AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That was Ben’s doing,” she suddenly says.
I let out a small laugh. “I figured. Your work deserves an audience. They’re truly amazing. I know this is a long shot, but would you mind meeting with me? I can come wherever you are.”
I look over at Diego who has both eyebrows raised. He moves closer, his hand going to the small of my back. I want to lean into him and rest my head on his strong chest. But I don’t.
“I promise I won’t take up much of your time,” I tell Melinda when there’s no immediate answer. “While I’m sorry to make you uncomfortable, I can feel in my gut that your work would fit right in with my gallery. You’re the type of artist I’m looking for.”
She pushes out a breath, and I hold mine.
“There’s a diner over on Riverdale Avenue. Do you know it?”
I pull the phone away from my ear. “A diner on Riverdale Avenue?” I say to Ben.
“Scotties,” he replies.
When I peer at Diego, he’s already got his phone in his hand, using his GPS app to search for the address.
“Got it. It’s only ten minutes from here.”
“I can meet you there in fifteen minutes,” I tell Melinda.
“Um, I’ll need twenty,” she says with some hesitance.
“I’ll be waiting.”
As I hang up the phone, I feel like one of the final pieces of my dream becoming a reality is falling into place.
CHAPTER29
Monique
“Um, Mel, doesn’t really like to meet too many people at once,” Ben says right before we enter the diner. He says it to me but his gaze skirts over to Diego before looking back at me.
“We’ll meet you inside,” I tell Ben.
When he leaves us to enter, I squeeze Diego’s arm. “Thank you for coming with me.”
He cups my cheek. “There’s nothing to thank me for.” His lips meet mine in a quick kiss, but I can feel every tender emotion in it. He moves to kiss my forehead.
“I’ll take a seat in one of the back booths.”
God, those three words are on the tip of my tongue. I want to say I can hardly believe I’ve fallen in love with my best friend but that’s a lie. The truth is this type of love may have always been there in one form or another.
A few more weeks.
That’s when my gallery opens. Also, the ending date of ourtrial periodor whatever this is between us. I was so certain I could let him go after this. But Diego proves to be as amazing a lover as he is a friend.
With a sigh, I push those thoughts away and walk through the door he holds open for me.
I take a seat in the third booth next to the window. From where I sit, I can see Diego sitting at the far end of the diner at a small, round table with Ben.
“What can I get started for you?” the waitress asks.
“Just a coffee. Black,” I tell her. “I’m waiting for someone.”
She nods and disappears quickly. A few beats later, the bell over the door rings. I turn to find a medium height figure walking through the door. I say figure because at first, it’s hard to tell if the person is a man or a woman.
They’re wearing an oversized hoodie with the hood covering not only their head, but a large portion of their face as well.
