Page 130 of Broken Dreams
Mrs. Cooke rests her hand on my arm. “You’re flying today? Jimmy said there were no flights today. He keeps track of the logs to make sure the farmers can tend their crops. He told me this morning you didn’t have one.”
This town could win a gold medal for meddling.
“He must’ve looked at the wrong date,” I try to smooth over.
“Hmm, Jimmy!” she yells across the diner.
“What?”
“Grady says he has a flight today!” she screeches and I seriously want to crawl in a hole.
“No flights today.”
“Are you sure? He says he has one and it’s why he can’t have breakfast with Addison.”
“Oh God,” I hear Addison mutter.
She turns to us. “Sometimes, he doesn’t read the right days.”
“Mrs. Cooke,” Addison steps in. “Grady and I are having dinner tonight, so breakfast doesn’t work for us. Thank you so much for trying to help though.”
“Oh,” she says, placing her hand on her chest. “Dinner? How wonderful. With the kids?”
Addison looks to me, eyes pleading to save her. “Yes.”
“Not very romantic,” she says and nudges me with her elbow. “However, you’re both single parents and you do what you must. Well, I should get back to my breakfast. You both have a great day!”
Mrs. Cooke heads off, and Addison stands here, her lips between her teeth, clearly trying not to laugh.
“Don’t even,” I warn.
“Oh, come on, you have to admit it was funny,” she laughs a little. “The town is definitely invested in us.”
That much is clear, but what will happen when she leaves and the distance between us isn’t the town, but an entire country?
“Speaking of invested, I’m flying tomorrow to meet with Mateo. He mentioned I should bring you. I was going to call you, but...”
Addison’s eyes are wide, excitement swimming in them. “I can go. That’s fine.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know, but...” Addison looks around the room, rolling her eyes. “We’ll talk tonight. I’ll call you.”
I guess we’re not doing dinner then. “Sure. I’ll be home.”
She smiles. “Okay. I’ll call once I get Elodie to bed.”
“Talk then.”
“Bye, Grady.”
I lean in and kiss her cheek, inhaling her scent and wishing I could drown in it. Her hand rests on my chest and I’m sure she can feel my heart pounding. It’s been days since I’ve been near her, talked to her, seen her face, and my body aches for her.
“Bye, Addy.” As I walk away, I feel her loss immediately.
thirty
ADDISON
