Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

It was a rainy night when Zoe appeared. She was drenched to the bone, her eyes red and swollen as she pounded on the door.

"Miles, he left me. I have nowhere else to go."

Miles, usually so composed, looked frantic. He threw the door open and ushered her inside immediately.

I walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of fruit, stopping dead in my tracks.

"Zoe?"

Zoe froze. Miles's hand stopped mid-air as he was taking off his coat to wrap around her.

I didn't notice the strange tension at the time. I just saw my favorite cousin shivering and rushed to get her dry clothes and a hot shower.

Zoe was as sweet as ever, letting me blow-dry her hair.

Then Miles burst into the room with a medical kit. He pushed me aside to check her temperature, his brow furrowed with worry.

He applied a cooling patch to her forehead with such tenderness, as if she were a piece of fine porcelain.

I told myself he was just being a good doctor. He treated everyone with care, right?

Zoe looked up at me, her voice small. "Am I being a bother to you, Quinn?"

She started crying again. "I just couldn't go back to my parents' place like this."

Miles, who usually didn't care about anything, actually looked angry.

"As long as I'm here, you can stay as long as you want."

"If that guy ever bothers you again, I'll handle him myself."

I stood there, feeling like a ghost in my own guest room.

She grabbed Miles's hand. "Can I stay here for a while? Like we used to?"

I didn't even get a chance to speak before Miles agreed.

After we got her settled in bed, Miles pulled me out into the hallway.

"Zoe has a fever. Make sure the meals are light for the next few days. No spicy food."

Finding out that the "Zoe" he had whispered about was my own cousin made me uneasy.

"Who is she to you, really?" I asked.

"Just an old friend. Don't be paranoid."

I bit my lip, unhappy with his answer. "An old friend? You've never cared about me this much."

I wanted to tell him I knew he'd said her name in bed, but the words died in my throat.

Miles went back to his cold, distant self. "She's a patient, Quinn. Do you want me to just ignore someone who's suffering?"

"We're getting married in a month. Stop overthinking things."

The mention of the wedding made my heart flutter. I smiled despite myself.

He was right. Why was I jealous of my own cousin? Whatever they had was in the past.

In a month, I would be his wife.