Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
My hand falls to her back as Ilaria swoops in and steals her phone back off the table. “But you guys talked yesterday. I figured things were better after that.”
“No,” she mutters. “All he did was undo all the progress I made over the last few weeks while he was healing and remind me how badly I want to be with him. You saw that shit in the pool, right? You saw just how sweet and nice and caring he can be. It’s like he knows just how easily he can reel me in and then BAM, he hits me with the you’re my best friend bullshit. Like, fuck. I don’t want to be your goddamn friend, dude. Love me, already!” She lets out a heavy huff, her cheeks blowing out as she props her chin up on her hand. “I swear, all he’s good for is twisting the knife that’s already buried in my spine.”
“It’ll get better,” Ilaria promises.
Ari shoots her a blank stare. “If you honestly think that, you’re fucked in the head.”
“Yeah, maybe, but I just—”
Addison flies up off her seat, determination in her eyes as Ilaria stops talking, all four of us looking up at her with anticipation. Her hands shake as she stares across the room. Hell, she looks like she’s about to throw up, but she shouldn’t be nervous. If she’s wanting to do what I think she’s wanting to do, then she’ll be perfectly fine. Though, I can’t pretend to know how she’s feeling. What she went through with Colby would make moving forward with any relationship scary as hell.
She hovers by our table, standing motionless as she tries to remember where the hell she left her balls, and then just like that, she steps out from behind the table and storms across the cafeteria.
I suck in a breath, watching with wide eyes as Arizona gasps and clutches my arm, her nails digging into my skin. “Holy shit, she’s actually going to do it.”
Ilaria shakes her head, positive she’s about to bitch out while we watch with bated breath as she marches all the way over to the boys’ table. Hudson’s head shoots up first, almost as though he can sense her there. He stands as she walks around to his side of the table, all the guys finally noticing her presence.
Seeing the terrified look on her face, Hudson steps toward her, his brows furrowed, more than ready to beat down every last fucker who even looked at her wrong. He reaches her, taking hold of her shoulders as the boys watch with wide eyes, ready to back him up.
Hudson searches her face but before he even gets a chance to demand answers, she pushes up onto her tippy toes and crushes her lips against his. Addison doesn’t touch him anywhere else, just kisses him deeply as he freezes, too scared to make a fucking move.
A second passes and Hudson relaxes, but just as Jax and Riley start cheering them on, Addie’s whole body tenses. Her hands come up and she slams them against Hudson’s chest, shoving him back with a force none of us were prepared for. He stumbles back into the table and the cheering immediately stops.
Addison just stares at him, horrified, and as Hudson straightens himself up, she bolts toward the exit. I stand, ready to go after her, but Hudson already has it under control, flying out the door in her wake as Tanner remains standing by their table.
Tanner glances back at me, anger and hurt burning in his eyes. It’s one thing for an older brother to see his sister making out with one of his best friends, but it’s another to watch her suffering while she’s trying to find her happiness.
His gaze falls back to the table, and as he drops into his seat, Logan claps his hand over Tanner’s shoulder, murmuring something I couldn’t even dream of hearing from across the room. Tanner nods and just like that, leans back in his seat, ready to get on with his afternoon.
“Hey,” Ilaria says, claiming my attention. “She’ll be okay.”
I shrug my shoulders and press my lips into a hard line, not really sure anymore.
“She will be,” Ilaria says, determination thick in her tone. “I know it sucked and she’s probably out there bawling her eyes out and refusing to let him even touch her, but whether she knows it or not, she took a huge step today. It’s only going to get easier from here.”
“I hope so,” I say, knowing she’s right, but nothing on this green earth will stop it from sucking. Addie tried, she took a leap, and I’m sure for a moment it felt amazing. She was bold and courageous and went after what she wanted, but despite everything, she wasn’t ready. Lifting my head, I give the girls an encouraging smile, one I don’t feel in my soul. “Let’s just hope she gets her justice along the way.”