“It’s fine,” Kira said.
“Hey, Grace.” Connor grinned at her. “Addison, how are you?”
“Good, thanks,” she said.
Connor’s smile turned teasing. “Are you still making those friendship bracelets? How many friends do you have anyway?”
She laughed and reached into her bag again, digging out a red and black coloured bracelet and a black and green one. “That reminds me, I made bracelets for you and Gideon.”
She stood and smoothed down her skirt before walking to Connor. “Hold out your good arm.” She tied the red and black one around his wrist and he looked it over.
“It’s great. Thanks, Addie.”
“You’re welcome.” She joined Gideon, and he held out his arm without prompting. She tied the black and green one around his wrist. “Remember, you can’t take this off until it falls off. Wear it all the time.”
“Got it. Thanks, Addison,” Gideon said. He smiled at her, but it was a little strained. He glanced at Grace and she immediately looked away. She didn’t need the memory of Gideon’s hand down her pants or his low voice demanding she come, rocketing through her head right now, thank you very much.
Awkward silence had filled the room and she realized that Addison was staring at Preacher, her hands tucked into a nervous fist behind her back. “Um, I have one for you, if you’d like.”
Grace hid her smile. It was kind of Addison to try and include Preacher, but he wasn’t the type of guy who wore a friendship bracelet. She hoped he wasn’t too much of a dick when he told Addison no. She was a little on the sensitive side.
“Sure.” Preacher’s tone was bored but at least he hadn’t said no and embarrassed Addison.
Addison returned to the couch, quickly unpinning the bracelet as Connor sat on the arm of the couch next to Kira. “Hey, Gideon, did you see the game on Sunday? Swear to God, if their batting average…”
Gracie tuned out as Gideon, Connor, and Kira, animatedly discussed Sunday’s game. Instead, she watched as Addison approached Preacher, the friendship bracelet in one hand, the other hand tugging at the pearls around her neck.
Preacher held out his arm. His big body still leaned against the wall, but he stiffened the tiniest bit when Addison wrapped the bracelet around his thick wrist. Her hands were trembling noticeably, and it took her a few fumbled attempts to tie the bracelet around Preacher’s wrist.
She smoothed the ends along Preacher’s wrist, her fingers grazing his skin, and then snatched her hand back like she’d been burned. She stared up at Preacher. He returned her look unblinkingly for almost thirty seconds before his gaze dropped to the pearls around her neck.
Weirdly, bright red immediately coloured Addison’s cheeks and Grace could see her entire body tremble. Holy shit… was anyone else noticing the sexual tension between Addie and Preacher?
She glanced at the others, but they were arguing about one of the calls an ump had made during the game and paying no attention to Addie or Preacher.
“Thanks,” Preacher said.
“Um, you’re welcome.” Addison made a weird fluttering motion with her hands before turning and nearly bolting back to the couch. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “I should get going.”
“What?” Kira turned to look at her. “Why? Stay and have a drink with us. School’s finished for the summer, so it’s not like you have to work in the morning.”
“No, I better not.” Addison glanced at Preacher before looking at the floor. “I have to get up early and take my car in for an inspection. It’s making a weird noise.”
Grace stood. “I’m gonna go too.”
“Seriously?” Kira said.
Grace nodded and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Sorry, honey. I’m tired.”
Kira squeezed her hand. “I know. Get some rest, okay?”
“I will. See you, everyone.”
She followed Addison out of the house and down the driveway to where they were both parked on the street.
“Addie?”
“Yeah?” Addison unlocked her car and opened the driver’s door, throwing her bag into the passenger seat.
“Remember a couple months ago when we were talking to Kira about how even though she was in love with Daniel, it was okay for her to find Connor hot and want to kiss him.”
“Yes.” Addison studied a tree over Grace’s shoulder.
“You said that you thought about kissing another guy.”
Addison fidgeted with her car keys but to her credit, didn’t try to deny it. “Yes, I remember.”
“Is Preacher the guy you’re crushing on?”
“What?” Addison laughed a little too long and a little too loud. “Don’t be silly, Gracie. I barely know him. Besides, I don’t have a crush on anyone in particular. I told you that before. I was saying in general that sometimes I wish I had experimented a little more or occasionally thought about kissing another guy. It wasn’t anyone specific. Preacher isn’t my type.”
“Preacher’s a good looking guy,” Grace said. “Lots of women find him attractive, Addie. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“I’m not attracted to him,” Addie insisted. “I just saw a different side of him at the career day thing and it’s thrown me a bit. I don’t find him sexy nor do I fantasize about kissing him.”
Addison was a terrible liar.
Instead of calling her out on it, Grace said, “You know it’s okay to be crushing on… a random dude, even if you’re happily in love with the man of your dreams. You are happy, right?”
Addison hesitated and Grace reached for her hand. “Addie, if you’re having second thoughts about -”
“I’m not,” she said. “Of course, I’m happy. In three months, I’m marrying the love of my life. Why wouldn’t I be happy?”
“I just don’t want you feeling like you’re too far into this to change your mind or -”
“I don’t,” Addison said. “I want to marry Harrison. I love him.” She kissed Grace’s cheek. “I gotta go. Love you, honey.”
“Love you too.”
* * *
Addison locked her car and grabbed the wine bottle from where she’d set it on the roof. She made her way up the street toward Harrison’s house, smiling and nodding to Mrs. Garjein next door when the old woman waved at her from her front porch.
She loved Harrison’s neighbourhood. He lived in one of the older sections of Harmony Falls and the streets were lined with towering oak trees. It was gorgeous in the fall when the leaves turned colour. In another few months, this would be her neighbourhood too.
She scanned the flower boxes that lined the front porch. Harrison’s mother always planted them for her son, but next year it would be Addison who decided which flowers went into them. She and Harrison would plant them together.
She needed to remind Harrison to clean out the other half of the garage. Right now, his car was the only one that fit, and she really didn’t want to park in the driveway in the winter. She also needed to talk to him about going through their furniture and other stuff. Harrison would want to keep his furniture and she couldn’t blame him – his was high end leather and hers was thrift store chic at best – but there were a few pieces she wanted to keep.