Page 51 of Dare To Live

I’m draining the dregs of my coffee when my phone rings. I force myself to answer it when I check the caller ID, knowing he won’t give up if I don’t reply.

“Hi.”

“Oh, thank god! Do you know how worried I’ve been about you?” Miles’ voice is like a soothing balm to my soul.

“I just received all your texts and the voice messages. We got snowed in and lost cell reception,” I tell him. “Neither of us could contact the outside world.”

“That sounds positively terrifying. How was Eli?”

“Sick for a few days.”

“You sound strange.”

“I’m fine.”

“How long have I known you? I know when you’re lying. Did something happen between you and Eli? Oh my god, it did, didn’t it?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Where are you?” The worry is back in his tone.

My attention moves to the window and the snowy street beyond. “Waiting in a café for an Uber to take me to the airport. I don’t have a ticket, but I’ll just get whatever I can back to L.A.”

Can he hear my desperation to leave?

“Come to New York. We are still at the hotel. He’s been busy with the other art gallery he has here.”

My chest squeezes in pain. “Miles—”

“We have a few more days in the city.” He keeps talking, before I can make an excuse. “We can head back to L.A. altogether. I promise, I won’t interrogate you over what happened.”

I rest my forehead against the cold glass of the window and close my eyes tightly. “You promise?”

“You have my word. Unless you want to tell me. You just don’t sound like you should be alone right now.”

My lips curve in a small smile. “Thank you.”

“No need for thanks. That’s what best friends do. Just tell me what you need.”

“A drink,” I reply honestly, throat thick with the raw emotion swirling within me. “A bottle of wine.”

“That can be arranged.” Ivan’s voice rumbles. “Come to us, we’ll look after you.”

Has Miles had it on speakerphone the whole time?

A car pulls up outside the café. “My Uber is here. I have to go. I’ll let you know when I reach New York.”

I end the call, and wave at the driver through the window.

The need to escape further than the town spurs me into movement.

Away from the cabin.

As far from Eli as I can get.

Chapter 30

Eli

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