Read Online The Bet (Addison #2) by Erica M. Christensen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Erica M. Christensen
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miss me.”
“Well, those weren’t my exact words…but I do miss you, a lot.” There’s a knock at my door.
“I think my mom and Thomas are back now. We’ll talk later.”
“Okay, have a great night!” I end the call and walk over to open the door. It is not just my mom and Thomas. Stephen is here too…
“Surprise, Addi!” My mom shouts and Thomas sports a big ol’ grin. Stephen stands there staring at me. I can’t tell if he wants to kiss me or kill me.
“Yeah, big surprise! Thanks, guys!” My mom has no idea about everything that happened between Stephen and myself. “How about you and Thomas make yourselves at home. I’m going to go on a walk with Stephen, it’s been awhile since we’ve talked.” I can’t tell if I want to vomit, cry, laugh, or maybe even a combination of the three. I grab my purse, kiss my mom on the cheek, and lead Stephen out of doorway.
“What the hell were you thinking coming here like this?” I whisper angrily so my mom can’t hear us outside the door. We start walking down the steps.
“I don’t know.” The sadness in his voice stings my heart. I can’t look at him. I won’t. “Addi, slow down.” We’re not far from the beach, maybe a solid six minute walk. I slow down so he can catch up. “I’m sorry for not telling you I was coming, but I knew if I told you you’d find some way to not be here or find a way to shut me out again.”
Through my peripherals I see him run his fingers through his long curly brown hair. Memories flash through my mind about the way his hair felt between my fingers. I shake the thought away and pick up my pace again.
“Walk faster, we’re almost to the beach,” I bite.
“Why didn’t you answer me, Addi?” He puts his hands in his jean pockets. “I called you, I texted you, over and over. I never thought you’d put me through this again.” We finally reach the beach. Luckily it’s not full of tourists and it’s just him and me and the sound of the ocean. We walk underneath the pier and I sit down in the sand, Stephen sits next to me. “Damn it, Addi. Talk to me! Jesus Christ. What did I do that was so wrong? I left my fucking fiancé for you and you ignored me for months, and now…now, that I’m here right in front of you, you want to ignore me some more?” His voice escalates.
“Don’t pull that bullshit on me, Stephen! You were going to take her back. She ran into the church and you held her. Did you come running after me? No—no, you didn’t. So don’t even fucking try to blame this on me.” My voice cracks, tears start to fall onto my cheeks.
“What was I supposed to do? You expected me to just push Rebecca away and run after you? Do you realize how badly that would have hurt her? Do you not give a shit about anyone else but yourself anymore, Addi?” He raises his voice and tugs at his hair.
“No, Stephen! We weren’t supposed to fall in love. None of this was supposed to happen. We were just supposed to be friends. That’s it. All of this other bullshit should have been avoided.” My body shakes from sobbing. Stephen wraps his arms around me tightly.
“You can deny it all you want, but we’re meant to be together…and I know deep down in your soul you know it too. I love you.” He kisses my forehead hard, and starts to cry with me.
“Please don’t say that. Don’t do this. Not now. You knew when I was leaving and you didn’t even come find me to tell me you broke things off with Rebecca.” I push him away, digging for every little piece of ammo I have to fire at him and not believe that what he’s saying is true.
“I did, Addi. I went to your mom’s house New Year’s Eve and you were gone. I planned on taking you to the old park and kissing you at midnight. A fresh start, a new year, a new life with you. But you were gone.” The waves splash up against the pilings of the pier, I zone in on the sound and my hands become tingly, numb. Everything is turning blurry, then suddenly
“Well, those weren’t my exact words…but I do miss you, a lot.” There’s a knock at my door.
“I think my mom and Thomas are back now. We’ll talk later.”
“Okay, have a great night!” I end the call and walk over to open the door. It is not just my mom and Thomas. Stephen is here too…
“Surprise, Addi!” My mom shouts and Thomas sports a big ol’ grin. Stephen stands there staring at me. I can’t tell if he wants to kiss me or kill me.
“Yeah, big surprise! Thanks, guys!” My mom has no idea about everything that happened between Stephen and myself. “How about you and Thomas make yourselves at home. I’m going to go on a walk with Stephen, it’s been awhile since we’ve talked.” I can’t tell if I want to vomit, cry, laugh, or maybe even a combination of the three. I grab my purse, kiss my mom on the cheek, and lead Stephen out of doorway.
“What the hell were you thinking coming here like this?” I whisper angrily so my mom can’t hear us outside the door. We start walking down the steps.
“I don’t know.” The sadness in his voice stings my heart. I can’t look at him. I won’t. “Addi, slow down.” We’re not far from the beach, maybe a solid six minute walk. I slow down so he can catch up. “I’m sorry for not telling you I was coming, but I knew if I told you you’d find some way to not be here or find a way to shut me out again.”
Through my peripherals I see him run his fingers through his long curly brown hair. Memories flash through my mind about the way his hair felt between my fingers. I shake the thought away and pick up my pace again.
“Walk faster, we’re almost to the beach,” I bite.
“Why didn’t you answer me, Addi?” He puts his hands in his jean pockets. “I called you, I texted you, over and over. I never thought you’d put me through this again.” We finally reach the beach. Luckily it’s not full of tourists and it’s just him and me and the sound of the ocean. We walk underneath the pier and I sit down in the sand, Stephen sits next to me. “Damn it, Addi. Talk to me! Jesus Christ. What did I do that was so wrong? I left my fucking fiancé for you and you ignored me for months, and now…now, that I’m here right in front of you, you want to ignore me some more?” His voice escalates.
“Don’t pull that bullshit on me, Stephen! You were going to take her back. She ran into the church and you held her. Did you come running after me? No—no, you didn’t. So don’t even fucking try to blame this on me.” My voice cracks, tears start to fall onto my cheeks.
“What was I supposed to do? You expected me to just push Rebecca away and run after you? Do you realize how badly that would have hurt her? Do you not give a shit about anyone else but yourself anymore, Addi?” He raises his voice and tugs at his hair.
“No, Stephen! We weren’t supposed to fall in love. None of this was supposed to happen. We were just supposed to be friends. That’s it. All of this other bullshit should have been avoided.” My body shakes from sobbing. Stephen wraps his arms around me tightly.
“You can deny it all you want, but we’re meant to be together…and I know deep down in your soul you know it too. I love you.” He kisses my forehead hard, and starts to cry with me.
“Please don’t say that. Don’t do this. Not now. You knew when I was leaving and you didn’t even come find me to tell me you broke things off with Rebecca.” I push him away, digging for every little piece of ammo I have to fire at him and not believe that what he’s saying is true.
“I did, Addi. I went to your mom’s house New Year’s Eve and you were gone. I planned on taking you to the old park and kissing you at midnight. A fresh start, a new year, a new life with you. But you were gone.” The waves splash up against the pilings of the pier, I zone in on the sound and my hands become tingly, numb. Everything is turning blurry, then suddenly
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