Addie's POV:

I'd halfway expected Jeb to follow me out of the house, to chase me, to try and keep me from leaving but he didn't. And it made me madder than I think I would have been if he had tried. Mostly because even though my gut and my brain told me that he was using me to further his career since that was just par for the course when it came to my life, my heart wanted to believe that he was telling the truth. Especially when he'd said those three little words that mad made me want to just ignore the truth. Stupid fucking organ...

But no matter how much my heart wanted to believe that he was telling the truth, I couldn't let myself go down that path. I couldn't set myself up to be hurt all over again. Christopher had nearly broken me. Then Daddy passed away. I'd say that I've had enough heartache to last me the rest of my life. So with each step I took away from the house, I reminded myself that I was a successful woman, that I didn't need a man to validate who I was. I didn't need a man to make me feel whole. I was more than capable of doing that in my own. It would have been nice if my little pep talk had actually worked.

"My name is Manuel. I'm here to pick up Adeline Gibbs." Said the Uber driver as I neared his car.

"That's me." I replied.

Seeing my bags, the young Hispanic man being the wheel popped the hatch of his SUV and hopped out. "Let me take those for you." He said, a slight accent to his speech.

"Thank you." I said, passing them off to him.

I stood outside the SUV as Manuel tossed the bags into the back, the whole while hating that there was this miniscule part of me that held out hope that Jeb was going to come running, that he was going to make some sort of grand gesture, and beg me to stay, convincing me that he really was different from all the other men in my life. But when the hatch slammed and there was still no Jeb, I knew that this was it; that he really was just like every other man that had passed though my life. With a sigh, I walked around to the back passenger side and climbed into the back seat. As I sank down into the cushiony seat, I couldn't help but wonder if I was over reacting. I knew I had a tendency to do that from time to time but I didn't feel like this was the case. Jeb had played me like a fiddle and it stung like a motherfucker. So no, this wasn't me over reacting. Or at least that's what I told myself as Manuel eased the car way from the gate.

*****

Nearly three hours later, Manuel pulled up to the front of my apartment building. I was relieved to see that the press was no longer sat up in front of the building like that had been before I left town. Small miracles! The whole ride from Halifax to here, I'd went back and forth about the way I'd left, wondering if I'd done the right thing or not. For the first hour of the ride, I'd held my phone, almost willing the screen to flash with Jeb's number. But instead, all I got was work emails, a cat video from my brother Case, and text from my best friend, Kaitlyn, asking if I was going to ignore her calls forever -none of which I wanted. By the second hour, I was pissed, made at Jeb for not stopping me but also mad at myself for wanting to have do so. And the third hour? Well, I spent that watching every TikTok Jeb had ever posted, the whole time wishing I could make myself stop but needing to see his face.

As the car came to a stop, I unblocked. "Thanks Manuel." I said trying and failing to add some cheer to my voice as I climbed out of the SUV. He met me at the back so that he could grab my bags.

"No, thank you." He smiled. "This is my first trip to Cornelius. Won't be my last."

"Glad to hear it." I smiled as I took my bags. "Have a safe trip back." I added with a wave as I walked towards mt building. Manual waved back before climbing into his SUV.

Once inside the building, I made a bee-line for the elevator, only wanting to get to my apartment so that I could wallow in my own self-pity. Unless Ty had eaten it, there was a pint of Ben & Jerry's with my name on it -Cherry Garcia- and it was going to make all my problems go away. That or make my ass grow two sizes. But at this point, what does it matter? Not like I'm going to be seeking out the attention of a man anytime in the near future.

Dropping my bags at the door, I walked straight for the freezer. I almost did a little happy dance when I saw the pint of ice cream waiting for me. Grabbing the pint of ice cream and a spoon from the drawer. Plopping down onto the couch, I kicked off my shoes and dug into the pint. The first burst of the creamy goodness had just hit my tongue when my phone began to vibrate in my back pocket. I contemplated ignoring it but ultimately decided against it. Plus, there was that little flare of hope that it would be Jeb.

Shutting down that line of thought, I pulled the phone from my pocket and read the readout. It was Kaitlyn again. Tears began to pool in my eyes as I swiped the screen and answered.

"Hey Kait." I said, trying to keep my voice from cracking but it was useless. If anyone was going to understand where I was coming from, it was going to be Kaitlyn, the granddaughter of Rick Hendrick. Like me, she had grown up in the spotlight. She knows how deceptive people can be. She knows that people see us as a target, that they take what they want from us and then wash their hands. She knows because she had been in my shoes in the past.

"What the hell is going on Adds? Pappy Joe has called me I don't know how many times." Said Kaitlyn, worry in her voice. "He said that you were coming back to Cornelius and that he thought you were going to need a shoulder to cry on. I didn't even know you were out of town. I just thought you had been holed up at home, licking your wounds and processing everything. What the hell happened? I know that he past few weeks have been rough but damn Adds. You usually tell me when you are going out of town. You usually at least send me a text when you are going to be going radio silent. I've been worried to damn death!"

"Can you come over? I really don't want to get into this over the phone."

"I'm already on the fucking way!" said Kaitlyn panicky. "I got the wine, some Ben & Jerry's, and a playlist full of heavy metal ready to hash this shit out."

"You know just what I need." I said, a small smile coming over my face.

"Well duh. Your my best friend. Its my job to know." Said Kaitlyn. "Plus, this aint my first rodeo."

"I know." I sighed. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

Kaitlyn and I ended the call and I settled back into my ice cream. It didn't matter than she was on the way with more or with wine. The creamy goodness was going to cure what ails me and the way I see it, the more the better.

Jeb's POV:

Nervous energy came off me in waves as I pulled my truck up to the front of my parents house. The last time I'd been here, Addie had been with me. Mom and Dad had fallen in love with here, gushing over her as if she was the daughter then never had. And I guess I was no different. That night, Addie hadn't gotten out of my sight, not had my hand left her body. But now, here I was alone, coming home to ask my parents what I should do. Pretty sad that at thirty years of age, I was running home to get my parents to help me solve my problems. At my age, I should have the answers, I should know what I need to do. And in a way I did. I knew that I had to prove to Addie that I was genuine. I had to prove to her that my admission of love hadn't been just tossed out there freely in hopes that doing so would keep her from leaving -even if I had uttered them with that hope even tough I knew that she wouldn't believe me when I said it.

I'd just switched off the engine when my dad walked out onto the porch, a broad smile on his face. That smile disappeared when he saw me climb out of the truck alone, no Addie. "Where's Addie?" he asked as I climbed the steps onto the porch.

"She left."

"What do you mean she left?" he asked, stepping away from the column he had been leaning on.

"Just what I said." I sighed. "She found out that I had been hired my JGR and freaked out. She thinks that I was using her to get what I wanted."

"Did you try to tell er otherwise?"

"Of course I did, dad. Even went as far as to tell her that I loved her. But still, she climbed in that Uber and went back to Cornelius."

"Not that I'm not happy to see you but I gotta know son. Why aren't you already on the way there?"

"She needs space." I said, plopping down into the swing on the porch.

"Bullshit. You're just scared that shes going to lash out at you." Said Dad, sitting down beside me. "Did I ever tell you about the time that your mom and I had a similar argument?"

"Yes." I said, remembering the story of how him and mom and met and how dad had thought that mom only wanted to be with him because he was an up-and-coming star on the track. Dad had lashed out, pushed mom away, but the two of them eventually found their footing and ended up where they are today.

"Then you know what you have to do to fix this." Said Dad.

"Flowers, candy, and a grand gesture might have worked on mom but I don't think it will for Addie. You didn't see how pissed she was. You didn't see how hurt she was when she found out that I had been keeping secrets from her."

"You're right, I didn't." said Dad. "But just because I didn't see it doesn't mean that I don't know what shes going through. It might have been ages ago but I know a little something about what it means to think that people are using them for their own personal gain. When it happens enough, you sort of become jaded to the idea that people can actually want to be with you because of who you are as a person, not because of what your name can give them."

"I don't want anything from her besides her heart, dad." I said. "But even I cant deny that this opportunity that Joe is giving me isn't an added bonus. I'd be stupid to turn it down."

"What is turning it down is the only way that you get the girl?"

"Dad—"

"What's this about getting the girl?" said Mom, walking out onto the porch, cutting off what I was about to say.

"Addie and Jeb had a fight. She walked away madder than a wet hen because she thinks Jeb wants her for her name." said Dad.

"Sound familiar." Said Mom, giving day a smirk before turning to me. "So, what are you doing here looking like a lost puppy. Why aren't you chasing that girl down?"

"I don't know how to fix this, mom." I said, leaning back on the swing and scrubbing my hands over my face. "She was so pissed."

"You cant take it personal, son. Her life hasn't been easy. I imagine she had been in the spotlight from the time she was born. You yourself know what it means for people to use you." Said Mom.

"I do, which is why I would never do it to someone else."

"We know that. The point is you have to prove to Addie that you are serious. And in order to do that, you have to get you ass in that truck and get your ass to Cornelius. You have to keep at her, wear her down, and prove to her that you mean what you say." Said Mom.

"He told her he loved her." chimed in dad.

"But you told her as she was walking away. Am I right?" said mom, clearly already knowing what had happened.

"Yes."

"Then you need to tell her again. Keep telling her until she believes you." Said mom, grabbing my hands and tugging me until I was standing. A soft hand landed on my cheeck before she continued. "I love you son and I'm glad that you came to your father and I for advice. But you already know what you need to do and where you need to be. So, climb your handsome little butt into that truck and go after your girl. And don't come back until you have made things right with her."

When my feet didn't move, Dad stood, nudging me at the same time as mom tugged.

"You heard your mother." Said Dad. "Go get the girl and don't give up until you make her see the truth. No matter how long it takes."

Since I knew it was pointless to argue with them, I did as they said and climbed into my truck. Their words replayed in my head, giving me a sense of confidence that I hadn't had when I got here. I had to get Addie back. I had to make her see that I was telling the truth when I said that I loved her. I didn't know how I was going to do it but I was sure going to get it my best effort. Good thing I have about three ours driving time to figure something out.