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“I’m getting old,” Eric complains, letting out an even more prolonged yawn. “My party days are over.”
Addison shakes her head with a laugh. “You’re such a liar. You go out every weekend.”
“True.” Eric nods in agreeance. “There’s straight partying, and there’s homosexual partying.”
“And the difference being?” Charlie asks.
“No one here is wearing a fluorescent pink thong.”
“Thank God,” Cruz drags, then chuckles. “Maybe you ladies wouldn’t look so bad.”
“My son, everybody,” Mom muses. “Blame Haden for that.”
“Hey, one day, he’ll settle down with a ball and chain. Let him live a little,” Dad jests.
Cruz pulls Addison closer to him as I watch their bodies touch. The tightness inside my chest returns, crippling my ability to breathe at a normal pace. For every moment which passes, my fists clench tighter as the surge of anger is threatening to unleash.
“I’ve made a deal with Addy,” Cruz mentions with pride. “If we’re not married by thirty, we marry each other.”
“We made that deal when we were eighteen, and I felt sorry for you because your ex broke your heart,” Addison reminds him. “You were crying like a baby and said you’d never find love again.”
“I love you, so why not?” Cruz turns to Lex with a grin. “I’m asking your permission, Lex. You’re all good with this, right?”
“My daughter is a smart woman who is capable of making her own decisions. So, the answer is no,” Lex informs him with a smirk.
Everyone laughs, but not me. Dad glances over with a concerned expression, then quickly forces a smile. Beside me, Ava’s laugh is fake, trying not to appear obvious.
And across the bonfire, Addison’s profound stare speaks a thousand words.
She’s made commitments to my brother, and someone is bound to get hurt whichever way she follows.
People begin to leave, starting with Will and Amelia. Nikki follows, with Will and Lex forced to carry a heavy Rocky to the car.
Mom offers to give me a lift, but I tell her I only had a few drinks and not enough to push me over the limit.
We all walk toward the front of the house, saying goodbye to each other. Cruz is standing beside Addison, only a few feet away, close enough for me to hear him talk.
“Let’s go, Addy.”
“Actually …” She lowers her gaze, then lifts it with a yawn. “I was going to crash here.”
“Please?” Cruz begs. “I really want to talk to you.”
“I’m tired, Cruz. Can’t we talk tomorrow morning?”
My brother doesn’t let up, and I’m this close to telling him to back the hell off. But once again, I’m forced to control myself in front of everyone not to make a scene.
“Addy, it’s really important to me. I wouldn’t beg if it wasn’t.”
Addison’s shoulders slump as she sighs dejectedly. “Okay, if it’s important to you.”
It’s the nail in the coffin, the stab in the fucking heart.
She chose him …again.
I don’t wait around for her to look at me, nor to stay another minute. Ava calls my name, but I don’t bother to turn around. I fumble inside my pocket for my keys, pressing the button to unlock my car.
When I sit inside the driver’s seat, I turn the ignition on and rev the engine to warm the car up. There’s a tap on my window, and when I glance over, Dad motions for me to open the window.
