Page 92 of Broken Dreams
Lily reaches her hand out to Addison and squeezes it, then the two of them walk away.
As soon as they’re out of earshot Addison turns to me, her smile wide and eyes alight with joy. “Oh my God! You’re totally going to get the money.”
“It’s not for sure yet.”
“Well, it’s closer than it was.”
I let out a heavy sigh, draining the rest of my drink. “Closer is better.”
“Why don’t you seem happy?”
“I am happy. I’m just reserved. I don’t want to get my hopes up.”
Addison rests her hand on my chest, right over my heart. “Hope is what keeps us going forward. Don’t ever lose it, Grady.”
“And what do you hope for?”
She pulls her lower lip between her teeth for a second. “Love. I hope for love.”
I wish I could be the one to give it to her. However, I can give her a good time tonight. So instead of saying anything about her hopes, I step back. “Dance with me?”
The flash of disappointment fills her eyes, but she masks it quickly. “I would love to.”
We walk out to the dance floor, and I swear every man turns to look at her. How anyone could stop themselves is beyond me. She’s the bright light in the dark skies, the light in the lighthouse that cuts through the fog and guides the ships home.
It doesn’t matter how bleak or dark it is, she’s there, bright and ever shining.
Her hand rests on my shoulder, the other one against my chest, and we move to the soft music.
“Everyone is looking at us.”
“No, dove, they’re looking at you.”
She blinks and then shakes her head. “I assure you, the women here are feral to be the one in your arms, sir.”
“It’s the men who are staring, hating me, and I don’t blame them. If I weren’t the one you were dancing with, I’d be jealous too.”
Addison rolls her eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”
I am. I am because I should be worried about keeping up this ruse and not asking her to dance because I just wanted to hold her. This isn’t for show, this is for me, and that’s the mistake I keep making.
“You have no idea.”
“Well, if you wanted people to believe our dating is real, you’re selling it,” Addison says, her eyes not leaving mine.
“It’s not hard to sell.”
I need to shut the fuck up and take a cold shower and remember that Addison is selling it as well.
“Grady?” Addison’s voice is hesitant.
“Yes?”
“Do you think we’ll ever find love again? Do you think one day I’ll find a man who wants to dance with me every night?”
The anger that rushes through my veins is unexplainable. I shouldn’t hate this man that doesn’t exist, but I do.
I fucking hate the idea of him. That anyone is deserving enough to touch her, kiss her, know how it feels to hold her is impossible.
