If Only

If Only

Chapter 9:

Pete walked into Addison's office but she was nowhere to be found. Suddenly he heard her familiar laugh and headed towards the direction it was coming from. He stopped when he saw Addison with a handsome man handing over her card. She looked up from the man to Pete, and gave him a questioning look.

"Heyyy Pete. Who are the flowers for?" She asked him in a slow manner.

"Um. Just a, just… Naomi. They're for her office. A thank you for the party the other night." He smiled but she saw right past his glassy eyes and weak smile, she knew they were supposed to be for her.

"Oh okay," she responded, "well that's nice."

"Yeah. So, who's this?"

"Oh I'm sorry! Pete, this is Dr. Sean."

"Pleasure." Pete replied coldly. "So, how do you two know each other?"

"Well, we don't really actually," Dr. Sean responded, "but Addie here was kind enough to give me her number, and accepted my offer to dinner tonight." He smiled a huge grin.

Addison blushed, and looked at Pete, then to Dr. Sean and smiled. "So I'll see you tonight? At 8?" She asked flirtatiously.

She could see Pete getting angrier and angrier by the second, and to be honest she felt bad. But if she wanted him, she needed to make sure he wanted her too.

"Sounds perfect."

"Nothing's perfect." Replied Pete with a strong glare.

Dr. Sean just nodded his head, kissed Addison on the cheek, and walked away. The two were left standing alone.

"He calls you Addie?" Pete asked sounding hurt.

"Um, yeah, I guess."

"Addison, these flowers were for you! Not Naomi! I came here to tell you I'm sorry, and that, I just want to be able to try again."

"Pete, I can't do this right now."

"Fine, but I'm not giving up. I'm fighting. As cliché as this may sound, I want to be your gladiator… I'm leaving the cowboy part out for now." He smirked and watched as she tried her hardest not to do so herself. Then her face hardened.

"You want to fight for me? Fine. But you get to prove that you care, prove to me that you really are sorry. Then I'll think about forgiving you. Until then, I have a date to get ready for."

"Fine. But know that, I'm not going anywhere. Do you want the flowers still?" He tilted them towards her and she took them with a polite smile.

"How did you know lilies were my favorites?"

"Because you aren't like any other women, you don't like the same things. So, I figured roses would be expected, and something with different types of flowers would be too much. So, lilies."

"Pete, thanks." She smiled before going towards her office.

"Welcome!" He yelled after her, then lowered his voice to just above a whisper and said, "Love you." He turned around and was staring Violet straight in the face.

"Love. Hmm. Strong word there Pete."

"I know. But it's true. Vi, I've never felt like this before. Not even about Anna."

"Okay, Pete? I know you love her, but the mushy thing just isn't my thing. Okay?"

"So I'm guessing things didn't go well with Cooper then."

"Pete?"

"Yeah?"

"Go away."

"Come on Vi. We could talk, work it out..."

"You aren't my shrink." She slammed the door and closed the blinds. Pete walked back to his office.