Page 55 of Meet Me on Love Street
I see Miles’s bag, still on the counter. Does he even realize he left it behind? I know there’s nothing valuable in it like his laptop or phone, but still. He might be worrying about it. I send him a text explaining everything and that his bag is here at Cosmic, and he answers quickly that he’ll pick it up tomorrow. I take the bag to the back room for safety, but as I put it on the desk, curiosity gets the better of me. I know I shouldn’t snoop in his things, but Ireallywant to know what he wrote on my proposal. Did he actually think my ideas were good, or was all that writing just him poking holes in my plans like he always does? I’m not going to go through all his things—just the folder he had the festival paperwork in.
I take out the folder and open it. My proposal is right on top, and it’s covered with his handwritten notes. His comments are neither nitpicky nor complimentary; they’re just so…Miles. Like suggesting reaching out to a specific charity that resells construction goods for the tiles and plywood and making sure none of the flowers in the installation are toxic to the wildlife in the area. Detailed oriented and conscientious. I exhale. Even after I snapped at him today, he still took my ideas at face value and thought of ways tomake them work. To make them better, if I’m honest.
I don’t understand how someone so thoughtful and… well,logical, could be a player. But then again, I don’t know for sure that he saw Sarina on Sunday night. Maybe there’s another explanation. I close the folder, but when I’m putting it back into his bag, an envelope falls out of it. A familiar envelope.
It’s my father’s letterhead from his commercial real estate office. Why would Miles have a letter from my father? I can’t help myself—I pick it up and look at it. It’s empty and doesn’t have a stamp or an address on the front, just my father’s office address in the left corner. On the back in unfamiliar handwriting, someone has written an address sideways. I don’t recognize the handwriting—it’s definitely not my father’s. The address is on College Street, and when I quickly google it, I see that it’s a fancy tapas restaurant.
I remember the text I saw at brunch—Miles told Sarina that he had the address. Sarina, who works at my father’s office, with easy access to his letterhead, could have given it to him. I close my eyes as a wave of nausea moves through me.
I put the envelope back in his bag and lock up the store. This is all the proof I need; I am 100 percent done crushing on Miles Desai. I open a text to him.
Sana: I’d appreciate it if you would stop commenting on my appearance when we’re working on the festival. I want to keep things professional between us.
It takes a while, but eventually I get a response.
Miles: Understood.
CHAPTER EIGHTEENMAGIC IN THE BOOK ROOM
We have a festival committee meeting the next night, and I seriously consider skipping it because I don’t want to see Miles. But I go. I sit as far as I possibly can from him at the big table at LoveBug, though, and barely look at him when he tells everyone about our meeting with Su Lin.
“This… this is so cool,” Cara says, looking up at me shyly. “I’d… I mean… I can help with the mural… if you want.”
I’m surprised—Cara might love fashion, but she’s not what I’d callartsy. This is the first thing she’s said to me since the meeting started. Things have been awkward between us. We haven’t really talked since I called her girlfriend controlling, and she ignored my apology text. I assumed I’d ruined our friendship. But maybe her offering to help with the mural is her way of asking if we’re still cool.
I give her a genuine smile. “Absolutely. Even though you always say you have the artistic ability of a capybara. It would begreatto do it together.”
Cara smiles widely, and I know we’ll be okay. I won’t bring up her relationship with Hannah, but at least we can be friends again.
Miles leaves immediately after the meeting withoutsaying anything. It’s reminding me of the grumpy Miles I first met in LoveBug. I should have listened to myself when I thought he was a douche back then.
“What’s going on with you two?” Cara asks. Jenn, Cara, Julie, and I are still at the table, finishing our tea.
“Nothing’s going on,” I say.
“There’s a ton of tension between you,” Julie says.
“Yeah, I noticed it, too,” Jenn adds. “You guys were great friends. Did something happen at prom?”
No, nothing happened at prom. We had a lovely time. Something did happenafterprom, but I really don’t want to tell anyone that Miles pity kissed me even though he’s dating someone else. “Prom was fine. But I realized that we’re way too different. I want to focus only on this festival, nothing else.”
Cara looks at me skeptically. I know I never confessed that I had feelings for the guy, but she looks like she doesn’t buy any of what I’m saying. I shake my head and stand to take my mug to the counter. “Nothing significant happened. We’re just not as tight anymore. Anyway, I forgot to say, I know a guy who has a T-shirt company. I could reach out to get a quote on the volunteer T-shirts?”
When I get to Cosmic for my shift on Friday, Cara and Jenn are both behind the counter. Cara immediately gets her bag to leave, saying she has plans tonight. She’s glowing with happiness. I don’t have to guess who her plans are with.
“Oh, Sana, before I go,” Cara says. She glances at Jenn, who smiles. “Reggie was here earlier looking for you. He bought a bunch more romances in an auction lot.He asked if you can go through them after closing so he can put the good ones on the shelves for the weekend.”
I cringe. I can’t go to the bookstore. I’m supposed to be avoiding Miles. “I don’t know—”
“If you’re worried about Miles being there, he’s not,” Jenn says. “Reggie’s niece Tamara is covering some shifts this summer. She’s going to help you with the books.”
“Oh. Okay, then. I’ll pop by,” I say. I’ve met Tamara before and liked her. She’s a huge romance reader. It would be fun to go through the romance books with her.
When I go to the bookstore after closing Cosmic for the night, Reggie is behind the counter.
“Sana, my dear. Look at you! I always love your colorful wardrobe.”
I smile and thank Reggie. It’s warm now, so I’m wearing purple high-waisted shorts with a sleeveless pink blouse with a lace collar. My hair is pulled back with a pink knotted headband.
