“I’m not drunk,” she slurs, going to unbutton my jeans.
Grabbing her hands, I stop her. “You are drunk and I don’t want you to wake up regretting anything,” I gently explain.
“Get off me. Leave me alone,” she cries out, pushing at my hard chest. “You act like you want me, but that’s all it is right? You couldn’t possibly want someone like me.”
“Addilyn that’s not it at all. You’re drunk...”
“Get.Off.Of.Me,” she yells, covering her face. “Get the hell away from me.”
Doing what she asks, I grab my shirt off the floor. “It’s not like that. I want you just as badly, but not like this. Not when you’re drunk.”
She doesn’t say anything, just turns her entire body away from me. I want to stay. I want to climb in bed next to her and wrap my arms around her. Comfort her and help her fall asleep. But I won’t because right now what I need is distance from her.
I walk out the door without her even noticing and head toward the basement. There’s nowhere else in this house to go without someone finding you. Closing the door behind me, I flip on the lights and the train set comes to life. It’s a great distraction as I watch the small train travel around the track.
This whole situation is so damn complicated and it doesn’t need to be. If she’s feeling the same way I am, I just need to talk to her. But that’s going to have to wait until she’s sober, and until then I’m going to have to stay away. If I go back in there right now I’ll finish what we started.
After a while, I sit down on the small couch that is pushed in the corner and rest my head in my hands.
“Hiding out, huh?” Charles asks, scaring the shit out of me.
Snapping my head up, I stare at him with wide eyes. “Oh, well..” I try stalling.
He laughs and sits down next to me. “Relax. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve needed a break from the wife and found myself sitting down here alone. I love her, but sometimes I just need to step away.”
“Yeah, I just needed a minute,” I admit.
Pulling two cigars out of his robe pocket, he hands me one. “These Mitchell women can be a handful, but in the end it’s worth it.”
I light the cigar and pull out a puff of smoke. “Charles, I know this won’t make much sense to you, but I really like your daughter.”
He leans back, puffing on his cigar. “I figured you did,” he says.
“Yeah, she’s everything I never knew I was looking for. I hope you’re okay with it if we’re together. I know how important it is to her to have your approval,” I say, hoping I’m not giving too much away.
“I thought you were already together, why are you asking me now?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
Before I have a chance to answer Bridget is standing in front of us. “Put those disgusting things out in my house,” she groans, waving her hands around to clear the smoke. “Charles, I need your help putting the grandkids bikes together so bonding time is over. Unless you want to come help too, Nate.”
The rest of the night I help Addilyn’s parents put little bikes together for the kids. I’m done pretending, tomorrow is Christmas Eve and she’s going to know how I feel.
