Page 56 of Why Not Us?

My fingers pinch the hem of my shirt. “Yes. Nate’s been riding for a really long time. I’ve gone with him a few times now.”

“Adalie,” Mom says. “I can’t believe you’d do something so dangerous.”

I don’t know what to say. I knew they’d react like this, but I don’t have any comebacks. My mind is completely blank.

Mom huffs and says, “Take off that jacket, Addie. You don’t need it inside.” She turns to my dad. “We can get her an Uber home, I guess.”

I don’t bother to protest the Uber thing because everything is about to get worse. I slide the jacket off, Nate helping me since my shoulder is still sore.

My parents are discussing how I’m going to get home when Calista gasps. “Oh, my god, Addie!” she squeals. “Did you get a tattoo?”

Chapter 18

Nate

Adalie stands in front of me, frozen, as her family asks what she’d been thinking, marring her perfect skin with ink. And I feel like a complete ass because I’m not sure if I should step in and say something or stay quiet. With this group, saying something could very well make things ten times worse for Adalie and that’s the last thing I want to do.

Instead, I take off my leather jacket, draping it with hers on the love seat we’d been sitting on. I’m wearing a white t-shirt today, so the tattoos that cover my arms and the backs of my hands are on full display. I place a hand on the small of her back. The way we’re standing, no one can see the gesture. Adalie doesn’t look back at me, but she presses her body into my hand, seeking the support I’m offering.

Even as I watch, she seems to get smaller and smaller under the weight of the words of her family, her parents telling her how they’re disappointed in her choices lately, her brother telling her no one will take her seriously in business with such a prominent tattoo, her sister saying she can’t believe Adalie would do something like this.

I’ve had about enough of it and am about to tell them to back off. Adalie is strong and competent. She’s smart and funny. She’s responsible and careful. They don’t need to tell her what to do. But I’ve waited too long because a timer sounds from the kitchen.

“I have to finish dinner,” Adalie’s mom says, stalking away. Everyone else disperses, Elliot and Suzanne returning to their phones, Calista and her father taking seats as well and falling into a conversation about Calista’s latest Instagram posts.

“Do you want to get some air?” I ask Adalie quietly.

She nods and leads me out the back door on the other side of the dining room. It opens to a large deck with an outdoor patio set, but Adalie bypasses it and stands at the railing, looking over the backyard.

“I’m sorry about that,” she says.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

She turns to me, startled.

“Why areyouapologizing? They were attacking you. I was about to say something when the timer went off and everyone finally stopped.”

She shakes her head. “I’m glad you didn’t. They would have been worse if you drew attention to yourself.”

I stalk toward her, cupping her face in both my hands, tilting it up to look at me. “I can handle them. I don’t care what they think. I won’t let them talk to you like that anymore.”

Her eyes drift closed as she leans into my touch. Her hands circle my wrists, holding on to me as I bring her closer.

Someone behind me clears their throat. I turn to see Elliot standing there.

“Can we talk for a minute?” he asks Adalie.

I haven’t let her go. I’m not sure I want to.

“Sure,” she says. She tugs my hands off her face but doesn’t move away as I settle my arm around her waist instead.

Elliot looks at me nervously. Good.

“Alone?” he asks.

Immediately, I think,fuck no. Adalie glances up at me with a question in her eyes. I shake my head. I don’t want to leave her alone with any of her family members.

“You can talk in front of Nate,” she says.

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