“I need a month or so to pull my thoughts together and then I’ll present. They could still make it difficult if they want. They could reject my thesis, or ask for more research, or a rewrite. There are about a hundred different ways they could avoid passing me if they were so inclined.”
“Duncan was the one who was spearheading the witch hunt, and that was because he felt responsible for letting you ‘ruin me,’” Blaire says, making air quotes. “If any of the others feel the same way, they’ll probably just pass you so they don’t have to deal with you anymore.”
“We’ll find out,” Caiden says, squeezing her waist.
“Can you guys stay for burgers?” I ask.
Blaire grins. “Sam Hill?”
I nod, knowing she’s in. When we were kids and Mom forgot to bring anything home for dinner, Blaire would pinch a twenty from her purse and we’d walk to Sam Hill.
“God, it’s been forever since I’ve had a Sam Hill burger,” she says.
“What’s a Sam Hill burger?” Caiden asks.
She takes his hand and tows him toward the door. “You’re about to find out.”
Since town is on Blaire and Caiden’s way home, we take separate cars. I’m relieved for Addie when I don’t see Bruce’s car out front when we pull up to the saloon. We find a table near the bar and Bran comes over.
“Holy shit,” he says, pulling Blaire up by a hand and giving her the once over. He crushes her in a hug. “It’s been way too long.”
Carol comes over and gets our order, and on a whim, I order two burgers to go. I try to convince myself they’re for later, but I know I’m looking for any excuse to see Addie again. I just have to figure out how to not seem like a stalker, and bringing then dinner unannounced is only slightly creepy.
Our food comes and I devour my burger then go after Blaire’s. She smacks my hand away. “Hands off my food. You have two more coming.”
I open my mouth to tell her they’re for someone else. If there’s anyone who might understand what I think I might be feeling for Addie, it’s Blaire. But I’m not quite ready to admit out loud what’s going on in my head.
Carol comes out from the kitchen with two grease-stained paper bags and set them on the table with the bill. “You know the record’s five,” she says, nodding at my empty plate.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Caiden throws a pair of twenties on the table, but I push them back toward him. “It’s on me.”
Carol smirks at me. “Marcus gets the family discount.”
Caiden looks at me. “Family discount?”
“He only pays for alcohol,” she says.
I give Carol the eye. “So much for my grand gesture.”
He hands a twenty to Carol. “Tip, then.”
She takes it with a grin and tucks it into the short apron strung under her round belly. “Nice to know stingy doesn’t run in your family, Marcus.”
We head to the cars and Blaire pulls me into an extra long hug.
“You’re going to be okay?” I ask.
She nods against my shoulder. “Eventually.”
Caiden holds out his hand and I shake. “Take care of her,” I tell him.
He nods and guides her to their car.
I climb in the truck and set the burgers on the passenger seat, then head to Addie’s. I sit in front of her house for a long time trying to decide why I’m really here. The only answer I keep coming back to is that I need to get a better grip on what I’m feeling for her.
I should leave, but I’m not going to. Short of that, I should call to warn her instead of just showing up on her doorstep. But there’s a part of me that’s afraid she’ll shoot me down if I do. When she got out of my truck a few hours ago, I was so scrambled I barely said good-bye, and now here I am with burgers. I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore.
I grab the bags off my passenger seat before I can talk myself out of this and move to her door, but about halfway up the walk, I hear a crash and a yell. I jog up the porch steps then stop on her stoop and listen. Voices start from inside, but the tones are low. I listen long enough to determine that no one’s hurt and there doesn’t seem to be an argument before ringing the bell. A minute later, the door is pulled open and I find myself face to face with a glaring Bruce. But despite his bloodshot eyes and ashen face, he looks totally different—more lucid.
“What do you want?” he asks.
Over his shoulder, I see Addie in the kitchen. There’s a small mound of cooked spaghetti at her feet, and more scattered under the kitchen table and toward the family room.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“It’s fine,” Bruce says, still giving me the eye.
“I, um…wasn’t sure if you’d eaten, so…” I hold up the burger bags.
Addie starts toward us. “We were working on it before the kitchen exploded,” she says with a flick of her wrist toward the spaghetti mess behind her.
Bruce’s face twists into chagrin and he steps away from the door.
“Come in,” Addie says, coming over and taking the bags.
I follow her deeper into the room and close the door as Bruce drops into the recliner and rubs his face.
“Only two?” she asks, holding up the bags.
I hold up my hands. “I ate already.”