Page 90 of Somebody to Save
I knew this day would come eventually, and I wasn’t going to lie now. The moment I’d hired Mary, I realized I’d have to tell Addison, or she’d find out. Insurance was a dead end, and they didn’t have time to go through the bureaucratic bullshit. Nana needed help—Addisonneeded help—and I was going to do everything in my power to make it happen.
I just hoped she wouldn’t resent me when she figured it out.
She sighed and leaned back in her chair, letting her head fall back against the cushion and her hands scrub across her face. “Beckett,” she groaned, and I shifted closer, squeezing her thighs and imploring her to look back at me.
When she didn’t, I reached forward and grasped her cheek, running my thumb over it, and cleared my throat. “Baby girl, look at me. Let me explain.”
With a deep breath, she dragged her eyes back to me, and I’dnever seen her so unexpressive. Her lips were set in a straight line, and her stare was unforgiving.
It was kind of unsettling.
“I researched the insurance option and followed that road as far as it would go. But there wasn’t much help they could offer. It was the same run-around they gave you, so I hired Mary. And yes, I’ve been paying her out-of-pocket. She was the solution to a problem I knew I could fix. That Ihadto fix.”
“But you lied to me about it.”
“I didn’t lie,” I said, shaking my head. “I just…didn’t tell you.”
She scoffed and tossed her hands in the air. I dropped my hand from against her cheek and rested it on her waist. “That’s semantics, Beckett. You lied by omission. You should have told me.”
“And if I had?” I argued. “What would you have done?”
“You’re acting like you know me so well, like you know exactly how I would’ve reacted, but that’s not true. Not telling me was worse.”
“But I do know you so well, baby girl. I know you so well, and I know that’s scary, butthat’sthe truth.”
She sat quietly, and I noticed the tears gathering in her eyes. Still wearing a suit, it was a little awkward to shift onto my knees, but I did it anyway, tugging her chair closer. She widened her legs enough to allow me to sit between them, and I took that as a good sign.
“It was never my intention to lie to you,” I said. “I just knew you weren’t keen on my help, but you needed it all the same. I promise I tried the insurance route first, but when it didn’t happen, I went to plan B.”
“To pay for it yourself after I explicitly asked you not to?”
“Yes,” I said simply.
For a long moment, probably the longest moment of my life, Addison watched me. Her eyes raked over my face, and I prayedthose tears still welling in her eyes wouldn’t fall. She took a deep breath and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I wish you would’ve told me, but I understand why you didn’t. I just—I know I don’t talk about my previous relationship a lot, but I dealt with a lot,a lot,of lying and deception, and I can’t do it again. He lied so often that I never believed him. I was paranoid all the time.”
Fuck.I’d really fucked up. No matter what, I’d never want to remind her of Owen. He didn’t deserve to take up any more real estate in her head.
“Shit, baby girl, that’s not?—”
“I know,” she said quickly. “I know that wasn’t your intention, but that was just my first thought when I found out.”
Dropping my eyes, I dragged my hands back down her thighs while I considered my next words and the apology that was poised on my tongue.
“But,” she began, and I peered back up at her. Her hands covered mine where they rested over her knees, and a small, tentative smile graced her lips. “There’s a big difference between Owen lying to be intentionally deceptive and hiding things from me he knew would hurt me, and you keeping something to yourself because you’re doing a good thing.”
Relief flooded through me, and I stood, tugging her up out of her chair and into my arms. She let out a short laugh and returned my embrace, nudging her face against my chest and taking a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, baby girl.”
“I know, and I really do appreciate you paying for Mary for this long. I’m not sure what I would have done without her. I probably would have had to move back in with them.”
Leaning back, I peered down at her and pushed her hair over her shoulders. I clasped her cheeks and ran my thumb against her skin.
“I only ever want to make your life better and easier.”
Finally, her smile was genuine. Her green eyes lit up, andsome of the concern clouding them had dissipated. But it wasn’t completely gone.
