“I’m Not Afraid of Addison
Chapter 62
Garrett’s POV
I drove back to my parents‘ house, thinking about what my father had said earlier. I had
stepped out to take the call and returned to finish speaking to Tripp and Alden. We hadn’t
spoken very often since we graduated. I was disappointed in what they had done to Addison.
They knew who she was, as they had grown up with her around. They knew that she was not
like Tammy had implied.
They got excited by what Tammy told them and wanted to believe it was true. I found out that
they had both gone to therapy over their actions–Alden out of guilt and Tripp because his
parents wanted him to go. Tripp was younger than the rest of us and pretty immature, but we
all overlooked it because he was Gage’s younger brother. They both regretted doing it, but I
didn’t want them around Addison.
They may be doing better now, but I didn’t want her upset. She hasn’t even been back home for
twenty–four hours yet. They need to give her time and space to decide if she wants to see
them, which I highly doubt. The real reason I don’t want them to be around her is that I don’t
want her to connect their actions with me. She was looking for me when they found her. I felt
responsible for everything, as I now knew that Tammy was the one who had instigated the
whole thing. I punished Addison.
I was glad to get to see them both. We’ve known each other forever, and I missed speaking to
them more often, but I wasn’t going to invite them over. They had been out of my life for five
years. I can be nice, but I can’t have them making Addison uncomfortable. It might make her
leave again by bringing back more bad memories. It also gives that jerk of a boyfriend a
reason to swoop in and be the hero. I wouldn’t do anything to help him look good in front of
Addison.
My parents had banned them from our house once they found out what they had done. I wasn’t going to ask them to lift that ban. Tripp and Alden always do whatever they want to do. I am sure they would probably head to her house to make themselves feel better about it. I will
not be involved in that, as their actions were wrong. I didn’t make plans to see them again. I
will eventually, but I just wanted to get Addison and my son back for now. Everything else is
on the back burner.
I parked and sat in my SUV for a little while. Addison was painting trim on the front porch, and I was watching her. She had a handkerchief covering her hair to keep the paint off. She had
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Tm Not Afraid of Addison
braided her hair and was wearing a tank top and shorts. She looked terrific, and I kicked
myself all over again for not waiting for her. The jerk was nowhere in sight, but I wouldn’t go to
her house. I felt someone watching me and turned to see a guy leaning on a Jeep, looking
back at me. He was armed and made sure I knew it. I guess the jerk of a fiancé was serious
about protecting Addison.
I heard a knock on my passenger window and saw Holden smiling at me. He had to have been
there for a minute, grinning at me like he caught me doing something wrong. I guess he saw
me watching Addison. I unlocked the doors, and Holden opened the passenger door and said,
“I’m here to help you bring your stuff back up to your room.”
I was glad for the help. I didn’t want to carry them back up the stairs. My shoulder was already
throbbing where the strap on my duffle bag had rubbed, but I wouldn’t admit it. “Thanks,” I told
him.
I pushed the button for the lift gate for him to grab my bags. I got out, and I felt Addison’s stare. I turned around, met her gaze, and nodded at her but did not approach.
“You back?” Addison called over to me.
“Yes,” I replied. I was happy that she had spoken to me first. I didn’t know how she knew I had
left
“See you at noon,” She responded before going back to painting the post.
Holden waited for me on the porch and followed me into the house. He was silent as we
climbed the stairs until we entered my room. He put my luggage and duffle down and then. shut the door. I knew he had something to say, and I braced for it. After how this morning
went, I doubted it would be good
‘I need to tell you something, Garrett Holden started.
I motioned for him to sit on the computer chair as I sat on the end of my bed to face him. I
knew it wasn’t good as soon as he started. I thought I had been prepared for it, but the longer
he spoke, the angrier I got. Valerie seems to be on a mission to ruin my life. Once I heard the
message Addison sent back for my parents, I was furious.
“Did you tell them what Addison said?” I asked
“I told Mom. She was there when I came back to the house. She was upset by what Valerie
did I think they are rethinking all the spoilling they did now, Holden told me.
“I hope so, but I doubt it I replied as I tried to think about what I wanted to say to her. Valerie has always been difficult to deal with, but I didn’t need her speaking to Addison again.
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“I’m Not Afraid of Addison
“Mom and Dad were waiting for you to return for a family meeting. They didn’t say what it was about, but I believe it will be over what Valerie said to Addison today. I’ll grab you a bottle of water. Take your time. I don’t think this is going to be fun. You know Valerie. She is never wrong, despite her long record of being wrong.” Holden said.
It made me laugh. I hadn’t hung out with him for a while, but that was pretty funny. He was right. Valerie managed to duck and dodge everything and stay out of trouble. I knew Mom and Dad had good intentions of wanting her to be safe at school, but she already was. She didn’t need us protecting her. She knew how to play the game, and she loved it. I hoped our parents would straighten her out, but after two decades of her being spoiled, I doubted anything would change. Holden left, and I sat there for a few minutes. Bracing for the storm, I knew was coming.
I headed downstairs slowly, the ache in my shoulder reminding me that I needed to take my pain medication. I will do it after the family meeting. I feel I will probably have a headache by that point. From what Holden told me, I had to believe that Valerie was finally in trouble with our parents. I honestly hope she is. I am sick of how she acts like she is so much better than everyone else. It made me furious to hear how embarrassingly she acted. Flirting with Addison’s fiancé right in front of her was a slap in the face. But if Valerie could get him away from Addison, I would be grateful to her.
“Garrett, I am so sorry, son. I was wrong about what I said to you last night. I was angry, and I was wrong. I allowed all the pent–up emotions I had to come out of me. You were right. Valerie bears a great deal of blame for this. Her lies started it all. Of course, you would believe your sister. I’m sorry. We are going to fix this,” my mother finished speaking by the time I stepped off the stairs.
I was caught off guard by what she said. My parents loved Holden and me, but their golden child was always Valerie. No matter what Holden and I did. No matter the awards and accolades we received, Valerie was always the best and brightest in this house. This was new, my mother admitted her fault and agreed that Valerie was also at fault. I glanced over to look at Valerie. Seeing her face, looking like she had sucked on a lemon, almost made me laugh. I held it back as nothing about what Valerie had done was funny.
“I’m sorry for going next door to cause trouble, Garrett. I went over there to apologize, like Mom asked me to. Addison refused to accept it. She should have been glad that I was even willing to apologize to her in the first place,” Valerie muttered. She was starting off wrong. She didn’t feel bad for what she had done or said.
“Correction, you came over using that as an excuse after you saw her fiancé. You came over for him, not to apologize. Mom and Dad might fall for it, but I saw you in the window. I was
“I’m Not Afraid of Addison
facing you. You came over to try to flirt with him. You got mad when they both shot you down Don’t act like you were there to do good You told me before I left that hell would freeze over before you apologized to Addison,” Holden remarked. He gave me a small smile as Mom and Dad immediately started in on Valerie. I didn’t confuse it. He did that for Addison, not me, but !
am glad he exposed her
“Is that why you were at the window watching Holden? He is right; you watched through the
window for over five minutes before heading over. Phillip is engaged to Addison. He loves her
Valerie, and he will not just give up on her. You’re barking up the wrong tree,” Mom told her
“Valerie, you need to leave both Addison and Phillip alone. If you hear nothing else we’ve told you hear that. They have the power to ruin our company. Please don’t go over there again, but
I doubt you will listen to me. Phillip is serious about protecting Addison. Their security team probably saved your picture before you returned home,” my Dad stated.
“Addison is an orphan. Who cares who messes with her? I am not scared of her. She needs a reminder of what she is: worthless. We could take her son away from her easily. You are all so terrified of offending her, all because she had Garrett’s son. Garrett has rights as a father. He needs to contact a lawyer and deal with her. Show her who’s boss,” Valerie insisted.
“She does have family, Valerie. Family that you do not want to cross. That goes for Phillip, too. Leave them both alone. I will work on getting her trust back to allow Corbin to come over, but you have messed things up. I am trying to get us all more time with your nephew. You ruined that by reminding her of how mean you were in high school. As it is, I know she won’t let him come over to spend the night if you are here. So you will have to leave and find somewhere else to spend the night if I can get her to agree to allow him to sleep over. If you push her too hard, we could lose all contact with him. I assure you I will be furious with you if that happens,
my mother replied.
“Please, I am not scared of Addison,” Valerie scoffed.
“You should be, my father answered.
