Home to Whiskey Creek (Whiskey Creek #4)(31)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Hard to believe it’s been fifteen years,” he mumbled. “Seems like yesterday.”

“I know. Jacob grew up almost overnight,” Riley said. “Or maybe it just feels that way because I’m still not married,” he added with a weak laugh.

Eve twirled a lock of her silky dark hair. “I’ve been feeling my biological clock ticking away, too. As a group, we’re pretty late to the marriage party.”

“Maybe I’m glad I haven’t always been part of the group,” Olivia teased.

Noah would’ve pointed out that she’d only been married a short time, but Eve distracted him by clutching his arm. “That’s her, isn’t it?”

He twisted around to see who’d walked into the coffee shop and spotted Adelaide. She was wearing a pair of sunglasses, probably to hide her black eye because it wasn’t that bright outside, and a jogging outfit. Both her clothes and her hair were damp, suggesting she’d been working out, but she was carrying a laptop.

“That is her,” Olivia confirmed. “I wouldn’t have expected her out and about so soon.”

Riley whistled under his breath. “Looks like she’s back on her feet to me.”

Noah didn’t respond. Addy froze when she saw him. For a second, he thought she might turn around and head right back out the door. She hadn’t been happy when he’d more or less cornered her into having him over for dinner next week. He felt bad about that, but not bad enough to cancel.

Instead of leaving, as she seemed tempted to do, she raised one hand in a quick, obligatory wave. Then she averted her gaze and approached the counter.

Ted leaned to one side, obviously hoping to get a better look at her. “She’s pretty, all right.”

Noah shot him and Riley a scowl. “Don’t get any ideas.”

“You’re interested?” Ted said.

“Of course he’s interested,” Baxter grumbled. “He hasn’t slept with her yet.”

Noah shot him a look, too, but for an entirely different reason. That had sounded so…jealous.

“Come on, Noah.” Riley winked at him. “Why not let me save her the heartbreak of getting involved with you?”

“I’m not going to break her heart!” he said. But he had a terrible feeling that this might be the girl who could break his.

* * *

Ugh! How could she have forgotten?

Addy wanted to kick herself. Noah had mentioned that he met up with his friends on Fridays at the coffee shop. She’d had no idea what time, of course, or how long they stayed, but had she realized there’d be a chance of running into him, she wouldn’t have stopped at Black Gold.

Maybe she would’ve remembered if he’d been the only thing on her mind. Needless to say, he wasn’t. She’d gone to the high school track to run, where there were plenty of other people. She’d thought that might make her feel safe, but she’d been looking over her shoulder the entire time, fearing that the man who’d confronted her in her bed might accost her again. She wouldn’t have come out of the house at all—part of her wanted to hole up and hide away, at least during the day when she felt so exposed—except she refused to let the men who’d raped her limit her life to such a degree. She needed to establish a normal routine, especially if she was going to be here for a while. The longer she put it off, the more resistant she’d feel about circulating in public.

It wasn’t easy to move on as if nothing had happened. She had to deal with questions, expressions of alarm and surprise from almost everyone she encountered. And seeing Noah only made a tense morning worse. He looked so good sitting there. Far more handsome than he had any right to look—to her, anyway. She didn’t want to admire him. What did it matter if he was handsome? Or nice? He couldn’t be part of her life. If she accepted him, even as a friend, he’d be a constant reminder of everything she was struggling to forget.

And just think how betrayed he’d feel if he ever found out how his brother had really died.

Careful to avoid his gaze, she ignored him as well as those who were with him, and tapped her fingers on the counter while waiting for her latte. She’d brought her laptop, hoping to take a peek at www.SkintightEntertainment.com. But now she wasn’t even going to sit down, let alone log on. She just wanted to grab her latte and go, get out of there before she had to engage Noah or anyone else in conversation.

Come on, come on, come on, she chanted silently, but the barista didn’t fill her order fast enough. The next thing she knew, Olivia Lucero and Eve Harmon were at her side.

“Addy, it’s so great to have you back,” Olivia said.

Pretending to be pleased to see them, Addy turned and suffered through two embraces—awkward, given that she was holding her laptop and purse. “Thank you. It—it’s good to be home,” she lied.

Eve gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry about what happened.”

Addy checked to see if the barista had her drink ready. Not yet. How long could it take to make a latte? “Crazy, isn’t it?”

“Beyond crazy!” Eve exclaimed. “Especially here. That kind of thing doesn’t happen in Whiskey Creek.”

She wished that was truly the case. “At least…at least I wasn’t seriously hurt.” She’d already spoken the same platitudes several times. It was the only way to satisfy everyone and, she hoped, get life back to normal.

“I bet you’re glad Noah was there when you needed someone,” Eve said.

Addy told herself not to look over, but her eyes shifted in Noah’s direction in spite of herself. He hadn’t gotten up. He was watching her from across the room, but that was enough to put the old flutter in her stomach. She’d been so sure she was over him, that the melting sensation she’d always experienced when he was around couldn’t survive what Cody had done.

That wasn’t true at all.

“Yes, it was…kind of him.”

Olivia softened her voice. “I hope they catch the guy who…who hurt you. He deserves to be put away. It’s scary to think there’s a would-be ra**st in town.”

“He didn’t rape me!”

She realized she’d stated it too emphatically when Olivia hurried to reassure her. “I know. But that was his intent, wasn’t it?”

“Hard to say what he wanted.” Wishing she could go, Addy reached into her purse for her keys and accidentally dropped the wallet she’d taken out.