Page 87 of Driven to Love

He injected a smile into his voice and asked, “Is Davey alright?”

“He’s fine. I wanted to see if we could switch weekends. I have plans for Labor Day.”

“Fine.” It wasn’t like he had a life.

“Okay, enough. I’ve known you your whole life. Only one other time can I recall you acting this surly. Did Addison dump you?”

He dropped his head into his hands.

“Nash, I’m so sorry. I really liked her. What happened?” The quiet caring in her voice almost did him in.

“Fuck if I know.” Nash continued pouring his drink. “I hope it’s just PTSD or something from the attack.”

“Attack! You mean the accident?” The care provider in her came through loud and clear.

Nash blew out a breath, then, as if he had verbal diarrhea, everything that happened over the last day and a half spilled out of his mouth.

The doorbell rang.

“Addison? I gotta go.” Nash stabbed the end button and ran to the door. He didn’t care if he looked desperate. He would grovel if that would get her to come back.

Nash pulled open the door. One look at the person on his step and a string of F-bombs fell from his mouth. He hung his head and left the door open. Cade followed as Nash returned to his drink.

“Man, you look worse than she does.” Cade closed the door and stared at his friend.

Like a sniper’s bullet, Nash shot from the table and grabbed Cade’s shirt. “You saw her? What did she say?”

“She showed up at our house, tears streaming down her face. One look from my woman and I knew I had to come kick your ass before she did.”

Nash dissolved into a puddle on the floor. Max bounced up and licked his face. With a gentle hand, he scooped up the dog and settled him into his lap. He stared at the pup’s blue collar, already snug from the growth spurt. “Shit if I know what happened.”

Cade dropped to the floor next to his friend. “Forget the ass-whooping. You obviously already got one.”

“She just left. I wanted to grab her, pin her to the bed, and not let her go, but… I couldn’t. Not after what that fucker did to her.”

“I’m sure she’s just shook up from the incident. Give her some time.” Cade’s expression didn’t look like he believed his own words.

“You suck at sympathy. The words might be right, but you need to work on your face.”

Cade shrugged. “Sorry, man. I got nothing. Maybe she’ll change her mind. It happens.”

Sure, maybe that happened for Cade, but…

Nash’s brow crept up in doubt. “This is Addison we’re talking about. It took five months to get her to a truce. I don’t see her as the type of woman to waffle on anything.”

“You got her to go out with you once. I’m sure you can do it again.”

“Davey was the one to invite her to his game.” How had Nash gotten into this mess? He’d known she was special from the moment he met her. Her fiery protectiveness for her friend, her confidence. Nash was hooked. Only once had he doubted she was the one, and that doubt disintegrated when he almost lost her forever.

No. Not again. He needed to get her back.

“I need a plan, and fast.”

Chapter 25

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come in? I can call Marti and we can have a girls’ night.” Laney leaned out the window as she dropped Addison off.

After leaving Nash’s, Addison had walked the mile to Laney’s. With Lu’s carrier in one hand and her clothes in the other, pain urged her to quit. To turn around and go back, but the thought of something happening to Davey if she stayed pushed her to keep going.