Page 27 of Late Nights

“But don’t you usually get back together with him eventually?” I couldn’t keep the distaste out of my voice.

Aiden was a piece of work. I’d never been able to understand what Demi saw in him. He cared more about himself than anyone else. He was your typical spoiled rich boy stereotype.

Demi bristled at my words. “Well, not this time. It’s been over four months since I’ve seen or talked to him.” She sighed, her annoyance leaving and heaviness settling over her instead. “Our relationship was more about convenience than anything else. With our parents being best friends, running in the same circles, we made sense. I know my dad was hoping I’d marry him and that we’d be some power couple, but our relationship was another part of my life I couldn’t fake anymore.”

It wasn’t news to me that her dad loved Aiden despite not really knowing him. Aiden was great at playing the part, of idolizing Victor and laying it on pretty thick. He knew how to schmooze and say all the right things, but he was as slimy as they got.

I hadn’t known Demi had been faking it and felt like she had to date him to live up to some unsaid expectation. But I guessed I shouldn’t be surprised. Expectations in the Vanderhall house were heavy burdens to carry.

“I know you were never a fan of his,” she added with a small smile.

I let out a huff of air. “That’s putting it nicely. I guess I wasn’t as good at hiding my dislike for him as I thought.”

Her smile turned into a full one. “All the glaring, jaw-clenching, and curt remarks were definitely hard to read.”

I chuckled. “Okay, fine. I wasn’t as discreet about it as I should have been. But he’s a pretentious a—” I stopped, cutting myself off, not wanting to use any foul language to describe her ex. She already knew how I felt about him. “Anyway. I’m glad you’ve decided not to date him anymore.”

“Me too.” She seemed amused about my feelings for Aiden. “How is your grandfather doing?” she asked, effectively changing the topic. “He hasn’t come to a family dinner in a while.”

“Yeah, between the different companies where he’s on the board of directors and all the traveling that entails, I hardly get to see him.” I stretch out my arm along the back of the couch. “He calls every two weeks like clockwork. I’m pretty sure he has it scheduled into his calendar so he doesn’t forget.”

My grandfather came into my life at fifteen and worked to help fix the damage my parents had inflicted. He wasn’t the warm and fuzzy type of grandfather, but Kenneth was a good man. He had tried his best with what he had to deal with—mainly, me. I hadn’t been the easiest teenager to raise, and I was grateful to him for sticking it out and not giving up on me. Every day, I worked to make him proud.

“That may be so,” she said. “But it still shows that he cares about you enough to put you on his calendar.”

“Yeah, I know,” I agreed. “That’s as sentimental as he gets.”

“Well, next time you two talk you should schedule a time when he can come to dinner.”

Grandfather loved Demi. I was pretty sure there was no way she could convince him to not think she hung the moon. I wondered what he would think about her new endeavor. If I had to guess, he would probably think it’s brilliant and volunteer to be her first customer. She brought out a softer side of him, and I marveled at it every time.

“Will do,” I smiled. “Speaking of family dinners, the next one is a week from tomorrow. What are your plans?”

She let her head fall back, staring up at the ceiling. “I don’t know. My mom sent out the calendar invite, but I haven’t accepted yet.” She brought her head up to look back at me. “I’m invited, at least. I’m just not sure if I’m ready to face my dad yet.”

The way my grandfather was with Demi was how Victor was with me. To him, I could do no wrong, but that probably had more to do with how I wasn’t actually one of his children. He might have accepted me warmly into his home and family, but I wasn’t biologically his. Whenever Demi saw him next, he was sure to pile on the disappointment.

“But,” she continued, “I don’t want to upset my mom, and I miss her. I’ll have to face my dad one day, so I might as well get it over with at the family dinner. I’d rather show him that I’m firm in my decision, that I’m not running or hiding from him. He’ll have more respect if I’m firm in my resolve.”

I nodded. “Good. I’m glad you’re coming. That way he can focus on you more than on me and my dating life,” I teased.

She laughed. “You’re welcome.”

Ever since West had gotten together with Halle, Victor had changed his obsession from West finding a woman to me finding a woman. I understood he was a happily married man of more than thirty years and just wanted me to be happy, but marriage was not a part of my life plan.

As much as he wanted me to settle down, I was more than positive he wouldn’t want me adding his daughter to the list of potential women I could date. He wanted her to be with someone like Aiden, with the perfect pedigree, and that wasn’t something I could give her. Not that I wanted to marry Demi, since marriage had never been on my radar, but she was the only woman I’d ever met who I could imagine myself trying to have a relationship with.

Demi yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. “Now that the adrenaline from racing is gone, I’m exhausted. I’m going to head to bed.”

“Yeah, me too,” I lied.

I could have stayed up talking to her all night. About what, I don’t know, but I just liked spending time with her. I had fun with her, felt lighter, happier when we were together.

“Good night, Cannon,” she said over her shoulder as she walked down the hall and into her bedroom.

I sat on the couch and rubbed both hands down my face. I’d enjoyed myself way too much tonight. I was struggling to remember my reasons for keeping her at arm's length. When it was just the two of us, the thoughts of my past, her brother and father, and how I couldn’t give her what she deserved floated to some faraway place. It wasn’t until I was by myself that I could see vividly how I couldn’t be anything more than her friend.

But call me an idiot because I was already looking forward to the next time we played video games together, finding as many reasons to innocently touch each other as possible.

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