Chapter 32
THIRTY-TWO
AN UNWELCOME VISITOR
Addison
“I’m so sorry I’m late!” I shouted into the quiet house.
It was Christmas Eve, and I had promised my grandmothers I’d be over thirty minutes earlier to start prepping our Christmas Day meal.
But I’d stayed at Beckett’s and had to run back to my place before I headed to their house.
I’d let Beckett pack my bag for the night, and he’d “accidentally” packed the lingerie I’d never worn and no pants.
And I needed pants to see my grandmothers.
I shut the door behind me and whirled only to stop in my tracks. There was a woman I’d never met standing at the end of the entryway. She was a pretty blonde wearing light blue scrubs and a wide smile.
“Hi, you must be Addison,” she said brightly.
“Umm…yes, I am. Unfortunately, I don’t know your name.”
She paced toward me with her hand outstretched. “Yes, I’m sorry. I’m Mary, the new nurse.”
I shook her hand and knew my confusion was written all over my face. “Who—how—I’m sorry, I’m not sure how else to phrase this, but what do you mean? What are you doing here?”
She laughed and dropped my hand. “No worries. Beckett Crawford and Cindy Johnson sent me. I’m here to replace your usual nurse for Ms. Helen.”
The pieces began to fit together, and my concern ebbed. Beckett hadn’t mentioned helping with the nurse since Caroline and Natalie caught us together a few weeks ago, but I should have known he wouldn’t have forgotten. That he would find a solution.
A solution that I was eternally thankful for because I had run out of options.
The only options I had left were selling pictures of my feet or other more explicit videos.
I heard both were lucrative, and I really admired people who had the confidence to do so.
I, however, didn’t really know if I was one of them.
“Okay, gotcha,” I said with a sigh. “Well, let’s go in. I’d love to get to know you better.”
“Yes, I would love that, too.”
We walked down the hallway and into the living room. I saw Grams first, walking into the room from the kitchen on the left and wiping her hands on a towel draped over her shoulder.
“Hi, Addie Wren. How are you, honey?”
“Good, how are you?”
She glanced over my shoulder at Mary and then at Nana, who had an uncharacteristically wide smile across her face.
“We’re good. Very good, actually.” She patted my shoulders, and I turned to Nana. She was leaning back in her chair, speaking quietly to Mary.
Nana noticed me and waved me over. Dropping my bag by the couch and shrugging off my coat, I crossed to her.
“Sit, sit,” she instructed me. “Get to know our new nurse, Mary.”
Doing as she asked, I sat in the chair next to hers. Mary perched in Nana’s walker, she crossed her legs and folded her hands politely in her lap.
Apparently, I was very late to the party because Nana already knew almost everything about Mary. She recited her entire personal and professional history.
She’d been a nurse for thirteen years, working mostly with people Nana’s age and with similar conditions. She was married but didn’t have any children. She was an amateur photographer, and honestly, she seemed genuine and kind.
Even if I’d had a say, she was exactly who I would have picked to take care of my grandmothers.
“I can’t believe the insurance company hasn’t reached out to me yet,” I muttered. “I expected them to call after—”
“Oh, no,” Mary interjected with a wave of her hand. “When Cindy’s involved, she makes stuff happen. Everything will likely go through her now. I’ll give her your contact information, or you can also get it from Beckett if you’d prefer.”
“Yeah, I’ll get it from Beckett,” I said, standing from my chair and retrieving my phone from my back pocket. “I’m actually going to call him real quick. Thank him for figuring it all out.”
Nana smiled up at me. “Yes, do that, Addie Wren. And tell him we say ‘hi’ and wish him a Merry Christmas.”
Running my tongue over my teeth to suppress my laughter, I nodded. Beckett wouldn’t have issues with Nana anymore. One nurse later, and he’d absolutely won her over.
“I’ll be right back, then I’ll come help,” I mentioned to Grams as I passed the kitchen and slipped my coat back on.
“Of course, honey,” she said, rubbing a delicious compound butter over the turkey. She didn’t even look up. “Take your time.”
I strode down the hallway and stepped out onto the little porch and into the chilly afternoon. Taking a seat on the weathered wood bench, I tapped Beckett’s name and put the phone to my ear. He answered only a few rings later.
“Hey, baby girl.” His low voice murmured through the phone, and my heart lifted as I smiled.
“You’ve been keeping secrets.”
He laughed, and I heard a door close. “I have, but I figured you’d forgive me.”
Humming, I leaned back in my seat, watching a family stroll down the street pushing a stroller and following another kid on a bike. She could barely reach the handlebars in her oversized coat.
“I guess I will,” I sighed playfully. “Just be glad that I like you and that it’s your first strike.”
He chuckled again, and I imagined his smile, the faint lines around his mouth and eyes crinkling with the movement and his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“That’s so gracious of you, baby girl. So, what do you think of Mary?”
“She’s great. Perfect. I can’t believe you pulled this off.”
“It was no big deal,” he said. “Just a matter of finding the right person. I told you Cindy would take care of it.”
“Yes, please tell her I appreciate it. I should also probably get her number, too. Just in case.”
“Yeah, no problem. I’ll send it to you.”
“Thank you. So, how’s your Christmas Eve going?”
Another younger couple walked by, and I tightened my coat around me as a breeze blew across the porch. The bench squeaked beneath me as I tucked my legs up against my chest. Cringing, I hoped the bottom wouldn’t fall out from under me.
Beckett sighed, and I heard rustling on the other end. “It’s good. My parents are here. My mom and brother are cooking, and I was kicked out of the kitchen a few minutes ago. Apparently, I’m not very much help, and I messed up their system.”
Scrubbing my hand over my mouth, I couldn’t contain my laughter. “I’ll be in the same boat here soon. Grams is working on the turkey for tomorrow, and I’m bound to mess something up at least a few times. How long are your parents in town?”
“Just until tomorrow. They’ve already asked about you a few times, too.”
I sat up straight and sucked in a breath. I didn’t know much about Beckett’s parents, but the thought of them knowing about me made me want to vomit. I knew their names, Jackie and Gavin, and I knew they were nice people. I mean, they’d raised an amazing son.
“They—they asked about me?”
“Of course, they did. Andrew hasn’t stopped teasing me about it, but also, I kind of talk about you…a lot.”
I smiled and relaxed as much as I could. “How do they feel about…us?”
He hummed, and I wished I could see his expression. “They’re happy I’m happy. And they can’t wait to meet you.” I was silent for so long, running through every iteration of us meeting, that Beckett cleared his throat. “Or not?”
I could hear the doubt lacing each of his words, and that was the last thing I wanted him to feel.
“No, no, it’s not that. It’s just…the idea makes me want to vomit. I’m so nervous to meet them.”
He chuckled, all doubt disappearing with that one deep sound. “Well, if it makes you feel better, I’m not nervous at all. They’re gonna love you, baby girl.”
“I hope—” You’re right, I was going to say, but a car I knew all too well pulled into the driveway, and my words broke off.
“What the hell?” I muttered under my breath but loud enough for Beckett to hear.
I blinked a few times as Owen stepped out of his car and slammed the door shut behind him.
I didn’t know what to think or how to react.
What the hell was he doing here?
“What’s wrong?” Beckett said, and I heard the concern in his voice, but I didn’t immediately respond. I was shocked into silence as Owen locked eyes with me. “Addison?”
“Sorry, umm…Owen’s here.”
“At your grandmothers’?”
I nodded, then realized he couldn’t see me. Swallowing, I croaked out, “Yeah.”
“What the hell does he want?” Beckett asked quietly, anger simmering beneath each word, as Owen slowly grew closer.
“I’m not sure, but he’s walking up to the porch, so I guess I’m gonna find out.”
“Fuck, I hate this. I wish I were there. Just keep me on the phone, okay? Don’t hang up.”
I wished Beckett was there, too. It made me feel better having him at my back—literally—the last time I saw Owen.
“I won’t,” I said quickly. Still holding the phone, I dropped it to my side as Owen stepped onto the porch.
“Hey, Addie,” he said softly. His hands were tucked into the front pockets of his jeans, and he was wearing the same black zip-up jacket he always did.
“Owen,” I said by way of greeting.
“I know you’re probably asking yourself what the hell I’m doing here.”
I didn’t think his stupid comment warranted a response.
He sighed and ran a hand through his brown hair. “I just couldn’t…I don’t want to let you go. I came by to plead my case one more time and hope that you would hear me out. And maybe I would be able to see how your grandmothers are doing? I’ve missed them.”
I sighed. “You can’t be serious.”
“I really wish I wasn’t, but I am. You won’t return my calls or respond to my texts. You can’t blame me for trying. You’re a fucking catch. And I’m willing to overlook the cheating. I know it was a one-time thing, and I can move past it.”
“Unfortunately, you realized that much too late,” I quipped, tucking my hands and my phone into my coat pockets.
“I’m—” I was about to apologize, then realized I’d already apologized for cheating, and other than that, I didn’t have anything else to apologize for.
So, I swallowed the words instead. “Your effort is noted, Owen, but this is pointless. I blocked your number, that’s why I haven’t responded, and we didn’t work for a reason.
We broke up for a reason. And can you really say you never cheated on me?
Not that it makes what I did any better, but we’re better off apart. ”
He scrubbed a hand over his mouth and took a step toward me. Reflexively, I took a step back, and I could see his jaw work in irritation. His eyes roamed over my face, like he was looking for a flicker of doubt in my expression. But when he found none, he finally nodded his head.
“If you’re really sure…”
“I’m sure, Owen. I’m really sure.”
“There’s nothing I can do? I mean, I realize I was a shitty boyfriend, but I can try harder. I can be who you want me to be. Can’t you give me another chance? We were together for so long. How can you throw it away?”
Sighing, I shook my head, irritation growing with every second he stood there. “No, I can’t, and I won’t. I’m done, Owen. You need to be, too.”
“Okay, okay,” he muttered. He looked like he was about to walk away, but he stopped and turned back at the last second. I tensed under his stare and braced myself for what he was about to say. “Are you still with that other guy?”
Unsure of his reaction, I didn’t want to lie, so I dipped my head slightly.
Owen nodded in understanding. “Well, I hope he’s everything you want. That he treats you better than I did.”
I didn’t move until Owen was back in his car and driving down the street. When he disappeared, I fished my phone out of my coat pocket, noting that Beckett was still there.
“Did you hear any of that?”
“Yeah, I heard all of it,” he said.
“I think he might have actually gotten the point this time,” I said optimistically. “At least I hope he did.”
“Fuck, I’m sorry I wasn’t there. But if he tries again, we’ll go the legal route. We’ll get a court order if we need to.”
I paced farther down the porch, to the end with Nana’s ramp, and smiled at his protectiveness.
It felt good to be cared about like that.
That he was willing to stop at nothing to make sure I was safe and cared for.
It felt so good, but it was equally terrifying.
Because now, I had somebody I was desperate not to lose.
“I just wanted you to know…somehow you’re mine, baby girl, and I’m going to show you every day how grateful I am for you.”