Page 11 of Addicted to You
“Yes, a client. You know, from my job where I help people stay sober?”
“Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to?—”
“Yeah, you did, but I can’t be too mad since you were just looking out for your sister.” He stared at me for a moment. “Did you have fun tonight?”
I tensed, wondering if he knew what I’d been up to or if I was just feeling paranoid. “I did. Is there something wrong with that?”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “Just be careful. It’d kill your parents and Britt if anything happened to you.”
I gave him a curt nod before heading inside. As I climbed the stairs to my old room, I thought about how overly concerned everyone seemed lately. And while I realized how lucky I was to have people who cared about me, I really wanted everyone to back off and let me live my life.
4
CASH
The chillin the air was burning my nose as Britt and I strolled through Boston Common. Twinkling lights wrapped around the trees, and the pond was frozen over, dotted with skaters bundled in scarves and hats.
“This place already feels like home again.” She slipped her arm through mine. “It’s like everything is falling into place. My job at St. Thomas, the apartment being available right when I need it. It just feels right.”
We’d just come from looking at a few places for her to rent, so she wouldn’t have to move in with her parents. The one she fell in love with was in Back Bay. It was near Fenway Park and while I was an Astros fan, I wouldn’t mind catching a few games at the famous stadium.
“It’s a beautiful city,” I admitted. The charm of Boston was undeniable, but I wasn’t ready to commit to the idea of moving. “You’ve got a lot to look forward to.”
She tilted her head slightly. “We’vegot a lot to look forward to, Cash. This could be a fresh start for both of us.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. A fresh start sounded good in theory, but Houston was where my work was, where my clients needed me. Moving felt like leaving too much behind, even if I could travel back when I had a new client, or find a new agency to work for in Massachusetts. But what about my past clients who needed me, like Bobby had when he’d called me in the middle of the night? Since I was almost 2,000 miles away, I had to talk to him on the phone, but usually, I would go to them when they were struggling and their sponsors weren’t available. Granted, it didn’t happen often, but I still felt like shit for not being available to meet in person.
It also didn’t help that Britt’s brother thought I was taking a call from another woman. I understood where Silas was coming from, but at the same time, I had to end my call early with Bobby, and that made me feel like shit. I’d called him the next day and everything was cool, but still. I was used to being there when they needed me.
As Britt and I continued to walk, I also thought about how she needed me too. Or that I needed her. I loved her and wanted to be with her, but if I stayed in Texas, it wouldn’t work out between us.
We turned down a quieter path, and Britt squeezed my arm. “You know, when Silas and I were kids, we used to come here during the summers. My dad would bring us to the Frog Pond, and Silas would always race ahead to the water. He’d pretend to be an explorer, mapping out some new territory. Once, he fell in and blamed me for not warning him it was slippery.” She laughed.
“Sounds like he’s always been trouble,” I teased, though I couldn’t help but smile. Spending the past few days with Silas had been interesting. I liked him, but I still had my concerns because even though I didn’t want to think my girlfriend’s brother was using drugs, he had all the signs: red eyes, twitchy hands, and the restlessness that seemed all too familiar.
“Oh, absolutely.” Britt snorted. “But you’d love him if you got to know him better. He’s a bit reckless and impulsive, but deep down he’s a great guy. We don’t get to see each otheroften, but when we do, it reminds me how much I’ve missed those fun moments with him.”
I nodded, though something about the way she spoke tugged at me. Maybe it was the way she lit up when she talked about her brother—something I never had.
“He’s got that big tour coming up, right?” I asked.
“Yeah. Surrender’s first headlining tour. They’re going through Canada and the US, starting in early April. It’s a tremendous deal for them, and he’s been working so hard. They’re also dropping their new album early next month. He’s pretty much living his dream, and I’m so proud of him. It’s funny, growing up, I was always the one with the plan, and he was the dreamer. But he made it happen.”
I could see the emotion in her eyes, and it hit me harder than I expected. Silas wasn’t just her little brother; he was someone who’d defied the odds, who’d turned a dream into something real. Maybe that was part of what made Britt’s push for me to move here so hard to ignore. She wasn’t just asking me to follow her; she was asking me to be part of the life she’d built—the life that included her family. A family that had already welcomed me as one of their own.
We reached a small cafe just outside the park, the windows fogged from the heat inside. I pulled open the door, and the smell of coffee and baked goods washed over us. After we ordered, we sat at a table near the window.
“I know it’s a big ask for you to consider moving here,” she said as she took her seat. “But I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was worth it. Boston isn’t just a place to me, Cash. It’s home. And I want it to be home for us too.”
I took a sip of my Americano and looked out the window at the cars passing by. I thought about the life she was describing, about the family she wanted me to be a part of. And, oddly, I thought about Silas. Something about him lingered in my mind, and I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as though he lived in Boston too. He had a life in LA and was going on tour, so why was he even part of my consideration?
“You’re right,” I finally muttered, meeting her gaze. “It is a big ask. But …” I paused, my mind racing through the logistics. I had to figure out how to handle my clients, especially the ones who needed me when they were spiraling. The calls in the middle of the night, the emergencies that couldn’t wait. I wasn’t sure if I could leave them behind completely. But maybe I didn’t have to. Maybe I could manage everything from afar. Maybe, just maybe, I could keep helping them while also being there for Britt.
“I’ll make it work,” I added. “I’ll figure out how to stay connected to the clients who need me, even from here. But I’m with you. I want to be with you no matter where that is.”
She smiled. “You’re sure?”
I nodded. “I’m sure.”
