Chapter 2
Addison parked her car at the end of the long line of vehicles in front of Laney’s house. Parties were her thing. Especially Independence Day. The food. The fun. The fireworks. She loved all of it. So why did she want to turn the car around and head home?
Addison ignored the urge to spend the day wallowing in a tub of ice cream. Not on Laney and Cade’s first joint event. She couldn’t miss it. She wouldn’t.
Flipping down the visor, she checked her makeup. Flawless as usual. She flashed her most radiant smile and smoothed any flyaway strands of hair that dared not submit to her sleek style. She locked eyes with the image in the mirror. “Game face on. And remember… it’s not the day for bad news.”
The last thing she wanted was to be a downer at her friend’s barbecue. She picked up her fruit tray, climbed out of the car, and ran a hand down her red sundress. Time to party.
She reached for the front door handle, then paused, pulling her hand back.
It wasn’t only her bestie’s house anymore.
For years, she’d had free rein to come and go as she pleased.
But now, Cade lived here as well. No more walking in unannounced.
Not that they would tell her not to, but Addison respected the lovebirds’ privacy.
She rang the bell.
Music radiated from the backyard. It grew louder as the door opened.
“Hey, come on in.” Cade smiled at her. He waved a hand at her outfit. “Love the festive look.”
Addison swung her hair, shaking her flag earrings. “Thanks. You too.”
He ran a hand down his fireworks print shirt. “Laney got it for me. She’s in the kitchen.”
She followed the sound of the blender. Laney was mixing a salad, and their friend, Marti, was adding some tequila to the blender.
“Is this where the food goes?” Addison set her stars-and-stripes fruit tray down on the counter and hugged her friends.
“Right out there.” Laney pointed to the table on the patio. Addison slipped out the back, waved to a couple of people, then made room for her tray on the food table before going back into the kitchen.
“Who wants one of my famous margaritas?” Marti poured the slushy drink into red plastic cups.
“Me. It’s been a week.” Addison took a sip. Oh, so good. She sucked down another gulp. Her eyelids dipped as she savored the flavor.
She looked up, and both her besties were watching her, concern in their eyes. Uh oh. “What?”
“I know they’re delish, but damn, girl.” Marti took a sip of her own drink. “It’s good, but not take-me-away good. At least not until the third one.”
Shoot. Her pageant face slipped. She forced a bright, toothy smile. “It’s been a day. Week, really. That’s all.”
“Isn’t it mandated that the week of the Fourth everyone slacks off in the office? If not, it should be.” Marti cut up a strawberry and dropped it into her drink.
“I’ve got plenty of slack time now,” Addison mumbled under her breath as she brought her drink to her lips.
“What? You quit?” The salad bowl clanked as Laney shifted her attention to her friend.
“No. I got laid off.” Shit. So much for not peeing on their party. She took another drink before setting the glass on the napkin.
“You’re shitting me.” Marti’s mouth dropped open.
“Sorry. Today isn’t the day for my crappy news. Forget I said anything.” She could be stone-faced if she were talking to anyone else, but not to these two. Laney and Marti were her rocks, had been since junior high. They could see through her fake smiles and glossy veneer like no other.
“Were other people laid off too?” Laney reached across the counter and gave Addison’s hand a squeeze. That one action had Addison’s chest swelling. Her friends were there for her.
“Nope, just me. They cited cutbacks, but that’s bullshit.
I ran the office. I know the finances and everything else going on in that business, and it wasn’t for any financial gain.
” She paced back and forth in Laney’s tiny kitchen.
Anger coursed through her as she spoke. “Mr. Louis can’t tie his shoes without me.
No way he can run that office on his own. ”
“Maybe it’s because you helped him with more articles of clothing than just his shoes?” Marti sipped her drink.
Addison shot her friend a sideways glare. “No. I didn’t. Not anything that mattered, anyway.”
“They can’t do that, can they? Isn’t that wrongful termination or sexual harassment or something?” Laney shook her head in disbelief.
“Well, it’s not harassment since our dating was consensual. I can’t believe I thought he was a good guy.” She’d been a fool.
“Can’t you sue or something?” Laney took the glass Marti offered.
Addison thought about it for a second and then shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t sue even if I could. If I did, I’d look bad to my next employer.”
Marti’s brows furrowed. “It doesn’t make sense. You didn’t do the funky monkey. And the relationship ended months ago. Why now?”
“If I had to guess, I would say Amber.”
“The wife?” Laney’s words were barely a whisper.
Crap. The last thing Addison wanted was to bring up thoughts of Laney’s first marriage to a cheating scumbag.
Marti slipped an arm around their friend but stared at Addison. Her eyes held no malice, but there was definitely a warning. Addison understood. She was skirting close to a line that would cause her friend pain. She downed the last of her drink and stared into the now empty cup.
Marti picked up the pitcher and topped off all their beverages. “Well, good riddance, I say. I think something better is out there for you.”
Laney raised her drink, toasting. “In both jobs and men.”
“Hear, hear.” Addison took a sip of her cocktail and set the cup down. Time for a subject change. “So, have you and Cade set a date?”
Laney’s face brightened. “Yes. The second Saturday in August next year, so mark your calendars because you know I want you both to be my bridesmaids.”
“Awesome. Any hot groomsmen to hook up with?” Marti always kept her options open. But Addison’s stomach churned.
“Cade asked Nash and Sawyer to be his groomsmen.”
What were the odds Addison would walk up with Laney’s brother, Sawyer, and not Nash? Zero. Something about Cade’s friend rubbed her the wrong way.
“We should plan a dress-shopping trip to the Cities soon. It can take a while once I order a dress, and then there are fittings.”
Marti rubbed her hands together, and a devious smile spread across her lips. “Time to start planning your bridal shower and bachelorette party.”
“Knowing you, you’ll come up with a wild idea or two for the stag. I’ll tackle the shower end.”
Marti grinned. “Already working on it.”
“What colors do you like?” Addison would put money on pink. Laney and Addison had their weddings planned since the fifth grade. Although Laney was married once before, maybe the new, more confident, and adventurous Laney would pick a color that wasn’t pastel.
“I haven’t even thought about it.”
The door to the backyard opened. Cade stuck his head in. “Hey, babe. The grill’s ready for the meat.”
Laney handed him a tray of brats and burgers from the refrigerator, a shiny new stainless-steel model. Her old one met with a fatal accident.
“Thanks. Oh, Becca and her husband just arrived. She brought the baby.”
“Oh! I can’t wait to hold him.” Laney’s face turned all sappy. “Wait. Becca.” She grinned at Addison. “Becca decided to stay home with the kids. There’s a job opening for an office person at Busted Knuckle.”
Oh no. The thought of working with Nash every day… seeing his disgustingly handsome face day in and day out… hell, no. “Thanks for thinking about me, but I’m sure something will come up.”
“That’s a perfect position for you. And if you work in town, we can do lunch in the summers.” Laney picked up the salad to carry it out to the food table.
“Look at her face. You’d think you just offered her a position at the gates of hell.” Marti chuckled.
“Oh, come on. Would you seriously turn down a job just so you don’t have to work with Nash? What happened between you two, anyway?” Laney was too damn perceptive.
“Nothing.” He was a perfect gentleman. Too perfect. He was handsome, with a face and body that screamed “player.” Addison had been there, done that, and didn’t trust herself around him. She was done with charmers and pretty boys, and Nash Steele made the pretty boys look like dog food.
She tapped her fingernails on the side of her cup. Her friend had a point. Running the offices of a plumbing shop and an auto shop couldn’t be too dissimilar. And the sooner she got a job, she wouldn’t need to pull money from her savings.
Cade stuck his head in and winked. “Is the food ready? We have some hungry people out here.”
“Yes. And Cade, is the office position still open at work?”
Addison glared at her friend, but Laney focused on her fiancé.
“Yes, ma’am. Do you have someone in mind?”
“Addison.” Laney beamed at her.
Well, shit. Addison bit her lip and gave him a little finger wave. No backing out now.
His face brightened. “Really?”
What could she say? Sorry, I would rather strip down at The Cheap Trick than work with Nash.
Not a chance. She bit back the bile crawling up her throat and put on her best pageant smile. “Yes, I’m looking for a new job.”
“Great! I’ll tell Dad. Come by the shop on Monday.” Cade returned to the grill.
She could see him talking to his father through the glass patio door. Eric looked excited.
“I guess I have an interview on Monday,” she mumbled with as much enthusiasm as she did for a bikini wax.
In the backyard, Laney’s mom gave Addison a big hug. “I love that dress. Did your mother come?”
“No, Mom and Mitch left for Michigan for a week to visit Devon and his family.” Addison’s stepbrother moved to the Upper Peninsula after college. They stayed in touch through social media and video calls.
“Come on. I see a couple of seats open by my sister, Shelly.” Laney motioned for her to follow.
Across the lawn, Laney’s sister was sitting with a woman Addison didn’t know.
Addison glanced over to the patio where Nash was placing burgers on the grill and laughing with the harem of women that seemed to flock to him wherever he went.
So what if he drew women to him like a bear to honey?
More like flies to shit. She scowled. Not wanting to deepen her forehead creases, she shook off all thoughts of Nash Steele and put on a bright smile, and continued behind her friend.
“Addison, you know Shelly and Jodell.” Laney made the introductions.
“Good to see you two again.” Addison hugged them.
“This is Hailey, Cade’s sister.”
“Nice to meet you. And who is this little darling?” She feathered a hand over the soft, downy hair of the newborn.
“This is Oliver. Would you like to hold him?”
“Sure.” How hard could it be? Addison had never been around babies. She was the only one in her friend group who never babysat. She helped at the salon.
Addison stiffened as Hailey placed the sleeping bundle into her arms. Stiff and anxious, she felt more comfortable holding a priceless piece of art than a tiny human.
She gazed at the little one snuggled in her arms, his sweet face with his pouty lips silently sucking.
She’d swear her heartbeat slowed down just looking at him.
Laney and Marti grinned at each other. Addison ignored them and smiled at the adorableness in her arms. Babies really weren’t that bad.
“Does Saturday work for the flowers?” Shelly asked the group, but her attention was on her son, wielding the largest water gun Addison had ever seen. “Connor! Don’t shoot that at your grandmother.”
“I believe so. Marti? Addison? Does that work for you?” Laney continued as if nothing had happened. Her eyes silently pleaded with her to come.
Addison knew no more about flowers than the next person, but she knew Laney’s mom and sister.
They would steamroll over Laney if they liked something different.
Laney had come a long way when it came to standing up to her mother, but she still backslid in times of stress.
And a wedding was stressful, no matter how you looked at it.
“My schedule is wide open.”
“Except for the interview on Monday.” Of course, Marti wouldn’t let her forget it.
The talk turned to the bridal shower as Addison quietly rocked side to side with the sleeping child. She wasn’t even aware that she was moving until Laney and Marti exchanged another look. Smiles crossed their faces, but they continued to talk as if nothing had happened.
Well, she didn’t care. She was enjoying her time with the little one.
Just then, a loud noise reverberated from the tiny infant. Heat warmed her already sweaty forearm. She checked to see if anything escaped the little one’s diaper. Then, the worst smell on the planet hit her. Ew! Her mind instantly thought… raw sewage.
“Here. Let me take him. Time for a diaper change.” Hailey reached for her child. “Unless you want the honor?”
Honor? “No. I’m good.” Addison handed him over and then checked her dress. Clean. She exhaled and leaned back into the chair. Not bad for her first time holding a baby. She’d had little interaction with kids, babies in particular, but she liked them. She just wasn’t around them much.
“Mom!” A squeal came from across the yard as a young boy sprinted toward them. He squeezed past Addison and clung to Hailey’s leg.
Addison turned to see what the commotion was about, just as cold water hit her dead on. Shock flooded her system as the liquid seeped through the material of her dress. A rapid intake of air filled her lungs. She’d been the victim of a water-gun battle.
“Connor!” Shelly jumped from her seat.
“I’m so sorry.” Jodell offered Addison a napkin that was too small to do anything to help her soaked dress, which now stuck to her body from chest to knees like shrink wrap.
Well, shit. She hadn’t seen that one coming.