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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One week later, at the start of the social season.
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Miles waited impatiently in the carriage that was bringing him and his sisters to the first of many social functions they were to be subject to for the next few months.
Surely she would be there. Vanessa would be in attendance at the ball. He would finally see her, they would dance and he would finally be able to hold her in some way.
He couldn't stop thinking of the kiss. He dreamt about it every night, wanting more. Wishing more could have happened. How had he not realized he loved her sooner? He'd even felt oddly drawn to her since the moment they first danced together. That should have been enough to tell him that she was special. To him at least, she was more than special now.
She was everything.
When everyone returned to London after the house party and settled in to prepare for the season, Miles visited Bridgerton House every day of the week in hopes that he would encounter Vanessa while she visited one of his sisters. But she was never there. He supposed he could've simply called upon her at Everleigh House, but he couldn't find the courage to be so direct.
But now, he would do everything in his power to find her at this event. He had a plan. Once he'd found her, they would have a lovely time dancing, and then he'd lead her to a private room and tell her how much he loved her.
It would be perfectly romantic, wouldn't it?
Surely, it wouldn't be too difficult to achieve? Was he being delusional? Possibly. Most likely. But he needed to try.
Yet he couldn't help feeling as if he was a lovesick fool.
Miles remembered the way Vanessa looked after she pulled herself away from him. All he wanted to do was tell her that he loved her and that everything would be okay once they were together. Whatever it was that seemed to haunt her, they would overcome it together. Everything would be alright, so long as she loved him back.
And she could love him back, right? She kissed him back, surely she had to feel something for him.
When they arrived, Miles scanned the room, but there was too many people. As he stood there looking for her, soon enough, the Countess of Westwood approached him with her two dreadful daughters. He held back a groan, he'd have enough of Augusta and Caroline at the party. He wanted to escape and search for Vanessa, but he knew he couldn't throw away his manners.
Damn.
He would have to wait for an opening, to slip through. But for the time being, he reluctantly offered dances to the sisters, and planned to look for Vanessa while he danced with them. But his efforts did not meet success. He had no idea where she was. Could she be avoiding me? He found himself taking a seat next to Mary, feeling defeated and disappointed.
Mary looked at him in pity, "I dare say you almost look as miserable as I do."
He gave her a weak smile. She looked lovely in her ball gown. His mother made sure she would look her best for her first official ball, and Mary has always been interested in dressing herself up in laces and ribbons. She should've been dancing, but instead she sat down with all the other wallflowers. "Is your first ball not going as well as you'd hope?"
"It's not as exciting as I thought it would be. I danced a couple times, but the men were dull. Now I'm simply hiding in plain sight."
"You don't want to dance more?" He asked her.
Mary sighed, "I am feeling a rush of discouragement, so I'm avoiding the dance floor." She straightened the skirt fabric around her knee even though there was nothing to fix. "Nessa came by earlier, she tried to make me feel better but I don't think she's quite herself tonight."
Not quite herself. Perhaps she was avoiding him.
"Vanessa? She's here?" Miles looked up at Mary expectantly, and he might've spoke too suddenly because Mary was a bit shocked by his reaction.
"Of course she's is, why wouldn't she be? Did something happen?" She looked at her brother in confusion.
Miles took Mary's hand and squeezed it gentle, "Sister, please tell me where you last saw her."
He was practically begging her with his eyes.
She saw his desperation and leaned in to whisper in his ears. "I saw her head for the gardens." She sprung back to her previous posture and gave him a worried look. "Miles, please do not make me regret telling you. Don't do anything reckless."
He looked at her gratefully, and gave her hand one last tiny squeeze before leaving. "I'll try not to.
