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‘Told you so. Now, how about we get you inside? It’s startin’ to get cold out here, anyhow.’
Addison shakes her head. ‘I don’t think so. You know, Violet has always treated me like a kid. Hiding things from me, trying to trick me into doing things because she thinks they’re for my own good. Like, after Mom died, she’d bake me cookies withvegetableshidden in them, to make sure I was eating enough. Can you imagine anything grosser? And she’d ask me to run made-up errands for her just so I could get some exercise. All it did was make me feel weak. Stop me from learning to look after myself.’
‘Your sister cares about you. Sounds like she was just looking after you.’ Yep, my Daddy radar is off the charts right now.
Stop thinking like this, Finn, it’s not your job to save this girl, just let her stay with you for a few months, then get on with your life.
‘When I thought she’d finally learned to trust me — by getting me a cabin in the woods to stay in, all alone — I was excited. A chance to do something brave. To really grow as a person. To look after myself. Be completely self-sufficient.’
I can see where this is going.
Addison sucks in her cheeks, fixes her gaze on me, and exhales slowly.
Damn, Addison, even when you’re about to break bad news to me, you’re the most gorgeous woman I ever saw.
‘That’s what I want. To be alone.’ She extends an arm toward me, like we’re about to shake on a business deal.
I stand, but I don’t shake her hand. ‘That’s not a good idea,’ I tell her softly, but firmly.
‘And how do you know what’s good for me? You barely know me.’
I know some things about you that you don’t even know yourself, Little Miss Independent.
‘Fine. If you’re not even going to shake my hand… Ugh. I don’t know what made me think you might have suddenly discovered some manners, anyway. After how you behaved at my sister’s party last night.’
I knew it. I knew she thought I was rude.
She turns and starts walking away. ‘See ya, Mister.’
I shouldn’t be thinking about this, but I can’t believe how good her ass looks as she walks away from me. That ponytail swings back and forth invitingly, almost beckoning me to follow her.
‘See ya,’ I say. But I know she won’t even make it as far as the nearest tree. I saw it the moment she arrived on my property: she has a flat tire. I’ve been watching it this whole time, deflating like an old balloon.
I’ll leave it to her to figure out, though. Got to make this seem like her idea.
Addison glares at me, as if to blame me for trying to stop her from growing as a person. Then, she gets into her car — a highly unsuitable vehicle for the terrain around here — I don’t knowwhatViolet was thinking lending her a pinkSuzuki Cappuccinoto get here. I thought she’d at least have had the Nissan she used to ride. Addison is lucky to have made it here at all.
She slams the door shut, and I raise my hand, as if to wave goodbye. May as well at least pretend like I don’t know the obvious.
The engine starts to rev and the wheel spins, but the car stays right where it is, among the leaves and bracken on the forest floor.
Okay, that’s enough. I don’t want the girl to do any serious damage to the vehicle, so I march up to her and point to the wheel. She stops the engine and rolls down her window and looks at me, scowling. ‘Why isn’t my car moving?’
‘Flat tire, I’m afraid,’ I say. ‘We’re gonna need to take you to the garage to get it fixed, unless you’ve got a spare tire in the trunk?’
‘I’ve got a sewing machine in the trunk,’ Addison says, blushing a fierce and impressive shade of pink that matches the car.
‘Not sure we can patch this baby up with a needle and thread,’ I say, assessing the damage close-up. ‘Looks like an old bear trap might have got to it.’
‘Bear trap?’
Damn. I wasn’t meant to be scaring the girl.
‘Or maybe just a sharp branch.’
Addison takes off her seatbelt and gets out of the car, huffing and puffing. She opens up the trunk and takes a look inside. ‘Nope. There’s nothing in here. Why doesn’t my sister carry a spare tire?’
‘I guess she’s lived in the city all her life. New tires for sale every hundred yards or so. No need to carry a spare. It’s not like that out here, though.’
