Page 76 of Taste of Addiction

“I need to make an appointment with those doctors who were recommended to me. I can’t keep on going through this battle without some expert to guide my steps,” I admit. “If you weren’t here—” I can’t even finish my thought. “If you didn’t clear everything out”—I gesture toward the drawers—“I would have gone back easily to the pills. I need them. I’m going crazy without them.”

Graham whispers understanding to me and scoops me up into his arms. “Did you come in here to use the toilet?”

“Uh-huh.”

He helps me pull down my bottoms and places me onto the seat. It is the most pitiful thing someone has done for me. It is not romantic. It is not what I read about in my romance novels. But it is the epitome of love. He loves me. Lots. To help me through this low in my life. To take care of me when I am struggling with even my basic needs. That is the love of a lifetime that my momma told me to wait for. This I know for certain. This is it.

Falling is a part of life. That is exactly what she said in the time capsule letter addressed to me. And those people who truly matter will be the ones to help me stand up again. But it starts with me. I have to accept the help.

Graham lifts me up, helps me wash my trembling hands, and gets me back into bed safely. He snatches his phone from the nightstand and makes a call.

“Now? At this hour?” I ask suddenly.

He just smiles and waits for the other end to pick up. “Hi, this is Graham Hoffman. Yes. I would like to make an appointment for Angela McFee. Tomorrow? Let me ask.”

I look up at Graham as he puts the phone on mute.

“Does three o’clock tomorrow work for you? There’s an opening.”

I just nod. I can barely form words right now. I know there is not an opening in the schedule. How can there be when Dr. Saber said it takes months to get in just for a consult? I guess they knew Graham would be calling and made room for me. I suppose money has something—correction,everything—to do with it.

Graham gives my personal information needed in order to start the registration process. I just sit in silence as I listen to him do what he does best—take care of things.

* * *

I wake with the sun and the sound of Graham breathing. I snuggle in closer to his warmth and run my fingers through his chest hair. I rarely get this opportunity to enjoy him at rest, so I plan to have a little fun.

“Graham?” I barely whisper. His answer is a shift in his breathing, nothing more. So I probe, “What is your favorite color?”

“‘Reen.”

“Green?”

“Mm hmm.”

“Do you like losing?”

“Nopes.”

“Do you like Angie?”

“Oh yes.” He moans.

“What’s your favorite thing about her?

“Her perfectly pretty pink pussy.”

I rest my body weight on my elbow and look at him with my mouth wide open. One eye opens, and a grin pulls at the corner of his lip, making me burst into fits of giggles.

“Were you pretending to be asleep or did you just reveal all your secrets to me?” I ask, smacking his chest.

He laughs and flips himself so he is lying on top of me, his body pressing me into the mattress.

“Why are you up so early?” he asks. “It’s not even seven yet.”

“I just can’t sleep anymore.”

“Up for another walk?”

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