Chapter 20
FINAL DESTINATION
Addie
Addie had gotten too many odd requests from bridal parties through the years to count them on her two hands, much less the hands of a Times Square crowd on New Year’s Eve. If someone could think it up, it had probably been requested.
She learned to go with the flow, indulge when she could, and tactfully redirect when she couldn’t—like the couple who wanted to parachute off the Empire State Building for their reception entrance.
Neither groom took too kindly to the fact that the city had ordinances that prevented that kind of thing, and the person they saw do it in a movie had—in fact—not actually performed the act.
But for some reason, Naiomi’s request to meet up at a little coffee shop just off Columbus Circle—in comfy shoes—topped even the parachuters.
Maybe she just wanted an update on preparations—which were actually going well.
Or maybe she’d changed her mind about having the Anti-Aphrodite plan her special day.
The worries tore through Addie’s stomach until she stepped into the coffee shop and was instantly greeted by Naiomi’s beaming smile and warm hug.
The other woman glanced down at her sneaker-clad feet. “Oh, good. You wore your moving shoes.”
“I also wore my curiosity cap. It’s not every day I’m given absolutely no details about my plans for an evening.”
Naiomi looked confused. “What? When I called the HEF office and offered it up, Bailey said you’d be totally thrilled.”
Addie’s confusion morphed into slow wariness. “Thrilled about…?”
Naiomi’s mouth opened to answer when the coffee shop doors opened, and Phoenix strode inside. His mouth pulled up into something of a smile, but it was far from the broad panty-melting, mischievous version that Addie had grown to expect.
“Got your message, sis.” Phoenix stopped next to them, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. “What’s up?”
Addie glanced at Naiomi expectantly.
“Okay, him I didn’t tell,” Nai admitted.
“Tell me what? You know I don’t like guessing games, Naiomi.” Phoenix’s out-of-character grumpiness earned him looks from both Addie and Nai. “What?”
“Want to try that again, big brother? Maybe without the pointy spear up your ass?”
He threw out a heavy sigh, the tenseness of his muscles slowly relaxing. “Sorry. Just … shit happening at the label.”
“Apology accepted.” Naiomi’s smile returned quickly as she lifted a black book bag from a chair and shoved it into his chest. “This is for the two of you. There’s water, sunscreen, and some snacks. And a map of the park just in case you need it.”
Phoenix blinked in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“A few months back, I signed East and me up for this Great Amazing Hunt: Central Park thing, and as it turns out, I underestimated how much free time I’d have leading up to my presentation.”
“What does this have to do with me and Addie?”
Addie nodded. “What he asked.”
“Because it’s a fun early evening of hilarity and fresh air, and ends with a romantic movie under the stars.” Nai rested her hands on her hips. “And I already paid for it and there are no refunds, and if I can’t enjoy it, then I want people I love to do so. Is that a sufficient enough answer?”
Addie recognized a bride close to the edge, and Naiomi Cross’s balance was close to teetering.
“Absolutely.” She took the book bag from Phoenix and flung it onto her back. “Thank you for thinking of us. As it turns out, I’ve wanted to do this scavenger hunt for a few years now, and I somehow always manage to miss the registration date.”
“Liar,” Phoenix mumbled under his breath, his mouth twitching at the corners.
Addie nibbled on her lower lip to keep from grinning back.
Nai was already collecting her purse, her job obviously done.
“Great. So have fun. Make sure you put the sunscreen on since there’s at least another hour of harsh rays ahead, and don’t forget to take lots of pictures.
And enjoy the movie, too—if you make it to the end.
There’s a picnic blanket in the bottom of the bag.
Oh, and meet-up is by the statue outside in five! ”
She waved and with a dramatically blown air kiss, left the two of them alone.
“So you had no idea about this, either?” Addie turned toward a too-quiet Phoenix.
His silence was a little disconcerting, but his lips twitched again slightly as he shook his head. “Not a damn thing.”
“We could always tell her that we went and stalk the hunt’s social media accounts, so we know enough to answer any questions if she asks later,” Addie suggested.
Phoenix laughed as he took the backpack off her shoulders and threw it onto his.
“Knowing my sister, she’ll use the Family Locator app to check our GPS coordinates, and even if she doesn’t, she’ll figure it out somehow.
It’s best to just do it and hope for the best. How difficult could it be?
It’s Central Park. As long as they don’t make us do it on bikes, we’ll be fine. ”
Fifteen minutes later, and Addie couldn’t restrain her laughter at Phoenix’s horror-stricken face. Not only did the organizers have bikes waiting for all the scavenger-hunt attendees, but they were two-person cycles, and required to travel from point A to point B.
Clearing her throat, Addie struggled to keep her voice neutral. “It won’t be that bad. You ride a Harley, for crying out loud.”
Phoenix’s gaze snapped to hers. “Totally different machines, babe.”
“Yeah, this one can’t kill you if you fall off and it runs over you.” Addie snorted at his unamused look and got onto the front bike. “This isn’t a problem. I’ll do the steering, and you just help pedal the damn thing. The rest will come naturally.”
He grumbled, but climbed onto the rear seat before ripping open the clue envelope they’d been handed at the registration table. “‘It’s no Yankee Stadium, but…’”
Addie’s brow furrowed. “No Yankee Stadium? The Mets Stadium?”
“Ha. Ha.” Phoenix glanced around the area where they waited with all the other participants who were also trying to decipher their first clue.
Not all groups received the same one, the event coordinators staggering the locations so people didn’t just follow the crowd, with the exception being the final destination. Everyone ended at the same location.
Suddenly, the clue hit Addie. “The ball fields. Unless you can think of something else. They said our track was the lower half of the park so that would make it—”
“The softball fields.” Phoenix gripped his handlebars tight. “Lead the way, love.”
They each pushed off the ground, and came to an immediate stop as the bike teetered precariously, unable to find their balance.
They tried again, and again. After the sixth attempt, Phoenix cursed the tandem bike while Addie snorted with laughter at his frustration.
The seventh time was the charm, and they wobbled their way in a somewhat steady path toward the softball fields.
With at least five fields in close proximity and all in tree-lined areas with bleachers, there was no telling where they’d find the next clue. Literally. On the left field, a group of young girls in mid-game huddled around their coach as their crowd of spectators cheered loudly from the bleachers.
Addie shifted her sunglasses and squinted against the fading sun until she saw a guy sitting among the crowd wearing the bright orange GAH T-shirt that matched the rest of the event staff.
Addie took hold of Phoenix’s hand and pointed at the bleachers. “How much do you want to bet that’s where we’ll find the next clue?”
Phoenix spotted the guy instantly. “At least they’re giving us hints to help us along the way.”
Addie circled the bleachers while Phoenix looked underneath.
They met around the side where he climbed out, holding another orange envelope and wearing a grin. “Want to perform the honors?”
She ripped into it and his hands wrapped around her waist from behind, chin propped on her shoulder. “‘Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape.’”
Phoenix groaned. “That’s too damn easy. They couldn’t challenge us a little?”
Addie read the clue again, still confused.
“Wait. Don’t you know what that quote’s from?” Phoenix stared at her as if she’d sprouted a second head. “First you don’t do the classic rom-com movies, and now you don’t know this? Adalyn Love. Maybe we should rethink this romance.”
His words, although said innocently, hit something that sent a painful zing through her chest. She rubbed the spot and breathed through the sting.
Romance. Fauxmance.
It had been an innocent slip. Not even worth mentioning. But the longer she thought about it, the more difficult it became to suck in her next breath. Bailey’s earlier teasing about blurred lines immediately surged to the front of Addie’s mind.
No strings was never no strings.
Not in books or movies. And real life rarely followed the path you expected it to take, Fate loving nothing more than to shake things up with a quick, sharp veer to the right. And Addie knew that for a fact, considering her mother belonged to a book club with Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos.
Fuck.
When did her path go rogue without her realizing?
“Hey.” Concern shone from Phoenix’s eyes as he cupped her face and steered it toward him. “You okay?”
“Yeah. No. I’m fine.” She shrugged off the panic and dragged her focus back to the moment and the clue in her hands. “I have no idea where this is from, so do you want to enlighten me, or do you want to continue picking apart my movie choices?”
He repeated the clue in an obvious impersonation of someone else that didn’t help in the least bit, and at her continued silence, he laughed. “My celebrity impersonations lack a little something to be desired, but come on. It’s one of the most famous quotes from Planet of the Apes.”
“And we do what with that clue? Charter a bus to take us there?” Addie asked sarcastically.