Warning: short chapter with a cliff hanger!

Chapter Seven

The days following Demi's confession had been more than confusing. She had cancelled on our 'girl's night' that same night to, I was pretty sure, go out on her own and find herself some 'male comfort'. I didn't know whether to feel offended or worried for her.

Truth was, I was both worried and offended.

I just wasn't quite sure which emotion overruled which.

I was offended because, after all, I was only human and she had blown me off for some one night stand.

I was worried because this heartbreak she had started telling me about was obviously the reason why she wouldn't go anywhere near anything that resembled a commitment. It was a one night and one night only thing in her book. One night or nothing. Never more. Never two nights, for example.

I was curious. What had really gone down with that guy she had told me about? There was a lot more behind it and being her best friend, I wanted to know everything. Be there for her.

But she wasn't letting me.

She wasn't even answering my phone calls. What was I to do?

I sighed loudly as I bit into my muffin.

First things first... I needed to get some food into my growling tummy before I could really think rationally.

I knew I was supposed to be at the Gray Manor hotel, meeting with my parents and taking more pictures of the hotel for the magazine, but what Liam didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Work was going to have to wait...

I washed down the last of my muffin with my coffee, failing to notice who had just entered the coffee shop (Starbucks).

"Guess who!" A husky voice accompanied the soft pair of manly hands that settled on my eyes and my whole body relaxed under his touch. I covered his hands with my own and held onto them as I removed them from my eyes, smiling widely as I turned around to greet a smiling Nick.

"Hey!" I shot up from my seat and he was quick to wrap me in his strong arms. He smiled when we finally parted.

"Good to see you haven't forgotten me completely." He teased as we sat down. I frowned at his reference to my lack of texts and phone calls.

"I'm sorry-"

"You don't have to explain." He cut me off, smiling kindly. "I admit I was a little worried when you didn't answer my last text, I think I spent all night trying to think of all the things I'd done wrong." He smiled sheepishly, seeming embarrassed by his admission. My eyes softened and I instantly felt a pang of guilt settle in my stomach. God knows how I would have reacted if the roles had been reversed, here.

"You did everything just right." I reassured, smiling apologetically.

"I don't think I can agree with that, but I'll take it." He retorted playfully. His eyes searched mine before he continued: "You look like you have a lot on your mind."

"You could say that..." I reached for his hand over the table and he was quick to grasp mine. It was only then I realised he didn't have a drink of any sort. "Hey, didn't you want coffee or-" He cut me off. Again.

"To be honest, I came here hoping to run into you." He confessed shyly. My smile broadened.

"So you did miss me!" I teased, running the pad of my thumb over the back of his hand. He laughed.

"I did." His eyes were twinkling under the bright neon lights of the cafe and I could have sworn mine were to. I was so happy to simply see him.

"I missed you too." I admitted, biting my lip.

"Can I distract you from whatever's got your pretty little head worried?" He asked boldly. An apologetic expression came over my face and he was quick to notice it. "Sorry, I should have known you were busy." He went from looking hopeful to looking embarrassed. I shook my head.

"I'm sure you could very easily distract me." I smiled. "You already have, to be honest."

"But..." His eyebrows raised, sensing there was more to it. I shook my head, laughing lightly.

"No buts. Go get yourself a coffee." I ordered playfully. He sat stood up and came closer to me, leaning down until our lips were mere inches apart. I smiled at him as I tugged him closer, moulding my lips over his. I couldn't believe I had gone almost a whole week without tasting him, let alone seeing me and talking to him. He kept the kiss short and simple and I assumed he was self conscious of our surroundings. And that's when I made my little discovery.

Nick was not a PDA type of guy.

And I liked it. A lot.

From the little time I had spent with him I already knew he didn't find the need to show off. He didn't find the need to wrap a possessive arm around me whenever we were out, he didn't need to kiss me so that every other guys out there knew I was taken... If at all he did it, I knew it was because he wanted to and not because he was trying to prove anything to anybody.

It was a behaviour, a kind of respect I had never seen or received from a man before and it warmed my heart more than anybody would have believed.

But then again, it had barely been two weeks since we had first bumped into each other... what did I know? I was obviously getting ahead of myself.

"I hope you're still hungry." Nick's voice brought me out of my reverie and I opened my eyes to see a delicious, warm muffin placed in front of me.

"You should know by now just how much I can stuff in here." I patted my tummy for emphasis and he laughed as he sat down opposite me, two coffees in hand. He pushed one towards me and I smiled, thanking him for being so thoughtful.

"Don't you have a hotel to run?" I teased, second later. I cocked my head to the side, wondering how a man of his calibre – let's face it, hotels were a lot of work, whether they were 5 stars or no stars – could get away so easily from his responsibilities as a hotel manager.

"I have resources." He winked, obviously dodging the subject. I vowed not to let my mind run away with its overactive imagination. "I could ask you the same question, you know." My eyes widened and I was sure I had that deer-caught-in-the-headlights type of look on my face.

"Don't you have a hotel to run?" My question had raised a comment that had my head reeling:

"I could ask you the same question, you know."

He knew.

He knew about the hotels, about my parents. About my full name.

But how?

"Don't you have articles to write and pictures to take?" I stared at him blankly for a split second before I finally recovered. Of course, he was talking about the magazine.

"Oh yeah, I- I do." I let out a breath, hoping he wouldn't question my odd behaviour. "I gave myself the day off." I laughed awkwardly. What was up with me?

...

"Miley?" His hand shook mine gently. "Miley?" He repeated. I shook myself out of my daze and zeroed my eyes back on him.

"Huh?" He chuckled.

"You spaced out on me." His face betrayed the worry settling over his features. "Are you okay?" I nodded my head quickly.

"I'm fine." A whole hour later, we were still sitting across from each other, sharing our third muffin. Although the conversation had been lively and playful I had suddenly been sidetracked by one of his comments about his brother being his best friend. Speaking of best friends threw me back into my earlier thoughts.

Demi.

Who else?

"Are you sure you're okay?" He repeated, clearly not believing me. "Is there anything I can to help?" He pressed.

"Well, unless your superman and can magically give me my best friend back, then no." I smiled, attempting to reassure him. "I'm fine. Like you said earlier, just a lot of my mind."

"Did something happen with Demi?" He remembered her name, I remarked happily.

Don't ask.

"You could say that." And that's how I found myself confiding in Nick about my best friend ditching me.

I had officially lost it, I knew that. Don't remind me.

"I just wish she would tell me the whole story. I mean we have been best friends for a few years now and it feels like she's holding back."

"I'm sure she'll tell you when she's ready." Nick remarked sensibly.

"Whatever that guy did really messed her up." I went on, my forehead creasing wearily. Nick shifted uncomfortable, his eyes darting away from mine. I kept my gaze on him, wondering what was troubling this time around. His eyes caught mine when he looked up and he took a deep breath.

"Miley, I think there's something you should know..."

Dun, dun dun. You guys must hate me, by now, right? haha. Well you know what to do to get an update asap ;)

Xoxo