Chapter Five - You will learn the f**king hard way.

McKenna

I head downstairs after taking a shower and changing for the day. When I got halfway downstairs, I heard Paxton talking to someone, but he did not sound happy.

“No, I told you, I am taking this time off. You don’t need to know where I am. I have barely had time off since I started. I am taking the summer, and you need to deal with it, Trevor.” He snaps.

Trevor, I am sure that is his manager. There is silence, so I assume Trevor is talking. I shouldn’t be listening to the conversation, but he seems upset.

“I am not telling you again, Trevor. The album can wait six weeks. No one knows I plan on working on a new one. Now, don’t call me again. I will reach out when I am ready.” He hisses.

Silence comes again until I hear Paxton groan in frustration and annoyance. I listen to him opening the cabinets. What is he looking for? I sigh and come down the rest of the stairs and into the kitchen. I am met with Paxton leaning against one of the counters with a bottle of scotch.

“Paxton, what are you doing? It is not even noon.” I say softly.

“I don’t care.” He replies, opening the bottle and taking a long swig of it.

I rush over and snatch the bottle from him, “This will not do you any good.”

“Kenna, give me the bottle back. I am not in the mood for any bullshit.” He barks.

“No. This is one of the damn reasons you keep getting into trouble.”

He shakes his head, “You have no fucking idea, McKenna. Give me the fucking bottle.”

“You know what, take it. You will learn the fucking hard way.” I hiss, setting the bottle down.

I do not need him and his bullshit. I shake my head in disapproval and walk away. The way he spoke to me, he had never done that before; it is how I know he isn’t the same person. I head back up to my room and grab my laptop.

I put some music on in the background and start to look at jobs. I have sent some resumes out, but I will continue to send more until I find something else or a second job. I will stay in here for now. I may go out later, but whatever I do, I will leave Paxton alone. I am not going to be the one he takes his bad mood out on. There are plenty of positions, but some I am not qualified for and others don’t pay what I need if I want to a place.

I scan through them for I don’t know how long, but a knock at my bedroom door stops me from what I am doing.

I pause my music, “Paxton, what do you want?”

It can only be him. There is no one else here.

“Can I please come in?” he asks.

“It depends. Do you plan on taking your shitty mood out on me?”

“No, I don’t. Can I please come in, dimples?”

“I told you not to call me that.”

I wait for him to answer, but he doesn’t answer. Instead, my bedroom door opens, and he comes into my room without my permission. He closes the door and rests against it.

“I am sorry I snapped at you, Kenna. I didn’t mean to. I had no right, too.” He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair.

“No, you shouldn’t have. I understand you are mad for some reason, but I am not the cause. You had no reason to snap at me. I was only trying to look out for you.”

My words come out in a whimper, not on purpose. I don’t do well with any confrontation. My parents argued a lot when we were kids before she passed away, and my last relationship was the same. Well, he would be the one yelling at me for no reason.

Paxton rushes over. He sets my laptop aside and kneels in front of me on the bed.

“Kenna, please don’t be upset. I am so sorry.” He whispers and reaches in to caress my face with his thumb.

I swallow hard and fight the urge to move into his touch, “What is going on?”

Paxton pulls back but stays in place, “My manager called me. He is unhappy I left, and I am not telling anyone where I am. He was trying to get me to come back to work. I haven’t had much time off in six years, so I told him no, so he is pissed at me.”

“And you thought drinking a bottle of scotch would help you feel better?” I ask and raise my brow at him.

“Sadly, that is how I deal with things these days. Drink or worse.”

I can see the shame on his face and in his eyes.

“You should know better than anyone those things aren’t the answer.”

His mother was a drug addict, but she did get clean and has stayed that way for a long time.

“I should know better, especially after the way my mom was.” He sighs.

I place my hand over his and look him straight in the eye, “It is never the answer, Paxton. You deserve a break, and your manager will need to deal with that. If you don’t take some time, you are going to end up in a worse place. I know your career is important to you, and you worked hard, but you also need to take care of yourself.”

He breaks eye contact with me, “I wish it were that easy.”

“Paxton, I will never understand the pressure you are under, but the only person who can make changes is you, no one else,” I say softly.

His eyes meet mine again and as I look at them closely, I can see the brokenness in them. It breaks my heart.

“Anyway, none of that matters right now. All that matters is that you stop being mad at me.” He says, stroking my hair behind my ear.

I bite on my lip to stop from any unwanted sounds from coming from my lips. I can feel the heat rise on my cheeks and neck. Neither speaks, but I see his eyes fall from mine down to my lips and back up. Why does he look like he is thinking about kissing me?

“I-I-I am not mad at you.” I stammer out.

His lips curl into a smile, “Good. I don’t like you being mad at me.” He says and pulls his hand away.

I take a second to gather myself.

“But if you snap at me ever again, I will not be so nice and forgiven,” I warn.

He chuckles and holds his hands up, “Okay, little miss feisty. I like this new side of you.”

“I mean,” I say firmly and waggle my finger at him.

“I know you do, dimples.” He smirks.

“Paxton! I told you to stop calling me that!” I whine.

Paxton laughs loudly, “Why can’t I call you dimples? You still have your dimples when you smile.”

I hide my face as it becomes warmer, “No, I don’t.”

Paxton removes my hands, “I am glad everything hasn’t changed. You still blush so easily. Why is that? You were always blushing around me?”

Fuck! He noticed that! I didn’t think he did.

“I don’t know what you mean. I didn’t know I did that. I blush so easily around anyone.” I lie.

Yes, I am pretty shy and get embarrassed easily, but no one can make me blush the way Paxton used too and apparently still does.

“Hmm, if you say so.” He smirks.

“What other reason would they be?”

He raises his brow at me, “You tell me.”

I shake my head, “There is no other reason.”

Does he know I used to have a crush on him? Or I was in love with him? I hope not.

“Okay, anyway, I am bored. Do you want to do something?”

“Like what? You said you aren’t ready to leave the house yet.”

“We could go for a swim to start, and after, we can work it out. I can make us some lunch since you made breakfast.” He smiles.

I smile back, “Sure, let’s do that.”

“Okay. I will meet you by the pool.” He says, jumping to his feet and disappearing out of my room.

I didn’t plan on going swimming until later, but I don’t mind going now. I will put on a swimsuit rather than a bikini this time because I will be more comfortable around him if I do.