Chapter 46

Axton

I almost convince myself she slipped out of the restroom when I blinked because it seems like she’s been in there forever. I cut my eyes back to the douchebag she’s with tonight. Of course, he’s leering at me like I’m about to take his favorite toy.

She was mine first, motherfucker.

I just give him a quick grin and turn my focus back toward the restroom, breathing a sigh of relief when I see the door pull open from the inside and her turquoise dress flash before she steps out.

I’ve seen a million girls wearing off-the-shoulder top, ruffle dresses with cowboy boots. Hell, it seems to be the dress code for places like this over the last several years, but no one, and I mean no one, has pulled it off better than Adelaide Hatfield.

She eyes the man at her table with distaste as she walks up, studiously avoiding eye contact with me. It’s a stark contradiction to the way she held my gaze before she got up and left. She doesn’t want to be here with him.

Mid-song, I change my tactic.

“I have a special surprise for y’all tonight,” I speak into the mic. “One of my dear friends is here in the audience.”

The crowd cheers, looking around to see if they recognize someone from my posts. Many eyes land on Addi. There’s no denying she’s the one who’s held my attention all night.

“Even risking the loss of a couple fans because her voice is better than mine any day of the week...” I pause when she stops cold. Turning to face me, she slightly shakes her head, but the begging in her eyes doesn’t have anything to do with what she suspects. I ignore it. “Adelaide Hatfield, will you join me?”

With one hand, I grip my guitar to my chest so it doesn’t clatter to the floor while reaching out to her with my other. The ten feet separating us seems like a million miles as she stares at my hand like it’s going to consume her in a raging fire.

I burn for you constantly.

“No,” she mouths as the dude she’s with stands and reaches for her.

Her eyes dart from his hand to mine and back again, and I have to wonder what kind of serious jerk he is when she reaches for me. My fingers close around the warmth of her hand as I help her up the step to the stage. She could’ve easily maneuvered it on her own, but I’ll take any chance of touching her.

“What are you doing?” she asks as she takes a seat on the stool Carson brings out without me having to ask.

“You don’t look very happy,” I mutter, mouth away from the mic so no one else can hear. “And I couldn’t let you leave without stealing some of your time.”

My fingers automatically begin playing the opening chords to “Take Your Time” by Sam Hunt, recalling how she thought I was singing that song to another woman after she watched the video. My hand drifts, playing the tune of the song we sat on my couch and built together.

“Do you remember it?” I ask as recognition lights her face.

“Yes,” she answers almost breathlessly.

“Will you sing with me?”

Her eyes dart to the crowd, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“It’s just like singing in church,” I offer.

“Not even close,” she says, smiling at me.

That smile is my entire reason for living.

“Don’t leave me hanging,” I tell her, and begin to sing.

Like the angel she is, her part starts exactly where it needs to. I can smell her soft perfume as she leans in close to share the single mic on the stage. The sight of her pulse thrumming in her neck and the tiny bead of sweat rolling down her throat makes my mouth water. I lick my lips, looking away and preparing for my next part. The dude she’s with is seething. Even from this far away, I can see him white-knuckling the table.

Not giving a shit about that asshole, I face her, singing to her about all my love, my dedication. Letting her know she’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. She does the same, singing back to me as if we’re the only two in the room.

The song ends way too soon, and I almost start it over just so I can have another three minutes in front of her.

She looks at her date, freezing when she sees the angry look on his face. The crowd, having put two and two together, begins to chant her name, and her face flushes even more. Leaning my guitar against the leg of my stool, I stand. She follows my lead, giving the excited patrons a small curtsy. I pull her to my chest, breathing her in, knowing she won’t pull away in front of a crowd.

“I can tell you don’t want to be here with him,” I murmur in her ear. “I don’t want you unsafe.”

“My sister hasn’t answered my texts, and I’m sure the Uber I ordered has taken off,” she whispers back as her arms wrap around me in a brotherly way. I hate it.

“Go back with Carson,” I instruct. “Stay with him until I’m done and I’ll make sure you get home safely.”

She nods against my chest, and when she pulls away, she doesn’t bother looking over her shoulder at her date.

“Adelaide Hatfield, ladies and gentleman, the love of my life.”

She nearly stumbles into Carson’s arms as she hears my words and tries to step down in the back at the same time.

I smile and turn back to the crowd. Not giving a single fuck that her date is storming toward the front door, I pick my guitar back up and finish my set.

Amazed to find Addi still waiting for me off the stage, I smile wide and hand off my guitar to Carson.

“Thanks, man,” I tell him before giving her my undivided attention.

She smiles sweetly, perfect for her, but not the sultry desire I wish I saw in her eyes.

“It’s so good to see you.”

“You look great,” she offers, and I know she’s thinking back to my impromptu visit at the hospital. I felt horrible that day and looked even worse.

“I stopped drinking, stopped partying. I stopped…all of it.”

I don’t tell her I quit sleeping with random women, but I hope she can see it from the love I only feel for her in my eyes.

She stands, staring at me, so I break the silence, opting for the conversation we both know is coming.

“Who was that guy?”

“A friend,” she answers.

My eyebrow raises.

“Not that kind of friend,” she explains. “He’s a guy my parents practically forced me to go out with.”

“Gabe?” She nods, a little taken back that I recall his name from our conversation after I went to church with her. “The one who looks good on paper.”

“Exactly.” Surprise is evident in her wide eyes. “You remembered.”

“I did,” I tell her. No sense in freaking her out by letting her know I’ve heard and remembered everything she’s ever said to me.

“Can I give you a ride home?” I angle my head toward the entrance behind the stage used for employees. “I’m parked right out back.”

Before answering, she looks down at her phone, frowning when the screen is blank. “I have no idea where Mandy is. Thank goodness it wasn’t an emergency.” She looks up at me. “A ride home would be perfect.”

I push the back entrance open, waiting for her to slide past before nodding to Carson on the other side of the small room as he speaks with the bar owner.

When we arrive at my truck, I hold the door open for her but don’t touch her, even though I’d sell my soul just to feel the warmth of her skin against mine.

“Adelaide!” I turn to see Gabe rushing across the parking lot toward us.

Addi freezes, half in the truck and half out before climbing all the way in. She’s snapping her seatbelt in place by the time he makes it to us. Noticing her unease, I step into the space created by the open door, effectively putting myself between him and her.

I take a calming breath as he encroaches, talking myself down from starting with a fist to his nose. The natural instinct is hard to push down, but Addi doesn’t seem like the type of girl who would be impressed with violence.

“What’s going on?” he asks, trying to look around me so he can see her face.

“We’re old friends, man. Just gonna get caught up.” Why I’m explaining myself to him, I have no idea, but keeping the peace until he acts like a total asshole is the plan.

“Seriously?” He looks past me again first to the right then the left telling me that Addi is straining her neck so she can speak to him. “You came here with me.”

And she’s leaving with me.

“No big deal,” she appeases with a shaky voice. “My house is on the way home for him. You’re in the opposite direction. This is easier.”

He huffs, but no humor is in his eyes when he glares at her. “Your parents expect me to get you home safe.”

“She’s safe with me, Gabe.” His head snaps in my direction, surprised I know his name. “We’re old friends.”

I clench my hands, preparing them for the pop to his face. The action doesn’t go unnoticed.

“They won’t be very happy about this,” Gabe manipulates.

“They’ve met Axton. They’ll be perfectly fine,” she assures him. “Besides, I’m grown.”

I turn toward Addi, ignoring the clinger behind me. “Are we really going to sit here and explain to him that you’re leaving with me? I’m not the type, Addi, and you know it.”

Frowning, she looks past me. “Thank you for the evening, Gabriel.”

“We haven’t even had dinner. Can I see you again?” Gabe, flustered at the change of events, takes another step forward. Instinctively, my hand goes up to press against his chest, but he backs down.

“I’ll see you at church on Sunday,” she offers, making me want to invite myself just so I can keep him away from her.

I step away from the truck and close her door. She’s dismissed him and I’m not wasting any more time on him.

“She deserves better than you,” he seethes as I step past him toward the driver’s side. “When she figures you out, she’ll be running for the hills,” he mumbles so she can’t hear him.

She’s already done that, prick.

I pull open the driver’s side door and stare at him over the hood. “Addi knows everything about me, yet she’s still in my truck, not yours.”

I laugh at the dust kicking up under his loafers as he spins and walks away.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she mumbles when I close my door and crank the truck.

“Of course I did,” I object. “Want to explain to me why you are in my truck rather than his? He had to have done something awful for you to choose the guy you hate over him.”

“That’s not…” she pauses. “I don’t hate you.”

“Dislike,” I correct as I pull out onto the street.

“Not even a little,” she says, turning her head to look out her window.

We make the rest of the drive in silence. With her contemplative mood, she doesn’t seem to want to talk. I only have another minute or so with her, but I don’t want to frustrate her. I need to figure out a way to convince her to hang out with me. I need her to see how much I still love her, how bad I need her in my life.

“That’s weird,” she mumbles when we pull up to the house and it’s oddly dark.

Nervous, she looks from the empty driveway back to me.

“Where is everyone?” I won’t tell her I’ve driven by numerous times and I’m well aware Elijah, Renee, and their baby are living here.

“Family dinner maybe?” she answers. “I must have forgotten.”

She looks over her shoulder and down the street. She doesn’t want to be alone.

“Okay,” I tell her, putting the truck in reverse.

“Where are we going?” she asks as I back out of her driveway.

I shrug. “Back to my place. I don’t know what the deal is with that asshole back at the bar, but I don’t want you here alone.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” she says with a small voice.

“We’ll catch up,” I say, flashing a smile. “It’ll be fun.”

“Yeah,” she laughs without humor. “Fun.”