Unfinished Ex (Calloway Brothers, #2)(25)

“Seems a lot less stressful than being a physical therapist.”

“You’re not happy in your exercise science program at CCU?”

She shrugs. “I love school and all. And yeah, I am interested in helping people like Lionel helped me. I’m just not sure I’m meant to go to school for three more years after graduation.”

“It’ll be worth it.”

“I’d have to move away. Calloway Creek University doesn’t have a DPT program. Not to mention my grades aren’t exactly stellar. With a three-point-three, I’ll be lucky to get into any program, let alone one in New York.”

“Three-point-three is a good GPA.”

“Not good enough for most doctoral programs.”

“Well, you’ll never know unless you apply, will you? You could always become an athletic trainer. You could make really good money if you work at the college or professional level. And it only requires a master’s degree, one you could get at CCU.”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. I’d rather work with little kids. Adults can be dicks.”

I don’t have to ask what she means. She’s gotten some pretty douchey comments about her leg over the years. Yet she has no problem traipsing around in short shorts or a bikini—which I love about her.

I turn on the grill. “I was going to throw on a burger. Want one or are you still doing the vegetarian thing? Or was it gluten-free?”

“It was lacto-ovo. And no, I’m not doing it anymore. I missed meat.” She follows me into the house, Heisman behind her. “I’ll stay if you make fries.”

I dig in the freezer and pull out a bag before throwing it at her. “You make the fries.” The bag misses its target, and she falls reaching to get it. I run over to help. “Shit. Sorry, Addy. Sometimes I forget—”

“That I’m missing a leg?” She laughs. “Yeah, sometimes I do, too. It’s a bitch when I get up to pee in the middle of the night and forget my prosthetic isn’t on and face-plant the floor.”

“Oh, jeez. That sucks.”

She spreads frozen fries on a cookie sheet. “I heard about Nicky showing up in your class today.”

I stop what I’m doing. “Seriously? It was like three hours ago. Don’t people in this town have anything better to do?”

“Karly’s sister Linny is in your class.”

“Right.”

She leans against the counter, eyeing me strangely.

“What is it, Addison?”

“Not to start a pity party or anything, but what do you think is worse, losing a limb or losing your soul mate?”

“Fuck, Addy, really?”

“I’m serious. You’ve never lost a leg. I’ve never lost the love of my life, so how do we know how it compares? Like if you asked a hundred people, which do you think they’d rather suffer?”

“As if it’s even a question. You lost a leg. Even with prosthetics, it’s not something you can ever get back. People can go on to love other people. Huge difference.”

“Hmm,” she says, putting the fries into the oven.

I grab a beer and the burgers and head out back. Addy and Heisman trail behind. Heisman puts his paws up on a lounge chair, mouths his tennis ball, and brings it over. I throw it across the yard then put the meat on the grill.

“So you think Mom would rather lose Dad than a limb?” she asks.

I scrub a hand across the scruff of my jaw. “I don’t know. I mean, I guess not.”

“So my point is proven. Your life is shittier than mine.”

“One: it’s not a contest. And two: obviously Nicky wasn’t my soul mate or we’d still be together.”

“If you really thought that, you’d quit feeling sorry for yourself and move on.”

I toss her an annoyed glare. “I do not feel sorry for myself.”

“Then why haven’t you moved on?”

“I have.”

“I don’t see you bringing Calista to family dinners. In fact, I’ve never even heard you call her your girlfriend. Why is that?”

“Because I was married until last week.”

“You were separated. And lots of separated men have girlfriends. Heck, lots of married ones do.”

“Addy, you’re young. You don’t get it.”

“I’m twenty-one, Jaxon. And I get it more than you know. And believe me, I’m the queen of self-pity. Don’t you remember how I was for six months after my accident?”

“Not really. We were all still numb because of Chaz.”

“Well, I was wallowing in it. It wasn’t until I got my head out of my ass and accepted my fate that I could start to make the best of it.”

“You’re saying I need to get my head out of my ass?”

“What is it Dad says, shit or get off the pot? Nicky isn’t your wife anymore. She hasn’t been for years. Calista is right there. She really likes you. She’s amazing. And she can give you everything Nicky couldn’t. But here’s the thing, big brother. You’re stuck in this rut. You need to—”

“Take a massive shit and ask her to be with me, or get off the pot and break up with her.”

“Now you’re seeing the bigger picture.”