Acting Up

by Kristin Wallace

  “I always imagined playing in the NFL,” Ethan said.

  “And instead you’re what?”

  “I’m the principal of Covington Falls High.”

  Her eyes widened in almost comical surprise. “How did that happen?”

  “I have no idea,” he said, in wry amusement. “My wife used to ask the same question all the time.”

  “The boys told me their mom died,” Addison said, sympathy shining in her blue eyes. “I can’t even imagine.”

  The laughter lodged in his throat. Sudden anguish gripped him with such fierceness he almost fell to his knees. “Jenny had an aneurism in her sleep,” he managed to say, the memory as fresh as if Jenny had left yesterday. “By the time we realized, she was gone.”

  Gone. Forever.

  She touched his shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

  Electricity sparked where her palm rested. Addison snatched her hand away, and their eyes met. For a moment, the world seemed to still.

  He could drown in those eyes if he wasn’t careful. Forget everything. His responsibilities. His priorities. His wife.

  His sweet, wise, selfless wife. Addison Covington had none of those qualities. She was the exact opposite. Brash, flirtatious, over-the-top sexy. Jenny had been beautiful in all the ways that mattered. More beautiful than any made-up, phony actress who made her living trying to mesmerize people and convince them she was someone else.

  He drew in a deep breath and took a step back, breaking the connection.

  “Sorry,” she said again.

  “I should go,” he said, continuing to back pedal. “The boys will be waiting.”

  Addison sent him a puzzled look. “I’m sorry about the gas station thing, too.”

  “The what?”

  “You had that same prune face when I smiled at you,” she said, scrunching up her lips in a grimace.

  “Prune face?” he said. He’d become a parrot.

  “I thought maybe you were married, and I’d offended your sensibilities.”

  His hands clenched into tight fists. “What I am is a widower trying to raise two small boys on my own,” he said, knowing his tone was harsh, but unable to soften it. “Not to mention a principal with a school full of kids to educate and their assorted parents to placate. I don’t have time for flirting with a Hollywood actress on the lam.”

  Addison reeled back, as if he’d slapped her in the face. “So noted.”

  He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, Alice—”

  She held up a hand, stopping his useless apology. “I told you, it’s Addison now. Alice truly doesn’t live here anymore. And don’t worry, Ethan. I won’t bother you again.”

  Shame filled him. He’d never in his life spoken harshly to a woman. His mother would tan his hide if she’d heard him just now. It wasn’t Addison’s fault she’d awakened something in him he wasn’t ready to feel.

  He should try to apologize. Make things right. But he couldn’t. He took a deep breath and turned, striding out of the yard with quick, determined steps. Away from temptation. Away from the sweet pull in Addison’s eyes. As he left, he couldn’t help but wonder at the cosmic joke that the woman who had stirred long-forgotten emotions would turn out to be the complete opposite of the woman he’d once pledged to love for the rest of his life.

  Chapter Five

  Yesterday Addison had come out to the back porch to sit on a lawn chair.

  She hadn’t gotten up.

  Not to eat, not to sleep, not to… well… it was best not mention bodily functions.

  She had often seen those sad, gray commercials advertising pills for depression. However, they didn’t mention the anvil landing on her chest, squashing her lungs and ribs. They didn’t say it could make her hair hurt and her teeth ache. They didn’t say it made a bright, sunny day look hazy, like a mirage in the desert. Even as Addison recognized she had become one of those sad, gray people, she couldn’t make herself get up.

  Through a thick fog, she heard a voice calling her name, but even though her mind told her to answer, her body wouldn’t cooperate.

  “Alice?”

  Shaking out of her stupor, she managed to turn her head. A sixty-ish woman with vivid green eyes was kneeling by her chair.

  “It’s Addison.” Her voice sounded like sandpaper.

  She nodded. “Okay, Addison. Your aunt called me, honey. She said you haven’t been by in two days. And then the twins said they saw you on the deck dressed in a robe and staring into space.”

  Addison glanced down. The blue silk wrap had come from an exclusive lingerie shop in Paris, but it was still a bathrobe.

  “How long have you been out here?” the woman asked.

  Addison shook her head. “I don’t remember. Who are you?”

  “I’m Caroline Thomas. I live next door.”

  “Mrs. Thomas?”

  She reached out and stroked Addison’s hair. “Yes.”

  Tears stung her eyes. “Something’s wrong with me. I can’t move.”

  Mrs. Thomas gave a decisive nod. “Depression. I recognize the signs. Took me a week to get out of bed after my husband died.”

  “Mr. Thomas died?”

  “A few months before we lost Ethan’s wife.”

  “Ethan lost his wife and his dad?”

  “Yes. We’ve been tested these last couple years, but we’re getting through with God’s help. We still have many reasons to be thankful.”

  How did one respond to such news? “I’m sorry. Now I feel dumb for falling apart over a divorce.”

  Caroline’s smile was one she’d surely used when her children were sick. “Well, divorce is a bit like a death, isn’t it? Maybe in some ways it’s worse. My husband had a heart attack. He didn’t choose to leave me.”

  “Mine did.”

  Mrs. Thomas grasped Addison’s hand, seeming to know she needed someone to touch her. “Did you grieve?”

  All Addison could manage was a shrug.

  “I understand why you would want to hide from the world, but you need to get yourself moving again,” Caroline said. “Otherwise you’ll be stuck forever.”

  “I don’t know where to start.”

  “Start by standing up. Then you can come eat dinner with my family. No good can come from you being here all alone.”

  “What family?”

  “It’ll be a full house tonight. My sons and their families.”

  “Ethan, too?”

  “Yes. I understand you met him and the boys.”

  Addison’s insides twisted. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. We had a fight.”

  “With Ethan?” Caroline asked in amazement. “He doesn’t fight.”

  “I must bring out the best in him,” she said with a shrug.

  Caroline gave her a long look. “Perhaps you do. Don’t worry about Ethan. Come for dinner.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude on a family night.”

  “I own the house,” Caroline said with a droll laugh. “I can invite whomever I want.”

  “Then how can I refuse?” Addison returned.

  “So, I’ll see you in an hour?”

  She touched her hair, which felt matted and dirty. “Do you think I’ll need a full hour to look presentable again?”

  Mrs. Thomas laughed. “Oh, honey, I think you would only need five minutes to stop everyone in the room cold. You’ve grown into a lovely woman. Much prettier in person. You always seemed so angry on television.”

  “I was the mean lady,” she said. “Of course, now I’m the unemployed lady.”

  Caroline chuckled. “One hour, Addison. If you don’t show, I’m sending the twins after you.”

  Sixty-seven minutes later Addison rang Mrs. Thomas’ doorbell. She ran a hand across the skirt of her blue wrap dress, hoping she hadn’t over done it. She didn’t know the dress code for family dinners in Covington Falls. A moment later, a little blond girl opened the door. No higher than Addison’s hip, she wore lavender overalls and had pigtails
fastened with lavender ribbons.

  “You are not Unca Ethwan,” she said with a frown.

  “Sorry.”

  An older version of the girl ran up. This one must have been about fourteen and had graduated to a sleeker, shoulder-length hairstyle. “Hey, pipsqueak! You know you’re not supposed to answer the—”

  The teenager skidded to a halt. Stranger Danger flashed across her face as she grabbed the little girl.

  Addison flashed her best sitting-down-to-talk-with-Oprah smile. “Hello. I’m your new neighbor. Your grandmother invited me over for dinner.”

  The girl’s eyes went big and round. “Oh, wow! Ohwowohwowohwow! You’re her!”

  Addison nodded as if the excited gibberish made complete sense. “Mmm. Can I come in?”

  Her cheeks went bright red. “Oh… yes!”

  The little pipsqueak started jumping up and down, yelling “Ohwowohwowohwow!”

  Addison grinned at her. “What’s your name?”

  “Mlissa,” she sang out. “I’s free.”

  A petite, sweet-looking woman with brown hair and fawn-brown eyes came to the door. “Girls, what’s taking so long?” She blinked as she got a good look at Addison. “Oh, wow!”

  “Seems to be the general consensus. I’m Addison, Ruth’s niece. And you are?”

  “I’m so sorry.” The woman laughed and held out her hand. “I’m Diana, Matt’s wife.”

  “Matt, huh? Are any of these yours?” Addison asked, indicating the kids.

  Diana touched the little one. “Melissa is my youngest. Lori is my oldest niece. Come on in. Caroline said you were coming, but when I saw you standing there, my brain went on the fritz. You’re smaller in person. You look so much more intimidating on screen.”

  “Corrine was larger than life.”

  Diana nodded as sympathy flashed in her eyes. “I think what happened to you stinks. I don’t blame you one bit for hitting the little hussy.”

  Addison hadn’t imagined people still used the word hussy anymore, but she was grateful for the support. “Thank you.”

  Addison followed the makeshift welcoming committee through the house. The layout was similar to her aunt’s. Off the foyer was the living room, which was cluttered with toys and coloring books. They reached the kitchen, where most of the action seemed to be centered. Mrs. Thomas stood at the stove stirring something in a pot. A younger woman in blue jeans and a purple T-shirt peeled potatoes at the sink. She topped Addison’s height by several inches and sported a short cap of curly, blond hair. She seemed familiar, though Addison couldn’t place her.

  “Caroline, she’s here,” Diana said.

  Mrs. Thomas turned. Her smile grew as she gave Addison a once over. “What did I tell you? You cleaned up fine.”

  The woman at the sink continued to stare.

  “I know you, right?” Addison asked, seeing a way to break the silence.

  The woman wiped her hands on a dishtowel. “Elizabeth Thomas,” she said as she walked across the kitchen. “Maybe you remember me as Elizabeth Peters.”

  “Elizabeth?” Addison gasped. “Didn’t we have geometry together?”

  “And English,” Elizabeth said.

  “How are you?”

  “I’m good. I’m married to Jake. The young lady behind you is my eldest daughter, Lori,” she said, indicating the older girl who’d answered the door.

  “How can you have teenager?” Addison blurted out.

  Elizabeth laughed. “I have a hard time believing it myself.” She took a moment to study Addison. “You make me sick. Look at you. You look like a… well… like a movie star.”

  “I wasn’t sure about a dress,” Addison said, fingering the cuff. “Too much?”

  “Not at all,” Elizabeth said, taking Addison’s arm. “Come on, the guys are in the den making sure the kids don’t break anything. Or anyone. Well, Jake and Matt are here. Ethan is on his way. He’s usually late. Those two whirlwinds of his always slow him down.”

  “I can’t believe you’re married to Jake,” Addison said with a touch of awe. “Didn’t you used to have a crush on him?”

  “I think everyone had a crush on at least one of the Thomas brothers,” Elizabeth said, giving a smile proclaiming she was well aware she’d landed one of the golden gods of Covington Falls.

  Noise hit Addison in the chest as they entered the den. Most of the chaos emanated from the children of varying ages who were scattered around the room. Still more came from the TV blasting in the corner. Addison’s eyes strayed toward the screen as one of those E Entertainment pseudo-news updates came on.

  The perky host faced the camera. “The big news out of Hollywood today is the engagement of Angela Brighton and über producer Merrick Carmichael. Merrick’s bitter divorce to Addison Covington was finalized just last week. This all follows the firing of the TV ice queen after she punched Angela during a live taping of House of Fashion.”

  Of course they had to show a clip of the scene. If Addison hadn’t stopped breathing, she might have appreciated the accuracy of the punch, not to mention the pleasant sound of Angela’s nose breaking and the subsequent screaming and blood gushing.

  “Jake, turn that off!”

  Everyone turned as Ethan entered the room and grabbed the remote. The screen went blank and now everyone turned to stare. At her.

  “Hi,” Addison said, to the room in general.

  “It’s the TV lady!” the twins cried in unison.

  Four little arms wrapped around her middle and she had to brace herself to keep from falling over. Their warm bodies and eager smiles were like a salve to her heart.

  “Hi, guys,” Addison said. “Who’s who?”

  “I’m Jason,” the boy on the left said. “He’s Carson.”

  Carson smoothed his hair back, and she saw a jagged white mark on his forehead. “I’ve got a scar.”

  A clue to tell them apart. “How’d you get that?”

  “Jason thought it would be fun to throw a brick over the fence to see if his brother could catch it,” Ethan answered. “His face caught it at least.”

  Addison glanced at him for the first time. He gave no indication of his feelings at finding her in his mother’s house as he nodded a greeting.

  “Sorry about the TV,” he said.

  She shrugged, as if the stitches holding her heart together hadn’t torn open again. “I knew an engagement was coming.”

  Elizabeth pulled the twins off Addison’s middle and indicated the other two men. Jake and Matt Thomas were standing by the couch. As predicted, they’d grown into handsome men. They had also both clearly forgotten how to form coherent sentences.

  “Jake, you remember Alice,” Elizabeth said. “Or do you prefer Addison?”

  “Addison. Hi, Jake.”

  The oldest and lankiest Thomas brother had filled out with wide shoulders and an easy smile. He came forward and shook Addison’s hand. Matt snapped out of his trance and hurried over to shake her hand as well. She couldn’t believe the baby Thomas brother had turned out to be almost as tall as Ethan, and as handsome.

  Elizabeth pointed out a tween girl and a boy about the twins’ age. “My other two kids, Susie and JJ.” She pointed to a younger brown-haired boy who was presently taking apart a toy truck. “Diana’s oldest, Matty.”

  Addison would never get all the names straight, but she nodded at each child.

  Caroline put an arm around Addison’s shoulders. “Dinner is a ways off. Why don’t I fetch you something to drink and you can get to know everyone?”

  “Sure.”

  “Wonderful. You sit and relax.”

  The dinner was the wildest event she’d been to in years. She couldn’t remember the last meal she’d had with children present. At the parties she’d attended, children might be trotted out for viewings in their crisply ironed mini-adult fashions, but they were always quickly shuttled away. The Thomas children talked. All the time. They giggled and whispered secrets, which led to more high-pitched fits of laugh
ter. They did say please and thank you, though in the case of the younger ones, it often came with a gentle reminder after the fact.

  After dinner, Lori and her sister herded the younger ones out to the back yard. The decibel level inside the house dropped instantly. The men cleared the table while Caroline, Elizabeth, and Diana stored the leftover food and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Caroline refused to let Addison help, so she ended up standing on the sidelines watching them.

  Addison marveled at their efficiency and grace. The trio had obviously performed the ritual many times before. The women navigated the kitchen like they were part of a choreographed dance. Their movements were accompanied by laughter and shared glances, a silent language that spoke of their deep affection.