The Bet (Addison #2) (2 page)

CHAPTER THREE

At night I tend to stay up a little longer than I should scrolling through Facebook and frying my brain cells. I get lost in the cute cat memes and inspirational quotes. I never have any notifications unless it’s someone sending me stupid game requests, and quite frankly, those things piss me off more than anything. Not that I have anything better to do, and it’s not like it’s difficult to just mark the notification as read. I just hate them, they annoy the piss out of me. Tonight, though…I had a friend request! It’s probably just some creepy guy who wants to message me about buttering my muffin or something. I clicked the little icon for friend requests to see who it is…Lucas Boyd. I click on his profile to view his pictures. He looks like he’d be pretty tall. He has short dirty blond hair, scruffy face, muscly tattooed arms…Why does he look so familiar? We have no mutual friends. Oh, and here’s a picture of him riding a bull…hot. I’m accepting the friend request.

Six-forty in the morning my alarm clock went off, then again at six-fifty, and the final one at seven. Who in their right mind sets up a doctor appointment for eight o’clock when they first open? I could kill Hilton. I shut off all my alarms and skim through my emails just to delete the majority of them. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with today. I can’t believe she talked me into going to this appointment with her. I don’t know anything about fetuses. Honestly, pregnant women creep me out. A human is growing inside of them! That’s just bizarre, and what’s even more bizarre is that I’m a woman and more than likely someday I’ll be carrying a tiny human in my womb too. Actually, no…that won’t happen. I will never ever have kids, ever. I’m forever traumatized by the flight I had when I went back home.

***

“Thank you for coming with me.” Hilton manages a smile as I get into her car.

“Of course. Let’s not make a habit out of this though, okay?” I say jokingly. She pulls out of the apartment parking lot. I can’t help but notice she looks like she’s been crying. Another side effect of pregnancy I’d rather not deal with. I’m emotional as shit without my hormones being all whack. We come to a stop at a red light and Hilton reaches in her purse and pulls out a pack of gum.

“Do you want a piece?” she offers, her hand trembling while holding the package of wintergreen gum. I take it from her and hold her hand.

“It’ll all be okay.” She pulls her hand away and places it back on the steering wheel. I put the package of gum back in her purse and looked out the window. The clouds are gray and starting to spit on the windshield.

“It hurts. We were together for four years.” She wipes a single tear from her right cheek. “I never knew he was a piece of shit.” She chokes on her last word and lets out a sigh. “I just don’t know how I’m going to do this, Addison.”

“You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. You’ve got time. Your internship will be up in two months and if you play your cards right, you’ll get hired on.” I tried lightening up the mood. Hilton forces a smile and pulls into a parking spot close to the doors. “Do you happen to have an umbrella?” I ask. She reaches in her backseat, which is absolutely filthy, and pulls up a plastic grocery sack.

“Here, use this.” I put the plastic bag over my head to keep my hair from getting wet, which would make my hair turn into a frizzy mess. We get out of the car and sprint to the doors.

Hilton walks up to the desk to grab a clipboard with paperwork to fill out and we sit down in the empty waiting room. After a few short minutes a pregnant girl walks in, with what looks like her parents, and sits in the corner. The girl can’t be more than sixteen years old. Another pregnant woman walks in with her husband. I only know they’re married because the rock on her finger is big and shiny enough to blind someone. She’s the fittest pregnant woman I’ve ever seen…she looks like she just has a basketball sitting under her shirt. Hilton taps on my arm and points to a nurse holding a door open.

“Hilton?” The nurse nods at Hilton and smiles. “How are we doing today?” she asks.

“Fine,” Hilton mumbles. The nurse looks over at me.

“Fine, thank you.” I follow Hilton and the nurse over to a scale.

The nurse tells Hilton to step up on the scale and jots her weight down on a piece of paper inside of a manila file folder. She leads us down a hallway and into a room on the left. Hilton sits up on the exam table. To her left is a sonogram machine. The nurse asks her a few more questions about the paperwork she filled out.

“Dr. Harris will be in to see you shortly.” The nurse exits the room. I look over at Hilton, unsure of what to say. She just sits there and stares off into space. After about twenty minutes the doctor finally shows up and squirts some blue jelly on Hilton’s lower abdomen and moves this thing over her stomach.

“Are you ready to hear the heartbeat?” The doctor gives a warm smile. Hilton looks at me and gives me a thumbs up then looks back at Dr. Harris. “How about your sister?” The doctor looks at me. I give a thumbs up back to Hilton.

“We’re ready,” she says.

The most beautiful sound echoes through the room. It sounds like a galloping horse. It’s the baby’s heartbeat. I gasp and put my hand to my mouth. Tears start streaming down my face. Hilton sobs and laughs at the same time. The doctor rubs Hilton’s hand and congratulates her.

“You’re just a little over seven weeks, Hilton,” The doctor confirms. “I’ll see you again in a month. After you gather your things you can head to the front desk and set up another appointment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.” He walks out of the room.

“I’m keeping it. I already love it and I don’t know how that’s possible.”

I can’t help but hug her and cry with her. I never really knew Hilton before today. As a matter of fact, I still don’t really know her. But after that appointment I already feel so attached to her, as if she’s my sister—the sister I’ve always wanted and needed, but never had. It’s amazing how in a moment, just one moment, someone can go from being a complete stranger to being someone you care for so deeply.

***

After brunch we head to the office. Once we get there I have Hilton start on some filing while I go through voicemails and check emails. Wednesdays are probably worse than Mondays. You’re so close to the weekend, yet still so damn far.

“I’m going to run and get a cup of coffee. Do you want anything?” I ask Hilton. She drops a file on the floor and the papers inside fall out.

“Damn it!”

“Do you need a napkin for those butter fingers?” I laugh. Hilton looks up at me and scowls as she picks up the papers.

“I know we just ate, but for some reason a Butterfinger sounds really good now. Thanks.”

“You got it, li’l Momma!”

I almost pass by Shelly’s door, but I notice she’s sitting at her desk. I haven’t had a conversation with her in person for what seems like weeks, even though it’s only been a few days. I knock a couple times and walk in.

“Addi! How are you? I’m so glad to see you. I need you to do me a huge favor!” Of course. It’s always something. I can never just talk to her without having to do a million favors. I get that she did me a huge favor and let me live with her for a month, but to be fair I was never really ever there.

“Of course! What do you have for me?” Shelly clicks her long lavender nails on her desk.

“This is big, Addi!” She squeals and motions for me to come behind her desk to look at her computer screen. It’s a guy riding a bull. As a matter of fact, it looks like the same picture of the guy who added me on Facebook.

“Who is he? And why is this a big deal?” I ask, not knowing who in the world he is aside from the fact he sent me a friend request on Facebook last night. Shelly opens up a new tab and types ‘Lucas Boyd professional bull rider’ into the search bar.

“Do you know him? I figure you would since you’re from Iowa!” Shelly exclaims.

I don’t know him, but I feel like I have to, somehow.

“No. I have no idea who he is. Show me what you were going to show me.” Shelly pulls up an online album of bull riding pictures and some professional modeling photos.

“So what do you want me to do?” I fold my arms across my body, hoping to hide my nervous hands. I don’t even know why I’m nervous, he’s just entirely too good looking and if I have to do any work with him…I might faint.

“He’s John’s nephew. Lucas is a professional bull rider, model, and he’s going to be starring in a movie soon. You, Addison, are his publicist.”

“What do you mean publicist? Since when did we start working with individuals and not companies? I don’t know anything about bull riding really, or modeling, or acting.”

“Calm down. It’s just John’s nephew. He obviously approved of it. We have the resources to do this and if it works out well, we’ll start branching out and hiring on more publicists.

“Well, I know this is John’s company and all…but, this is just bullshit. It’s going to be a flop.” I throw my arms in the air.

“You’ll be meeting him tomorrow afternoon.” Shelly smiles and turns in her chair to face me completely. She hands me a file with all of Lucas’s information. I snatch it out of her hands and power walk out of her office. This is bullshit. Why would I, of all people, get stuck with this? She’s so fucking happy about it I don’t know why she isn’t his publicist. I walk down to the employee break room and dig through the cabinets to find Garrett’s stash of coffee. I can’t deal with the instant shit today. I finally discover it and a coffee filter out of another cabinet. As I’m opening the coffee bag, a warm body embraces me from behind. Startled, I jump and spill the bag of coffee all over the counter and floor. It’s Garrett.

“What the fuck, Garret!” I shout. He laughs hysterically, grabs a paper towel, and wets it down to help me clean up the mess.

“Maybe you should stick to your instant coffee—I don’t know, but I’d say you owe me a coffee date now.” A devilish smirk rises on his face. I reach into the closet and pull out the vacuum.

“Oh, you’re really smooth,” I say sarcastically and roll my eyes.

“Fuck, Addison. It’s just coffee. Get off your high horse already.” Garrett throws the paper towel in the trashcan and approaches me.

“I was just joking, Garrett.”

“No, you weren’t. You know you weren’t.” He inches closer to me. I suddenly feel a desire to kiss him, but I can’t. I just can’t.

“I’ll go have coffee with you. When do you want to go?” I take a step back. He steps forward and places his hand on mine, holding the vacuum handle. I turn the vacuum on and it startles him.

“Jesus, Addi!” He moves out of my way so I can vacuum up the mess. I place the vacuum back in the closet and walk over to the vending machine to get Hilton her Butterfinger.

“Are you going to answer me?” I ask. Garrett grabs a newspaper from the stand in the corner of the room. He wanders back over to me, his confidence screaming. He brushes my hair away from my neck and pulls me closer, his lips barely touching my ear.

“Tonight, I’ll pick you up at eight.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Hilton drops me off at home just after 5:30 p.m. I quickly shower and throw on a pair of jeans, a pair of my turquoise cowgirl boots, and a peach colored short sleeve v-neck. I toss my hair up in a bun and plop on my couch.

My phone vibrates with a notification from Facebook. I open up the app and see I have a new message. This is the most excitement I’ve had in months—well, besides the coffee date for tonight.

Lucas Boyd: I believe we made a bet.

A bet, what the hell is he talking about?

Excuse me?

Lucas Boyd: I wouldn’t imagine you’d remember. You were pretty…intoxicated to say the least.

Oh Lord…Lucas Boyd isn’t just a professional bull rider or model. He’s the guy from the bar on New Year’s Eve! I don’t even know what to say and now it says I read the message so I have to say something…

Shit…That’s embarrassing. I guess we did make a bet, that’s about all I can remember.

That’s sufficient, I hope. I wonder if he even knows we’ll be working together…Maybe that’s how he found me.

Lucas Boyd: Haha. I’ll be in Florida for a few weeks. I have a silly photo shoot I have to do and my uncle thinks I need a publicist so I won’t be back to Iowa for a little while.

He has no clue we’re working together…What do I do? I’ll be face-to-face with him tomorrow and he has no fucking clue. He thinks I’m still living in Iowa.

I’m actually living in Florida now.

That’s all I can say to him, I can’t say more. I begin scrolling through my newsfeed to pass the time while waiting for a reply from Lucas and stumbled on a status from someone back home. Apparently Liv has just gotten out of rehab and Nolan is doing time. Tears fill my eyes and an ache fills my chest. I pray she stays away from him—far, far away. I click on Liv’s name to take me to her profile and send her a friend request. Hopefully she accepts it, but I guess I can understand if she doesn’t. I walk out onto my balcony. It’s starting to rain again. Thank God I put my hair in a bun. It’s about 7:30 p.m. now. Knowing Garrett he’ll be here any minute, even though he shouldn’t be here for another half hour. Sure enough, there he is pulling up to the curb now. I step back inside to grab my purse and meet Garrett downstairs.

“Wow. You’re actually following through with this.” His eyes light up and sadness washes over me. I feel so fucking terrible for him. I’m such a bitch. Garrett is a really nice guy. I think that might be the problem, though. He’s nice and who wants the nice guy? Not dumb girls. I am a typical dumb girl. There’s no hiding it. I want love, but I don’t want love right now. I just want fun and I have fun with him, but I have a feeling this thing between us is going to have come to an end. I don’t want him to get the wrong impression.

“Shit! I forgot something upstairs…come on up.” I pull him by his hand up the stairs with me. I pull out my key and unlock the door. We walk in and I put my purse on the coffee table. I don’t know how I’m going to do this, but I have to. We can’t continue this. I can’t lead him on and hurt him. I know that pain and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

“We need to talk. Sit.” I slowly walk over to the couch and sit down, patting the cushion next to me. He walks over hesitantly and sits.

“Isn’t that what we’re having coffee for?” I could see the disappointment in his eyes. I’m letting him down again.

“I just…I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. I don’t want to be with you, Garrett. We don’t have anything. We’re just fuck buddies. Nothing more.” Nothing like getting straight to the point. Garrett ran his fingers through his hair and tugged at the top.

“Goddamn it, Addison! Getting coffee together doesn’t mean I want anything more with you than what we have, which happens to be nothing!”

Garrett is about an inch from my face. I back away until my head rests against the back of the couch.

“We have nothing, Addison. You’re nothing but an easy fuck on the weekends. I don’t want a relationship with you. You’d make a shitty fucking girlfriend.”

“I know.”

I couldn’t think of anything else to say because he’s right. My hands grip the back of his neck and pull him into my body. I inhale his masculine cologne and kiss his neck. He takes his glasses off and sets them on the coffee table next to us. I’m not used to Garrett looking at me with such anger in his eyes. I love it. I suddenly feel a hunger for him deep in my bones. I crave his anger. I need him just one last time. My body is burning for him. He backs away and rips his shirt off over his head. I kick my boots off and assist him with unbuttoning my jeans, pulling them off of me in one sharp tug. Fire is in his kiss…I melt into his chest. His hands travel my legs to my inner thighs, up across my stomach, and over my breasts, then back down. I pull my hair out of the bun and let out a gasp as his fingers go down my panties and one finger slides inside of me, I release a soft moan. He grabs a handful of my hair and tugs until I moan louder. I work my hand down his pants and grasp his rock hard dick. I’m ready for him…the ache between my legs increasing with every second that passes. Garrett pushes my hand away and removes his jeans and boxers.

“Get up,” he growls. I do as he demands, shocked by this somewhat dominant side I never knew he had. He guides me down so my knees are touching the floor. He then turns me so I’m facing the couch. My arms rest on the cushion and I shoot a quick glance over my left shoulder at him. The anger is still burning in his eyes and I can’t help but be a little scared. I watch him as he kneels down behind me, his erection resting against my ass. He grips my right ass cheek and squeezes, then gently claws his fingers up my spine
.



“Are you ready for me?” he murmurs as he slides his palm around my neck.

“Yes,” I mutter.

“I promise you’re not.” His confidence causes goosebumps to blanket every inch of my skin.

Garrett grabs his dick and slides the tip up and down my slit, maneuvers it to my center. He slowly inches the tip inside of me and I groan as he goes deeper and deeper. It’s almost as if I can feel him in my stomach. With each thrust I feel myself giving in to him. It hurts, but it feels so good at the same time. I know he isn’t going as hard as he could and that frightens the living shit out of me, yet intrigues me. I don’t want him to go any harder…I’m afraid if he does, he might break me. I let out a loud whimper thinking maybe he’ll slow it down a bit. He doesn’t get the hint. Garrett grabs a handful of my hair with his right hand and tugs, firmly grasping my hip with his left hand while roughly pulling me into him.

“Oh fuck!” I let out a scream mixed with pain and pleasure.

“I told you, weren’t ready for it,” he groans.