Page 75 of Broken Dreams
“I’m pretty sure we’re real. Fake people can’t drink wine in a wedding dress.”
I roll my eyes. “I meant being your girlfriend.”
“Now I’m wounded and deserve the rest of the crap in the bottle.”
“Oh? Why are you wounded?”
Grady grins. “Because our dating may be fake but I’m your real friend. I care about you, Addy. I’m here, and I want the damn wine.”
“Not good enough,” I tell him.
“I have to earn the right to drink?”
“This is good wine.”
Grady tilts his head and raises an eyebrow. “Good isn’t the word I’d use.”
“Even more of a reason not to share.”
Wine is my friend and if he’s going to insult it, he doesn’t get the fruit of the gods.
“Fruit of the gods?” he asks on a low chuckle.
I keep saying things out loud. Maybe I should stop drinking. I sigh, letting my head fall back and handing him the wine. “Drink up. You definitely get to party with me.”
He laughs once and then chugs. After he finishes, he places it where the other bottles are and then puts his arm around me. “Come here.”
I lean in, my head resting on his shoulder as he holds me to him. I relax into his embrace, feeling alone and yet found. My eyes close and I nestle deeper into his body. “Thank you for coming.”
“I’ll always be here for you, Addison. You never have to be sad alone.”
I smile, liking the sound of that. “Good, I don’t want to be alone when I’m sad.”
“Then just close your eyes and feel me here with you.”
And then I drift to sleep, wearing my wedding dress in a bathtub while tucked against Grady.
sixteen
GRADY
She was completely passed out and snoring on my chest roughly four seconds after she closed her eyes. Although, three bottles of wine would probably do it.
I adjust because there’s no way in hell we’re sleeping in here. Then I shift her head so it’s resting against the back of the tub, and I have a bit of room to maneuver my way to standing.
My plan was definitely not for her to fall asleep, I just needed to hold her, to clear the ache in her voice and comfort her. I called Brynn, told her I needed to come here, and she squealed and told me not to rush back.
Now, I need to put Addison to bed so she doesn’t wake with more regrets.
Only, I’m not quite sure what the best way to move her is. Since I have to start somewhere, I remove her veil and place it on the floor, sigh, and then squat to scoop her up.
Her head flops back, arms hanging like a ragdoll.
“Great,” I say with a heavy sigh.
I hoist her up high, hoping she wakes a little so I can get some help, but she just snores loudly.
I carry her into her room and place her on her bed.
