“Right, because having everyone think Ifuckedmy way into the role is great. That must be why I lashed out at you.” Addie shot her a scathing glance. “Oh, wait… that’s not whatIdid, is it?”
After a moment of cycling through guilt and embarrassment,Toni opted to be honest about her reaction. “Em says that if we deny it—us, the wedding—I look like a predator.”
Addie was not having it. “Oh, I can see how that excuses your bullshit today, because it looks sogreatfor me. I simply love that it looks like I earned this role on my back.”
Toni flinched visibly. “I’m sorry.”
“The wedding was your idea,” Addie reminded her.
“I know.”
“And the pictures…” Addie sniffled. “You can tell them it was an act.”
“I’m not an actor,” Toni said weakly.
“Then tell them you were justfuckingme. Tell them you were pretending you care about me.” Addie bit out the words as tears spilled.
“Addie, I wasn’tpretendingto care.” Toni wasn’t going to overtly admit how deep her feelings were or that she was terrified seeing the proof of it in those pictures. And she sure as hell wasn’t going to admit that this had stirred up her feelings about being just like her dad.
I won’t ruin your life like he ruined my mother’s,Toni promised silently.
“You look like you actually like me in those pictures.Reallylike me. Like I matter to you.” Addie pulled off her sunglasses finally. “I looked at the pictures.”
Toni sighed. “I do like you, Addie. We both know that. We’re friends, aren’t we? We spent a year emailing. Friends care, right?”
“I don’t know. Myfriendswouldn’t refer to me as a woman they fuck,” Addie said coldly before wiping away her tears and putting her sunglasses back on.
They were silent as they walked to the gate. Addie’s steps were sharp, as if she were trying to stab the floor with each footfall. Anyone who thought dating women was easier than dating men hadn’t ever dealt with an angry woman.
Not that we’re dating!Toni’s brain filled in quickly.We’re friends who ended up in a situationship sort of thing. That’s all this is.
Toni had been a lousy friend today, though. That detail was indisputable. She reached out and took the handle of Addie’s carry-on. “Let me take this for you.”
Addie shot her an unreadable look, but she cooperated. It wasn’t much, but Toni felt relieved by it. Eventually, Addie’s rapid steps slowed to an almost normal walk. She’d walked her anger off to some degree, or maybe her temper relaxed with enough time. Whatever it was, Toni was grateful.
By the time they reached the gate, Toni’s phone buzzed. She glanced down, bracing for another disaster.
“Upgraded” was all it said.
“We need to stop at the desk,” Toni murmured when Addie gave her a curious look. “New boarding passes.”
Addie made a sort of agreeing noise, but she said nothing. She stayed at Toni’s side as they stopped at the gate.
“We need to pick up new boarding passes,” Toni said, pulling out her ID and handing it over.
After a moment of digging in her bag, Addie held hers out, too. She stayed silent as the woman printed the updated passes.
“Here you go.” The cheerful gate agent handed the passes and IDs to Toni with a smile and a few other pleasantries Toni barely heard because Addie had walked away.
“Sorry,” Toni murmured to the gate agent before following Addie.
Addie picked a seat in the corner, as far from the others waiting for the flight as she could be without leaving this gate. When Toni sat next to her, Addie held out a hand for her pass silently.
“We’re in row two now,” Toni offered, handing over the boarding pass and Addie’s driver’s license.
“I didn’t plan to sit next to you. I don’t think I want to either.”
“I’m sorry for my choice of words earlier,” Toni said as quietly as she could. “I was upset.”
