AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I didn’t respond to any messages.
I had no desire to do so.
“Now, just how long are we going to stay up?”
I turned my head and smiled at Demi.
She wore the most adorable nightgown I’d ever seen in my life.
A long one with frills on the bottom and the ends of the arms. Three white buttons on the front.
I would never say it to her, but Demi looked like a sweet grandmother figure.
And maybe that’s what she was for me.
After all, when I bolted out of Riff’s condo and had nowhere to really go, I ended up at the gallery.
The doors locked tight.
Me standing there outside the window, looking in on the dim light that hung over the painting I created while Riff’s fingers painted a pleasure portrait of his own.
When I called Demi and told her I was outside and just needed someone, she hurried down to the gallery as fast as her body would allow. She opened the door, took one look at me, and then handed me her keys and said we were going for a drive.
I should have known where she was taking me.
To her beach house.
A place to hide.
A place to feel safe.
A place to embrace being alone.
Sort of.
“Can’t sleep right now,” I said.
“Of course not,” she said. “Tea?”
“You know I’ll never deny a cup of tea with you, Demi.”
“We’re going outside for this one. Clear sky. Lots of stars.”
“Sounds perfect,” I said.
“Meet you there in a few.”
I didn’t say a word back.
It always made me nervous when Demi made tea.
Boiling water and her shaky hands…
I knew better than to question it.
Demi would have rather gotten burned ten times over than ask for a second of help. Yet at the same time I believed she knew there would be a limit and she would eventually need and ask for help.
Until then…
