Page 69 of Late Nights

I dropped my hand and headed to my room. Once the door clicked shut, I went straight for my bed, pulling the covers up to my chin. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could continue living with Cannon if this was how it was going to be. It was too hard to stay just friends when we spent late nights together, slept only feet away from each other, spent our mornings together. It was too much.

I hadn’t saved up enough money to get my own place yet, and as much as I didn’t want to move back in with my parents, it would be better than being tempted by Cannon’s closeness. I would talk to my parents at our next family dinner. That was only a week and two days away. I could last nine more days living with Cannon, right?

Images of him teasing me, smiling at me, laughing with me, asking me about my day, waiting up for me until I got home, flew through my mind like a reel.

Yeah, the next nine days were going to be a bittersweet torture.

22

Demi

Idid it. I’d made it nine days.

I felt as proud and accomplished as if I had run a marathon. Yeah, I hadn’t run 26.2 miles, but I had lasted nine days with the sexiest man alive without crossing or blurring any lines. Really, I felt like what I had done was more impressive.

Cannon and I had been able to get back to how things were before Lake Tahoe, but it had taken one day at a time. It had helped me to know I’d hopefully be moving out soon. Every morning I’d remind myself, only five more days or only two more days. Things would be so much easier between us once we weren’t living together.

The four of us, West, Halle, Cannon, and me, arrived at my parents’ house together, with what I assumed were all different levels of anxiety. Dinner at the Vanderhalls’ was always a bit nerve wracking.

“Hey, look,” West said, as he parked the car. “Isn’t that your grandfather’s Mercedes?”

“Yep,” Cannon said with a grin.

It had been several months since Kenneth had come to a family dinner, and I knew Cannon would be excited to see him.

“Did you know he was coming?” I asked.

“No, I didn’t.”

We all got out of the car and headed inside. My mom and Juju greeted us. My mom clucked around us all like a mother hen, happy her kids were home. Juju yipped and wagged her tail in all the excitement. A dread settled in my stomach at the thought of seeing my dad, of spending the evening with him scrutinizing my recent life decisions.

I’d tossed and turned last night thinking of Cannon, obviously, but also about what I had to do today. Talking with my dad had always been hard for me, even when things were good between us—-a.k.a. when I was sticking to the plan he’d laid out for my life.

But it was time to clear the air. He had kicked me out of the house five weeks ago, and I hoped his anger had subsided during our time apart. My dad wasn’t an awful person, but he struggled to remember what was most important. He loved his work and his company, but at the end of the day, he loved me too, in his own way, and would do anything for me. I just had to remember that and hope it would give me courage to talk to him and get him to understand where I was coming from and why I’d made the decision to go off on my own.

“Come in, come in,” my mom said, motioning for us to head toward the dining room. “Dinner is ready.”

As we turned the corner into the dining room, my father and Kenneth were standing, waiting for us to join them, and I was sure they were talking business, as usual. Cannon’s grandfather stood tall in a dark blue suit, his white hair still full and nicely combed, his shoulders held back with impeccable posture. He looked every bit the wealthy and proper businessman.

“Cannon, my boy,” his grandfather said, a smile on his face.

Cannon made his way to him, and as I watched them embrace, I couldn’t help the way my eyes pricked with tears. After hearing about his childhood and how much his grandfather had helped him, my heart squeezed at the sight. I made a mental note to thank his grandfather for taking Cannon in and giving him the life he deserved.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here,” Cannon said.

“I wanted to surprise you. Everyone loves a good surprise,” he said. “And to be honest, I wasn’t sure I could swing it. I am off to the airport first thing in the morning. I’m headed to London and will be there for the next few weeks.”

He then made his way over to me, giving me a smile. “Demi, it’s good to see you.” He pulled me into a hug.

“It’s good to see you too,” I smiled, hugging him back.

Kenneth wasn’t known for being a touchy man, but he seemed to have a soft spot when it came to me. He’d always treated me like family.

“Please, everyone, sit. Then we can all get caught up,” my mom said, as she took her seat at one end of the table.

I sat down in my usual seat with Cannon to my right, his grandfather sitting across from him with my dad in the middle, at the end of the table. West and Halle had been moved down to make room for Kenneth.

“We’re so glad you’re here, Kenneth.” My mom smiled. “It’s been way too long since we’ve had the privilege of having you over for dinner.”

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