16. Two Mansfields for the Price of One
CHAPTER 16
TWO MANSFIELDS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
A ddison took a deep breath before typing out the text message. She had been meaning to reach out to Laura, and now seemed like the perfect time.
Addison: Hey, Laura. It’s Addison.
Addison stared at her phone, her fingers hovering over the screen. She wasn’t sure how Laura would respond, but her reply came almost immediately.
Laura Mansfield: Addison! I’m so glad you texted. I was hoping we could see each other sometime, minus the guys, to hang out and get to know each other better.
Well, that was easy, Addison thought, smiling as she quickly typed back.
Addison: Actually, that’s why I texted!
Laura: Great minds think alike.
They chatted briefly, agreeing on a day to get together for some girl time. Addison could hardly wait until Wednesday. She decided to take a rare day off and play hooky with Laura. She’d even been invited to the weekly Wednesday night dinner with Laura and her sister, Amy.
If only I’d known how kind and welcoming Laura was this whole time. We could have been friends for over a year now. That’s what jealousy and alcohol prevented. Never again.
Addison’s boss had been shocked when she requested the day off. Initially worried about how he’d react, she almost laughed when he practically insisted she took the break as if she was doing the firm a favor by staying away.
She and Laura had a big day planned. They decided to play tourist, starting with the National Gallery of Art and grabbing lunch afterward.
I can’t remember the last time I went there or the last time I took a day off, so I guess that’s not surprising.
Laura waved eagerly from a bench in the sculpture garden as Addison approached. A wide grin spread across Addison’s face. It feels nice to have a new friend. This must be what people with work-life balance feel like all the time.
The women hugged briefly, and Laura launched into the day’s plan. “I thought we’d start here in the sculpture garden. It’s not like the exhibits have changed much, but I always love the mind trip I get from that Lichtenstein house—it looks like it turns inside out as you walk around it.”
“Let’s do this,” Addison said, raising a fist in the air.
“Sculptures, ho!” Laura called out, making Addison laugh.
They strolled along the garden’s meandering path, admiring the sculptures and making light conversation. This feels like being with an old friend.
As they neared the Pavilion Cafe, Addison’s stomach growled.
“Sounds like your stomach’s right on schedule,” Laura teased.
The cafe overlooked the sculpture garden, providing the perfect summer lunch spot. They were lucky enough to snag a table shaded by an umbrella.
“I’m really glad you wanted to hang out,” Addison said, spearing a rogue olive in her salad.
“I was hoping it wouldn’t be weird,” Laura admitted, her gaze dropping to the table.
“Not at all. But, to make it weird for just a second, I want to apologize for how I acted the first night we met. It had nothing to do with you. I just wasn’t ready to accept that my relationship with Jake was over.”
Laura’s cheeks flushed at the memory. “You terrified me that night. I mean, imagine being me—your boyfriend’s ex-fiancée, all blonde and supermodel-ish, acting like she wants him back. I thought I was done for.”
God, that’s so embarrassing. I must have seemed like a monster.
“Well,” Addison sighed. “I can’t excuse it, but I promise it won’t happen again. I’m really happy you and Jake found each other.”
“There’s no need to apologize or think about it again. Romantic relationships have meet-cutes. Ours was more of a meet-nightmare, but it makes for a good backstory.”
Addison chuckled. “Ignore me if you’re tired of telling the story, but I’d love to hear about your baseball game engagement. Tim didn’t give me the full scoop—typical guy. Though to be fair, he’s usually pretty on top of gossip.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of telling that story,” Laura said with a dreamy smile. She recounted the proposal in vivid detail—Jake on the pitcher’s mound, Screech, the mascot nearby, and the moment she realized what was happening.
“It took a few days and a lot of social media videos for it to feel real,” Laura continued. “Did you know we made ESPN? We were one of the highlights on SportsCenter, and they posted it all over their socials. Oh, and I’m a huge Nats fan—Jake and I went to a game early on in our relationship, so it wasn’t just some random public proposal.”
“You’re not rambling,” Addison said, smiling. “I love hearing the details. Loving gossip is one of my core personality traits.”
Laura relaxed. “Thanks. I always worry people don’t care or think I’m showing off. Anyway, enough about me. I want to hear about Tim. Start anywhere.”
Addison had been dying to talk openly about her relationship with someone who knew the whole truth. Sure, she’d told Lexi about “Tom,” but she couldn’t gush over the real details.
“Well,” Addison started, hesitating. Where do I even begin? “Okay, let’s start with the past. I’m sure you know about our little foursome—me, Jake, Lexi, and Tim—back in law school. It was nice because I was close to all of them. Hanging out with Tim was perfectly normal. Sometimes we’d do stuff just the two of us, especially if we wanted to gossip—Jake and Lexi didn’t care for gossip, but we loved it.”
“Tragic,” Laura said, laughing.
“I know, right? So Tim and I became good friends. When things ended with Jake, Tim and Lexi broke up too, and the group kind of fell apart. Lexi was loyal to me, and Tim stayed close to Jake. We divided up the group and moved on.”
“I missed my friends more than I missed being engaged to Jake. Losing both Jake and Tim was a real blow. I’ve had a hard time making new friends since.” Addison’s voice softened.
Laura nodded. “Well, you didn’t just lose your fiancé. You lost your whole social support system.”
She gets it. No one else ever gets it.
“Exactly. It’s not a knock against Lexi—she’s an amazing friend—but one person can only do so much. Having a group of friends for different parts of your life is a bigger deal than I realized.”
“So, you lost your fiancé and your circle of support at the same time. That’s a lot for anyone to handle,” Laura said thoughtfully.
Addison blinked back, the tears threatening to fall. I’ve never thought of it that way.
After lunch, they leisurely walked through the museum—modern art for Addison, Impressionists for Laura. Time flew by until Laura’s phone alarm buzzed.
“Oh! Time to meet Amy for dinner,” Laura said, silencing the alarm.
Addison felt a flicker of nervousness. Why am I nervous? It’s just Laura’s sister. She got along with Laura almost immediately, so Amy should be no problem. But logic didn’t stop her nerves. This was more socializing than she typically did in a week, much less on a single Wednesday. She was glad that they were meeting at a casual place with lots of distractions.
They headed to Penn Quarter Sports Tavern, which was loud and bustling—perfect for hiding any awkwardness.
Amy was already there, her dark ponytail bobbing above the crowd. She raised a margarita in greeting as they approached.
“Hey! Addison, I didn’t know what you liked, so I got three pomegranate margaritas,” she said.
“Who doesn’t like margaritas?” Addison grinned, accepting the drink.
Amy scanned the room. “Let’s grab a table—there!”
“She’s all business,” Laura whispered to Addison. “I’d say she’ll chill once we sit down, but that’s just not her style.”
Addison shrugged. It’s nice to be around another non-chill person. I’ve always felt bad for not being laid-back like everyone else seems to be.
“That was easier than I expected,” Amy said as they settled into their seats. “Drinks? Check. Table? Check. Now we just need intros. Hi, I’m Amy.” She extended her hand to Addison.
Firm grip. No-nonsense. I love her.
“Addison. Nice to meet you, finally. Laura told me you own a business—that’s so cool.”
Amy’s smile was confident. “Thanks. I own a maid service. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s worth it. My friend Bettina is my only employee, and we clean clients’ homes together. You may have heard Laura worked with me for a bit,” she added with a teasing tone.
“Yeah, yeah,” Laura jumped in. “I was a terrible maid but an excellent spy. I’m just lucky Jake forgave me for snooping around his place.”
Amy gave her sister a playful jab. “Uh-huh. All of that.”
“Honestly, I thought it was smart,” Addison said, making both sisters stare at her in surprise. “Laura, you put in the work to make the relationship grow. Questionable methods? Maybe. But you had access, and you used your resources.”
“And that’s why she’s a great defense attorney,” Laura said with a laugh.
Amy leaned forward. “Now, I need to hear about Tim.”
“You’re just like your sister,” Addison said, shaking her head. “Laura, cover your ears—you’ve already heard this.”
Laura sighed dramatically. “I could never get bored hearing a love story.”
Addison filled Amy in on her history with Tim, reliving the key moments.
“Addison’s in a pickle,” Laura chimed in. “Lexi doesn’t know about Tim yet.”
Addison squirmed. “Well, she knows a little.”
The sisters raised their eyebrows.
“She knows the romance part, but she thinks his name is Tom. Oh, and she’s upset she hasn’t met him.”
Laura’s eyes widened. “Forget a pickle—she’s in a whole barrel of them.”
Pretty much.
“Addison, you ’ re the pickle. Why do you think Lexi would be mad? You’re hanging out with Laura, your ex’s fiancée, and there’s no issue. Why would she be mad about you dating a guy she broke up with years ago?” Amy asked.
“It all sounds so logical when you say it,” Addison sighed. “But it’s not just about dating Tim. She’ll be upset that I kept it from her and lied about his identity. I’m stuck.”
Laura and Amy exchanged knowing looks and cracked up.
“Oh, you haven’t heard our story yet, have you?” Amy asked. Addison shook her head. “Laura kept Jake from me for months. She knew I’d figure out that her boyfriend Jake was the same guy whose condo I cleaned. Her little secret caused us a lot of problems.”
“Would you have been mad if she told you from the start?” Addison asked.
“Mad? No,” Amy said, shaking her head. “I just wouldn’t have let her clean his place since she would’ve had access to things he wasn’t ready for her to see. We’d have worked it out.”
“I didn’t want her to cut me off,” Laura added. “I wanted to share everything with my big sister, just like you with Lexi.”
“You have to tell Lexi—and soon,” Amy said seriously. “Your friendship might not recover if you don’t.”
Addison nodded, but Amy’s words stayed with her as she headed home. She’s right. But I’m scared. The thought of facing Lexi made her stomach twist. What if Lexi can’t forgive me? She couldn’t handle the thought of losing either Lexi or Tim. How am I supposed to choose between them?
By the time she got home, she felt completely drained. But Amy’s voice was still there, clear as ever in her mind: You have to tell her. Addison sighed as she fumbled for her keys. She knew it. It was time to stop hiding. Time to take action.