Page 112 of The Heartbreaker

“I wanted to do this for you, Addison. I couldn’t stand the thought of you making payments for the next however many years and having that debt hold you hostage so you could never get ahead.” As I lifted my face and gazed at him, he added, “You can look at it that way, or you can look at it as my thanks for being such a wonderful teacher to my daughter. Whatever you want, but I was happy to do it.”

I scanned his eyes. I didn’t have his talent. I could never see what he was feeling, not like he could do to me. But what I saw behind his stunning cobalt eyes with the navy flecks around the edge was a man who was so kind, attentive, giving, nurturing—and everything I would ever need.

I’d come here to discuss what he’d done, to thank him, to yell at him, but there was something else he needed to know.

Something I had to get off my chest.

Something that finally needed to hit his ears.

“I love you, Ridge.”

He slowly licked his lips. “You know, you asked me what would happen when you said those words to me, and I told you, you needed to say it before you found out.”

I nodded. “I know.”

“Addison …” He unraveled his arms and held my face. Before Ridge, that was a gesture no man had ever done to me. “I love you too.”

Hearing him say it to me, feeling that statement move through the air and penetrate my chest, was more than I could handle. All I could whisper back was, “You do?”

“Very much.” He kissed me. Slowly. Sucking in my breath and replacing it with his tongue. “Now, go lock the door.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

Ridge

“Did you get the invitation to the wedding?” I asked Rhett as he sat on my kitchen island, downing his second beer, his legs swinging, the backs of his heels hitting the cabinet beneath him.

I wasn’t sure what time he’d left work—or if he’d even come in today—but his suit was long gone, and in its place was a pair of sweatpants, a hoodie, and a baseball hat.

And I also wasn’t sure why he’d decided to stop at my place. Addison and I had been in the middle of dinner when he arrived, and he took a spot on the counter. He hadn’t moved or said much, and now that we’d finished eating and cleaned up, he was still staying quiet.

“What wedding?” he asked.

Addison was refilling her glass of rosé, and I stood between her and Rhett, admiring the view of my gorgeous redhead before I mocked, “What wedding?” Hell, I knew my brother was in a dark place, but to ask that kind of question meant he was fully checked out. “Brady and Lily’s wedding in Edinburgh.”

“Oh,” Rhett sighed. “That.”

My chef had left a container of M&M cookies for Daisy, and with her full glass of wine, Addison was now munching on one. She handed the container to me, and I took one. Then, she offered some to Rhett, and he waved her away.

This wasn’t their initial introduction. Over the last few weeks, during the times Addison had been over on weeknights, Rhett had stopped by, unannounced almost every time. I wasn’t sure why he popped in; he didn’t do much while he was here other than drink beer and stare off into space.

But knowing him, he needed the company.

He needed voices around him so he wasn’t so inside his head—a place that wasn’t good for him.

“You’re going, aren’t you?” I asked my brother.

He took another drink. “I don’t know …”

“Don’t say that,” I shot back. “Brady’s a partner, and things are finally good between you two. Don’t be that guy, Rhett.”

He eyed me down from the other side of the kitchen. “Do me a favor … don’t tell me what the fuck I’m doing.” He raised his beer like he was giving me a cheers.

“You want me to sit back and watch you destroy a relationship that took all this time to build?” I could feel Addison’s eyes on me. “That’s not my style. My style is telling you to be there because I know what’s best for you. Besides, you have no excuse. Our jet is taking us. We’re all staying in our hotel. You just have to show up.”

Rhett adjusted his hat and squeezed the visor. “Fuck. Fuck you and fuck him.”

“Whoa,” Addison whispered.