Chapter 8
Addison turned down Main on her way to Ted’s house.
The coffee date on Tuesday went so well, she accepted his invitation to make her dinner tonight.
Ted was nothing like the bratty boy she remembered.
He was well-traveled and loved to cook. Considerate as well by checking to see if she had any food allergies.
All in all, he was coming out of the gate strong.
The only thing missing was chemistry, but that could grow… Right?
A bright red Chevy parked in front of the pizza place drew her attention. Nash. He’d been tolerable this week, keeping their interactions to work with minimal small talk. He hadn’t hit on her once, unless she counted his invite to have pizza with the shop guys tonight. She didn’t.
Maybe they really could be friends. Friends with a bro dude?
That was uncharted territory for her. She rolled the idea around in her mind.
It was a good idea, except for the fact she drifted off to sleep all week to visions of deep blue eyes—and those dimples.
She licked her lips just thinking about his forearms, the way the muscles roped up, up, and under the edge of his tee.
The only reason she hadn’t pulled her vibrator from the back of her drawer was sheer spite.
She could deal with a little sexual frustration over giving in to Nash Steele’s magnetism. Even if she was the only one to know.
She should screw Ted’s brains out tonight just to scratch that itch. She shifted in her seat. That wouldn’t help. Besides, she was looking for a permanent relationship, one with stability. No, better to dig out the vibrator from the back of her drawer.
The drive took ten minutes. She happened to hit the one stoplight in the center of town on red. Ted lived in a Victorian-style home that screamed fixer-upper. From the look of the trim, half soft yellow and half still a faded blue, she’d say he had started the renovation.
Addison made her way across the uneven cobblestone path, careful not to break a heel.
At the door, she rang the bell… Silence. She rang again.
She checked her watch. Did she have the wrong time? No. She knocked.
A moment later, Ted opened the door in jeans and a button-down shirt. “Hi. Sorry. My bell isn’t working. I hope you weren’t waiting long?”
“Not long at all.” He held the door open, and she stepped into the small foyer. “Mmm. Something smells good.”
“Thanks. Dinner should be done in a couple of minutes. Welcome to my home.” He gestured with a wave of his hand.
Addison’s focus followed his arm. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing his forearms. Nice. Not too muscular, but they could hoist her up in a passionate embrace. She shifted from his arms to the house. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thanks, it has good bones. I have a lot to do to bring it back to its former glory.” He scanned the interior as if looking at it for the first time.
“Have you taken on other remodeling projects before?”
“No, this is the first. Until now, I’ve lived in apartments. But there’s something about this house.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth.
Addison followed his gaze around the room. “It’s a big project for your first.”
“Yeah. I used to bike by this house every day when I was young. Something about it drew me in.” Pulling his gaze back to her, he smiled. “Would you like a tour?”
“Yes.”
“I started remodeling in here.” He stepped through a wooden archway into the living room. Addison followed… and froze.
What the fuck? Eyes. Dozens of them were staring at her. Shock slapped her back. She had no words.
Deer, pheasant, ducks, fish bigger than her, and… was that a pig?
Ted was still talking, something about the varnish. She couldn’t say. She was struck deaf and mute at the sight of all the dead critters.
“Addison?” His voice broke through the fog.
“Yes, sorry. You were saying?” Addison knew several men who were sportsmen, but growing up it was just her and her mother, so this was a first. She glanced around the room one more time. Holy shit. She sucked in a breath. Don’t run. They can’t bite you. Could they?
“Meet the guys. These are my trophies from my trips.” He stroked a hand over the head of a deer with twisted antlers.
“I thought you said you worked for a magazine?”
“I do. It’s a sportsmen’s magazine. I go on safaris and fishing trips.” He took her by the hand and led her around the room, explaining on which trip he got each one.
She followed along in silence. By the third animal, Addison had tuned out, catching bits and pieces about calibers and lures. By the time they stepped into the next room, Addison had lost her appetite.
Thankfully, the dining room was free of animals. Addison exhaled and turned her focus to the remodeling. The wood trim and floors gleamed. Modern lighting and furniture finished the room. She liked it.
“Have a seat. Would you like some wine?” He opened a built-in cabinet that hid a wine cooler.
Hell, yes! “That would be lovely.” She smiled politely.
Ted set a glass of white wine in front of her, then disappeared back into the kitchen.
Addison took a drink and glanced back into the other room. She shuddered and raised the glass to her lips for another healthy swig. Calm and cool. Breathe in confidence. Breathe out doubt. Or, in this case, anxiety. She took another sip of her wine.
Swirling the liquid in the glass, she pursed her lips. “The guy may have a whole zoo of stuffed animals, but he has good taste in wine.”
“Thank you.” He entered, silent as a mouse.
She startled. Her cheeks heated. Way to make it weird.
With a self-deprecating grin, he set two plates with steaks and baby potatoes and carrots on the table.
She focused on adjusting her napkin in her lap, but the aroma of the food overwhelmed her senses. “It smells delicious.”
She cut a dainty piece and took a bite. Mmm. Melt-in-her-mouth good.
Lord, I hope it’s beef. She swallowed. If it wasn’t, she didn’t want to know.
“How was your first week of work?” He genuinely looked interested.
“Good. Actually, it’s going really well.”
They fell into a relaxed conversation throughout dinner, talking about their jobs and hobbies. The stories about his travels were entertaining, and the time flew by.
“Would you like to watch a movie?” he asked as he cleared the table.
Her gaze drifted to the doorway. A flash of black and white stripes peeked out from the room beyond. Before she could catch herself, she asked, “In the living room?”
“Yes.”
She faked a yawn. “I’m a little tired. It was a long first week at work, and I’m going in again tomorrow to familiarize myself with the systems.”
He slouched against the doorway. “It’s the animals, isn’t it?”
“No. I love animals.” She glanced from animal to animal. Just not dead, stuffed, and mounted on the wall.
“Well, maybe we can get together next weekend, if you aren’t too tired?” He watched her, waiting for a sign.
Addison smiled. Her head wobbled like a stupid bobblehead. The taxidermy had her off her game.
He slid an arm around her waist as he walked her to the door. She dropped her gaze to avoid the eyes… both the animals and Ted’s.
“I’ll call you.” He paused at the door.
Addison knew that look. He was going to kiss her. She should have stopped him, but she was still in shock that he was so normal, then… Bam. Dead animals.
His lips touched hers, soft with just enough pressure.
It was a good kiss. She went up on her tiptoes and gave him another, this one longer. When she pulled back, she smiled and waved goodbye before heading down the path to her car.
Addison realized two things tonight. One, Ted was a great guy. He’d make some woman very happy. And two, that woman would not be her.
On her way home, she passed Merc’s Pizza. Laney’s and Marti’s cars were in the parking lot. She really wanted to fill them in on her date, but… she saw Nash’s vehicle.
When did she let a man stop her from seeing her friends?
“Screw it.” She exhaled, turned the car around, and pulled into the lot.
Addison parked in the back. She slipped through the back door and scanned the bar.
The room opened onto the opposite side to the dining area.
She threw back her shoulders, pushed past the regulars at the bar with their piles of pull tabs in front of them, and weaved around tables of high-schoolers and families.
In the back corner, she found Laney and Marti chatting with Leon’s wife.
Laney stood and waved. “You made it.”
“Yeah. My plans wrapped up early.” She pulled out a chair and gestured to the pitcher of beer on the table.
“Didn’t you have a date tonight?” Marti grabbed an empty glass from the stack and poured Addison a beer.
“Oh no. You’re here. That’s not a good sign.” Laney’s eyes widened like a sad doll’s.
“What happened? Was he a dud?” Marti asked, handing her the drink.
Addison took a healthy gulp. She exhaled, lowering the glass to the wooden tabletop. It clunked, just like her hopes. She itched to spill the details of her date, but first she glanced over her shoulder. The last thing she needed was Nash eavesdropping on her flopped date. “Where are the guys?”
“In the back room playing darts or something.” Trish eyed Addison, begging her to spill the juicy deets.
Addison’s shoulders dropped. “I had dinner at Ted Barnes’s house.”
Laney spat out her drink. She grabbed a napkin and started mopping up the spill, but never lost eye contact with Addison. “Barnes? As in Teddy the Turd?”
“Who’s Teddy the Turd?” Marti’s attention bounced from Laney to Addison.
“He was my neighbor when I was little. He moved the year before you came to Gray Duck Grove.”
“Is this guy still a turd?” Trish asked.
“No. He’s not. I ran into him and Sawyer earlier this week, and Ted moved back to town. We had a drink to catch up a few days ago, and he asked me to dinner.”
“I wouldn’t have thought he was your type. Then again, I haven’t seen him in over two decades.”
Addison shrugged. “I’m trying to change type.”
“So, what happened at dinner?” Trish leaned in.