Addison (The Mitchell/Healy Family #6)(41)

“It gets four channels. At least there’s baseball on.”

I noticed he’d tidied up a bit. “It looks better in here. I guess you were too busy to call?”

“Addison, don’t get on me about it. I needed some time to recuperate from your dad walking in on us.”

I sat down across from him. “It could have been worse.”

“I don’t see how. Every single time the man sees me he’ll think of how we met. Guys don’t get over things like this. He hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate anyone. In my whole life my dad has hated maybe two people, and I guarantee neither have anything to do with you.”

He covered his face and said something under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. Look, I like you, way more than I should. We had a good time, but if I’m staying here we need to cool off.”

It was breaking my heart. “I don’t understand. Is this because my dad?”

“No. It’s not just because of him. It’s other things too. I need to get my life in order. Being with you is great, but it’s distracting. I’ve got nothing to my name. It’s going to take time to reestablish myself. I’d rather keep you as a friend than f*ck up everything with a failed relationship.”

This didn’t make sense. We’d slept together. He’d told me he wanted to be with me. Now he’d changed his mind.

A million things ran through my head. Was I terrible at it? Did I do something to offend him? Had my dad said something else? It made absolutely no sense. “Cole, I don’t understand.”

“Look precious, I need some time to think. I’ll text you later or something.”

I stood up, feeling a rush of wetness filling my eyes. I didn’t do this. I didn’t cry in front of a man. I wouldn’t let him see me hurting. “Whatever. Thanks for using me. If I were you I’d start looking for another place. This is only temporary, keep that in mind.”

I slammed the door when I left, finally falling apart once I made it down the dirt road. I was confused and destroyed. After such a long time I’d opened up and let someone in. I thought we’d had a connection, but it had to be a lie if I was so easily dismissed. I felt used, disappointed, and embarrassed. Once inside, I closed the door behind me and fell to the hard floor. My sobs were loud, but I didn’t care, because there wasn’t anyone to hear me. This was where I didn’t want to be – lost and alone.





Chapter 16


Cole


I had to do it. It was necessary to separate myself from her before things got entirely too serious. The way they were heading it wouldn’t have been long before I couldn’t go back. She’d never understand how hard it was to keep my composure while I watched her breaking down. She tried to play it cool, like it didn’t bother her I was pushing her away. I wished I could have told her the truth. She deserved to be held; to be told how she was perfect. She deserved to be loved. I wished I could be the one to do it. I knew we could be good if there wasn’t a past haunting us.

A few hours after she’d left I was feeling out of sorts, kicking myself for treating her wrong. A knock at the door surprised me. I opened it without looking. “I’m sorry about earlier. I never meant to…” It wasn’t Addison. A guy, looking around my age, stood there with his arms crossed. His familiar eyes told me he was probably her brother.

“Go on. You never meant to what?”

“I thought you were –.”

“Addy. You thought I was my sister. I’m good with that, but what’s got me confused is why you’d be apologizing. What did you do?”

My shoulders dropped. What was I supposed to say. “I told her we needed to slow down.”

He shook his head and chuckled. “Well now that’s a first.”

“I’m Cole.” I extended my hand to him.

He shook mine with a firm grip. “Noah. She’s obviously my sister. I don’t want to make your day any worse, but my dad’s got me checking on you, making sure she’s not going against his wishes. You need to keep in mind, she’s the baby. He’s having a hard time accepting she’s a big girl.”

“Yeah, I can tell.”

“Anyway, if you need anything give me a holler. Take the road out back and make your first left. You can’t miss the house. My wife is Shalan. Do me a favor and don’t ask for her autograph.”

“Why would I do that?”

“She’s a country singer.”

“Whoa. Your wife is THE Shalan? She’s got that hit, Broken Love Darlin’.”

He laughed and shook his head like he was sick of hearing about it. “Yeah, that’s one of them.”

“Congrats on that, man. Wow. She’s famous and shit.”

“Yep. Anyway, you can imagine how hard it is for her to be in public. We’ve got a son and we like our privacy.”

I put up my hands. “I won’t bother either of you. This is temporary until I find something else. Until then, I won’t be a problem.”

“Good to meet you, Cole. I’ll be seeing you around. Oh,” he added. “Don’t hurt my sister. She’s fragile.”

When I got back in the house it didn’t take me long to hate my decision to push her away. Addison deserved to know the truth, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her.