I check about twenty times whether I got the right apartment before I unlock the door and walk inside. The last thing I need right now is trying to unlock a door that does not, in fact, belong to Grey.
Thank god the door unlocks, and I can actually walk inside. But as soon as the door is opened, I stop in my tracks and chuckle. Of course he would have it super dark in here, even his flooring is black and gold marble.
I don’t get much time to admire the fanciness of Grey’s apartment before the door right across from Grey’s opens and a little blonde girl comes running out.
I’ve seen her before, but she was a whole lot tinier then.
“You’re not Uncle Grey,” she says with a little attitude, furrowing her eyebrows while looking at me all madly.
She takes a few steps toward me, puffing out her chest when she stands in front of me. “Who are you?”
“I am Luan.” I don’t take it badly that she doesn’t remember me.
She hums. “And why are you in my Uncle Grey’s home?”
“Because I’m visiting him.”
Brooke nods, keeping her eyes narrowed at me. Then suddenly, her features soften, and she waves me down to her. I kneel and wait for what she has to say next.
“Are you his boyfriend?” she whispers like it’s a secret or something.
“No, I’m not,” I chuckle to which I earn myself a sad expression from that little girl.
“Why not?”
“Ignore her, she’s curious.” I look up to find Miles standing in the door to his apartment, holding a pot in his hands. “Does Grey know you’re here?”
“Nope. I thought he’d need someone right now, so I hopped on a plane, my very first flightever, and came here. It was scary, like I thought I went on the wrong plane and would end up in Panama. And then the plane took off and I almost—I’m talking too much again, sorry.”
Miles smiles at me softly and shakes his head. “It’s fine. I have two kids, they, too, talk a lot so I’m used to it.” Great, now I am being compared to kids. It’s not the first time, but still.
“I don’t even talk much, Daddy,” Brooke disagrees, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Mm-hmm. You’re worse than Eden, Brookie.”
“Not true! Eden babbles all day long, and I don’t. Plus, sometimes I don’t even understand what he says!”
Miles chuckles. “Can you go tell Emory that I’ll be back in two minutes?” he asks his daughter who’s already running back inside before her father even finished his sentence. When she’s gone, he nods for me to head into Grey’s apartment. I do, and he follows me, closing the door behind him.
“Grey’s super sick, which is mostly Brooke’s fault but if we told her, she’d feel bad,” Miles says and walks into the kitchen to set down the pot of what I assume is chicken soup. He opens one of the upper cabinets, takes out a bowl. “Do you want something as well? I made more than enough.”
“No, thank you.”
Miles takes a ladle to transfer soup into the bowl. “It’s good you’re here though. That means I don’t have to care for three kids. Grey turns into a literal baby whenever he’s sick. Well, not like aliteralbaby, but he might as well. I think it’s because he grew up with tons of people who worked for his parents around him, making sure he was cared for, you know?”
“Probably.”
“You’re staying, right? Because it’s fine if you want to leave again now that he’s sick.” Miles puts the lid back onto the pot, now turning around to look at me.
“That’s the whole reason why I’m here.”
“Well, great then.” He holds the bowl out for me, I take it without a question. Miles opens a drawer and pulls out a spoon, handing it over to me as well. He then opens the refrigerator and takes out a bottle of water, setting it down on the kitchen counter. “Grey should be in his bedroom, it’s uh”—he rounds the corner of the kitchen and points toward his bedroom door—“right there.”
“Okay, thanks.” I offer Miles a smile, watching as he walks toward the front door to leave. But the second he reaches the door, he stops and turns around again.
“If you need anything, either of you, I live right across the hall as you have probably figured out. Grey doesn’t usually have meds at home, but I hid an emergency Advil bottle in the very back of his bathroom cabinet. I made him take antiviral drugs an hour ago, so there’s a slight chance he might be completely knocked out for another few hours, or he’ll wake up somewhat… hazy. He also probably doesn’t have food at home, so if you’re hungry, come over, Grey does.”
“Okay. Thank you.”