AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Conversely, Willow is a carbon copy of her mother—strawberry-blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.
Everyone is personable, and I feel at home right away.
At dinner, the subject of Willow having one more semester of college comes up. She tells me she’ll graduate with a degree in business finance in May.
“Have you thought about applying with the Thunder?” Addison asks her. “I’d love to have you living in the same city as me.”
Willow nods excitedly. “That would be fun. If I do apply, can you put in a good word for me?”
“Of course,” Addison says, laughing.
I chime in and tell her I’ll do the same.
She responds, “Wow, thank you, Hayden. That means a lot.”
These people already feel like family, and in that moment, I know in my heart they someday will be.
Addison, seated next to me, squeezes my thigh under the table. “That was really sweet of you,” she murmurs softly so only I can hear. “I’ll have to thank you properly later.”
She winks, and, clearing my throat, I take a quick sip of water.
Damn, this woman.
She’s so naughty and fun.
I love her more with each passing day.
On Christmas morning, we say goodbye to her family and take a short flight up to Buffalo, where we spend the day with my parents, my brother, and his wife.
Addison gets along and fits in perfectly with our crazy clan. There’s a lot of joking around and good-natured teasing.
She tells me that night, “Now I see where you get that smart mouth from.”
“Hey,” I volley back, chuckling. “You kept up with us.”
Looking pleased with herself, she murmurs, “I kind of did, huh?”
“Babe, you definitely did.”
Our time with our families gets me to thinking, on the way home the next day, how I really want a life with Addison, and I want it to start soon.
So, after we land in Atlanta and are driving away from the airport, I ask her, “Do you mind if we stop up at the property I bought?”
All the legal paperwork has gone through, so it’s officially mine now.
“Sure.” She nods as she shrugs off her heavy winter coat. It’s a fairly mild day down here in the south. I took off my jacket as soon as we got into the car. “It’s beautiful up there,” Addison goes on. “I always love stopping by.”
That puts a smile on my face. I love how she and I are always on the same page these days.
The drive goes quickly since there’s very little traffic, and in no time, we’re pulling up and parking in front of my property.
“Are you up for a walk?” I ask her.
“Always,” she replies.
We’re dressed in jeans and hiking boots, and though we ditched the winter coats, we still have on sweaters over long-sleeved turtlenecks.
I meet Addison on her side of my Porsche, and we walk the perimeter of the open space where my house will be built.
