“I heard,” he said, providing a knowing glance.
I felt blood rush to my cheeks. I counted the money and then counted it again. I counted it a third time, receiving stares from Myra and Brad. I held my hand up to stop them from talking as I counted a fourth and then a fifth time. I couldn’t help myself from yelling, “What the…”
“What? What?” Myra asked, only half concerned, since my expression was so gleeful.
“I seem to be counting seventeen hundred dollars here. I counted it, like, four times. Here, Myra, count it again. I have to be counting wrong.” I pushed the stack of cash toward her.
She counted it twice. “There is seventeen hundred and fifteen dollars here,” she screeched. She counted her stack. She had a few dollars more. We paid out the bar tip and shoved the rest into our bustiers since we didn’t have our purses.
“So, are we still on for the party?” Myra asked in anticipation.
I gave her a frown. “I don’t think so. I’m tired. Go, if you want.”
“Oh, come on just for a little bit. Aren’t you too hyper to sleep now? I am. Gosh, that much money makes me happy. There is no way I could sleep right now,” she said with a huge smile.
It didn’t take her much effort to convince me. Even though my ankle and foot were so swollen I could barely walk, and the pain was excruciating, but I was too excited to go home now.
The party, like every other year, was hosted in the long-since abandoned general store, just outside of town. The building had been marked as a historical site. The annual celebration had been held here for so long that it was now tradition; no one ever bothered to relocate somewhere else. The party had never gotten too out of hand. No damage had ever come to the building or the site.
We arrived at the party fashionably late. Amy’s Arrest was already on stage. Ghost stories about the town’s history and those who still haunt the town were being told around the bonfire. Myra ditched me to go look around to see who was there. Like the festival, everyone was at the party.
Starving, I went to find the food. I limped and stumbled toward the catered area, trying not to put too much pressure on my foot. I should have asked Myra to help me, but I didn’t want to ruin her fun. I convinced her that I was okay.
About halfway to the food, I was picked up into someone’s arms. They were splendid muscular arms that fit around my body like a dream.
“Thanks,” I said, as I lost myself in his gorgeous eyes.
“Let me see your foot.” Demien carefully placed me down on the ground under a large tree. Ever so gently picking up my foot, he removed my shoe.
I winced.
“This is really bad. I have had my eye on it all night.”
“Oh? You have?”
“I wish you would have gone home and gotten off your foot.” He lightly brushed my foot and kissed my ankle. His touch was so soft and dreamy. I never wanted him to leave my side.
“It’s okay, really. I’m fine.” I realized that I didn’t sound convincing, but I tried at least.
“You stay here, and I’ll go fetch you something to eat.” He jumped up too fast for me to protest. Before I could count to ten, he was back with a plate full of food and a can of Dr. Pepper.
“How is this?” he asked as he sat beside me.
“It’s great. Thanks.” I found it easy to smile when he was around.
I started to eat, and he jumped back up. “I’ll be right back,” he said before scurrying off.
I did as he ordered. The unseasonably warm night air was a dream. The night sky was lit up by a trillion stars; the moon was bright against the night sky during an eclipse, showing off its bright red-orange color. The night couldn’t get any more perfect.
Demien came back with an ice pack. I was wrong. Now that he was by my side, the night was perfect.
I reached for the ice pack. “Here, let me,” he said, before placing the ice pack lightly on my ankle, then resting my foot across his lap. The party around us was hopping along, but we had barely noticed as we were in our own private paradise.
I had already decided not to tell Myra about our time together. At least, until I sort out my feelings. She would be brutal. Just because he fetched me food and an ice pack didn’t mean we were friends. Except for tonight in this moment, he still scared me.
Thirteen
I was abruptly ripped out of a dead sleep to the sounds of whispering. I couldn’t make out the discussion that was going on outside of my bedroom door, but the tone did not sound friendly.
“Ugh… I’m so mad. This is why I like living alone,” I huffed under my breath.
Throwing the covers off, I got up to tell my sister and Jake to be quiet. But when I opened my bedroom door, all I saw was darkness; no sign of anyone. I went to check on my sister. I figured she must have just gone back to bed. I opened her door to find her snoring, which meant she hadn’t been up in quite some time. Jake was snoring beside her. It apparently wasn’t them. I froze, processing the realization that someone else had been outside of my door just a few minutes ago. Where were they now? There was no way anyone could have disappeared so quickly. My heart jumped.
I quietly cracked the bedroom door, sticking my head in. “Shannon, Shannon, get up,” I screeched
