At 6’4”, Patrick towered over her. His blond wavy hair, deep green eyes, and dimples melted her heart.
“Hey. You look nice.” Patrick whispered in her ear as he bent down to give her a hug. Feeling his breath on her skin made her dizzy.
Addie hugged him back, and as she pulled away, she could swear she detected a hint of nervousness on his face. “I’m taking you to a local restaurant that I’ve heard good things about. It features fresh, local food. I hope that’s ok?” he said, holding the passenger door of his silver Audi R8 open as she climbed in.
Unable to believe her luck, Addie smiled, feeling incredibly grateful for chance meetings and, for the first time ever, her inherent clumsiness.
“That’s perfect.”
As far as first dates go, theirs was flawless.
It felt different for Addie; this time she cared. Patrick seemed genuinely interested in her, asking questions in all the right places. He spoke of his hopes to make partner at Morgan, Lehman & Scott, where he was currently interning. Addie told him of her plan to get a job at GSD&M, one of the best and most prestigious marketing agencies in the country. Patrick joked with her about the competition being incredibly tough, but Addie seemed confident that she could do it. She was sure of herself, and Patrick liked that about her. She was so sure of herself that, when she sensed a little hesitation on Patrick’s part, she decided to give him an out. “You know I think this is a good thing we have going here . . . but the truth is that I’m pretty happy with life as it is and I don’t want to mess it up. I’m not really looking to date, and I’m sure as hell not looking for anything serious.
Patrick picked up his wine and took a sip, his eyes never leaving Addie’s. “Touché.”
Patrick found Addie refreshing. Distinct. He was used to girls who diminished themselves and hung on his every word—girls who he was sure were just waiting to find a man so they could drop out of school, get married, and pop out two point five kids. Which explained why Patrick dated very rarely. Thankfully, his roommate, Marcus, did a great job of bringing girls around—girls who were so easy and willing that he found very little need to date. He was happy with the arrangement. It was easy for him. Mostly, it kept things simple and gave him plenty of time to focus on what mattered most: school and work. Patrick was focused, driven, and had no tolerance for distraction, so he even surprised himself when he asked Addie out. He didn’t date and certainly didn’t want a girlfriend, but there was something about this girl, something he couldn’t put his finger on. He was drawn to her. Maybe it was because she was different from the girls coming in and out of his bedroom. Maybe it was the fact that she seemed so enthusiastic in that first conversation. She was going places and she knew it. She didn’t seem to care too much, didn’t hang on his every word, or take life too seriously. It was exactly what he found himself needing at the moment. For the first time, maybe ever, he had found a welcome distraction.
The following night, Patrick’s roommate Marcus barged into his room and yelled, “What the hell, Bro? What are you doin’ in here? I’ve got friends over—friends with a capital F. And we’re all out here waiting for you. Come on, man. Get yo’ ass up.”
“I . . . I think I’m going to pass tonight.”
Marcus put this hand up to Patrick’s forehead. “Pass? Why?
Patrick smiled. “I’m tired tonight.”
“Nah, man. This is about that girl, isn’t it?”
Patrick’s face reddened. “What girl?”
“That girl Shawn said he saw you out to dinner with.”
“Maybe.”
Marcus threw himself down on the bed. “Come on, man, say it ain’t so.”
Patrick shrugged. “I like this one. She’s different. You’ll see.”
Marcus slugged Patrick’s shoulder. “So it’s like that, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess it’s like that.”
On the other hand, Addie found Patrick hard to read. He was charming and funny, but standoffish. He was intellectual and quiet, the exact opposite of what she was used to. Addie knew from their first conversation that he was the type who valued his space, and she found it easy to give to him, mostly because she had so many of her own interests. Still, Addie found herself falling hard, as she knew she would the second she laid eyes on him. Luckily for her, because she was so used to loving and not being loved in return, she was able to put on the familiar poker face. It didn’t take her long to figure out this was vital with Patrick. Still, there was energy between the two of them. Everyone could see it: a connection that was undeniable. Although neither of them was willing to label their relationship one way or another, Addie and Patrick found themselves pretty much a couple from that first date on.
They dated smoothly for two years, becoming almost inseparable. For the most part, their relationship was ideal. They were the best of friends, and, as Jessica liked to remind her, their sex life was “to die for.” For the first time ever, if Addie were being honest with herself, she felt loved. Patrick adored her, perhaps even more than she adored him.
Then came their senior year. It was the year that would put them to the test. Though it was never really said, Addie knew that Patrick’s family didn’t approve of her, and she suspected that this was the reason Patrick didn’t speak of the future or, specifically, of their future beyond graduation. Patrick had mentioned a few times that his parents had a girl picked out they hoped he’d marry. She knew from the beginning that Patrick’s childhood was very different from her own. He grew up in an upscale gated community in Dallas, Texas. His father was a doctor and his mom a housewife, who mostly played tennis and planned exclusive dinner parties. Patrick had an older sister, Jennifer, although he rarely spoke of her. Addie really never knew why Patrick’s parents disapproved of their relationship and wondered if maybe Patrick knew something he wasn’t letting on.
In the beginning, Addie tried to avoid any kind of conversation about her family. She put it off for as long as she possibly could, finally only telling him that her mother had died and that her grandparents had raised her. Patrick didn’t pry or ask further questions, and for that she was grateful. As time went on, she gave him pieces, brief snippets of her life growing up, but never the whole truth.
Even though Addie had only met Patrick’s family a few times for dinner when they stopped into town, she hadn’t really spent any significant amount of time with them. She secretly hoped that once they got to know her, they too, would fall in love. So, when Patrick informed Addie that his parents had invited them to their lake house for the weekend the summer before their final semester, she was ecstatic telling Patrick that perhaps they were finally coming around. She read otherwise in his demeanor then hesitated, trying to make excuses as to why she couldn’t go. But in the end, she gave in, knowing that it was now or never.
The lake house, like the Greyers, was immaculate and formal. While the Greyers put on a friendly face in front of their son, Addie was otherwise g
iven the cold shoulder. To add insult to injury, Addie couldn’t help but notice that they went out of their way to make sure that whenever they spoke of Patrick’s future, she wasn’t included, which they did, a lot. She remained polite and tried her best to fit in while secretly wondering why they invited her here. Unfortunately, she was quick enough to know their behavior was intentional. They were trying their best to make her feel every bit as out of place as she did. On the second night there, after an uncomfortable interrogation about her childhood and family at the dinner table, courtesy of Jennifer, Patrick’s older sister, Addie and Patrick had it out. Addie requested they leave the following morning and accused his family of insinuating that she wasn’t good enough for him, which Patrick flat out denied. To make matters worse, Patrick was different around his family. It was as though he was a different person and Addie felt uncomfortable. It made her question whether she knew him at all.
Patrick walked in as Addie was throwing her things into her bag. He surveyed the room. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m leaving, Patrick.”