Adriana's Corner

Chapter 14

It's been a long night. Thinking. Drinking coffee. Calculating. Drinking more coffee. Panicking. Drinking bourbon. It's now morning and I've given in. I spent the night talking myself out of asking for Miles advice as he loses enough sleep over me, but I quickly realize I need it, otherwise I'll just question myself the entire way. Taffy hasn't let me say yes yet. She told me to sleep on it which was a bad idea.

"To Miles Bernard Hamilton,

Call me when you can. Not now, clearly, cause you'll be sleeping. You are sleeping. . .right?

Anyway, I've just done something huge. Super huge and I don't know if I should have.

Need your advice.

From me.

P.S: I may or may not have been in 'The Pretty Cupboard' again, just to warn you."

***

Taffy and Alyssa are back at my place so we can sort out exactly how much money will be needed. This is another thing she was adamant about. Find out how much needs to be dished out before I say yes. Again, I think they're underestimating how rich I am, though I don't want that to be the focal point of our meeting.

As I try to sort out my hair, the phone rings. I frown.

That better not be Miles calling due to his lack of sleep again. I head through the house and out to where the girls are filling Joe in with the latest. The Joe whose grave is marked among the celery.

"Hello?" I answer flatly.

"Mmm hi." Miles tired voice mumbles. I lean against the wall, immediately feeling bad.

"What are you doing?" I ask. I hear him yawn.

"You told me to call."

"Not immediately. Shoot...Miles. You don't have to call the second I email you. Do you sleep on your computer or something?"

"No. I can get them on my phone."

"So you sleep on your phone?" I ask as I make my way back to my room. I hear him sigh chuckling slightly at the end.

"Why am I getting interrogated? You wanted me to call, I called. That makes me a good person."

"Have you not thought of turning your phone off before going to bed?"

"Nina." he sighs.

"No, come on Miles. You've hardly been sleeping as it is. Why make it worse by letting me wake you up."

"You sounded worried. It's done now so what happened?" I sigh again feeling bad. "Nina..." Miles voice says ever so softly. Damn that tone of his. "I like hearing from you. You're the only person I can have a normal conversation with."

"Right. Conversations worth losing your sleep over?"

He laughs a bit. I don't though, not when he sounds this shattered.

"Of course. So...you've done something I might have to tell you you'll regret?"

I shake my head at his stubbornness but break into a smile.

"Yeah," I give in, "I'm actually quite excited about it."

"Now I'm worried." he says lightly. I tuck my fringe behind my ears and try to think of how to break this.

"Um, you know the café my sister always talked about?"

"Mmm."

"I'm buying into it." I wait for a reaction but I only get silence for a while.