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Once Lucas got the kids in bed, he grabbed a bottle of chilled Riesling, and walked over to Addy’s.
She’d left the back porch light on and opened the door before he even stepped onto the concrete steps.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, hoping the gift of wine and his silver-tongue would erase any lingering aggravation for being stood up the night. He’d felt horrible but knew if anyone Addy would understand. Plain and simple, his Addy got him, and that’s what had him thinking about their future together. Surely, fate had handed him a gift when he’d agreed to come watch his niece and nephews, and he wasn’t interested in returning this one. He might like to keep Addy forever.
“Hey,” she said, stepping aside so he could enter. She popped her head out and looked around before closing the door and sliding the dead bolt in place.
“Locking me in your lair, are you?” he teased. He plunked bottle on the counter and opened a cabinet door, looking for the crystal she’d brought out on Sunday. “Don’t worry. I’m not running from you.”
“Don’t,” Addy said, dropping her head.
“You don’t want wine?” he asked, closing the door and reaching for her, sliding his hands around her waist.
“No, and please don’t do that.” She tugged at his hands, stepping back from him.
Okay, so maybe she was miffed. “What’s wrong?”
She lifted her eyes and in the depths he saw something he didn’t want to see—something that said it was more than missing last night.
“Addy?”
“Look, I don’t want things to get weird, but I’ve just been thinking about what we’ve been doing.”
“Believe me, I’ve been thinking about what we’ve been doing all day long.” He reached for her again, wanting to knock down the bricks of discord she seemed to be piling between them. He wanted his sweet, funny Addy back.
“Seriously.” She pushed against him. “I need you to stop. You’re leaving in a day or so and-”
Lucas dropped his hands. “You’re shutting me out because I’m leaving?”
Addy sucked in a deep breath and refused to make eye contact. “Look, we both knew this was a temporary thing. We live in two different worlds. Sunday was great, but I think since you’ve got things under control with the kids, we should stop… whatever this is we’re doing. It seems safer.”
“Safer?” He blinked a few times trying to figure out why she was cutting him out of her life. They hadn’t even discussed how to handle their relationship. He’d thought she was open to more than a one time thing. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Where’s all this coming from? You’re that upset about me falling asleep?”
“No.”
“Then what’s all this? Why are you all of a sudden done?”
“Because.”
“Your answer is ‘because’?”
She lifted her gaze. “Look, I don’t have regrets, but I don’t want to—” She stopped and seemed to gather herself.
Lucas waited, giving her room.
“You want the truth?” she asked.
“It’s usually the best policy.”
She bit her lip before sighing. “You and the kids are distracting, and I need to go back to my world. These past few days have been a fun interlude, but reality is knocking, Lucas. For both of us. Time to get on with our lives.”
Her words were cold water down his back. He’d never expected this from her. “So you get to decide this?”
“Oh, come on, we both knew what this was.”
