Page 94 of Broken Dreams
All three men laugh and Ethan starts telling me about his new business venture. He’s opening a resort and brewery.
“It’ll be great. We’re going to have so many options for food and I think guests will enjoy coming to one place for a bit of everything,” the one dude says.
I nod. “I can see the appeal.”
“It’ll be great if you can get your business off the ground, no pun intended,” he jokes and the group laughs. “You could fly guests out and make some money.”
I take a long pull from my gin and smile. “That’s the hope.”
The three men start talking about the resort and my eyes scan the crowd, looking for Addison. I left her suddenly and guilt fills me as I didn’t intend to stay away this long. As I turn a little more to the left I see her, only she’s not smiling, she looks uncomfortable.
He leans in, whispering something, his hand trying to move against her back.
“Excuse me,” I say as they’re talking and I’m moving toward her.
There’s a man standing there and he slides his hand around her hip, and she tries to pull it back but can’t.
I’m there in three seconds and my voice is like ice. “If you want to keep that hand, I suggest you release her immediately.”
His eyes lift and I see the surprise for a moment. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I said if you don’t let go of my girlfriend, I’ll break your fucking hand.”
He tilts his head and then lets go of her. I step between them, putting Addison behind me.
He looks like he wants to laugh, but something stops him. “Relax, we were just talking.”
“And now you’re done.”
I feel Addison’s hand on my back. “Grady, it’s fine.”
No, it’s not. I could see the panic in her eyes. Whatever he whispered to her made her back stiffen.
I stare at him, he shakes his head and walks away.
Forcing myself to control my anger, I turn to her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Perfectly fine.”
“I shouldn’t have left you.”
Addison lifts her hand to my cheek. “You came back at the perfect time, just like I knew you would.”
I close my eyes for a heartbeat and try to fight off the emotions her words are stirring.
* * *
I put the card in the lock, removing it as the light turns green.
I open the door, holding it so Addison can walk in first. She has her heels in her hand, having taken them off the minute we got out of the elevator.
She stands there in the middle of the room, looking at the bed, her back to me.
I have thought about this all night, wondering what the right thing is and I’m still not sure. I want her. There’s no doubt about that, and tonight only solidified that desire. It’s more than just her beauty, it’s her grace, kindness, and I like being around her.
Addison is different than Lisa in a lot of ways. My wife was commanding and argumentative at times. She always had to have the last word and challenged me at every turn. Addison doesn’t seem to have claws that are ready to slash out at the first person who pisses her off.
I move behind her, not touching, but knowing she feels me there because she tenses and then turns.
