Page 79 of Paint Our Song

“Haven’t seen him this excited about something since my brother passed.” He smiles in a way that Miles has smiled many times before, trying to put on a brave face because the world’s not going to stop for him. “Kid’s obsessed with your friend’s band. It’s cool that he’s giving him the time of day.”

Yeah, it’s really cool. Miles thanks him again, pockets the pick, and stands there, waiting for Calvin and the boy to finish their conversation. The boy’s slowly inching nearer and nearer to Calvin, pointing at his phone and beaming. The video he’s showing endsand Calvin notices Miles waiting.

He nods at Miles, and Miles wishes he could tell him that it’s fine. Don’t stop for him. Take all the time he needs. The kid needs this.

As if reading his mind, Calvin turns his attention back to the kid.

The guy behind the counter asks, “Your friend’s good with kids.”

“He is.”

“Is he going to be in town for a while?”

“No,” Miles says, before he realizes he shouldn’t actually be giving out that information. The guy seems harmless, though.

“Oh. I was thinking you should tell him that the local school’s looking for guitar teachers for some camps. Doesn’t pay much, but he might want to.”

Calvin? Teaching at a music camp here in Ridgeford? Miles can’t say he hates the idea.

But, no.

Calvin’s heading back to the city this weekend, and who knows what happens after that? Him teaching at camp, here of all places, doesn’t seem all that plausible. Especially considering he’s a popular guitarist from a well-known band.

If there was a reason for Calvin to head back to town and stay longer, though—

Miles shakes his head. There’s no reason for him to get his hopes up.

Chapter Twenty-One

Calvin exchanges a few more words with the boy, even lets him take a picture of them together. When he gets up, the boy suddenly hugs him around the waist, and Calvin steps back in surprise. He pats him on the head, albeit awkwardly, and the boy runs off, charging toward his uncle.

“Guess who I met!” he yells, practically throwing his phone at his uncle to show him the photo they took. Miles steals one last glance at the boy’s lit-up expression before he follows Calvin out the door.

“You like kids?” Miles asks, though it’s really more of a statement.

He shrugs. “My sister, Clara, has boys. Got a lot of practice, I guess. I spend a lot of time with them, teaching them how to play the guitar.”

Miles wonders why hearing that makes his stomach flip, and not unpleasantly.

“Kids are a lot easier to talk to than adults.” He eyes Miles. “Maybe that’s why it’s not that hard to talk to you. You’re really childish.”

He playfully shoves him. “Anywaaay, the shop owner was talking about how the local school needs instructors for their music camp.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, thought I’d tell you, even if you’re leaving this weekend. You probably won’t have time for it, anyway, with how busy you’re going to be with your upcoming gigs.”

“I won’t be busy after our final concert. I’ll be doing nothing.”

Realizing he’s right, Miles studies him. “Is… teaching at a music camp in Ridgeford something you’d consider?”

“Maybe. I’ll look into it after all the stuff with the band.”

Miles’s stomach does another flip. He wants to tell the damn thing to quit doing that.

Calvin, coming back to town? He told himself not to get his hopes up, but he is, anyway.

They turn around the corner and Miles glances around to make sure the street’s empty. There’s nobody around, so he takes his chance, puts a hand on Calvin’s nape, and pulls him in for a quick kiss.