Page 18 of Paint Our Song

Bridget. Miles remembers her—a preppy brunette from Jeff’s year who was in the cheer squad. Now that he thinks about it, Jeff used to be on the football team. They were the classic jock and cheerleader combo.

“Congratulations,” Miles says.

“How’s your inn?”

“Same old.”

Jeff doesn’t seem convinced—or rather, he’s uninterested. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a card from his wallet, and Miles realizes exactly why he’s not liking this conversation at all. Jeff’s been responsible for selling some of the land in town. Miles can tell where this is going.

“We’re not selling,” Miles says quickly.

“I hear you,” Jeff says, grinning widely. Miles doubts it. “I give my card out to everyone who owns property by the lake, just on the off-chance that you’d need a property agent. Casting a wide net, you know?”

He doesn’t know. “Okay.”

“On the off-chance that you’d be interested, give me a call! Say hi to your mom for me?”

“Sure.” Jeff claps his shoulder and walks back to the group he was with, and Miles puts his attention back to Calvin.

Calvin and the local band play a few more songs, and half an hour passes by too quickly. He gets a text message from Gabby saying thatthe trainee is asking her to go through the system and she can’t head back, and Miles takes a photo of Calvin still playing with the band and sends it to her.

As soon as the band finally calls it a night, a small crowd immediately ambushes Calvin, asking for selfies. He obliges—even if his pursed lips say he’s not too pleased. The questions they send his way range from kind to downright inappropriate. Is he dating anyone? Is Cloverlily really breaking up? Calvin cracks a fake smile at these questions and ignores them in every other way. Miles watches everything unfold before him. A part of him has a hunch that Calvin may be more shy than he lets on, because he can’t seem to shake off the crowd and outright tell them he’s done for the night.

Miles takes matters into his own hands. He squeezes himself between the small crowd and approaches Calvin, who spots him and raises his eyebrows.

“Sorry, everyone.” Miles sneaks up beside Calvin and puts a hand on his arm, gently guiding him away. “Time to wrap it up. We don’t want to get noise complaints.” Which is a lie, because the other small businesses around the lake couldn’t care less about the bonfire’s noise. Also, he’s pretty sure he spots some of the police force out of their uniforms, also trying to get selfies.

There are groans all around, but the crowd lets Miles and Calvin through.

“Thank you,” Calvin mutters. “Did you wait for me?”

Grinning, Miles says, “Yes. Gabby made me your designated bodyguard for the night.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“Lighten up, I’m kidding.”

Calvin does not, in fact, lighten up. If anything, his frown deepens.

As they leave, there are still several phones pointed their way and a few people who look like they want to go after them. Miles leads the way inside the inn. He looks back a few times to make sure nobody’s following them, in case someone wanted to stalk Calvin to his room. That happens sometimes, right? Damn, maybe he’s taking this fake bodyguard job too seriously. He even walks him all the way to the elevators, and Gabby nods at them as they pass the reception desk.

“That was cool of you,” Miles says.

Calvin makes a noncommittal sound that’s pretty much a grunt.

“I think you should go before your fans come in and maul you again,” Miles says. So far, nobody else has followed them—but it’s only a matter of time.

“Why do your bonfires have so many people? It was also like that last time.” Calvin hesitates. “I… uh, I didn’t think you had that many guests.”

He shrugs. “Locals and tourists from the other inns come over, too. Maybe even guests from Camilla Hotel. It’s a thing.”

Calvin presses the button to the elevator. “I just wish there was a place aside from my room where I can get actual privacy.” He freezes. “Not that I’m complaining. I appreciate all the support.”

“You can complain,” Miles says. Then, a light bulb goes off above his head. He knows exactly how to solve Calvin’s problem. “Wait! I know a place where you can get more privacy! Wait here!”

Miles rushes off to the reception. He reaches around the counterand grabs a key.

“You’re going to the roof garden?” Gabby looks up from the computer she’s sharing with the trainee.