Page 80 of The Love Trick

“She doesn’t want me there,” I reason, my voice flat. “I think that was pretty evident with her blocking me and—”

“Stop it right there. My daughter is heartbroken, and she’s doing what she thinks she needs to in order to move on. Most of the time, I would agree with her blocking whoever she wanted because she’s my priority, but I can’tstandthis.”

“I’m not sure I’m following…” I breathe out, rubbing my forehead. “If I show up, she’s going to be angry.”

“You have to man up, Blaze,” she snaps in a very motherly tone. “I’ve been watching this play out, and I realized that you maybe don’t have a parent to fall back on for advice.”

“Well, no, but … I’m not going to force Addy to talk to me.”

“You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” I answer, the word coming much easier than before. “I just didn’t know how to handle it, I guess. I’ve tried reaching out to her, but I couldn’t get ahold of her. And then when I saw her today, I couldn’t really get a word in…”

“So, come to her birthday party,” Addy’s mom reasons. “You tell my daughter to listen, and youtellher what you’re feeling. If you don’t, youwilllose her. I don’t want you to lose her any more than I don’t want her to lose you.”

I swallow the knot in my throat. “Does this mean you don’t hate me?”

“Hate you? No, Blaze. I love you. You’re like the son I never had. But this isn’t about me.”

I take a deep breath, feeling a wave of emotions crash over me. “And what if she tells me no? What if she’s lost interest in me because of the time that’s passed? What if she hates me now?”

“Well.” She sighs. “Would that be any worse than what it is now?”

“I guess not…”

“Tell me, if you could only chooseoneperson to spend the rest of your life with, who would it be, Blaze? When you’re old, and no longer able to get around easily, and you spend your days sitting in a rocking chair, who do you want to be by your side?”

“Addy,” I say without hesitation. “It’s always been Addy.”

“Then I think you know what you have to do.”

“It looks like I have to rent a tux.”

She bursts into laughter. “How about you actuallybuyone? Do you need some help? I can go with you. I know a wonderful tailor on the west side of town. He’s my go-to for every formal event. I’ll schedule you an appointment and meet you there. Okay?”

“Um, okay,” I say carefully. “But a tux isn’t really my style.”

“Yeah, I know, and this formal dress stuff isn’t Addy’s, either, but she seems determined to be everything she’s not, and now I regret ever hounding her to be anything other than herself.However,dress codes are dress codes, and I think you should match her level.”

“I canmatch her level.” I laugh. “Though I’m not sure if I can match her attitude. She’s got me on that one. I don’t think I could have that level of sass even if I took a class for it.”

“You’ve got me there. I’ll text you the appointment information. Aurora and I will be there to help you with the tux, but listen, it’s up toyouto fix this with Addy. You deserve the world, and so does my daughter, but this one is up to you.”

“Got it.”

She hangs up.

I rake my hands over my face. I can’t believe Addy’smotheris meddling in this. I mean, it’s definitely like her to meddle, but I never expected her to be supportive ofme.

But for some reason, that gives me a boost of confidence.

I’m going to sweep Addy right off her feet.

“How about this one?” The jeweler picks up a silver bracelet inlaid with diamonds. It’s sleek and expensive. But it’snothingthat Addy would wear.

Well, the AddyIknow.

“I don’t think so,” I finally grunt, shaking my head. “She needs something more sentimental than that—and less shiny.”

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