Page 48 of His Brown-Eyed Girl

“No.”

Addy’s feet were freezing, but no way was she letting him get away with that. “I know you’re upset, but you’re being a brat.”

He turned from her, bouncing the ball, ignoring her.

Now she was even more pissed. Uncrossing her arms, she lunged toward him and snatched the ball.

“Hey!” He looked at her now, anger crackling in his eyes, before he tucked it away and stepped back. “Fine. Sorry, Addy.”

Addy held the ball to her chest and raised her eyebrows. “You don’t sound all that sorry and you’re still carrying a huge grudge, kid. Don’t you know shit happens? You can’t control everything.”

“Knowing and feeling are two different things. My life is sorta complicated.”

“Everyone’s life is complicated, Michael.”

“I know there are kids who have it worse than me, but I don’t even know how bad life is for me. No one will tell me anything. Don’t you understand? It’s hard to deal when you don’t even know what you’re dealing with.” He propped his hands on his hips, his breath puffing out into the cold.

“I know how you feel.”

“Do you? Really?” His voice was heavy with disbelief. “I feel like I’m about to explode inside and being in that house makes me feel like I can’t breathe.”

“I don’t know what to say, Michael. I don’t know how to help you. I wish there was a magic button we could hit to make everything clear, but this is life, not a game show. There aren’t good things behind secret curtains and there’s no strategy. It just is what it is.”

His shoulders sunk. “Yeah, it is what it is.”

“Did you talk to your uncle?”

Michael shook his head. “I don’t want to talk to him. I want to talk to my dad.” His voice trembled and Addy wanted to pull the boy into her arms but knew it would be inappropriate… and that Michael wouldn’t want her pity. Even at thirteen he seemed a rather proud boy.

“I know you do, Mike. I get it. Life sucks right now, but it won’t always. When life ricochets out of my control and I can’t get a grip, Aunt Flora tells me ‘This, too, shall pass.’ And it will. Things will get better.”

“Sure. I guess. Thanks, Addy,” he said, looking up and giving her a half smile, but she could see she hadn’t helped. He turned and Addy bounced the basketball toward him, tucking her hands back over her breasts. She watched him go, saw Lucas step out and place a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

She couldn’t hear their words, but it looked as if all was taken care of. Still, she didn’t turn and leave. Instead she stood like a moron, craving Lucas, wanting to see him one more time before she slid into her lonely bed.

Pathetic.

She wasn’t too far from being Tara.

The woman had watched Lucas like a vulture sitting on a fence post the entire time they were in the kitchen. When Lucas had come back from walking her out, Addy could tell something had gone on. The man had a swipe of shimmery lip gloss on his upper lip and he’d worn the sort of look a man wore when he’d been thoroughly kissed. Something had shriveled inside her when she’d seen him mussed and perhaps turned on. She suspected it was the small bit of hope she’d nurtured when it came to Lucas.

At that thought she willed herself to turn around and go back to her house.

“Addy,” Lucas called softly across the drive.

She turned her head. “Yes?”

He jogged toward her, wearing a worn pair of pajama bottoms, a white T-shirt that stretched deliciously across his broad chest, and a pair of moccasin slippers. “Wait a sec.”

She turned fully toward him, trying to control her chattering teeth. “It’s cold. I don’t have shoes.”

“Yeah, a little chilly. Hey, I’m sorry Michael woke you.”

Her eyes came level with his chest. She didn’t lift them. She wasn’t sure if it was because she couldn’t look away from the muscled breadth or if she didn’t want him to see the desire in her gaze. “He didn’t. I had slipped down for some tea. Couldn’t sleep.”

“You, too, huh?”

She lifted her gaze, trying to control her chattering teeth.

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