“It’s nothing,” Miles muttered. “Just… ghosts.”
“Oh.” That was it? Did he not like ghosts? But did he not realize that ghosts were everywhere?
Although, to be fair, I did not like to be around most people. And they were everywhere too. I, too, was exhausted from the overstimulation.
I could relate.
“Don’t worry.” I squeezed his hand. “We can work together. Okay?”
Miles slowed down, and my chest tightened as the rude nature of my question hit.
“I-I don’t want you to do everything for me!” I clarified. “It’s… I thought, maybe if we worked together, we could get finished faster.” His expression remained unchanged, and I added, almost begrudgingly. “I’ll give you some money, obviously.”
It made sense, if both of us were doing the job, we should share the profit.
His nose wrinkled in distaste. “I’m not going to take your money.”
“But…” I’d been keeping track of their spending and was working out a payment plan with interest. “I already owe you—”
“I’m not taking any money from you,” Miles interrupted. “Ever. Do you understand?”
“Okay.” I understood that he believed this, but who knew what the future held? Where there was a will, there’s a way.
Miles narrowed his eyes. “Why do I feel you don’t actually understand?”
“I don’t know,” I answered. How was I supposed to know how his mind worked? Only he could answer that question. “Why do you feel that?”
I was somewhat curious to know.
He looked at me before his shoulders slumped and he sighed. “I’m too tired to think.”
He was kind of cute, all disheveled and confused. When he was this vulnerable, it was easy to ignore the rest of the world and focus on him. His arm brushed against mine, and my heart began to beat a little faster.
There was something horrifying beginning to curl in my stomach.
I could never let him know. Even acknowledging such feelings was unsafe.