I turned off the light, then clambered onto the immense bed and under the incredibly soft, silken blankets.
I closed my eyes, hoping to tumble off into sleep immediately so that I wouldn't have to experience the horrors of this morning. That was when I heard tiny footsteps pad against the woolly carpet before I felt a small, furry creature leap onto my bed and curl up next to me. I glimpsed Riley lying beside me, and I couldn't help but smile into the pillow, as I reflected on Jaiden and what he had told me about the Outer Banks and his childhood at the beach and his promise that I could stay with him when he moved in. And then I was recalling how he had said I was his only family, and how happy it had made me.
Especially since I no longer had one.
The truth hit me as soon as I woke up.
