Page 56 of Protecting Addison
Addison loved this man all the more for always sticking up for her daughter.
Ellory said nothing.
Turning back around so she was facing forward once more, Addison looked over at Ricky. His hands were tight around the steering wheel and his knuckles were white. He was as nervous about this as she and Ellory were. She suspected he was feeling uneasy about his role in Ellory’s life. He’d settled into being her father as if he’d been born to it, and now another man—one who held the official title as her father—was coming into their lives. It had to be nerve-racking for Ricky.
Reaching over, Addison took his right hand from the wheel and held it tightly. He looked over at her for a brief moment, gave her a small smile, then turned his attention back to the road.
It wasn’t long before they arrived at the café where they’d planned to meet Brady. There was a parking spot not too far down the street, and Ricky deftly parallel parked. Before long, they were entering the café.
Brady hadn’t arrived yet, so they found a table near the windows—because the seating situation would be awkward in a booth—so they could see him when he got there.
“Do I look okay?” Ellory asked, smoothing her hair back.
“You look perfect,” Ricky told her.
The waitress came over and Addison ordered waters for them all. Ellory was still fasting, so she wouldn’t be eating anything, but it didn’t seem as if she was interested in food right now anyway. Addison herself wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep anything down with the way her own stomach was rolling with nerves.
Five minutes went by. Then ten. When fifteen minutes past Brady’s scheduled time went by, Addison started to get mad.
“He’s not coming, is he?” Ellory asked, her shoulders drooping.
Addison reached for her daughter’s hand, holding on tightly when she tried to pull back. “Brady’s always late,” she reassured the preteen. “Seriously, when we were together, we didn’t get anywhere on time. We’d always miss the previews of movies when we went to the theater, and everyone knows that’s the best part. Hell, he was late for your birth, sweetie. He missed the entire thing, showing up an hour after you were born, strolling in as if he had no clue that he’d arrived late.”
“Really? You aren’t just saying that to make me feel better?”
“I’m absolutely telling you that to make you feel better,” Addison said. “But it’s also true. I should’ve remembered that about him and gave him a meeting time half an hour before we really wanted to meet.”
Ellory nodded and sat up straighter.
Addison wanted to kill Brady. Couldn’t he attempt to show up on time just this once? He had to know this was important to Ellory.
Just as she had the thought, she saw him walking toward the café. “See? There he is.”
Ellory’s head spun around, and she watched as Brady strolled down the sidewalk as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Oh, he’s not very tall.”
Addison suppressed a chuckle. She was a couple of inches taller than her ex, and while Brady wasn’t exactly short, her daughter had obviously gotten used to her height, and being around Ricky and his friends, who were all at least six feet or taller.
Addison stood as Brady entered the small café, and he immediately saw her and headed toward the table.
Ellory was staring at her father as if entranced.
Brady leaned forward and hugged Addison before she could step back. It was an uncomfortable moment, as Ricky had stood with her, his hand on the small of her back as her ex held on for a beat too long.
“Good to see you again,” Brady said when he pulled back. He held out his hand to Ricky. “And you must be the husband.”
“I am,” Ricky said, waiting a long moment before shaking Brady’s hand.
Then her ex turned to Ellory.
“And you have to be Ellory. I’d know you anywhere. You have your mom’s bright red hair. Can’t miss that.” He chuckled at his own joke. “Shall we sit?” he asked, not waiting for anyone to answer before pulling the fourth chair out at the table.
They all sat. It was awkward that he hadn’t hugged his daughter, or even offered to shake her hand.
“So…” Brady said. “You’re my daughter. I thought you might be taller by now. You’re twelve, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Your mom is a giant, and I’m no slouch. Wonder what happened to you.”
