Chapter 8 #2
A teenage boy ran up to the table. “Mom. Can Davey come over and play video games tonight?”
“I’m fine with it, but it’s up to his dad.” The boy did a fist pump and ran back to the back room. “Sorry. Go on.”
“I don’t know where to begin.” She dropped her head into her hands. “He lives in a beautiful old house. He’s remodeling, but… I couldn’t see past the animals.”
“Pets? I once dated a guy who had the whole freakin’ circle of life. Dogs, cats, birds, and a snake. He asked me to hold his snake, and I’m not talking about the one between his legs. No, it was a python. Sorry, but I was out.” Marti shivered from her curly hair to her flame-red toenails.
“No, these were all dead. Bambi and Babe were on the walls! He had the rest of the ‘Enchanted Forest’ critters too.” She downed the last of her drink and reached to refill her glass.
“Babe was a farm pig. I bet if Ted’s a hunter, it’s a wild pig.” Laney tapped her lip.
“Did it have dark hair and big tusks?” Marti held her hands up to her face to illustrate.
“Yeah.”
“Boar,” she confirmed. “I saw one when we lived in Texas.” Marti moved a lot when younger because her father was in the army.
“My dad would be so jealous.” All three turned to Laney. “What? My dad’s an outdoorsman.”
“But your dad doesn’t have them all in his living room. I don’t think I could live in a house with carcasses on the walls.” The thought of seeing “the guys,” as Ted called them, before she had her morning coffee unnerved Addison more than waking up to nose hair and bad breath.
“Mom won’t let him. He has some antlers and a mounted duck in the basement, but that’s it.”
“Taxidermy isn’t the end of a relationship. How was the rest of the date?” Trish asked.
“Dinner was delicious, but I couldn’t make myself ask if it was beef or not.”
“Probably venison. My dad cooks a superb venison steak.” Laney rubbed her tummy.
“Ted’s a nice guy, but…” Addison bit her bottom lip.
“I wouldn’t blame you if it’s the animals.” Marti picked a pepperoni off a slice of pizza and popped it into her mouth.
“It’s not that. Well, not just that. He gave me a kiss goodnight and… nothing.”
“Ooh, that’s a relationship killer.” Trish shook her head. “Leon was a greasy mechanic with a clunker car when I met him, but boy, could that man kiss. He still can.” She winked.
Three boys, two the spitting image of Leon, came out and grabbed another piece of pizza. “Mom. Can we go?” one asked.
“Where’s your father?”
“He’s coming.”
Trish stood and picked up her purse. “This was fun. We’ll have to do this again.”
“Definitely,” Laney said.
Addison agreed.
“Hey, Addison. Glad you made it. You missed Cade kicking Nash’s butt in darts. Steele would need a miracle to win that game,” Leon said as he strolled up to the table.
“Sounds like good entertainment.” She grinned.
“Sure was. Well, time to go before the kids drive off without us.” He took hold of his wife’s hand and waved to the table as he pulled her out the door.
Marti slid over. “So, what’s the deal? Are you dating mortal men now? You always had the hottest dates.”
“It’s time for a change.”
“Okay. So, Ted’s out. Let’s see if we can find you a new date.” Marti turned to scan the restaurant. “What about the blond at the bar?”
“No. But, the guy at the front table looks interesting.” Addison tugged the hem of her shirt, which exposed an inch more of cleavage. She ran her tongue over her teeth, making sure she didn’t have any pepperoni in her smile, then sauntered across the room.
She reached the table and smiled. The guy had dark blond hair and wore a Twin’s baseball jersey and jeans. Everything about him screamed average Joe.
Perfect.
“Double twenty. Ha!” Nash clinched the win with that one dart.
“That was pure luck.”
“Bull. It’s skill, all the way.” He put the darts back and picked up his drink. With Davey hanging with Leon’s boys this evening, he had time to kill. “How about a game of pool?”
“I should go see if Laney’s good. I know she wasn’t comfortable leaving the dog tonight.”
“Yeah. Davey wore Max out this afternoon, but I shouldn’t stay too long. I bet he slept the whole time we were here.”
Nash followed Cade back into the dining area. Laney and her friend, Marti, were at the table, but their focus was on something across the bar.
A feminine laugh from the direction of where the gals were focusing their attention tinkled through the room. Another laugh, this one higher pitched, sounded forced even to his untrained ears. He swiveled his head toward the sound.
“Addison.” Nash stumbled. What’s she doing here? She had a date. With that guy? He eyed the man currently flirting with her. No way he was Addison’s type.
Nash had waved to the group when he came in. He couldn’t have missed her sitting there all evening. Not her. He’d been highly attuned to her presence since the first time he’d seen her at The Barn.
She brushed a hand over the guy’s arm as she reached for her drink.
Nash’s gut tightened. The guy turned, and Nash searched his brain for the guy’s name.
Carey? He’d been into the shop before. Nash had a memory for vehicles, not names.
He’d worked on Corey’s? Yeah, that’s it, Corey’s 2500 Duramax with a sweet aftermarket exhaust. Beautiful truck, except…
Nash groaned at the recollection of the huge gold and purple window graphics that filled the back glass.
Not his taste, but the guy was a massive sports fan.
“Hey, Corey.” Nash walked up to the table and shook the man’s hand. “How’s your truck running?”
“Great, man. That chip you installed really gave it a boost.”
“Good to hear.” He turned to Addison. “Nice to see you, Addison.”
Her green eyes cooled at the sound of his voice, but the corners of her mouth tipped up, even though it held no warmth. A sudden chill brushed over him—Christmas in July without the merriment. He’d need his Carhartt if she kept this up.
“So much for friends,” he muttered. She must have heard him because her expression softened.
“I had a change of plans.” Turning to Corey, she trailed her fingers up and over his shoulder. “I should get back to my friends. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Uh. Yeah. I can’t wait.”
Nice recovery, dude. Addison was way out of Corey’s league. Hell, this guy was minor league, and she was clearly a starting player in the majors. Addison could date any guy she wanted. So why this one?
He pondered the thought for a moment before he realized he was standing there with his hands in his pockets, staring off into space, and she had left.