Total pages in book: 213
Estimated words: 201920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1010(@200wpm)___ 808(@250wpm)___ 673(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 201920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1010(@200wpm)___ 808(@250wpm)___ 673(@300wpm)
He lets out a huff of a laugh and wipes under his eyes.
“What happened?” I ask him.
“She said it’s too much for her. That she needs space.”
I nod my head in understanding. “Nothing wrong with a little space,” I say and try to make it sound like it’s not a big deal.
“I know her, Daniel. I know it’s her way of putting distance between us so I’ll be the one to leave.”
The legs of the chair scratch along the floor as I pull it out and take a seat. A heavy breath leaves me as I put my elbows on the table and lean closer to him. “Girls are hormonal,” I say to try to make him crack a smile. He’s the one who’s good at this, not me.
“I think she’s done with me, but I don’t know why.”
“She loves you,” I tell Tyler although it makes a spike of pain go through my heart. She does love him. I know it by the way she kisses him. It’s obvious she does.
“I don’t know,” he says in a whisper, shaking his head.
“Just give her a day or two, cut class if you have to. Give her time to miss you.” I hate that I’m giving him this advice. But I hate to see him like this more.
“What did Mom used to say, huh? If you give someone love, they’ll love you back. Right?”
He nods his head, although he still doesn’t speak. It’s been a while since I brought up Mom. And it still doesn’t feel right, but Tyler was her baby boy. He may have been younger when she got sick, but it hit him hard. He didn’t understand.
“I promise you,” I tell him as I pat his back. “Come with me for the next two days. I have to make a trip to Philly for a shipment. Come up with me and let her miss you.”
He’s reluctant for a moment but then he nods. “I could use the distraction, I guess.”
“Perfect.” I stand up quickly and leave him be as fast as I can. “Get some sleep,” I say over my shoulder and I don’t stop walking or respond when he tells me thanks.
As I climb the stairs to go pass out, loneliness settles in my chest.
The idea of Addison never coming back hits me hard. The possibility of never seeing her again.
It’s very obvious to me in this moment that I don’t like it.
More than I don’t like how she’s younger than me.
More than I don’t like how she looks at me the way I look at her when I know she’s not looking.
More than I don’t like that she’s Tyler’s.
Every day there’s a memory I’ve forgotten. Haunting me. Showing me how I could have stopped the inevitable. Or at least changed our fates.
Late at night, holding Addison as she sleeps, I wonder if Tyler would still be alive if I had done something different. Or if I’d be the one buried in the ground now.
Fall has arrived and each step I take down Rodney Street is accompanied with the crunch of dead and withered leaves. My steps are heavy tonight because I know Marcus is going to be here.
He’s finally come with whatever it is Carter’s been waiting for. I know Marcus’ patterns. He spends weeks scouting out a place and making sure you go to one location he has constant eyes on. And when he’s found where he’s comfortable, he delivers.
He’s found that place at the park on the corner of Rodney and Seventh.
After tonight I have no reason to stay here. Addison will either come with me, or leave me. It’s too good right now to think she’ll refuse me, but she’s run before and it’s entirely possible she’ll do it again.
I glance down the side street to see what block I’m on and my heart freezes.
The man in the black leather jacket, the one who stopped to look at Addison. That first day I watched her in the coffee shop and saw him staring at her. It’s him. I swear I saw him melt into the shadows down the street.
“Hey!” I call out, more to see if he’ll move than to actually get a reaction. But there’s only silence. I barely glance to my right to check for cars as I run across the street. The cool air does nothing to calm my heated skin or the anxiety rushing through my blood.
I’m ready for a fight when I get there, but the shadowy corner is only a dead end. And no one’s there.
A chill flows over my skin and I look all around me. It’s no one. There’s no one here.
It’s hard to swallow as I walk back across the street. It’s just paranoia, I tell myself. It’s nothing. But still, all of my thoughts lead back to Addison. To her being alone.