A Kiss At Midnight (Delilah and Caelum) novel Chapter 45

Chapter 45

55 vouchers

I was sprawled across my bed, my stomach pressed into the mattress while my legs kicked lazily in the air behind me.

My phone rested in my hand as I scrolled through Instagram, mindlessly, from beach picture to gym selfie and a omeone else’s attempt at pretending their life was more interesting than it actually was.

I rolled my eyes and kept scrolling

God, people were boring

The room was quiet except for the occasional sound of my thumb moving across the screen, and for once, I wasn’t thinking about Sophie, or Landon, or Lindsey.

Or any of the other idiots currently making my life more annoying than necessary

I had just swipped through another reel when my phone pinged, causing my thumb paused as a notification slid across the top of the screen, and my mood soured instantly.

Caelum

It wasn’t a new text, just the reminder of one he’d sent hours ago.

Why did you cancel? Is something wrong?

I stared at it, for longer than I should have, the words seemed harmless enough, reasonable and the kind of thing someone would ask when another person suddenly canceled plans.

Yet for some reason, my chest tightened. Locking my phone, I toss it onto the bed beside me before burying my face into the pillow.

“What the hell is wrong with me,” I groaned, then rolled onto my back, stared at the ceiling as the question lingered.

And honestly, I didn’t know

Caelum hadn’t done anything, not a single thing, yet I had spent the days avoiding him, Ignoring texts,, canceling our plans, acting out of character for absolutely no reason.

At least no reason I wanted to admit.

I squeezed my eyes shut, maybe I was losing my mind. It wouldn’t be the worst explanation.

A loud growl interrupted my thoughts and I sighed as if growl again, reminding me I still haven’t had dinner yet. That would explain the headache and the irritation and probably at least half of my bad decisions today.

With another sigh, I pushed myself upright. Food. I needed food, or at least something edible. If the kitchen failed me, I would have order something.

I slide off the bed, managing to drag myself to the door, and the second I stepped into the hallway, I was welcome with a familiar silence.

Despite how enormous, beautiful and expensive the house was, it was still painfully quiet.

Making my way downstairs, my step halt for a second when I got to the first floor, and the faint sound coming from the kitchen hits my ears.

I could pick out the sound of glass and faint movement, enough to let me know that someone was in there. My pace slows a bit as I rounded the corner, stepping into the kitchen, spotting my mother.

23

C

O M

O

Chapter 45

She stood leaning against the marble counter with a half empty wine glass resting in one hand and an open bottle beside her, still dressed in her work clothes, her heels discarded near one of the stools.

As if sensing my presence, her head shoots up, and her gaze met mine, for a second it held till I looked away.. walking straight past her toward the refrigerator.

If she wasn’t going to pretend to be interested in me, I wasn’t going to pretend to be interested in her.

That freaking easy

Opening the refrigerator door, I ignore the cold air that brushes against my face as an an irritated sigh came from behind

me

“Where are your manners?” I paused then slowly looked over my shoulder,

“What manners

“The ones that involve some form of acknowledgement, especially to your mother.”

A laugh almost escaped me. Instead, I smiled, the familiar fake kind. “Oh,” giving a nod, “hello, Mother,” my voice dripped with sarcasm

“Lovely seeing you.” I turned back toward the refrigerator, then added casually.” It’s nice that you remembered you have a daughter”

The kitchen fell silent, and I didn’t have to look at her to know she wasn’t pleased.

A few seconds later, she sighed. A long annoying sigh, “why is it always like this with you?”

1 laughed softly but was no humor in it. “Please do tell, like what? I’m very much curious to know.”

“Do you always have to be so difficult,” there it was, the accusation. One I have heard more times than I could count.

Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, more to give my hands something to do than because I actually wanted it.

“I just had a very long day,” my mother’s voice tightens, “the last thing I need is this,” I stared into the refrigerator, my grip tightening around the bottle as something uncomfortable twisted inside my chest.

A familiar ache, old enough to be permanent.

And I hated that it still existed, and that after everything, part of me still cared, still wanted something from her.

Some stupid childish part of me that never seemed to die

I swallowed hard, covering it with the only thing I was good at when it came to her..Sarcasm.

“Don’t worry.” I smiled, thoughit felt brittle, forced, “I’m sure the wine understands you better than I ever could.

My mother closed her eyes briefly, probably counting to ten and when she opened them again, her patience was gone. “You know what, I’m done.”

My gaze sweep over her face, actually looking at her, and for the for the first time, I noticed just how exhausted she seemed. Not that it changed anything.

“I don’t have time for this, Delilah,” her words landed harder than they should have as she picked up her wine glass, then the bottle, walking around the island. “I don’t have the energy for your tantrums every time we speak.”

The hurt hit first, then anger quickly followed behind it, covering it the way it always did.

2/4

23

O

O

3

|||

11:48 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 45

A tantrum

Right

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify