Acting Up (32 page)

“So?”

“I'm worried Jason and Carson are getting too attached. I don't want them hurt when you go back to your real life.”

“Are you concerned about the twins or yourself?”

“Maybe both. You're a gorgeous woman. Intoxicating in many ways. When I'm with you, I feel alive again.”

“Then why are you pushing me away?”

“Because this is only a rest stop for you, and no matter what I might feel, I have to protect my sons. I appreciate you taking them bowling tonight. It was sweet of you, but I think—”

Yeah, Addison definitely recognized this scenario. It was called being dumped. The reasons were noble perhaps, but painful all the same. “I should keep my distance. Don't encourage them, or you apparently, to get attached. I get it.”

Ethan closed his eyes. When he opened them, she saw a flash of raw anguish. “Addison—” His voice broke.

Well, at least they would both suffer after tonight. There was no comfort in the knowledge, however. “It's all right. You've got to protect the innocents from the nice lady who's only passing through.”

This time Ethan groaned. “I'm a complete jerk.”

Wouldn't everything be easier if he was? All those
slay-the-dragon-my-lady
qualities she admired so much dictated he sacrifice his own heart for the well-being of his children.

The stitches holding Addison's damaged heart together started to fray again. “No, you're a father trying to do the right thing.”

Regret. Pain. Disappointment. All of those emotions were reflected back at her. “You deserve better.”

“So do you.”

“I wish—”

“I know. I should go.” She kissed her fingertips and pressed them to his lips. There was no way she could trust herself to kiss him. “Pass that on to the boys for me.”

Ethan made another sound of distress and stepped toward her.

“Please don't touch me,” she said, holding out a hand to ward him off.

Addison spun around and reached for the door, but before she could turn the handle, Ethan wrapped his arms around her.

Warmth invaded her limbs, and Addison nearly wept. It seemed unimaginable she would never feel this again.

His lips touched her temple. “I'm sorry.”

“Me, too.”

Addison's new rule of keeping her distance from Ethan and the twins took a nosedive when said twins showed up on Saturday bearing gifts. Specifically, three baskets filled with plastic green grass and an assortment of candy wrapped in pastel tinfoil. There was even a giant chocolate bunny smack in the middle of each basket.

More calorie-laden goodies. “What's this for?” Addison asked, eyeing the offering and imagining the tortures her personal trainer would devise once she went home. The very idea sent sheer terror coursing through her veins.

Jason's look said she was one marshmallow chick short of a dozen. “It's an Easter basket.”

“For Easter,” Carson clarified in case Addison was too ignorant to figure out the rest of the puzzle.

“Of course, I knew that,” she lied. “Thank you.”

Carson shifted from one foot to the other. “Can we come in and give Aaron and Mimi Ruth their baskets?”

Did inviting the boys in constitute encouraging them to get too attached? Probably.

“You know what, Aaron is in the shower and Mimi Ruth is napping, so now isn't the best time for a visit,” Addison said. “I'll take the baskets and make sure they get them.”

Two pairs of shoulders practically drooped to the ground.

“Okay,” Carson sighed.

“Maybe later, huh?” Jason suggested.

“Sure, later,” Addison said, struggling to speak around the lump in her throat. She kissed both boys on the cheek. “Thanks again for the baskets.”

Addison shut the door and then paused a moment to rest her head against the frame. Why did doing the right thing have to hurt so much?

“You lied to the munchkins?”

The accusation came from Aaron, who was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, a can of soda in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.

“I didn't lie,” Addison said. “I fibbed.”

“Is there a difference?”

“Yes.” She slipped into the kitchen and deposited the Easter baskets on the counter. Aaron put his soda and chips aside to paw through the closest one.

Aunt Ruth came in, scooting her walker across the floor. “Did I hear someone at the door?”

“The Thomas kids,” Aaron said. “They brought these, and then Addison gave them the boot.”

Obviously, Addison's mental telepathy telling the teenager not to squeal had failed. “That's not true,” she said, scowling at him.

“She said you were napping, so they couldn't come in,” the teenager said, still ignoring all warning signs.

“She could have been napping,” Addison said.

Aunt Ruth gave her a searching look. “Yesterday, you took them bowling. Today, they can't come in the house. Did something happen last night?”

Stalling, Addison reached into one of the baskets and pulled out a mini chocolate egg wrapped in pink foil. “No.”

“She's a terrible liar,” Aaron said, once again telling tales.

These little chocolate eggs would make great missiles.

Addison resisted the childish impulse to chuck the candy. For one thing, it was beneath her. For another, throwing chocolate would mean missing out on eating it.

“It's no big deal,” Addison said. “Ethan and I talked about it last night when I dropped off the boys, and we both agreed I shouldn't encourage them to get too attached.”

“Why?” Aunt Ruth asked.

“Because I'm leaving soon. Ethan, I mean,
we
don't want the boys hurt when I do.”

Aaron made a rude sound. “Adults. You guys can always find a way to complicate things.”

So saying, the teenager took his Easter basket and escaped to the den.

Which left Addison alone with her aunt. “Well, any words of advice from you?”

Aunt Ruth sighed. “Did it occur to you that ignoring the boys while you're still here will hurt them even more?”

Well, not until this moment
. “It's not up to me.”

Another sigh. “I suppose not. I'm sorry. I had started to hope—” she broke off.

“Hoped what?”

“Never mind, dear,” Aunt Ruth said, though her disappointment was clear. “Just the silly imaginings of an old woman.”

Imaginings like falling in love with Ethan and living in Covington Falls the rest of her life, no doubt. “I can't stay.”

“Of course, Addison, I know. I'll just go lie down and take that nap you were accusing me of.”

With a parting smile, Aunt Ruth made her way back to her bedroom. Aaron was right, Addison thought as she fished out another piece of candy from her Easter basket. Adults always did find ways to complicate things.

****

Easter Sunday dawned with a crystal blue sky so bright it almost hurt the eyes. Aunt Ruth would not hear of missing church and insisted Addison and Aaron had to come, too. Addison chose a buttercup yellow sundress, which seemed appropriately spring-like and cheerful. However, she didn't get the memo about the hats. Climbing out of the car, she concluded every woman in the entire town had worn an Easter bonnet. Pink ones, blue ones, purple ones, feathered ones. Pillbox and wide-brimmed. Straw and silk. Even the baby girls sported tiny bonnets.

And gloves. Addison hadn't been aware anyone outside of actresses appearing in period pieces wore gloves anymore.

“Just when I thought this place couldn't get any weirder,” Aaron muttered beside her.

“Hush and go help Aunt Ruth.”

“Addison!”

Turning, she saw Jason and Carson tearing across the parking lot toward them. Amazingly, the boys were wearing suits, with ties no less.

“Well, don't you two look dashing?” Addison said.

Ethan ambled up. Addison said hello while managing not to look him in the eye. However, nothing could stop her from noticing how handsome he was in his navy suit and red tie.

“Good morning, Addison,” Ethan said. “Ms. Carlson, Aaron. You all look great.”

“So do you,” Addison said, then winced at the slip. “I mean the three of you look great. How did you ever talk these hooligans into strapping ties around their necks?”

Jason chuckled and pulled the tie off.

Aaron eyed the clip-on with clear envy.

“Did ya get your Easter basket, Mimi Ruth?” Carson asked.

“I did,” she said. “I absolutely love chocolate. Thank you.”

“The bunny is already toast,” Aaron said.

The comment pleased the twins to no end.

“You can sit with us,” Jason said. “Can they sit with us, Dad?”

Yeah, Dad, how do we deal with this?

After a slight hesitation, Ethan nodded. “Of course they can sit with us.”

As they walked up the steps, Addison admired the stately old church. Aged bricks lent the building a warm and distinguished air. Stained-glass windows marched down the sides and glistened in the morning sun. Mammoth, arched wooden doors welcomed them into a lobby of sorts.

Once in the sanctuary, Aaron helped Aunt Ruth get to her seat. Addison slid into the long wooden pew and somehow ended up next to the very person she'd most wanted to avoid. She did her best to ignore Ethan, despite the musky scent of his cologne and the way his navy suit did amazing things to his hair and eyes.

Thankfully, a distraction arrived in the form of Ethan's family. Several minutes were spared exchanging hugs and hellos as they all loaded into the pew in front of her. Then a door opened behind the stage. The choir walked out to fill the pews behind the pulpit, and the service began.

The last person to emerge was a tall, slender woman with mahogany hair. She stopped in front of a microphone. She began singing, and all at once, Addison forgot about Ethan. Forgot about everything.

Addison leaned closer to Ethan. “Who is she?”

“Meredith Vining.”

The mysterious Meredith. The one who couldn't direct the musical because she was recording an album. Addison had heard many professional singers before. Rock stars, opera singers and Broadway veterans. However, she'd never heard the kind of expression and passion Meredith Vining was able to bring to music.

Closing her eyes, Addison allowed the words to wash over her. Tears came soon after. Even when Ethan reached over and squeezed her hand, her focus remained on the music.

Spiritual matters had always been relegated to a small corner of her life. Her parents hadn't been religious. Other than the occasional Christmas Eve service, her family had never gone to church. Aunt Ruth had tried to instill some of her values, but Addison had been filled with too much bitterness at the time to accept a God who had let her father die. As an adult, she hadn't given much thought about God at all. There hadn't been time to ponder the mysteries of the universe when she'd been worried about where her next meal would come from or if she'd have enough to cover the rent.

God probably wouldn't have wanted her anyway. Addison had done some pretty questionable things in order to survive and make a name for herself in a town that wasn't the least bit concerned about her soul. As the saying went, there is no God in show business – other than the god of power and money and fame.

Except for the afternoon in her aunt's room when she'd read the Bible passage, Addison had never felt an otherworldly presence. Now, a glimmer of awareness returned but magnified tenfold, until it filled her being.

As Meredith soared into the last note and the final chord faded away, Addison felt drained, but at the same time completely energized. She glanced at Ethan. His eyes remained straight ahead, and she could almost imagine he'd touched her hand.

Hymn singing followed Meredith's anthem. A brass quartet filled the church with the sounds of “Amazing Grace.” Then Seth stepped up to the podium.

The pastor surveyed the full pews, seeming to cast a benevolent smile on each person in the congregation. “Good morning,” he said. “This is the day the Lord has made. He has risen.”

“Praise the Lord, He has risen indeed,” the congregation responded en masse.

Addison cast a curious glance around her. Everyone else seemed to know what was going on. No doubt they'd spoken the same words many times before. As she scanned the rows, Addison realized many of faces were familiar. Across the way, she spotted Julia and her family. Her stepsister, Sarah, cradled the baby in her lap, and her husband kept an arm around both of them. Next to them sat Julia's stepmother, Grace, and her husband.

Addison's perusal revealed several cast members among the crowd. Nina Walters and her family were there as well as Peter Johnson, Luke Mitchell, and Marjorie Shannon with a handsome brown-haired man. Addison spotted Deputy Gordy Howe, too, as well as a couple of the nurses from the hospital. Even Uncle Jesse from the Gas Up was there.

Addison was shocked to realize how many people she'd come to know and care about in the last few months. Each had touched her life in some way.

Shaken, she pulled her gaze back to the front just as Pastor Seth began his sermon.