Page 7 of Broken Dreams
Appreciate it.
Grady walks around toward the front of the car, and I try not to notice how attractive he is. He’s tall, lean, and has dirty blond hair that looks like he ran his fingers through it, pushing it to the side. There’s an air of confidence that surrounds him as he walks, it’s really freaking sexy.
And just like that, I shut it down. He may be the best-looking guy in the world, but I don’t know him at all.
“All right,” Grady says as he gets in the car. “The tow company will come out and bring your car to Tired, and they promised to drop it off at your work after it’s fixed since they ‘caused a great inconvenience,’ his words, and there will be no charge for the tow.”
“Thank you. You really didn’t have to do that.”
He shakes his head. “Not a problem.”
I let out a huge sigh and then we pull down the drive. Run to Me is in the center of town and it would’ve taken me another hour to get there, and my new assistant has been there since ten p.m. last night.
“I really appreciate this.”
He laughs. “Addison, I’m driving you on my way to work, it’s really no big deal.”
Right. He said that. I fall silent for a second, looking out the window. I feel as though I need to fill the quietness because I’m awkward.
“So,” I say, sucking in a huge breath. “How are you liking Sugarloaf?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
I smile, knowing exactly what he means. “I remember that feeling. I grew up in a small town, but each one has its own quirks. Sugarloaf is really a great place, but it takes some getting used to. It must help having your siblings, though.”
He nods. “It does, and...you said you’re a widow?”
I did say that, didn’t I? It’s not some big secret, just not usually what I lead off with. “My husband was killed a little over three years ago.”
And here comes the apology that always follows.
“It sucks, doesn’t it? Being a widow with a kid. My wife died around the same time as your husband. She had an aneurysm shortly after she gave birth to Jett.”
I turn slightly. “That’s really unfair.”
“Life seems to be at times,” Grady replies. “Anyway, I came here to be closer to family and give Jett the normal life she wanted for us.”
“At first, I came here just to run away from my hometown in Oregon. It was too hard, seeing the ghost of my husband, Isaac, everywhere. So, I left, ran to the other side of the country here, because Devney Arrowood is cousins with my husband’s best friend. Or should I say late husband? I keep battling with that.”
He chuckles a little. “I feel the same. Lisa is still my wife, in a way, but she’s not here so do I say wife or dead wife or wife who used to breathe?”
“It’s so awkward.”
“And trying to talk about it with someone else is even worse.” Grady looks over with a smile.
“I was waiting for the apology,” I confess. “It always comes.”
He nods. “And I get it. People don’t know what to say.”
“I always wished they’d ask what he was like. I’m sure not everyone feels that way, but I wanted to talk about Isaac, not be sad.”
“Tell me about him,” Grady encourages.
I lean my head back, smiling as I remember. “He was a nerd. A total football maniac. He taught history in high school just so he could coach football. It was all he ever wanted to do. His smile was warm, and he had the worst jokes I’d ever heard. I miss him, but...life goes on, right?”
“It does, even when we feel like it might not.”
It’s been three years now, and sometimes it feels like yesterday. Other times it feels longer. I forget things, like the sound of his voice, and then I have to listen to an old voicemail to feel close to him again.
