Page 469 of Summer Heat
he bookstore and finally the corner store. And Marcus was there, every step of the way. I told myself it was only to satisfy his sick curiosity.
And worse than anything, Marcus was there; he was the closest when Tyler died right in front of us.
Marcus knows everything and he’s not coming to see me in person. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Deep breaths come and go.
This doesn’t have anything to do with her. It’s about Carter. It has to be about Carter and not about the shit Marcus knows about Addison.
Part of me questions if I should confess to her and tell her the truth before someone else does. She blamed herself for so long and I know she did. But I’m the one who sent Tyler after her.
He knew where she was because of me.
He went to see her because I told him he should.
It’s all my fault. It was never hers.
Chapter 21
Addison
It’s been strange.
My fingers hover over the keys and I delete my last words. I don’t know how to tell Rae what’s going on. I shift on my sofa, feeling uneasy. This whole day has felt different. Daniel hasn’t touched me since yesterday morning. And things have been off since he got back from his meeting. It’s also when the word “love” was said. Maybe he didn’t realize he’d said it until after he left.
I’ve gotten short kisses, but nothing else. It feels different.
It’s a way that makes me feel uneasy.
It’s a way that makes me feel like the end is here and I was right all along.
All the flutters stop and the butterflies fall into a deep pit in my stomach.
That’s the way he’s making me feel.
The hall light flicks on and Daniel’s large frame takes up the opening of the narrow passage. He doesn’t look at me as he strides to the kitchen, walking right behind the sofa. He’s not talking to me, but he doesn’t want to leave either.
I can’t take this. I prepare myself to type up the email telling Rae what I’d like to say to Daniel. Before I can even type a word I get fed up and slam it shut, turning sideways to face him. All of my frustration and nervous feelings snowball together into nothing but anger.
This time he’s looking right at me.
“Something’s wrong.” That’s all I can say and instead of answering me, Daniel reaches for a mug from the cabinet.
“Could you give me something?” I ask him with all this pent-up frustration and shove the laptop onto the coffee table. “You’ve barely looked at me, spoken to me, or touched me. Something happened or something’s wrong, and if it’s us I need to know.”
Silence. I get silence in return. “If it’s just work, you can tell me.” My voice cracks and I hate that I’m so emotional while he gives me nothing.
It would be easy for him to simply say it has nothing to do with us. I can accept that. But he doesn’t and that’s when the sick feeling that’s been twisting my gut all day travels to my heart.
I’m already halfway to him, determined to get some answers when he finally says something.
“I have to leave tomorrow night.”
My bare feet stop on the cold tile floor in front of him. “That quick?”
“Either then or the next morning at the latest.”
I swallow down my heart and breathe out somewhat in relief, but it’s short-lived as I cross my arms over my chest. “You have to leave?” I ask him that question because the other one is too scared to leave me.
