“Yeah, why? Doesn’t she skate?” That would so be like Addie. So generous she was even willing to humiliate herself in order to keep Bella from feeling left out. Even Bella’s own mother wouldn’t fly out to be at the event, but Addie, whom she’d known for a few months, was willing to sacrifice herself.
Melody was shaking her head, staring into her empty glass. “It’s so much worse than that, Drew,” she whispered.
“What are you talking about?”
When she looked up at him, her eyes were filled with tears. Melody wasn’t the crying type. She was always tough as nails at the hospital, always professional. “It’s just…” She shook her head and blinked a few times. “Addie is the best. That’s all. She’s the best, and I hope you know how lucky you are to have her in your life.”
Chapter Eleven
Addie downed her glass of champagne and smiled at Haley O’Leary. It was approaching hour three of the Christmas party from hell, and she was planning on leaving as soon as she spoke with Haley. She needed to check in on the Bella situation at school. She knew full well that she wasn’t Bella’s mom…she wasn’t even Bella’s nanny, and she certainly wasn’t Drew’s girlfriend, but she needed to speak with her. “Your mother’s house is beautiful,” Haley said politely.
“Thank you. She loves Christmas,” she said, trying to be diplomatic. “Haley, I know you’re not really allowed to discuss things at school because of privacy, but I’ve come to know Isabella Barrett really well, and I’m just wondering about her situation.”
Haley tilted her head to the side and gave her a sympathetic smile. “She is such a great little girl. I know you’re looking after her every day, and I can say we really have the situation under control.”
Addie looked down, wanting to believe her but remembering all the adults who’d failed her, who hadn’t understood the impact cruel kids could have. “I know sometimes as a teacher it’s hard to really see what’s going on in the classroom, and you don’t have the time to watch the subtle things that happen.”
Haley shook her head. “We really do have it under control. The principal at the school is wonderful. She’s not afraid to stand up to bullying; she doesn’t care about board protocol. She takes a really tough stance on this. That’s one of the reasons I was able to stop this right away. Honestly, though, Isabella shut those boys down pretty quickly.”
Addie smiled softly. “I’m glad you have her back. Just be watchful, okay? I…know sometimes this kind of stuff doesn’t go away forever and can resurface.”
“You have my word. I’ll keep watching. You keep the dialogue open too, okay? You’re the one she sees right after school, so keep an eye on her moods. But I really think it’s going to be fine, Addie.”
Addie nodded and reached out and touched her arm, feeling better. “Thanks, Haley. I really appreciate it.”
“Hey, no problem. I’m here anytime. Tell Drew he can always reach out.”
Addie smiled and walked toward the liquor bar. Tell Drew. Of course, because Drew was her father. Addie was nothing. Addie made a beeline for the champagne. She’d never realized how much she liked champagne, and it seemed to get so much better with each glass ingested. The cranberries helped as well.
Addie glanced over in the direction she knew Drew was in, and her heart sank as he was still deep in conversation with her sister and Luke Thomson. When she saw her mother approach, she decided to fill up two glasses, just in case she finished her one glass and her mother kept talking. She wasn’t sure what was worse—looking at her mother’s gloating expression or looking at how great Mel and Drew looked together. Even though her sister was tall and wearing heels, Drew was still a few inches taller. They were the perfect match, really. Her sister said something, and he leaned forward to listen attentively.
She tore her gaze from them to pay attention to her mother, because all the champagne she’d had was making it difficult for her to focus. She couldn’t let her guard down when it came time to speaking with her mother.
“Well, I would say this is another successful party. It’s a shame Molly refused to show up. I would have thought Ben would have convinced her. It’s in his best interest as future Fire Chief to get along with the mayor,” her mother said, pursing her lips and staring down her nose at her.
“Well, I’m pretty sure Molly and her feelings are more important to him. Besides, they are probably betting on you not winning the election next year.”
Her mother huffed, and one of her overly jeweled hands flew to her chest. “I don’t understand where this animosity comes from, especially during the holiday season. Has the magic of the holidays truly been lost on all my daughters?”
Addie rolled her eyes, three glasses of champagne past caring about making a scene. “I believe the Grinch is part of the season too, Mother. You should examine who you’re aligning yourself with.”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed to a malicious squint. “Never mind me. You’re the one who should be examining your date tonight and the fact that he’s spent the entire evening with your tall, thin, doctor sister instead of you.”
Addie inhaled sharply and held her two glasses of champagne close, because she was so tempted to throw the contents in her mother’s face. She drank them down, because it was either ingest or chuck. “Drew and I are friends.”
“I see the way you look at him, Adelaide. Stop interpreting what I’m saying as an attack on you. I’m helping you. I don’t want to see you broken-hearted, pining over a man that you can’t have. It’s the way the world is, dear. Sugar coating it with all that feel-good nonsense serves no one. Do you really want a man like that, anyway? I thought I was doing you a favor the night I insisted he be your date, but I am not above admitting I am wrong. When I see him standing next to Melody, it’s obvious to me that that is a power match. Would you ever feel like his equal, or would you always be wondering if you are enough for him? You know what happens at hospitals…those late nights, pretty doctors and nurses…you should set your sights on people closer to your type. Let Melody have Drew. Bow out gracefully before it happens anyway, before you fall in love with him and he tosses you to the curb and they get together while you babysit his daughter for them.”
Addie blinked back tears, hating that her mother still had this power over her. How could a mother actually be this cruel? “I never asked for you opinion on anything. I don’t care what you think of me. You should be taking a good long look at yourself. All these people here tonight? They are here either because they were too polite to say no when you accosted them with your invitation or because they want something from you. At least when I throw a party, it’s filled with people I’m actually friends with. Also, it’s a really bad sign when people see you on the sidewalk and go running in the opposite direction. Do yourself a favor and don’t go chasing after them. And another thing…you’re wrong. You’re wrong about me, and you always were. You never took the time to know who I really am, and that says everything about the type of woman you are, not me.”
Addie plunked her empty champagne glasses on the buffet table and stormed out through the house as quickly as the stupid crowds, the dumb toy soldiers, and her stupid heels would allow her. She was taking off these stupid things as soon as possible. She didn’t bother stopping to retrieve her coat from the poor guest her mother had forced to act as coat check tonight. Besides, the champagne running through her body was making her hot enough to not feel the cold. She paused and stared at one of the ghastly toy soldiers flanking the front door, smiled, and tipped it over before whipping the front door open.
She took a deep gulp of cold air and walked down the front steps, faltering when she realized she didn’t know how she was going to get home. Drew had brought her here, and she wasn’t about to go and find him and make a pathetic scene. Maybe she could call Molly and Ben and meet them on the corner like a sad, lost child. She just wanted to vanish into the night. She took off her heels because she couldn’t take them anymore and her mother’s driveway and walkway were so clean she
wondered if she’d had someone vacuum outside.
She wasn’t going to cry at the state of her life. She was a grown woman. She could call a cab and wait on the curb. She was halfway down the driveway when she heard Drew yell her name. She paused but kept walking. She was angry with him for the way he’d ignored her tonight, and she was angrier that her mother had been right about everything.
“Addie, wait!” he yelled again. She kept walking, but he caught up to her a few seconds later and grabbed her hand.
She took a deep breath and turned to look at him, blinking, hoping that would get rid of the tears. “I’m leaving,” she said, hating that without heels she had to look way up at him.
“I’m sorry,” he said gruffly.
“I don’t care,” she whispered, yanking her hand from his. “It’s fine. I get everything, okay? You brought me here because my mother forced you, but we’re both adults. We are free to do whatever we want. If you want to go out with Mel, I give you my blessing. I promise I won’t hold it against either of you. Just don’t ever take me out of obligation and spend the night ignoring me and treating me as this insignificant—”
“Insignificant?” His voice was hoarse, and he closed the remaining space between them, his eyes glittering and filled with something that even in her somewhat inebriated state, she was pretty sure was close to desire. She forgot to breathe when his hands framed her face. “Insignificant? How far from the truth you are. I don’t want Melody. I want you. I never stop wanting you. That’s the problem. When I walked into your apartment tonight, I didn’t want to come to a stupid party. I wanted to spend the night with you. I’ve had to keep my hands in my damn pockets all night because I’m afraid if I don’t, I’ll touch you and I won’t be able to stop. God, I think about you all the time. I want you all the time.”
He lowered his head, his mouth hovering precariously close to hers, the heat emanating from his body beckoning her. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore, but in my attempt to keep you away, I’ve hurt you, and I’m sorry for that. But I just…I don’t know what I have to offer you anymore. I can’t go back to marriage. I can’t have my little girl’s heart broken again. But I also can’t seem to stay away from you. I’ve never met someone like you…you make me believe in everything good, you make believe in things I haven’t thought about since I was a kid, you took my daughter in and made her happy again. God, how could you ever think you were insignificant? You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known,” he whispered, his lips gently grazing hers as he spoke, until he finally captured her lips, her mouth in the ways she’d dreamed about. She kissed him back with everything she felt for him, with her heart, with her hope. His words repeated in her mind, filling her with hope and love for him. Her hands roamed up his hard chest, and he made a sound low in his throat and pulled her into him, backing her up against the parked car behind her. His one hand was tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck, and when his other roamed up her body, her knees buckled.
A car horn blared, and they both jumped as the front window of the car they happened to be leaning against powered down. “Omigosh,” Addie whispered, not turning around as Drew held her close and faced the car.
“Hey kids, take it somewhere else,” the gruff voice of an elderly man called out.
Drew cleared his throat, and he nodded. “Yes, sir. Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Meyers,” he said.
He grabbed Addie’s hand, and she stared at him as they jogged down the driveway toward his car. “You know them?”
“I took her appendix out last month.”
…
Drew knew the minute he’d seen Addie leave the house, he couldn’t keep away from her anymore. He hated that he’d hurt her. Even though it had been unintentional, she was too good to be treated like that. And he knew the moment he saw her standing outside, alone, her eyes filled with tears, that he never wanted to make her cry again. Unfortunately, that didn’t leave him with any options that were aligned with the promises he’d made for himself.
They were standing in the dark entrance of her apartment, and he wanted nothing more than to continue what they’d started outside, except he knew where it would lead, but he didn’t know that it would end in a place where she wouldn’t end up hurt. He’d rather take cold showers for the rest of his life than hurt Addie.
“Are you coming in?” she asked, taking off her coat and turning on a hallway lamp.
He kept his eyes trained on her face, knowing his self-control was at an all-time low. The only problem with looking into her eyes and her face was that she was heartbreakingly beautiful and her mouth was irresistible, and now that he knew their chemistry was off the charts, he wanted her even more. But she stood in front of him, in that dress that he’d been imagining taking off all night, and he didn’t know how he was going to handle staying here and not touching her. “Addie,” he began, running his hands through his hair roughly.
“Come in and I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself,” she said, turning on another light, and the small room was illuminated. He looked around, taking in the cheerful space. It suited her. One wall had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, each one filled to the brim with well-worn books. There was a Christmas tree in one corner and a chair that matched the sofa on the other end of the room.
“I’m trying to be a good guy and do the right thing,” he said, trying not to look below her chin. He stared at the bookshelf and walked over to it, taking in the titles, then moving on to look at the pictures that lined some of the shelves. He smiled as he spotted Addie and her sisters in most of them. He noticed Addie was holding different plaques or certificates.
“Did you win a lot of awards?” he asked.
She walked over to him and shrugged. “Different literature awards in high school and college. I was also a competitive figure skater. I won a lot of medals for that.”
She said it like it was no big deal. “Your parents must have been proud.”
She shrugged, and he was mad at himself for noticing the cleavage when she made that motion. “My dad was, I think,” she whispered, picking up a picture. It was her, with braces, and she was visibly heavy. She was still pretty, but he was starting to piece together the picture of her childhood with that mother. “I got a full scholarship to college,” she said, pointing to the picture. “My dad was so happy because he said at least it was one college tuition he didn’t have to worry about. They’d started college funds for us when we were babies, so we were all lucky, but we all ended up with scholarships.”
“That’s incredible.”
“They weren’t really big on the value of English Lit, but that’s okay. My brain wasn’t wired for science,” she said, putting the picture back down.
“Doesn’t mean it’s any less impressive. What’s this?” he asked, picking up a picture from the top shelf. It looked more recent, and it looked as though it was in a library.
“Oh, I won the Librarian of the Year award for my children’s programming,” she said with a smile.
“I can see that. You’re great with kids,” he said, falling in love with all these sides of Addie. Every time he went to pick Isabella up, kids lingered in her store and seemed to never want to leave her side. Isabella talked about her night and day. He thought about her night and day. How was he going to walk out of here tonight?
She shrugged. “I like them. I like their honesty, and I like being able to open them up to the world of books. They are a great outlet during rough times.”
He stared into her expressive blue eyes, seeing a world of hurt in them. “They got you through some rough years?”
She broke eye contact with him. “Stupid, teenage stuff. Nothing significant now that I’m twenty-six.”
Hell, she was younger than he thought. “Twenty-six is actually quite young, especially considering everything you’ve accomplished,” he said.
“My sisters and I were pushed to skip grades, so I finished school quite young. I’m an old soul,” she said with a laugh. �
�I think we should have a drink because this is starting to sound really boring and depressing.”
“Not at all. Hearing about your life isn’t boring, Addie.”
“Okay, well, what else do you want to know?”
“Who was the guy at Target and the coffee shop?”
Her eyes clouded over. “An ass from high school.”
He frowned. “Wasn’t he trying to pick you up?”
“Because he was too stupid to remember who I was.”
He let out a choked laugh. “Who were you?”
“I was the girl he bullied all through high school. I was known as Fatty Addie, and the night of the ChristmasFest in my senior year, he humiliated me in front of the entire town,” she said, grabbing a bottle of wine off the counter and pouring two glasses.
“What did he do, sweetheart?” he asked, masking the anger he felt as he heard the stupid nickname, knowing, understanding the damage that could do to an adolescent. A tenderness he didn’t know he had came over him as he read the hurt and vulnerability across her beautiful face.
She squeezed her eyes shut. “It shouldn’t matter, Drew. I’m a grown woman. It was a long time ago. People that mean nothing to me now. It’s pretty silly, and I don’t really want to talk about it.”
He leaned against the counter. “If it meant nothing, you wouldn’t have problems talking about it. Look, you don’t have to tell me, but don’t think I’m going to stand here judging you. I let you into my life, and you’ve seen firsthand the mess I created. I’m thirty-five and just trying to figure out how to be the person I want to be. Nothing you can tell me will change what I already know about you.”
She stared at him, her eyes shining with vulnerability, and for a second he thought she wasn’t going to open up, but she looked away and started speaking. “I hated high school. I didn’t fit in right from day one. I already had low self-esteem because I was compared, and found horribly lacking, to my sisters. I went into high school already knowing everything wrong with me. But year after year, day after day, I’d go to school and they’d call me names, they’d kick my chair from underneath me, they’d tape stuff to my locker, they’d laugh at me when I’d walk down the hall. I had no friends. Molly and Mel were older than me, and when Mel graduated, I was entirely alone.”
A Christmas Miracle for the Doctor Page 12
