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Chapter Eight

Trey

I can’t focus for shit today.

Thank God that I got the early shift and we haven’t been that busy because my mind has been too preoccupied to get much done. I can’t seem to think about anything other than Addy and having her body pressed against mine on the couch last night. Somewhere around our fourth episode of The Walking Dead, I realized that she hadn’t pulled away from me. In fact, she was leaning into me like she craved my touch as much as I did hers. After that, my mind was made up. There’s no more hesitation. No more doubt and I know that I’ll do whatever it takes to make her mine.

My gut instinct is to march over there and just kiss her until she sees reason, which, let’s be honest, could be awhile. But brute force will never work on a girl like Addy. Besides, that was always more Tucker’s M.O., not mine. No, if I go over there and try to force the issue, all it will do is make Addy run like hell in the opposite direction. When I was younger, I watched this documentary about wild horses and Addy reminds me so much of them – free, majestic, and gorgeous but so easily spooked. And it won’t matter one bit if she’s feeling whatever this thing is between us, she’ll still run.

Falling for Addy has also made me reexamine my past relationships. And all those times I thought I was in love before don’t stack up to what I’m feeling for her. I’m not sure when exactly it happened, maybe it was when she kissed me that night or maybe it’s been slowly building for the last two years, and the kiss was just the catalyst that made me open my eyes and realize what was going on.

Addy’s the girl I’ve always wanted but was too afraid to wish for. After my childhood, and as grateful as I am to the Harringtons for taking me in, I always wanted a family of my own. Or maybe, I wanted to add to the family I have because I really can’t say that Michael and Charlotte aren’t my family. Hell, I even call them Mom and Dad; I have from the time I was little. And as scared as I am to become my father, I’ve always wanted kids. When I look into my future and think about being a husband and a father, Addy is the woman I see by my side, and I’ve never been able to say that before.

There is no other option that will suffice. It has to be her. It is her. So, as much as it kills me, my only option is to be patient and stealthy. Our relationship is already changing all on its own whether Addy realizes it or not. All I need to do is help it along a little without being too forward. I’m confident that if we just keep spending time together, things will continue to build until she can’t take it anymore. It’s going to be hell on me to wait but it’s the only way. She’s got to think that she made the first move.

Sighing, I glance up at the clock and smile when I realize that I’ve only got to wait another hour before I can see her again. I think I’ll stop and pick up food for her before heading over there to watch TV again. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I fire off a text to her.

Me:

I get off in an hour, and I’m starving.

Chinese?

“Talkin’ to your lady?” Rupert asks, walking up to the bar and sitting at a bar stool.

“You want a beer?” I reply, ignoring his comment completely as I set my phone down. He nods, and I turn to grab one for him. Like I even need to ask. Rupert is in here at least five times a week, and he always orders beer. I pop the top for him and set it down on the bar. He grabs it as he eyes me warily.

“Just gonna ignore me, huh? That’s fine. I know you got somethin’ goin’ on.”

“Don’t know what you’re talkin’ ‘bout, Rup,” I say as my phone chimes, and I scoop it up.

Addy:

Nah, I’m not feeling chinese. BBQ from

the bar?

Me:

Sounds good

“You may not know what I’m talking about, boy, but that dorky smile on your face says it all,” Rupert says, drawing my attention away from my phone.

“Oh, he knows exactly what you’re talking about,” Moe says, coming up behind me.

“Gee, this feels familiar,” I say, shoving my phone back into my pocket and going over to the POS system to put a food order in for Addy and I.

“Wait,” Rupert says, slapping his hand down on the bar, and I laugh. Even when he’s not drunk, Rupert is just as loud. “You know who his lady is?”

“Sure do,” Moe says, and I shoot him a glare as he casually leans on the bar. Moe’s been giving me shit since the night Addy showed up here and danced with that guy but my plan will be blown to hell if he goes talkin’ about it to everyone and it somehow gets back to Addy.

“What the hell are you waitin’ for? Tell me already!” Rupert says, waving his now empty beer bottle at me, and I grab another one for him.

“Can’t do that,” Moe says, and I let out a quiet sigh of relief. “I have a feeling it’s a secret.”

Rupert groans and grabs the beer from me. “Well, I hope you like disappointin’ an old man.”

I shrug. “You know, I can live with that.”