had already packed everything up, and they were carting their serving platters and drink dispensers out through a side door that led to the driveway.
“Has anyone seen Adison?”
He received only head shakes.
He tried the den again. Knocked on the downstairs bathrooms. Even went upstairs and called her name. Nothing.
Then, through the library window, he caught sight of her on the porch down below. The driveway was empty, with no guests in sight.
Rushing downstairs, he burst through the front door and onto the porch…just in time to see her headlights glow at the end of his driveway.
Chapter 26
Adison
“Meeeow.” Little paws kneaded Adison’s head.
Tucked under the comforter, eyes still closed, Adison grinned. “Taffy, it’s so early.”
Really, she had no idea what time it was. All she knew was that she was bone tired and had no interest in getting out of bed. Not only had the party wiped her, but she’d had trouble sleeping once she got back.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Ken. Thoughts of him burned, making her shed quiet tears. Whenever she did manage to fall asleep, she’d have fitful dreams before waking up again and repeating the cycle.
But Taffy didn’t know that. All she understood was that it was morning, and that meant breakfast time.
The paws kneaded her again.
“Okay.” Adison threw off the covers and sat up.
For the first time in weeks, she had nothing to do. She could stay in bed all day if she felt like it.
But she wouldn’t. That would be a recipe for disaster. In order to fight the depression creeping over her, she needed to get up and moving.
Taffy ran circles around Adison as she walked for the kitchen, nearly tripping her a few times.
“It’s coming, it’s coming.” She yawned into her hand and poured some dry cat food into Taffy’s bowl before slumping onto the couch.
The living room had improved little since she’d moved into the apartment, although there was now a place to sit and a stand for the TV. An artificial Christmas tree stood in the corner, completely barren.
Usually, she’d go to a tree lot with Corinne and get a live tree. One time they even drove to a farm outside of the city, selected one themselves, and chopped it down. There hadn’t been time for either of those options this year.
Curled up on the couch, Adison unplugged her phone from the charger. She’d neglected to check it the night before and was shocked to see multiple notifications.
Corinne had texted several pictures of a newborn baby girl that Maggie had named Ruby. Adison texted back a flurry of heart-based emojis and well-wishes for the family.
And then…there were texts from Ken, as well as a missed phone call from the night before.
She couldn’t read those right away. She needed to take a deep breath and steel herself first.
It hadn’t been easy making herself scarce at the party. She’d caught sight of Ken a few times, and each time she ducked behind a decoration or into a bathroom. She’d been too scattered and worn to talk to him; it didn’t matter what he had to say.
She couldn’t ignore him forever, though. Opening up her phone again, she read through his texts.
“I need to talk to you. Please,” said the first one from last night.
“Where are you?” he asked an hour later.
And then, from an hour ago: “Please call me, Adison. I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”
Right. The only misunderstanding had been between her and reality. She’d refused to see the truth even when it was right in front of her.
Okay, so she couldn’t ignore Ken forever, but another day wouldn’t end the world. This was Christmas Eve, one of her favorite days of the year. She refused to kick it off by calling Ken and having some runaround conversation that would lead nowhere.
Which is why he could make up every excuse in the book and it wouldn’t matter. He’d played her just like Danny had, and she wouldn’t take that nonsense. Putting her phone on silent, she set it on the couch and got up to trim the tree.
Chapter 27
Ken
The Christmas tree that Adison had decorated twinkled in Ken’s den, while he sat in an armchair and gazed at it.
The furniture that had been removed from the room for the party had been returned and the cocktail tables taken out, but the house was still in general disarray. Red and green confetti covered the floors, while here and there sat an overlooked champagne flute. There was also an empty, destitute