Chapter 18
Addison gripped the door handle. Her knuckles turned white from the pressure. Whoa, baby. She placed her other hand on her stomach. If she were being truthful, something about Nash had scared her to death from the moment she laid eyes on him.
She stepped back and shook out her hand. She was being silly. They’d seen each other naked, for goodness sake. Heck, they’d done a lot more than look.
She blew out a breath and opened the door.
“Hi!” The word popped out of her mouth, all bubbly and sweet. Shit. Nothing like overselling it. She stepped back, but Nash didn’t move.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.” At least this time, the word wasn’t at an octave only dogs would hear.
“Addison, I know your fake smile. You pull it out when you’re stressed. What happened?” He glanced over his shoulder, scanning the street, probably looking for trouble.
Her stomach dropped. The tightness in her chest amplified ever so slightly. She wanted more, which would mean opening up to him. And she would, but not yet. She smoothed out her smile. “Nothing happened. Come on in.”
He brushed a strand of hair from her face, searching her eyes, waiting. “Do we need to slow it down?”
Did she? It was too real. Too soon. The scariest part was how well Nash could read her. Lighten the mood. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and batted her eyelashes. “How do you know me so well?”
He cracked a smile. “You’re like reading an open book. Unfortunately, some words are in code, and I have to decipher them, but other times it’s as clear as a dictionary.”
“Dictionary, huh? Maybe the Urban Dictionary.” She smirked.
On a laugh, he pulled her close and kissed her. “Hmm, maybe later you can talk dirty to me.”
“We’ll see. Come on. I have dinner in the oven.” As she led him to the kitchen, she asked, “Where’s Max tonight?”
“He’s playing at Cade and Laney’s tonight, having a sleepover with his sister.” He followed her into the kitchen.
Good, casual. She could do this. Sex and flirting had always been straightforward to her. It was the everyday life where she stumbled in relationships. With Nash, maybe the fact that they had mutual friends would help.
Lucifer came out and rubbed his black body up and down Nash’s pant leg, purring loud and clear for everyone to hear.
Addison shook her head. “I don’t understand you, cat.”
“What can I say? He finds me irresistible.” Nash shrugged.
So did she, not that she would tell him. Play it cool. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Water is fine. Do you want help setting the table?”
“Thanks.” She handed him the plates and silverware. When he turned and stepped away to set the table, she exhaled. It felt right having him here, so why was her stomach fluttering like butterflies in a jar? She grabbed some hot pads and pulled the lasagna out of the oven.
“Oh, that smells delicious.”
“Thanks. It’s my grandma’s recipe, handed down for three generations.” She carried it over and set it on the trivet in the middle of the table.
“Dang. I didn’t know you could cook. That just solidified it for me.” He placed his hand on his chest and thumped it.
She laughed, but in her own chest, the thump mirrored his hand. Yep, this was definitely the start of something.
Nash rinsed his plate and set it in the drying rack before picking up a second one, scrubbing it in the soapy water and rinsing it.
“Dang, you do dishes. A real Renaissance man.”
“Years of being a single dad. Someone had to do it.” Right now, Nash was thanking his mom for teaching him how to wash dishes.
He couldn’t count the number of times he’d cleaned up after meals, both when he was married and after.
But something about this time—standing next to Addison, working as a team—felt different.
With the last dish set on the rack, he wiped down the counter and drained the sink. “Thank you. The meal was delicious. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a good, home-cooked meal.”
“Bullshit. I know for a fact your mom cooks. Last time we were there, she invited me to come back for the family dinner on Sunday. Unfortunately, I’ll be out of town.”
“Where are you gonna be? Are you ditching me already?” He picked up his water, followed her into the other room, and then sat beside her on the couch.
Addison picked up the remote. She shook her head. “No, Laney wanted my opinion on the venue for the wedding.”
“I thought they already looked at one that they liked,” Nash said. “I remember Cade mentioning something about a barn venue out past Cannon.”
“Yeah, they went and looked at it, but Laney wanted my opinion, and I told her I could go on Sunday. Since it’s wedding season, Sunday evening was the only time the venue had open to show us around.”
“I guess I’ll have to tell Mom you’ll come next time.” He slid an arm around her back as the screen popped to life in front of them.
She leaned back, resting against him. The nerves he’d noticed in her when he arrived had left the building. He couldn’t deny he’d been a little uneasy about this evening, but he attributed it to excitement. He’d been wanting this shift in their dynamic for a long time.
She turned on a show and snuggled in. “Definitely. You know, if it weren’t for Laney, I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Nice to know I mean that much to you,” Nash said.
“Hmm. Actually, it’s your mom’s cooking—it would take a lot to pull me away from that. She is one fantastic cook.” Addison grinned.
Nash scoffed. A mock-insulted look crossed his face. He moved lightning-fast. His fingers dug into the soft flesh at her sides, tickling her.
She squirmed, and a squeal filled the room.
Nash wasn’t one to miss a perfect opportunity like this. He captured her mouth with his—lips to lips, inhaling her breath, craving more.
Her hand threaded through his hair. Light tugs drove him deeper, devouring her, pulling her close, and making long strokes up and down her back. The feel of her against him, her lips, her teeth, her hunger, had him forgetting all about the show. They got lost in each other.
Bam. Bam. Bam. A barrage of knocks on the door, followed by multiple rings of the doorbell, killed the mood. Nash pulled back.
Addison jumped, a startled look on her face. “What the heck? Is someone bleeding to death out there?” She started to rise, but he snagged her arm.
“No. Let me check.” Nash pushed off the couch, passed her, and peeked out the window. A figure dressed in a hoodie and sweats stood in the doorway, a bat in hand. Nash turned to Addison. “Stay there. Call the police.”
He cut across the room and slipped out the back door.
The back door closed, and Lu jumped onto the couch. Addison scooped him up. Phone in hand, ready to dial 911, she paused. Curiosity burned in her gut. It won out over the fear. She jumped off the couch, flipped the edge of the curtain back, and peeked out.
“It’s a little warm to be in full sweats.
” She stared at the figure pacing on her step.
She swallowed back the fear rising in her throat.
Who could this be? Was it the same person who threw a rock through her window?
The same person who sabotaged her car? She peeked out again, and the person turned.
Addison jumped back, dropping the curtain. Shit.
“I know you’re in there, you tramp!” Amber screamed from the front step. Another bang crashed against her door—bat cracking against wood.
Why was Mark’s wife on her step, and what was with the incognito look and the bat?
No way she would fear this woman. Sure as hell, she wouldn’t hide in her house and let Nash handle it.
Addison rolled her shoulders and set her cat down before she yanked the door open. “What are you doing here, Amber?”
Surprise crossed Amber’s face. The woman stumbled back, then raised the bat. “Where is he? I know he’s here.”
“Mark isn’t here. I haven’t seen him in weeks.”
Amber swung. She went wide, but Addison pulled back. “I don’t work there anymore. Thanks to you.” Anger crept up her spine, chasing any fear away.
“Bullshit. I know you were with him last weekend.” She wound up, ready to swing for the fences.
Hell, no! Addison moved in and grabbed the bat.
Amber struggled for a minute, then dropped her hold on the weapon and lunged at Addison, her fingernails in claw mode. “You bitch!”
Nash flew from the side of the house and tackled Amber to the ground before the confrontation amped to full-on catfight.
“Get off me! The hussy has it coming. She’s screwing my husband!” Her hood fell back, exposing her face. No makeup. Messy hair. The woman had a crazed look in her eyes.
Nash pinned the woman to the ground, throwing the bat to the side. “What the hell is she talking about? Who is she?”
Addison shook her head. The explanation escaped her. What could she say other than… “She’s wrong?”
“Who. Is. She?” He stared, questions rolling through his eyes.
“She’s my ex-boss’s wife.”
“The one who fired you?”
“Yes, but not because I was sleeping with him, but because I didn’t.” She turned to Amber, currently pinned facing the dirt. “I never slept with him. I swear.”
“Why should I believe you? You were dating him behind my back. I gave that man twenty-two years, two children, and this is the thanks I get? Someone like you has no respect for that.”
Shame rolled in her gut. She might not have slept with Mark, but she knew the divorce wasn’t final. Somewhere in her gut, she’d questioned whether it was right to be seeing him.
“I know you’re still seeing him. He took you to dinner a couple of weeks ago. I saw the receipt. Why else would he come to this sad little town?”
“Yes, he took me to lunch. I thought he was going to offer me my job back, but he didn’t. He wanted to start our relationship again. A relationship I ended months before when I found out he wasn’t getting divorced, like he’d said. He lied to me too, Amber.”
Amber scoffed. “Why should I trust you? You don’t think I know? I called the hotel last weekend. He checked in with a brunette.”
Addison shook her head.
“She was with me. There are witnesses. We were at a ball game,” Nash spoke up.
Amber’s chest deflated. She looked over her shoulder at Nash and then back at Addison. Addison could see her thoughts running across her face. Yeah. Nash was a looker. Why would Addison want Mark?
Just then, the police car pulled up. Officer Hansen stepped out.
“Do we have a problem here? I got a call from the neighbor.” He walked up. Nash leaned back, letting Amber up slightly.
“Yeah, this woman was beating on the door with a bat. She was threatening Addison. Wouldn’t surprise me if she’s the one who threw a rock through her window a couple of weeks ago.”
Amber slumped.
Addison saw defeat in the woman’s face with the realization that her husband had moved on to another woman and she had put all her energy into tracking him here… and failed to find him.
“Amber, I never wanted to hurt you or take Mark from you. I only thought—I thought—” What did she think?
Did she truly think he was separated? Did she believe it was over between them?
At the time she did, but looking back, she could see the fault in her logic.
She should’ve known better. Addison’s gaze flicked from Amber to Nash.
There was a sadness in his eyes, too, as he watched her.
A heaviness fell on Addison’s heart as Officer Hansen put cuffs on Amber and escorted her to the car. Nash stood by her side as she made her statement to the officer, but he hadn’t touched her. His hand hung at his side, a foot between them. To Addison, that foot of air felt like the Grand Canyon.
Addison turned to Nash as he watched Officer Hansen drive away with Amber. “Nash—”
“Don’t.” He finally turned to her as the car turned the corner and disappeared out of sight.
“Let me explain.”
“No need. I should probably go. Do you want me to call Laney or Marti? Do you need someone here?”
I need you. The words stuck in her throat. She shook her head. “Can we talk?”
He stepped back. “We will. I just need some time to process, to think.”
She nodded, blinking away tears. She would not cry. At least not in front of him.
Nash ran a hand down her arm. She could see the debate running through him. Should he kiss her or not?
Kiss me!
He squeezed her hand, then released it. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Nash retreated… one step, then another. No kiss.
She never would have expected Nash to pull back in the face of adversity. But as she watched his truck drive away, she couldn’t blame him. This was her past, her doing. Sure, Amber was to blame, but so was Addison, and that fact gnawed at her.
She went into the house and closed the door. Lu wove between her legs. As the first tear fell, she picked up her phone and tapped the button.
“Mom.”