Can such a strange friendship turn into love? He never realized she was so lovely. She never noticed how charming he was. Miles Bridgerton and Vanessa Everleigh have known each for over a decade and both of them had never really given the other much...
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In which Anthony, Kate, Charlotte, and Mary Bridgerton realize that Miles and Vanessa would fall in love, sooner or later.
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In the next week or so, Miles buried himself into his studies. He needed all the distraction he could get from his impure thoughts about his sister's closest friend. It was working wonderfully. He stayed in his bachelor's lodgings, a small apartment in The Albany. He tried to stay away from his father's house the few days after he had first visited Everleigh House and encountered Vanessa in trousers. He knew she would be there, visiting Charlotte and helping her with her wedding plans.
When he sent a note to Everleigh House informing them that he would come to once again check up on Henry, he made sure to do it on a day where he knew she would be with his sister instead of at home. And when the time came, he successfully examined Henry's knuckles without her being there.
He never expected to ever find himself avoiding Vanessa Everleigh. And for such indecent reasons, too. He did not have to avoid her, but he knew he needed to give himself some breathing room. In the last fortnight, he had spent more time talking to Vanessa than he ever did in the entire decade they knew each other. And in that small amount of time, he found himself filled with lust. It felt strange. It felt wrong.
But he could not avoid Bridgerton House for long. It was a night of frustration and stress. Miles was clearly overworked, his mind needed a break, but he was stubborn and continued to bury his head into books. But when he was failing to understand a medical concept that seemed simple enough, he looked to read another book that he knew covered the topic. He searched everywhere and could not find the book. He was an absolute mess. His hair was unkempt as looked as if he just awoke from a restless sleep. His cravat was so loosened that he might as well had not been wearing it. He certainly did not look like a presentable gentleman. But then, Miles realized that he left the book at Bridgerton House the last time he visited.
Miles took a deep breathe and departed for his father's house, not bothering to tidy himself up. Surely, she would not be there this evening.
Miles discovered that he was terribly mistaken.
When he arrived at Bridgerton House, he was informed by the staff that the family was having dinner together. And so, he headed toward the dining room.
"I seem to have forgotten my book here, have any of you seen it?" He asked as he was announced to the dining room. And then he saw her. She was here, how could he be so foolish to think that she might not be? But it was dinner time, she usually went home by then. But of course she had to be invited to dinner during the one day that he finally decided to have an impromptu visit.
"Miles, we did not know you were coming. I'm sure we can find it after dinner" Kate looked at him with slight shock, which Miles assumed was more directed toward he appearance rather than his being there, "Have you eaten?"
