Chapter 47

Adelaide

“Things still look the same,” I say as we walk into the front door of Axton’s house.

“It’s only been a couple months, Addi.” He heads into the kitchen.

“Seems like forever,” I mutter to myself.

“Want something to drink?” he asks as he bends low with his head in the fridge.

“Water would be great.”

I look around, standing awkwardly in his living room.

“Why did you agree to this?” I mutter, even though I know why.

I can blame it on the fact that I’m scared to be home alone after Gabe giving me the creeps, and I am, but more so, I just want to be near him. His home, the first place I bared myself to him, may have been the wrong choice, but I couldn’t taint my own house with more memories of him.

“Will Carson be home soon?”

I take the bottle of water he proffers and a seat on the couch when he sweeps his arm that way.

“You afraid to be alone with me?” A mischievous glint in his eyes make me smile.

“I didn’t say that.”

“I won’t bite,” he whispers. “Unless you want me to.”

I shake my head. There’s no way I can spend time with him, because I’m not appalled by his words, I’m intrigued, and that’s dangerous.

“I should’ve stayed home.”

“No, please,” he says, reaching but not touching me, a much needed reprieve. “I’ll quit with the innuendos. It’ll be hard—”

I narrow my eyes at him and he chuckles.

“It’ll be difficult,” he corrects. “But I’d rather just sit here and chat than have you running from the house because of what’s running through my head.”

“He gave me the creeps,” I tell him, changing the subject to one I don’t want to think about but is way safer than the track he’s heading down.

“Gabe?” I nod. “Why go out with him if he makes you uncomfortable?”

I don’t really have an answer. “To get my parents off my back.”

“I don’t think that’s a good enough reason,” he counters.

“Seemed like one at the time.” Actually, it didn’t. “I never gave him a real chance.”

“And you want to now? I can tell you, Addi, gut instinct is a real thing and should never be ignored. If there’s something you don’t like about him, there’s a reason for that.”

“I had the gut instinct to stay away from you,” I say with a smile.

“Because I was a creeper?” He smiles wider. “Or because I was so irresistible, you knew you’d fall in love with me?”

My breath hitches. “Seems you haven’t lost that ego,” I tell him, avoiding the question. “Gabe is just…I can’t even explain it.”

“I get what you’re saying.”

I look down the hall, needing to get away for a few minutes, but not wanting to go that far. I shoot off another text to Mandy. “May I use your restroom?”

“Sure,” he says, standing from the sofa. “But you better use mine. There’s no telling what the one in the hall looks like.”

I follow him to his room, stopping at the threshold.

“Maybe I should just go home.”

He sits on the edge of the bed. “I’m not trying to creep you out.” He stands almost immediately. “I’ll wait on the couch.”

He gives me a wide berth as he walks past. I keep my eyes off the bed, unable to look at it without a zing of desperation that has only reduced to a low hum since the night in Atlanta. I may not trust him to give me everything I need in life, but my body is more than aware he’s able to handle that department.

I step inside the restroom, locking the door more for peace of mind, and look at myself in the mirror. Eyes so dark they seem black rather than brown stare back at me.

“How do you keep ending up here?” I don’t mean in his bathroom, because that hasn’t happened often, but how do I end up sucked into his vortex, unable and unwilling to let the opportunity to spend time with him slip away?

I splash water on my face, then have to use a clean washcloth from the shelf to take all my makeup off. Better to go out fresh-faced than face him with mascara streaking down my cheeks. I don’t want to appear as if I’ve been crying. I don’t want him to think—to know—he has that much power over me.

When I step out, his room remains empty, just as I expected it to be. I head to the door, but a familiar green shirt catches my eye. I touch the soft fabric, my heart increasing in rhythm.

“Did you get lost?” Axton asks as he pushes open his cracked bedroom door.

I point to the shirt. “Macon Music Academy?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I’ve been really bored,” he offers as an excuse. “I didn’t realize how much time I spent drinking and partying, and then recovering from the good time until I stopped doing it. I’m volunteering there for a few weeks.”

“Just a few weeks?”

He points a little farther to the left to a stack of books I didn’t notice before. Basic college books for math, English, and a computer class.

“You’re going to school?” I’m perplexed. “I thought you were expelled for a year.”

“I am, from the university. I’m taking some core classes at the community college. Come to find out, I only have two credits.” He shrugs, like it’s no big deal, and I can tell it’s directed at having to attend the less prestigious school, not that he only has a couple credits.

Who is this man?

“I took piano at Macon Music Academy,” I say absently.

“I didn’t realize you could play. If you’re not busy after graduation, you can come help some of the kids. They have an outreach group for less fortunate kids. That’s where I spend my time.”

I laugh at his offer. “I said I took piano, not that I can play. I’m not coordinated enough, and my lessons didn’t last very long. They wouldn’t learn a thing from me except how to quit.”

“I can teach you. Well, to play guitar. I never was able to spend the time it takes to learn piano.”

“When are your classes?” I ask, changing the subject again.

“I start in two weeks. Four classes total this summer, then I’m looking at fifteen hours in the fall.”

I raise an eyebrow. “That’s…ambitious.”

“I had to grow up sooner or later,” he says softly. “These days, I’m all about making amends and catching up on things I’ve slacked on in the past.”

He holds my eyes, watching me, as if he’s talking about something other than going to school and finding alternative ways to spend his time.

“Maybe you can help me study,” he says after an endless moment.

“I can try,” I lie, not mentioning that I’ll be living in a two room apartment in Atlanta in three weeks.

“I bet you got good grades in school,” he praises, stepping out of my way as I walk toward him. I have to leave this room. The entire thing smells of him, and the delicious scent is seeping into me, making me want things from him I could never ask for, wanting to give him things he wouldn’t cherish the way I need him to.

“I know math may not be your strong suit, but I bet you could totally rock an English paper.”

I’m laughing by the time I take my seat on the sofa. “One, how do you know I suck at math? And two, I’m not going to write papers for you.”

“One,” he smirks, “you said you hated your accounting class, and two, I guess old tricks die hard.”

“I struggled with my accounting class because the teacher’s accent was very heavy and hard to understand. I was nervous about it because I’ve heard so many other business majors complaining about it. I aced it, just so you know.”

“So you can help me with math?”

I chuckle. “Is that all you got out of that?”

“I suck at it,” he tells me. “I was pretty sure I’d be in the tutorial lab all semester.”

“You’d do that? Actually see a tutor?”

He nods. “If it’s what it takes to pass the class? Of course. I’m not wasting another minute or dime. If I’m registered, I’m going to be in school.”

“That’s pretty awesome, Axton.”

“Don’t look so shocked. I didn’t say I was going to skip all the way to school and join the debate team or anything. I just know how important it is for my future.”

“And music?”

“I’m going to play around town every other week or so during the summer. We’ll reevaluate the fall semester once I get that class schedule.”

“You’ll be busy,” I comment.

My phone chirps with a text and I look down.

Mandy: Sorry for going AWOL. Mom and Dad had family night and made us turn our phones off.

Me: I’m at Axton’s. Can you swing by and get me?

Mandy: Are you joking with me?

Me: Please come get me.

“Your sister?” he asks

“Yeah. She’s on her way to get me.” He frowns. “They had family night. Mom makes everyone turn off their phones.”

“Kind of dangerous, isn’t it?”

I shake my head. “Not really. They still have a landline, but I won’t call that unless it’s a legit emergency. They’re not going to be pleased when they find out I ditched Gabe tonight.”

“Well, if you ever need to get out of another date with him, I’m your guy,” he offers.

“I’m never going to put myself in that situation again. It’s going to be bad enough having to face him at church, but he acts calmer when his parents are around.”

“I can always go with you.”

“What?” I look up at him, confused.

“To church,” he says. “I can go with you to church.”

“Like, this week?”

“Every week,” he says with a genuine smile.

“You want to go to church?”

“I want to see you again. Besides, it wasn’t so bad the last time I was there.”

I laugh, unsure of what to say. A horn blares from outside.

“That’s my ride,” I say, bolting from the couch toward the door.

“Addi,” he says before I can reach the knob. “What time should I pick you up for church?”

“We leave the house at nine,” I tell him.

“See you then.” He smiles, and I walk to my sister’s car, hating that he didn’t at least wrap me in a hug.