Katie was so focused on getting away from the drama that was about to play out in the back garden, she wasn't watching where she was going and she crashed, face first, into Addison.
“Hey, where are you going?” He caught her by her upper arms before she could fall.
She didn't look up at him. Addison was literally the last person she wanted to see or talk to right now. He only talks to you because he feels sorry for you. Makinsley's words stung like hell. “I have to get some air,” she said and tried to pull away from him.
He didn't let her go. “What's wrong?”
She stared down at her feet. She didn't want to see his beautiful eyes looking down at her with concern. “I need some air. It's too crowded in here.”
“We're about to have to dance,” he said. “Where's Ian?”
“Doesn't matter,” Katie whispered.
She felt Addison's grip tighten on her arm. “Katie, talk to me. What's wrong? Where's Ian?”
“Just let me go, Addison. I don't want to talk to you right now.” She choked on the words.
“Are you crying?” Addison let go of her right arm and used his newly free hand to take her by the chin and tilt her face upwards so that she had to look at him.
“Leave me alone. Please?” Katie couldn't turn away from him now, but she didn't have to look at him either. She closed her eyes so she didn't have to wonder if the worry she saw on his face was real, or just part of the games he played with every girl in the county.
Addison reluctantly loosened his grip on her arm. “Talk to me.”
“No, I don't want to. You're the last person I feel like talking to right now. Well, almost the last person.” Katie swallowed her tears and forced herself to stand as tall and straight-backed as she could. “Why don't you go find your girlfriend, Addison?”
He jerked back from her as if she had smacked him. “I don't have a girlfriend.”
“Fine. You want to be technical? I'll be technical. Go find the soul-sucking bitch you've been sleeping with. Trust me when I say she wants your attention more than I do.” Katie didn't give him a chance to recover from her words, she shoved past him and headed for the front doors. Her mood must have shown on her face, because the crowd parted like the Red Sea to let her pass.