Chapter 29 #3
The nerves in my stomach bind themselves into an even tighter knot.
Although Addy is giving off the vibe that perhaps she already suspected something was going on with Theo—and she doesn’t seem that mad about it—I still feel anxious about the conversation that looms ahead of me.
Theo’s her brother. I can’t talk to her about him the same way I could talk to her about literally any other guy on the planet.
As we all climb out of the Uber, Addy looks at Theo and Evie. “How about you two join the guys in the casino,” Addy suggests, hooking her arm around mine, “and Hailey and I have a little catch-up?”
“Yeah, I do not want to be involved in this conversation,” Theo jokes. His eyes meet mine and he offers a reassuring smile, but I know he’s not concerned. He knows I was planning on having this talk with Addy today, anyway. “Good luck, Hails.”
He and Evie head for the casino, while Addy and I dip into Vesper, a cocktail lounge right in the main check-in lobby. I’m on the same page as her for once when it comes to alcohol, because I definitely need a drink to get through this.
The lounge is vintage and sophisticated, with colorful velvet and leather seating, chrome accents and brass details.
It’s not too busy at this time of day, so we grab a table and order two of the signature cocktails—the Vesper Martini.
When I take my first sip, the sheer strength of the liquor nearly floors me.
Addy laughs, crosses one long, slim leg over the other, and leans back in her chair.
She presses her lips to the edge of her glass and studies me over the rim.
To a certain degree, her expression is casual and composed, but I sense her need for answers in the firm tone of her voice. “Well, Hailey Clark?”
“Oh, Addy,” I groan, setting down my martini and shaking my head fast like I can’t quite believe what’s happened this weekend, either.
“I don’t know if it was being handcuffed to him or what, but I’ve had so much fun spending time with Theo this weekend.
He’s so nice to me and he understands all of the weird ways my brain works and being around him doesn’t exhaust me like being around most people does. ”
As I ramble, a smile brightens Addy’s face.
“Evie was convinced the two of you were getting cozy. And I know Theo has always liked you, because I used to warn him to leave you alone.” She laughs, takes another sip of her drink.
“Just to clarify: I wanted him to leave you alone not because it would freak me out if you were together, but because back then he was your average teenage idiot and I didn’t want him wasting your time.
But Theo’s actually great, and I’m not surprised you’ve realized that, too. ”
A warm wave of joy rises through me and I’m trying not to smile too hard, because there’s still more I need to tell her. “Um, well . . . Last night . . .”
“Last night I left you alone in a hotel room with Theo and I am fully aware of what may have ensued after I left,” she says, dismissively waving a hand.
She even looks as though she may laugh. “It’s okay, I swear—just don’t tell me about it.
Ever. That is a new boundary I am enforcing in our friendship, okay? ”
I nod in agreement through cheeks tinted pink with embarrassment, but also relief. And since we’re being honest . . . “I’m sorry.”
“You do not have to say sorry.”
“I’m not sorry about Theo,” I correct, reaching for my lethal cocktail again. “I mean I’m sorry that this weekend hasn’t gone to plan. I really wanted everything to be perfect for you, but between Theo and—”
Addy sits forward and leans across the table, taking my hand. “Hey, stop it. This weekend has derailed, yes, but it’s not your fault. It went off course the moment Liam decided to ambush me. I’m just happy everyone is still alive!”
I raise an eyebrow at her word choice. “Ambush? I thought combining your bach parties was a joint decision.”
A brief flicker of alarm crosses Addy’s perfect features. She lets go of my hand and sits back again, focusing intently on gulping down her drink. “Between you and me, Hailey, it was not a joint decision.”
There’s something cold in the way she speaks now, something oddly jarring about how foreign it feels. It’s so completely unlike her to talk in such a hard tone of voice that I take a second to process it. Eventually, I respond, “Is everything okay? Are you not having a good time?”
Addy lifts her eyes from the bottom of her empty martini glass. She smiles. “I’ll definitely remember this weekend, that’s for sure.”
I stare back at her, confused by the smile she wears and the dark look in her eyes, and I hate that I can’t comprehend what it all means. I’m not sure what she needs from me right now. Am I supposed to take her smile at face value? Am I supposed to push for more?
I obviously spend too long debating it, because she taps the rim of my glass in my hand and says, “Drink up!”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I suck in a breath and finish off my martini all at once simply to get rid of it.
We settle the check, grab our purses, and head for the casino floor with our arms interlocked.
It’s such a relief our friendship is solid and intact, but there’s still something tense about Addy.
An uneasy look in her eyes, her smile artificial. Something that worries me.