night. Though it is not like he has to know. It was something between Cali and me, so I smiled and nodded at her brother, "Okay."

"Does this mean you are okay with us being together and there will be no more dramatic scenes between us?" I asked him after a minute or two passed.

"Cali can make her decision, and obviously, among all the people in the world, it's you that she wants." He heaves, still not looking at me but at his untouched coffee, and I begin to worry if he might have poisoned me this early morning.
"As her brother, I can only support her happiness. I shouldn't interfere." He added.

A smile masks my face.
"That's so mature of you, Bray."

"Shut up." He laughed, finally lifting his eyes. "Now you sound like David." He remarked and took a sip from the coffee.

We laughed simultaneously at his good point. When we both calmed down, Bray cautiously starts, "I was looking for houses."

"So I heard."

He glanced at me and thoughtfully darted his eyes over my shoulder.
"Yes, people like to talk a lot... However, this house has a huge backyard and I think I would like the place because it's closer to the team arena."

Honestly, I get it. I won't hold it against him, I know he would want to move out of the condo with me dating his sister and all that had happened.
"That's good, Brayden."

His lips pressed into a hard line briefly. He smiles.
"There are like five houses with similar space on the same street, all close by. I haven't checked on the houses yet to decide. I thought maybe you and I could do it together when we get back to California."

He was silently asking me to consider moving along with him. Now that was unexpected.

"How's the standard of the neighborhood?" I quipped and he smiled.

"I heard there are like three movie stars living on the street, one is even an academy award winner."

"That's classy." I countered and he nodded, agreeably.

"Very."

That day was the first time in like forever, that I was burden-free.

After I talked to David and then my mom on the phone, I joined the brunch at the patio, where Mary had prepared different snacks. We eat in the garden, on a mat. And later that afternoon, Cali asked to come with her for a walk down the street.

She wouldn't talk, she wouldn't hold my hand, and she made sure to put a few inches between us. I felt the distance in my core as we walked down the pavement.

I waited for her to tell me that I had done something wrong last night or even worse, that we were over, but she took me to the front door of some house and asked me to stay in my position, that is, against the wall where the person who would open the door wouldn't see me.

And when the door is attended to, a woman's voice calls, "Cali."

Like a dummy in love, I just silently watched Cali. She has this sunny smile, often showing happiness and sharing comfort with those around her.

"I've been wanting to stop by and check on you, but Lulu had food poisoning." The woman informed her, and the smile she earlier had quickly slipped off her face. Now a frown is plastered on her face. She was sad.

"Poor Lulu. How is she doing?" She looked concerned.

How can a person be so pure? But indeed, Cali is rare.

"The doctor said she would be up on her feet in a couple of days." Said the other woman, who I can't see from my angle.

Cali sadly smiled. Even so, it was warm and reassuring.
"I hope so. I am sorry about that. Maybe she ate something from the neighborhood last week when she got lost."

Something about this morning when I woke up seemed weird. I happened to respond to every single move Cali made. I can't help it even if I try. And I wasn't trying, given she's all I could think of and all I want.

"See, I love how we think the same way. I told Bruce it could be the reason and he blamed it on the brand of food we changed for the dog last week."

Cali smiles tenderly and I find myself doing the same too.

Her bewitching eyes came to me. I gazed deeply into their glow, and her smile was suddenly exquisite, so divine, one would think they were welcomed by an angel to heaven.
She held out her hand, and I thought only a blind man would miss taking it. She had tainted me with bright colors, I am ready to worship her by any means I can get.

I took her hand, letting her pull me out of hiding.

"I brought you, someone," Cali said to the middle-aged African American woman whose hand flew over her mouth.

"Is that..." She blinked, and immediately tears shimmered in her eyes. "Oh my God. Myles Cameron?"

"Yes." Cali nodded and the woman immediately pressed her hand over her wet eyes.

"Myles, this is Brianna, Chloe's mom."

My heart knocked against my ribs.