Finding Hope Read online

  “Another reason to stay far far away from Missy’s friends.”

  Tom put his hand on Adrian’s shoulder and then got up from his seat. “You worry too much, my friend. You need to loosen up. Give life a chance to surprise you.”

  “Says the man about to be married to a life-sized–”

  “Don’t say it!”

  Adrian grinned and stood from his chair. “You know I’m right.”

  “I don’t care. I love her just the way she is.”

  “That’s the right answer, honey.” Missy’s voice came from behind them both, and Adrian could have sworn he heard a muffled curse under his friend’s breath.

  Tom whirled to catch her around the waist. “You really need to stop sneaking up on me like that.”

  “Now where would be the fun in that?”

  “Might be less fun, but my heart would be in better shape,” he answered and stole a quick kiss.

  Adrian was happy for his friend, but he would desperately miss him. Relationships of any kind, male or female, weren’t his forte. Losing his best friend and roommate in the same swing didn’t seem fair. Add to that the attraction he was developing for Missy’s maid of honor, and he had a whole lot of confused, pent-up emotions. It was like having a hand taped to the trigger of a loaded shotgun and people jumping around saying “boo.” Only a matter of time before something exploded.

  “Come on, sweetie, it’s time to open the presents,” said Missy.

  “Yes, ma’am. I know how you love presents.”

  Missy giggled and led Tom away. They sat in the adjoining living room. Guests crowded around them, and Addison sat on the other side of Missy, making sure her friend had everything she needed. Each time a gift was opened, Addi would scribble in a little book. He guessed she was writing whom they were from. Couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t as though he’d been to many wedding showers. He sure did enjoy watching her smile and carry on with Missy. Her blue eyes sparkled and caught his gaze more than once, but quickly looked away each time.

  “Adrian.”

  He turned at the sound of Mrs. Wentworth’s voice.

  “She’s pretty, isn’t she?”

  “I…well, yes, but…” He stumbled on his words like a nervous teenager.

  “Just be sure if you pursue her, you don’t break our sweet Addi’s heart. She’s been through a lot in her life.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  ***

  “Addi! What do you think of this jewelry set?” Missy held up a black pearl necklace and earring set. They had visited nearly every jewelry store in Nashville today and Missy had yet to decide on what the bridesmaids would be accessorizing with.

  “I think it’s lovely.”

  “You said that about the last one I showed you.”

  “Because it was,” she answered. “Missy, everything you’ve picked all morning has been beautiful. But you have to choose or I’m going to pass out from starvation. It’s five o’clock and I’m hungry again.”

  “Fine, but I don’t want Amber and Haven to think it’s cheap looking.”

  “Missy!” She threw up her hands in frustration. “You don’t pick cheap anything. Plus, who cares what they think. Isn’t this your wedding?”

  Missy grinned and put the pearls back on the counter. “Please wrap those up for me. I need three sets.”

  The clerk nodded and scurried off with the jewelry.

  “We are having dinner at Cher’s tonight.”

  She narrowed her gaze in on her friend and walked to the counter. Missy’s nails tapped the glass case and she was avoiding her gaze. She was up to something.

  “And?” Addison prodded.

  “And what?”

  “Missy, who else is eating with us?”

  “Tom and Adrian.” Missy mumbled through the second name.

  Addison shook her head. Her friend was nothing if not determined.

  “I saw the way he looked at you that first morning in the kitchen. He’s interested, Addi. Just give it another shot.”

  “I’m not interested in a relationship, I’m not staying in Nashville.”

  “But, what if—” She paused and handed her credit card to the waiting jewelry salesperson.

  “Missy, enough.” With a whirl she walked away.

  She pushed open the door to the small shop and stepped out into the bright sunshine. The air was nippy, but pleasant in the bright green sweater she was wearing. Her jeans and boots were the bane of Missy’s existence, but she refused to go out in a dress unless it was for a special occasion.

  No wonder Missy had pushed so hard for her to get gussied up this morning. She was tricking her into a date with a man who had already dismissed her once before even meeting her. And yet when she remembered his piercing gaze in the hallway and then again in kitchen while wearing Missy’s skintight floral dress… chills came and made the hairs on her neck stand on end. He had wanted her. She wasn’t that far off her game to know when a man was interested. Missy was right on that account. But, it didn’t matter. She was perfectly happy being single…right? Getting involved with someone was a mistake. She wasn’t ready…was she? She had purposefully avoided him during the wedding shower on Saturday to avoid any more awkwardness.

  A bell inside the store rang. Addison turned as the door opened. Missy walked out onto the sidewalk and glared.

  “You need to get past the crap Billy dealt you. Even if you don’t start a relationship with Adrian, you need to flirt a little and step outside the little bubble you’ve constructed around yourself out in the middle of nowhere Montana! It’s been three years, Addi.”

  She stood silent. Dumbfounded that her best friend would mention that prick’s name. Missy was the only one who knew why she and Billy had really broken up —verbal abuse. Looking back now, she couldn’t believe she’d stayed with him all through college, but she had. It had completely wrecked her self-image and her desire to put herself out there again. Her vibrator and showerhead attachment never made her feel insignificant or worthless the way that man had.

  “Maybe I like nowhere, Montana!”

  “Well, too bad, because he’s going to be here in about ten minutes with Tom to meet us for dinner.”

  “Missy!”

  “Suck it up and be nice. He’s Tom’s best friend so he’s a good guy. Plus he’s a cop, which means upstanding citizen. He’s a really nice guy.”

  Addison crossed her arms over her chest and gave her best I-love-you-as-my-best-friend-but-hate-you-at-this-moment glare.

  Missy just grinned and shrugged. “Come on.”

  The quaint little shops distracted her a little, but her stomach was in knots. She couldn’t decide if the knots were from dread or excitement.

  Cher’s was a cute bistro café, tucked into the quiet little main street they’d been walking along all afternoon. She sat on a bench outside the door while Missy made a phone call. She checked her email and voice messages while listening to her friend chat with the caterer.

  ***

  They were both blonde, beautiful, and one of them still intensely disliked him…or she wouldn’t have avoided him all day on Saturday. He walked up the front steps of Cher’s with Tom.

  Missy put her phone away and hugged Tom before turning to him. “Adrian, I’m so glad you made it.”

  He took a deep breath and smiled. How was he going to make it through this dinner? Why had he agreed to come out on a semi-blind date with a woman who didn’t like him? Oh, yeah. To appease his best friend’s fiancé who seemed to have decided he was Addison Connelly’s Mr. Right.

  “Anything for you, Missy.”

  “You remember meeting my best friend, Addison at the house, right?”

  The leggy blonde stood from the bench and walked over to her friend. She was a little taller than Missy, but that worked for him. Her jeans fit like a second skin, causing his to become a little tighter than normal. The green sweater she was wearing clung to her chest, distracting him thoroughly.

  He spouted out the f
irst thing that came to mind. “Of course, how could I forget?” Shit. That probably wasn’t the smartest comment.

  Her blue eyes turned icy. “I can just go,” she snapped at him.

  “Hey, I didn’t mean it like that.” He held up his hands. “I just meant our introduction was memorable.”

  A rosy blush spread across her cheeks and her eyes widened.

  He’d done it again! What was it about this woman that made him always say the wrong thing?

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Missy asked.

  “Nothing,” Adrian and Addison answered together.

  “Oh, okay.” Missy winked at Tom and stepped back.

  “Let’s go get our table.” Adrian moved to the door and pulled it open. “I’m hungry.”

  “So is Addi,” Missy said, patting his arm as she walked through the open doorway. He could have sworn he heard a muffled snort of laughter from behind him, but when he turned to glance, Addison had a perfectly straight face. She walked past him into the restaurant without a word.

  Minutes later, Adrian found himself sitting next to her in a restaurant booth, barely an inch separating them. Missy was grinning at him from across the table. How much more awkwardness would she force on him before she realized her friend was not interested?

  “Addi, how is it being the only large animal vet in a small Montana town?”

  “Fine, Missy,” she snapped back at her friend.

  Wait. This gorgeous woman is also a vet? How did I miss that tidbit of info?

  “How long have you been practicing?” he asked.

  She swiveled her head to meet his gaze, a look of surprise on her face. The surprise softened and the hostility from earlier melted away. Her eyes sparkled with energy as she spoke.

  “I’ve been in Wolfe Point for three years. Ever since I graduated. It’s been a slow start, but I stay busy on the ranch too. So it’s worked out really well.”

  “She went to college here,” Missy added. “Then she left me…For cows.”

  A small sigh slipped out and she slumped into the booth. Her elbow bumped his. She scooted away, apologizing. “Don’t go there,” she murmured.

  Mrs. Wentworth won’t have to worry about me breaking her heart. She won’t even sit close enough to touch.

  “Missy, stop ragging on Addi. She won’t want to come back for another three years if you keep making her feel bad.” Tom squeezed his fiancé and gave Addison a reassuring grin. “We are just both so glad you were able to come spend this week with us.”

  Addison perked a little and smiled. “Uh huh, so you didn’t have to run all these last minute errands with her?”

  Tom blushed at her accusation. Guilty as charged apparently.

  The seat creaked as she turned to face him again. “What about you?”

  “What about me?” he asked, shocked she’d spoken to him at all, much less asked a question.

  “How do you fit into this little Tom and Missy sandwich?”

  He coughed. “Sandwich? There’s no sandwich that I’m aware of.” Tom and Missy were both snorting in laughter.

  Her mouth parted into a wide grin and a little color reddened her cheeks. “I didn’t mean like that, gutter-brain.”

  A chuckle escaped before he could cover his mouth. “What did you mean then?”

  “I meant, how do you know them? You seem like a close friend.”

  “Tom and I have been roommates for almost three years.”

  “So pretty much, my best friend is stealing yours.”

  “Yeah, that sounds about right.” He leaned back, putting his arm behind her on the booth. She didn’t move away from him, but she didn’t lean back against him either.

  “You make it sound like I’m leaving you out in the cold.”

  He smiled at Tom’s comment. “Yep, you are.”

  “Don’t give him any sympathy. He owns the house we live in and won’t have any trouble finding another roommate.”

  “You would be surprised. Not many people like living with a cop.”

  “How long have you been with the force?”

  A second question? Perhaps there is hope. “It’s coming around on eight years. I’ve been a detective nearly three.”

  “Do you like being a detective?”

  “Yes and no. There are times I wish I was just driving a beat again, so I wouldn’t have to see some of the things homicide deals with, but I really enjoy solving the cases. It’s fulfilling.”

  “But ugly?”

  “Yes, most of the time it is very ugly.”

  A moment passed. The compassion in her gaze soothed the ache the job etched into his heart. He’d learned not to take the cases personally, but there were some that just couldn’t be escaped.

  “Let’s talk about something a little more positive,” Missy interrupted.

  She broke her gaze and turned to her friend who proceeded to ask her something about the dress she had tried on earlier that day. He tuned it out and asked Tom if he’d seen any of the game that afternoon.

  The rest of the evening went off without a hitch, but Missy hijacked most of Addison’s attention and he never got another chance to attempt more conversation. He wanted to…attempt more conversation. Hell, he wanted to do more than that, but he probably had as much chance at garnering Addison Connelly’s attention as a Hail Mary pass in the last seconds of a football game.

  Chapter Five

  “You sure you don’t want to wear a dress this evening?” Missy called from the door of her closet.

  “It’s a barbeque in your back yard.”

  “It’s the rehearsal dinner. You get to stop avoiding Adrian tonight and flirt a little.”

  “I don’t want to flirt with him.”

  “Liar! I saw the look you two had at the restaurant earlier this week.”

  “Whatever.” She tried to play it off, but Missy was right. She wanted to flirt with Adrian tonight. God, she wanted to do more than that.

  She yanked on a pair of snakeskin patterned skinny jeans and admired her reflection in the mirror. The tight jeans had just a little shimmer in the fabric, which she loved. Her top was a cream-colored, formfitting, long-sleeve tunic. The tunic came down just past the curve of her ass and a little black belt accentuated her small waist. The neckline showed just enough cleavage to be flirty without being trashy.

  “Do you have any black boots in that closet?” she hollered over her shoulder. A thunk behind her made her turn. A pair of black cowboy boots lay only a few feet away.

  “Thanks.”

  “I’d still rather you wear a dress.”

  “I’m wearing shiny jeans. Isn’t that enough?”

  “No.”

  Addison shook her head and jammed her feet into the boots, thankful that Missy had big feet. They had been swapping clothes since high school. Missy was only five-eight, but the two-inch difference had never been a problem, even with shoes.

  “You do look cute,” she admitted, walking up next to Addison.

  “Thanks. I like the dress you picked out, but you know we are playing bocce ball after dinner.”

  “Thus, the cowboy books.” Missy gestured to the turquoise and black boots. Her long-sleeve black dress had swirling patterns in turquoise too. Everything matched. But that was just how she liked it.

  “Gotcha.”

  ***

  She walked out onto the back porch with Missy. It was only five o’clock, but guests had been arriving for nearly an hour. The back yard had been transformed into an outdoor ballroom. Round tables were draped in royal blue, delicate white rose arrangements sat on each, and the chairs were covered in white satin. The buffet line was setting up underneath a row of tents.

  The sun was beginning to set, but there would be good light for another hour. The Wentworths were very prepared, though. Large lights and lamps had been strategically placed throughout the lawn to light up once dusk arrived. A large wooden dance floor had been installed that morning. The DJ had soft background music playing right n
ow.

  Wasn’t this supposed to be a rehearsal dinner?

  “How many people are coming to this?” she whispered.

  “Just family and close friends,” Missy answered. “About a hundred, I think.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  Just a hundred.

  “I’ve got to go find Tom and my parents to help with greeting.”

  “Okay, enjoy.”

  “Come sit with me at dinner,” Missy called out over her shoulder as she walked away.

  “I will.”

  “What about me?” a deep voice rumbled behind her.

  Addison squeaked in surprise and turned. She couldn’t help but allow her eyes to survey his handsome body. When her gaze finally connected with his, the twinkle in his eyes told her she’d been caught red-handed in her admiration. Her cheeks warmed and she looked away. She should be able to control her behavior better than this.

  “Aren’t you supposed to sit with your date at the rehearsal?” he spoke again, his rich velvety bass voice turning her legs mush.

  No! Stay strong. You don’t need a fling with Tom’s roommate.

  “I suppose you could join us,” she offered.

  “Join us. I want to,” a very large, weight-lifter type, blonde man slapped Adrian on the shoulder. “Anything where I get to be near you, sunshine, and I’m in.”

  “I’m in.” Another voice boomed behind her. She felt herself jump a little, but kept from shrieking in fright. “Lord have mercy, is this Missy’s maid of honor? Adrian, you’ve been holding out on us.”

  She took a step back and glanced tentatively at the man who’d approached from behind —tall, muscular, and shoulders that would block a doorway. What did these men eat?

  He extended his hand, which she accepted. The handshake was much gentler than she’d anticipated.

  “I’m Addison Connelly.”

  “Derek Waters,” he answered. “Groomsman number two.”

  “Oh, sorry, Hale Bridgeport,” the blond spoke up. “Groomsman number three. It’s nice to meet you. Adrian has told us nothing about his date to the wedding. Now I can see why.”