Page 35 of Picture Perfect

I'm surprised Saint wanted to bring Addy here. Even more surprised this was where he told Preston to meet us.

Marge returns with our drinks, expertly balancing a tray on her hip.

"Here you go, darlings," she says, setting them down in front of us.

"Thanks, Marge," I say, taking a long sip of my Coke. I'm glad this place hasn't changed since we were kids. It's a comfort in the chaos that surrounds us.

"What can I get for you all?" Marge asks, looking expectantly at Addy.

"I'm not really hungry," Addy says quietly, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

Saint huffs like it's an imposition and turns to the menu. "Well, you have to eat something.”

“A side salad then, please. No dressing.”

"That's all you're getting?" Saint demands. "We bring you out and you act like some uppity princess? Something wrong with the food here?"

I think back and wonder if I’ve ever seen Addy actually eat anything. Besides that granola bar I’d caught her sneaking.

“Get her a cheeseburger,” Saint overrides. “Please," he adds as an afterthought.

Addy shrugs without looking up. The rest of us give Marge our orders before she walks off again. The silence that follows is uncomfortable, and I try to think of something to say.

"So... how was your day?" I ask Gen, who seems to always be in a good mood.

We slip into easy conversation, same as we always do. These people are as much my family as my blood. Even when we don't always see eye to eye. I glance at Addy, who hasn't said anything since we arrived. She seems lost in thought or maybe just uncomfortable being here.

"So Addy," Gen starts hesitantly. "What do you like to do for fun?"

Addy shrugs again and mumbles something that sounds like "I don't know."

"I'm sure there's something," Gen persists kindly.

Addy shakes her head slightly and avoids our curious stares. Saint's hands slam against the table making us all jump. I watch as Addy shrinks in on herself ever so slightly. My chest constricts.

"It won't kill you to make nice with us, Ice Princess. It's the least you can do really."

She looks up at him then, fire burning in her eyes as they meet his. "Is it? It's the least I can do to play nice with the assholes who snatched me from my class and dragged me out of school without so much as an explanation? Because it seems more like the least I can do is not call the cops for fucking kidnapping me."

Saint's lip curls. “Your boyfriend owes us money,” he sneers.

“I’m not sure what that has to do with me. Do you have any idea the trouble I will be in?”

"Well, I'm sure you can think of something more productive to do than making a scene in public," Addy's eyes flash with anger, but she quickly composes herself, taking a deep breath. But she doesn't say anything. Instead, she's back to staring at the table.

Before anyone can say anything else, Marge comes back with our food and sets it down on the table.

"Enjoy your meals!" she says cheerfully before heading off to another table.

We all dig in, the familiar tastes and smells bringing back memories of late nights and years past. Well, all of us except Addy. I see the moment Saint notices. His chest swelling with rage and his obsidian eyes hardening to stone.

Chapter sixteen

Addy

Ishift nervously in the vinyl booth, sandwiched between Gen and the wall. We're surrounded by the assholes who've taken me as collateral against that fucking prick I'm tied to thanks to my wonderful parents.

They snatched me from the hallway, let Dre drool all over me in the backseat, and then brought me to some dingy diner that reeks of grease while awaiting payment.

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