Honestly, I’m in no hurry to jump back into a committed relationship, yet at the same time, I need to let loose and have some fun. There’s just something about her, I can’t put my finger on it.
Drunken Nights: Day 50
The morning after my drunken flight training, I decided to take Addie up on her recommendations. So I've been relaxing on the couch today, the ankle she predicted would hurt, does. Its swollen to a beautiful mixture of blue-green shades and it hurts like a motherfucker.
I spent my morning coasting through the measly channels, out here you have eight, including one in Spanish. Didn’t take me long to flip to Flixnet, you can never go wrong with the best movie streaming app ever.
"Hey Charlie, let's not go flying again tonight, seeing as how its left me, so what would you suggest?" He perks his head up from the couch.
"More drinking huh?" Tilting his head to the side.
"Yeah I guess it would make me feel a little better." He nudges my leg with his head, getting comfortable on the couch with me.
He’s the only one who hasn’t turned their back on me. Mom and Dad support me, but when I decided to move here, Dad didn’t agree with the decisions I made. He told me, “ Son, if you’re going to move out to Texas, you should get married first. You’ve been together long enough, don’t you think its time to make it official?”
“Dad, Camryn and I aren’t in any hurry to tie the knot and I’m sure as shit she’s not ready to make it that official.”
“Ok, I will support your decision to move a thousand miles away, however I wont be sending you my money. I want you to be happy and I feel like if you don’t put your foot down to her, she’s just going to eat you alive.”
“She’s not using me, we’ve been together long enough to know that we’ll always be together. It’s going to eventually happen but it’s not necessary for me to make this move. I want to be with her.”
God I feel like such a fucking idiot. I should’ve listened to my dad. I probably wouldn’t be sitting here wasting my life away. What am I going to do with myself? I’m cut off from everything I’ve ever known and I’m finally free to make my own decisions, and here I am sitting with a busted ankle. No job, no girl, and nearly no money.
After three bottles of wine later, it’s caught up with me. I now understand that drinking different types of alcohol gets you drunk in different ways. Wine for some reason makes me logical and thoughtful, and apparently drowsy.
As I’m preparing for bed, it dawns on me, that I’ve had one-sided conversations with my dog, this entire evening and most likely every day since Camryn left me.
"I've gotta be crazy when I ask you questions knowing you won't answer me." I scratch his head and climb in bed.
My whole body is feeling weightless even my injured ankle feels numb and sleep is calling my name.
"Jeremiah, stop, please." I can’t relent, hearing the song rumble from within her. The joyous sound of happiness, it tickles a part of my heart.
"I could get used to you pinned beneath me and even more the sound you make. It sets fire to my blood." The song is so angelic and innocent that I continue tickling her, hoping the music will continue.
"Please... I cant breath." I finally pull back a little and zero my gaze in on her round perfect ass. Beautifully encased in dark denim jeans, and a blue flannel shirt, my shirt. She's a tiny little thing, squirming beneath me. My body has her pinned. She's not going anywhere. She’s right where she needs to be.
"God I love that sound." Reaching forward to brush her hair aside, my eyes eagerly searching for her face. She pulls free from me, and takes off.
I chase her down the hall towards the kitchen. She rounds the island and now I’ve got her cornered.
"I'm gonna catch you lady. And when I do I'm tickle you black and blue." Giggling, She skirts past me, grinning a mile wide, it steals the breath from my lungs with the picture of destiny. I could never forget that smile.
I wake with a start, my breathing labored; the dog perks his head up, shaken from his slumber.
I glance at the clock and see that it's two in the morning.
Instantly I know, my buzz has worn off considerably judging by the headache left behind along with the soreness in my ankle.
Scratching my head, I curse. “Goddamn!”
I was dreaming and it was beyond weird. I never thought she could haunt me in such a way. We've always butt heads. She hates my guts, but do I? What is it about her that has me dreaming about her? Her attitude from the moment when we moved in, was indifferent and cold. It set me off for a while, but since then I’ve noticed different things about her that just keep drawing me in.
It surprises me, why was I thinking about her, enough that I subconsciously dreamed of her. But beyond all the weirdness, it was the best dream I've ever had. I only wish it could come true. Fuck, maybe I am still drunk. Drunken dreams suck balls.
Damn, Addison Caraway…. what am I going to do about you?
Chapter 2
You know that moment, right before you open your eyes in the morning, when you just want to fall back asleep, but know you have to get up.
Yeah. I’m stuck there.
Why should I get up and work on this house? It’s just me, no one to demand me to do things for them. I do things when I feel like it. Its kind of growing on me the shit hole I’m living in and the fact that my life was complete bliss, and in a blink of an eye, it all turned sour.
It may be best that she left me when she did. I would rather her leave, than to continue pretending a fake relationship with me. Did she ever truly love me? What was I to her? It may be morning, but I’m ready for a drink just thinking about her.
Opening my eyes, and searching the room for Charlie, I know he may need to be let out for his morning duties.
When I look to see if he’s in his bed, or in bed with me, I don’t see him anywhere.
HMMM... Where else could he be? I whistle for him to come to me. But I don’t hear the pitter patter of his paws. After a few tries, my heart races into a panic.
Normally, he wakes me up in the morning, letting me know when he needs something. Springing from the bed, I hear water dripping.
Funny, I don’t remember leaving the water on. That can’t be good.
Following the sound of the drips, I head downstairs, and upon entering the living room, I find the mother of all messes, the ceiling has caved in, dropping plaster all over the hardwood floors and Charlie’s licking the water, as it cascades down from the pipes leaking above us.
“Oh Holy Shit!” What in the hell? How? Fuck me sideways to Sunday.
Thinking fast, I grab the dog, and rush to the kitchen to get my phone.
I know Jax or Ryan will know how to fix this problem, and although I’ve been reluctant on allowing someone to help me. I’m at a loss, I have no fucking clue how to make these repairs, or even how to turn the water off, really where the fuck do I start? I need reinforcements, NOW!!
I dial Jax first, since he’s closest to me. But it goes to voicemail, and then I call Ryan but his phone goes to voicemail too, dang, guess I’ll try his sister. Hopefully she can help me figure out where to start, and know what to do.
I’m totally a virgin at home repair. I grew up in the city, I know how to paint, change a tire surprisingly, do small home repairs, but nothing of this magnitude. I’m a little scared how much this is gong to cost to fix.
Since I’m remodeling this house, all on my own, I want to do the repairs myself, to save money.
I took a huge pay cut when I moved here and went independent, selling my designs. I design web pages, and I’ve dabbled in graphic design. My online business has been created. I just haven’t received any clients as of yet. I need to do something soon to start making money or else I wont be able to eat until I do.
My parents are supportive of the decisions I’ve made, especially by staying down here. It might actually be good for me. I won’t have to accidentally run into her, like I probably would if mov
ed back.
Our parents have been friends since we started grade school. Which is the reason we were so close, because we grew up together.
And now, I need my own space. I need to prove to myself that I don’t need her, that I can make a life for myself by myself and that’s what I’ve decided to do.
Addie answers on the third ring,
“Hey, I have a major problem at the house, can you come by and give me that tutorial you promised me a while back?” I ask her, I hope I haven’t scared her too far away that she hates me. Not only did I steal her dream house, if you want to call it that, but I also have made a huge fool of myself recently with my drinking philosophies.
“I’m next door playing with the twins, while Jessa grabs a shower, Jax is working for John today, otherwise I’d tell you to call him.”
“ I already tried to reach him, but he didn’t answer. I may need both of you though. It’s pretty bad. I’m not sure where to start.”
“Tell me what happened.” She says candidly. I can hear the cheerfulness in her voice.
“I woke up this morning...." She starts laughing hysterically.
“You mean this afternoon. Its one o’clock.” Man, she always keeps me on my toes. I can’t decide if it’s a love-hate relationship we have going on. That’s the reason I tried Jax first, because I wanted less drama.
“Yeah, ok, afternoon, I woke up to a giant mother effin mess. The guest bathroom upstairs is flooded, the pipe is busted, and the ceiling of my living room is in a plaster-wet mess all over the living room floor. It’s a fuckin’ rainfall coming down. And last but not least, I found Charlie drinking the water pouring from the ceiling. Like I said I’m lost. I need some help. So, just get here when you can.”
“I’ll be over in ten, Jessa just walked back to the nursery to help me out, we have to change their diapers and then I’ll stop by. Don’t worry we’ll fix it. That house is falling apart left and right. It doesn’t surprise me though, I knew going into renovating that house, that it would need a full gutting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Yeah.” How could I ever forget? Sometimes I wish she had purchased this house. I would’ve never bought it knowing I’d end up this way.
CHAPTER 3
Addie
Over the past seven months, I’ve learned a few hard lessons. I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve learned from them. Every day that I’m alive, I should live it to the fullest. Make every moment count, don’t hold back, don’t back down. Ha, taken from one of my favorite songs. I live by that motto everyday.
I’ve been trying to get my life back in control after I fatally shot the aggressor who was trying to kill my sister-in-law and the two angels that I adore. I regret what happened and at the same time, I’m glad I still have my sister and my sweet little niece and nephew. I can’t change the past. I can only work towards my happiness in the future. I have to live with the knowledge knowing I took someone’s life away from her, but at the price of saving the lives of those who now mean a lot to my family and me. I couldn’t imagine my life without those two kiddos and my best friend. And Lord knows, I would’ve lost my brother too, because all his happiness would’ve died alongside them.
I still live and breathe the nightmares of that night. I just remember the horrible pain of seeing red flash before your eyes, the sudden change in the eyes of the person you have shot, and then it dawns on you that you’ve killed them. Their body floating to the ground in dead weight. In the moment I only knew I needed to save my family, and I didn’t want to go down knowing I didn’t do what I’ve always been taught to do. Fight.
I haven’t paid attention to what he just said, zoned out in my own world, until I hear him call my name.
“Thanks again Addie. I don’t know what I’d do without you and your brothers advice.” Oh my God, he sounds so sweet. How can he be so cocky and condescending and then so sincerely sweet?
“No problem, I’ll see if I can track down my brother. If not I’ll grab my cousin.” I’m sure I could handle the situation all on my own, so I’ll call both of them, but either way I’m headed over there, with or without my guys.
“Hurry up and get here, its really bad.” He yelps back at me. Whoa. I could hear the desperation in his tone.
He must really need help, if he’s so desperate he called me, mind you I’m sure I was the last person on the face of the earth, he’d want to call in a crisis, but non the less, he still called me and all out begged me to help in some state of panic. That definitely has to say something. Right?
As soon as we get off the phone, I’m kind of in a daze. Even Jessa notices something different about my expression.
“Girl what’s that look for?” She nudges my arm, and then rubs Jades bald little head, whose falling asleep by the second in my arms.
“Nothing, I just… I knew this would eventually happen. Poor guy has no clue what he’s doing with that old house and instead of making the repairs a.s.a.p. he put it off and now he has a major leak and is freaking the eff out because he doesn’t know how to handle it. I’m going to skip out on girls’ day and help him, since Jax and Ryan are both busy today. I’m not sure what time I’ll be done. If you by chance talk to either of the guys send them over, I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
“I’d help out, but I’ve got the babies and no sitter, sorry girl.”
“I’d never ask you to help out with something like this, no offense.” I try to joke around with her.
“Go, get out of here. Anyway, he needs you and maybe just maybe you can help him out in other ways.” She winks at me.
“What’s with the wink? I’m not playing his rebound girl. When I’ve clearly never dated before. Besides, what makes you think he sees me as some hot bombshell, like his ex was? I’m a country girl, with simple taste, and I dress comfortably for me, not for anyone else. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you.” I say as I’m headed out of house, I didn’t bring my car over, since it’s a short walk to and from the house. Jeremiah’s house is actually a shorter distance than Gramps’. So I begin the trek up the hill to the gate installed along the property line. Jeremiah’s property is overgrown with tall stalks of grass and weeds. He’s definitely let this place go. Lucky for him, Jax has cleared a pathway with his tractor, enabling a trail from the gate to jeremiahs door. I can only image what awaits me on the other side.
I turned the water off as soon as I got inside. As we walked through the house, I examined the pipes in the bathrooms upstairs, and the kitchen.
An hour later, at the end of my assessment, I tell him, “You’re going to need to tear out all the old plumbing. I would suggest, leaving the water off until you can install all new stuff. You can repair just this bathroom, but the entire house may start having the same issues as well, so I strongly recommend you put in al new lines and drainage. You can you go with what is considered standard plexi or go with copper, however the cost is much more than what you probably could afford. I also would put in a new water heater, in my opinion what I would’ve done had it been me in your shoes, I’d put in a tank less water heater, it saves money, and energy and you have endless hot showers. No matter if the dishwasher and washing machine and someone else in another room is taking a shower too.’”
“Okay, slow down, you lost me after standard and copper, and tank less, can we get together later or another time to figure out my options.”
“You can, but you will have to do it without water. If I turn it on, theses pipes will leak again and then you’ll have a wet dog and wet living room.”
“Fine, how about you get me an estimate for the standard plexi system, and tank less thing, and we can get together later to discuss my budget.”
“I can do that.”
CHAPTER 4
Jeremiah: A week later
My plumbing is still turned off while I’m contemplating my options for new water lines and drainage to be installed because mine are apparently rotted out and below grade.
Jax offered me h
is downstairs guest bathroom to use for the time being until I can get things solved. So at least I have a good neighbor who cares whether I’m clean and can take a dump when I need to.
I’ve just finished rinsing my body of soapy suds and as I’m drying off one leg, someone barges through the unlocked door and it sends me frozen in place.
Its Addie, and maybe because its coming from a very single, more than gorgeous girl, I have no shame, there’s nothing for me to hide. I present her with my smile and then I flex my pecs and tighten my biceps, dropping the towel a little for her benefit. I want her to see what I have going on down south. I just hope she doesn’t get scared of it. I’m sure its nothing she could ever imagine before.
I notice her face take on the heat turning into a dashing shade of red, even with her darker skin tones I see it. Her face shows confusion, and then it fades to a heart-stopping smile.
The innocence I see in her eyes, its clear she’s never seen a naked guy before and possibly not one as ripped as I am.
I may have a desk job but my physique means a lot to me. It’s one of the only things that is going right in my life. I see her take me in, from my head to my cock, and like the light hitting darkness he wakes. I cover myself, because JJ is growing.
The towel tents out in front of me. I have to say something. And what comes to mind is her innocence. I joke around with everything else between us. Why not tease her some more? Some would say I’m flirting, putting the moves on her. She obviously liked what little she saw. Maybe I am flirting. Whatever you want to call it, I’m having fun. I’m starting to feel more whole.
These new friends of mine are growing on me every day, especially the blue-eyed girl with long dark hair.
Addie, a sweet southern thing, I consider her a cowgirl lady. She enjoys many of m favorite hobbies. She doesn’t mind getting down and dirty, and enjoys many girly things, but chooses not to dress girly. I’ve heard stories of her wearing a dress, but I’ve only seen her in wranglers and flannels. I kind of like it that way, I’d love to see her legs though.
Lady Luck (Lucky You Book 2 1) Page 2