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It looked like he was back to square one. “I do love her, Chloe.” Other than with Addie, he hadn’t shared his feeling with anyone. “I just don’t know how to fix things.” He’d figure it out though, or die trying.
“Have you tried apologizing? Addie has always been a forgiving person. I don’t think she’s ever held a grudge against anyone.”
Obviously, Chloe didn’t know how many times he’d tried calling and Addie hadn’t answered. “She never takes my calls. I did send her flowers at work.”
Chloe looked up from packing. “Really? I didn’t see any there. Maybe they didn’t make it.”
More likely she’d either refused them or tossed them out.
“Maybe she needs a little more time.” With the suitcase full, Chloe zipped it up and proceeded to fill the other one.
“I hope you’re right.” He doubted time would help the situation. “I’ll let you finish up. If you need help just ask. And Chloe, when you see Addie please tell her I miss her.” He hated using a messenger to convey his feelings, but right now it was all he had. “And tell her I love her.”
“Will do.”
Trent turned away, but Chloe’s voice stopped him. “Trent, I know she loves you. She’ll come around.”
When he helped Chloe carry the suitcases to her car a little later and watched her drive away, an inexplicable feeling of emptiness took over his body. The only other time he’d experienced something similar had been when his mom died. As terrible as that experience had been at least then he’d had the love and support of the entire Sherbrooke clan behind him. Now, he had no one.
With slow steps he took the stairs from the underground parking garage to the building’s main foyer. Once at his private elevator though he changed his mind. Rather than go back upstairs, he turned around and headed for the parking garage again. Right now his place was full of memories and was the last place he wanted to be.
Getting behind the wheel of his Bugatti, he revved the engine, then pulled out, the only destination in mind the open road.
***
Addie’s eyes opened when she heard the front door open and close. How long had she slept? She’d sat down intent on watching her favorite new show, a paranormal drama. Now a popular sitcom played on the television.
“I’m back,” Chloe said as she entered the room. “I think I got everything.” She dropped down on the couch. “I didn’t know you watch this show.”
Addie glanced at the screen. “I don’t. I fell asleep watching something else and then this started.” She turned off the television. She had no interest in the silly show. “Thanks so much for doing that.”
“No problem,” Chloe answered. “I apologized for the whole picture incident while I was there. I thought maybe that was why you two fought.”
She’d not considered that her cousin might blame herself. “It had nothing to do with it.”
“That’s what he said. He also asked me to tell you he missed you and loves you.”
Addie didn’t reply. Unless she went into specific details, Chloe would never understand why she doubted his words.
“He looked unhappy, Addie. I think he’s sincere. Maybe you two should try talking. Couples fight and disagree all the time. That doesn’t mean they can’t work out their problems.”
She appreciated her cousin’s concern, but right now she didn’t need her suggestions. “It’s complicated, Chloe. Can we just leave it at that for now?”
Chloe’s shoulders sagged and she frowned. “If that’s what you want. But Addie, if a man told me he loved me and I loved him…” Chloe held up a hand when Addie opened her mouth to speak. “Don’t deny it, you love him,” she said before she completed her original statement. “Then I’d work things out with him before it was too late.”
Under different circumstances she’d take her cousin’s advice. Not this time though. “Thanks again for getting my stuff tonight.” Addie stood up. “I’m going to bring everything upstairs and unpack. Then go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Chapter 18
Could she have the flu? She’d had it the previous winter and it had knocked her on her butt. She’d spent two full days in bed only getting up for soup and the bathroom. Right now she could easily see herself spending two full days in bed. But when she’d had the flu she’d also had a bunch of other symptoms. She’d had a 101-degree fever for days as well as a cough and sore throat. This time she suffered from none of those th
ings.
Maybe there’s some kind of stomach bug going around. People could get tired from a stomach virus, right? That would explain her frequent nausea. If that were it, wouldn’t she just throw up for twenty-four or forty-eight hours and then be fine? While she’d vomited several times over the past week it wasn’t an everyday event. Not to mention she hadn’t heard of any stomach bugs going around.
Addie crossed the ideas off her mental list as she sipped her tea the following Thursday. What else could be causing her recent ailments? When she had her monthly period she often got tired and sometimes cranky but not nauseous. Could her body’s reaction to that time of the month be changing? People’s bodies did change all the time in all kinds of ways. In fact, she had one cousin who had eaten dairy products all her life and now couldn’t touch milk without getting sick.
She should be starting her period anytime now. Actually, she’d expected it on Monday, but so far it hadn’t started and neither had the horrible cramps she usually suffered from. As if her mind had just put two and two together, she froze. Since going on the pill she’d never missed her period and like clockwork they started on Monday. Here it was Thursday and nothing, not even a single cramp.
