“How could I forget? Your mom was the reason I didn’t starve as a kid.”
A shadowed look passed over Nick’s face. To anyone else, it would have sounded like a harmless joke, but there was a hard truth under the surface.
“I’m almost done,” Addy said. She swatted my ass. “Now get out of my kitchen so I can finish dinner.”
“All right, all right.” I went to join Nick on the couch.
He flipped through the channels until he found the Bruins game. “Seriously, though. You remember how good Mom’s Thanksgiving dinners were?”
I hadn’t had a proper Thanksgiving dinner in years. Not since the last time I spent the holiday at their house. “I still say she used magic to get her gravy tasting so good. Man, I miss those.”
Nick opened his mouth, but I cut him off with a gesture.
“I know what you'll say, Nick. You’ve invited me back every year, but I’m not going. Besides, plane tickets must be insane this last-minute.”
My roommate gave me a wry grin, and Addy leaned in the doorway.
“Tell him, Nick,” she said, arms crossed and a broad smile on her angelic face.
Instead of speaking right away, Nick pulled an envelope from underneath the pillow beside him.
“Happy Thanksgiving, Landon. From Addy and me. And my parents.”
I took the envelope, feeling pulled into a situation I didn’t want and couldn’t back out of.
Plane tickets. Return from Boston to Boulder for the long weekend.
“We bought three pairs a month ago but didn’t want to tell you too far in advance and give you time to wiggle out of it.”
I looked from face to face. “I can’t accept this, Nick.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “It’s already paid for, buddy. Don’t tell me you'll let it go to waste and break Mom and Dad’s hearts. They’re so excited that you’re coming back for the holiday.”
He had me trapped, and he knew it. I shot a look at Addy to find a similar look of triumph on her face. The familial resemblance was uncanny.
Deep down, I was touched in a way I couldn’t show on the surface.
“Thanks, guys. Of course I don’t want to disappoint your parents. It’ll be good to see them.”
Addy twirled, eyes sparkling. “I told you he’d do it! Now go wash your hands, Nick. I know you’re a filthy animal.”
Nick rolled his eyes and got to his feet. “You really are turning into Mom, you know that?”
“Is there a problem with that? Mom’s awesome.”
He laughed. “I guess you have a point there.”
Once he left the room, I got up from the couch and walked up to Addy. “Addy, I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
She set her jaw. “We need to spend more time outside your bedroom and your office, Landon. It’ll be good for you. Good for both of us.”
“Yes, but… What about Nick? And your parents? It’s not like we can really be together properly without raising suspicions.”
“So? At least we’ll be together. That’s enough for me. We’ve had a lot of sex. I want more than that.”
She had a point. We didn’t have any longer to discuss as Nick returned.
“I’m so fucking excited!” he said. “I’ve been trying to get you back to Boulder for years. It’s a long time coming.”
I shrugged. “It’s not my favorite place in the world.”
Nick put a hand on my shoulder. When he spoke again, his tone was more subdued. “If it gets too overwhelming at any point, just let me know and I’ll help you get your mind off it, okay?”
“That won’t be a problem,” I said, forcing my mouth into a smile. “I’m over it. Let’s eat, shall we? It smells delicious, Addy.”
~Adeline~
This is so amazing. All of my favorite people in the same room.
The only thing that would have been better was if I could tell my parents and brother about the incredible connection that Landon and I shared. Instead, we had to sneak shared looks over the turkey and touch feet under the table.
“It’s so good to have you back, Landon. We love seeing you in Boston, but there’s something about having all of you kids back in the same house. We were beside ourselves when Nick told us the news.” Dad had always been a stern but fair father figure to the boys, providing the structure that Landon had lacked at home.
Landon couldn’t have known that my parents talked about him all the time. They were as invested in his future as they were Nick’s, and they never failed to ask for updates on their son’s roommate.
“It’s true,” Mom chipped in, passing the stuffing to Landon. “We’ve always considered you to be part of the family, and it makes us so happy that you and Nick have looked after each other for all this time. And now for Adeline to be in your class! It’s like a dream come true. If only you all weren’t across the country.”
Landon accepted the stuffing and the comments with grace. “Thank you so much, Debbie. It means a lot because I’ve always looked at you and Jack as role models. I honestly don’t know what I would have done growing up without you. If you hadn’t let me spend so much of my time here with your family, I would either be dead or in jail.”
That stilled the room for a few seconds, but we recovered quickly. “Why don’t you tell us about your research, Landon?” Dad asked him. “Adeline mentioned that she’s helping you with it. I hope she’s not being too big of a pain in the ass.”
“Dad!” I felt heat come to my cheeks.
Landon and Nick both laughed.
“She’s been wonderful,” Landon said. “My research uses machine learning to determine better strategies for corporations. It’s still in its initial stages, but it’s been very promising so far. Nick donated a lot of programming help to get the idea off the ground for my PhD thesis, and now Addy’s pitching in to move the research further along, so it’s really a team effort. Actually, if it weren’t for Addy, I may have missed a grant that was vital to keeping the project going, so I owe her my job.”
That made me blush. “I don’t know about that. You would have found other funding. You’re basically the poster boy for the economics department. You’re just being dramatic.”
Landon shook his head. “No, really. You’ve been incredible. You’re more of a partner than an assistant. You’ve got a bright future ahead of you no matter what you focus on.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet, Landon,” Mom said. “We’re so proud of Adeline. But look at you! Not that you were ever not handsome, but you look so put together now. The ladies must be all over you!”
He looked good. With a well-trimmed beard and styled hair, the fat he’d lost since high school gave him a sharper, more chiseled face. He was dressed in a fitted sweater that showed off his broad frame.
Landon shook his head but smiled. “Thank you, Debbie, but it’s not like that. I’m just a professor of economics. There isn’t anything too special about me.”
“Oh, I don’t buy that for a second. Adeline, don’t you agree that Landon’s a catch?”
I did my best to maintain an air of innocence as I spoke with a straight face. “Whoever he’s seeing must be the luckiest woman in Boston.”
Landon rolled his eyes.
Nick frowned. “You know, I still haven’t met this new girlfriend of yours who’s been hanging around so much. Somehow, I always just miss her.”
After such a short glance in my direction that I could have imagined it, Landon turned to the rest of my family. “I think you’d like her.”
Mom wouldn’t let it go at that. “Come on, Landon. Tell us more about this mystery woman!”
He smiled. “She’s one of the smartest women I’ve met at Harvard. At the same time, she’s so beautiful that sometimes it doesn’t seem possible. She turns heads wherever she goes, but somehow, she isn’t conceited. She’s always stopping to help those who need it, no matter how much it inconveniences her. She’s so good that it drives me to be a better man.”
I blushed at La
ndon’s first sentence, and by the time he finished, my face could bake the apple pie for dessert.
Luckily, the attention was still on Landon, and I fought to get myself under control.
“Damn, man,” Nick said. “Does she have a sister?”
“Sorry, just a brother. And he’s a real piece of work.” Everyone laughed, but Landon winked at me and we shared special extra laughter at the inside joke.
The rest of dinner passed without incident, but it felt so warm and friendly and right that I had to fight not to be overly affectionate toward Landon. Even still, I was worried that my attraction may be noticeable.
Then again, Mom and Dad were used to me fawning all over him when I was younger. It might not be any different than normal.
By the time dessert was packed away, everyone looked just slightly uncomfortable at the amount of food that had passed over the table and into mouths.
Nick, Mom, and Dad settled down at the kitchen table, pulling out a deck of cards. It was a Thanksgiving tradition—once they sat at the table, there was no getting up for hours.
“Before cards, I think I’ll take a bit of a walk,” I said.
Mom frowned. “It’s cold and snowy out there, Adeline. Someone should go with you. Nick, keep Adeline company.”
Nick sighed. “I really don’t want to. I just sat down, and this food baby in my belly is weighing me down.”
“I’ll go,” Landon said. “I could stand to walk off dinner, and it would be nice to get fresh air. That was beyond excellent, Debbie. I haven’t had a meal that good since the last time I was in this house.”
As I expected, the rest of the family showed relief on their faces. Going out into the cold was the opposite of what they wanted after feasting.
“Oh, bless your heart, Landon. Take care of Adeline, and we’ll see you back here soon.”
After suiting up in warm layers, Landon and I walked into the street. The snowfall had faded to a purely cosmetic level. Flakes drifted lazily to the ground sporadically, but there was a thick layer of snow that crunched under our feet as we turned left and strolled into the quiet.
White puffs of breath froze in the air and floated away, marking the chill as if the white carpet underneath didn’t give it away.
Landon looked around, shaking his head as he examined the surroundings as if trying to figure out if it was real or a television set.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked him.
It took a handful of seconds to get an answer. “I spent countless hours running along these streets with Nick growing up, but I never expected to come back.”
“You know, I was always disappointed that you never came to visit. Even for the funeral.”
His lips sealed into a thin line, but it lasted for only a moment. “There was nothing for me here. But that’s changed. I wanted to spend this time with you, Addy.”
He stopped and pulled me to him. Our kiss was soft and sweet, so uncommon for us.
“Thank you for the things you said about me earlier,” I said, looking up at him. “You are more than I deserve.”
He shook his head. “We deserve each other, Addy. That’s becoming clearer every day.”
After another heartfelt kiss, I grabbed his hand and led him further along.
~Landon~
My carnal desire for Addy was everlasting and eternal. That made it hard to think beyond the realm of immediate need and into the future when we were together. At this moment, with the chill and quiet surrounding us and a profound silence between us, it was easier to give thought to where it was all going.
I’d never intended to get so caught up in Addy. One night was all it was supposed to be, and even then, I’d known that was more than I should have allowed. Somehow, I’d deluded myself into thinking it would be temporary even when our torrid affair began and we started sneaking around, stealing every possible moment to be with each other. I insisted that it was just naughty fun, just incredible sex with one of the hottest women I’d ever laid eyes on.
After spending so much time with Addy, I knew now that I could never willingly end things. The troubling thing was that there were so many ways it could go wrong, and a sense of impending doom was inevitable. Even knowing, I couldn’t push the brakes, couldn’t slow the exhilarating rush toward destruction.
I was so lost in my thoughts and comforted by Addy’s hand in mine that the first tombstone to pass us caught me by surprise.
She had steered us into a graveyard.
“Addy, where are we going? If you want privacy to hook up, we can go somewhere a little more suitable.”
“Keep it in your pants, Landon. This trip is about doing things together that aren’t sex.”
Then she slowed to a stop, and I looked around, confused. There were a couple of tombstones beside us, snow piled on the top but the faces clear. A few trees dotted the area, breaking up the somber lines of stones.
A tombstone caught my eye. It had my last name on it. And my father’s first name.
“No.” The word was barely audible, all I could force out.
There they were. Patrick Fraser and Susan Fraser. Both dates of death were on the same day in April, three years ago.
I’d known they were buried in the city. It made sense it would be in this cemetery. I’d never asked because I’d never intended to visit.
Bitter memories that had been locked in a vault deep in my mind broke free, my mental barriers unprepared for the sudden intrusion of reality. I’d spent every day since leaving Boulder trying to forget about the horrible people buried beneath my feet.
I tried to speak, but a growing lump in my throat strangled the words before they could form. Addy’s arm circled my waist, and I leaned on her for support as my knees weakened.
“I thought you should see it,” she said, words soft and eerily deadened in the snowy night. “I’m sorry for not warning you first, but I didn’t think you’d come if I told you where we were going.”
I fought to clear my throat. “You were right about that.”
“You have to confront things eventually, Landon. They get to find peace, and it’s not right that you have to carry around that baggage for the rest of your life.”
A tear spilled from my eye and trailed down my cheek, hot against the cool skin. With an angry motion, I brushed it away. Addy was right. They had no right to affect me and my life. They didn’t deserve a single tear.
“I’m glad you came back to Boulder with me,” Addy said. “You need a sense of family in your life. My parents always viewed you as their third child. You were around so much that you may as well have been.”
“It was better than being at home,” I said, voice trembling. “I have scars in my mind that won’t ever go away, Addy. My parents were awful people, and they had no business raising a child. No, they had no business having a child. I’d never say they raised me.”
She took my hand in hers and brought it to her cheek, then kissed it with soft lips. “Those scars make you who you are, Landon. You learned how important compassion is by living with people who had none. Their mistakes aren’t yours to repeat.”
I put my hand on her cheek and brought her face to mine for a kiss.
She deserves the best of everything I have.
I ended the kiss. “I want to make more of an effort to be a real couple, even if we need to hide it from everyone for now.”
Addy smiled, a brilliant, heartwarming thing of beauty. “I’ve wanted nothing more in my entire life.”
Chapter 7
~Landon~
Question sixteen. If the supply of money increases, what happens in the money market?
I scratched my chin. Was that too easy of a question for a final exam?
A quiet two-toned chime signaled a new email. That particular notification was the one I used for Addy, and after sending so many sexy messages to each other, simply hearing it engendered a Pavlovian response. Blood coursing to my manhood made it twitch as I changed windows to open my email.
>
The physical response of my body was vindicated by the image that graced my screen. Out of habit, I looked over my shoulders even though I was alone in my office.
We’d been flirting all morning, as usual, but this was one step further. Addy had sent a picture of herself naked, kneeling on the floor of a spacious bathroom. Her long, brunette hair was artfully tossed over one shoulder, and the seductive pose she’d struck immediately set my mouth to watering. Her pure white teeth bit her reddened bottom lip, a look she knew I died for every time.
“Jesus,” I said, eyes darting back and forth to capture every curve in my memory.
The photograph had such an effect on me that it took some time before I noticed the text.
Third floor, east wing. Handicapped bathroom. Waiting for you.
The slight arousal in my pants leapt halfway to full hardness in an instant. With no further thought, I rose and strode to the door, yanking it open so hard that it groaned under the sudden motion.
Turning from the smaller hallway my office was on into the larger hallway running the length of the building, I collided with and nearly knocked down a student.
“Oh, shit! I’m so sorry,” I said, putting out a hand to steady him.
When he straightened up, a familiar face greeted me. It was the guy from Addy’s classes who was always looking for her.
Not bothering to justify myself, I continued on my way with large, ground-eating strides. Brody faded from my mind immediately, his presence barely a blip in my life as I hurried to get to the woman waiting naked for me.
I took the stairs three at a time, ignoring the looks of students coming down the flights. The handicapped bathroom was close to the stairwell, and within a minute of receiving Addy’s email, I was there.
The handle was locked, so I knocked softly on the door.
“Hello?” she said. “Who is it?”
The hall was clear.
“Let me in, Princess.”
A click preceded the handle turning and the door swinging inward. I slipped inside.
Extracurricular Page 8
