Acting Up

by Kristin Wallace

  “He wants to stay here. With me.”

  “You don’t have to keep him. Just send him back.”

  “I want him to stay. I told him he could if you agreed.”

  “You want him to live with you?” he asked in genuine surprise.

  “I guess we both needed to get away for awhile. Will you let him stay, Merrick?”

  Two beats passed. “It’s fine with me if you don’t mind.”

  “No. I think maybe we’d be good for each other.”

  “Fine.” She could tell he was about to click off.

  She sank onto the couch. “Merrick?”

  “Yes, Addison?”

  “Don’t screw up with him. He’s upset right now, but he loves you, and even though he’s almost as tall as you, he still needs you. You have the power to break his heart. He’s your son. Be his father.”

  There was another long pause and when he spoke again, Merrick’s tone was gentler. Close to the one he’d used before they’d ended up hating each other. “I will. Thank you. Goodbye, Addison.”

  “Goodbye, Merrick.”

  Addison stared at the wall long after he’d hung up. Tears slipped down her cheek, and she brushed them away. For the first time, the vise around her heart eased, and she took a deep, cleansing breath.

  “Are you all right?”

  She gasped and spun around. Ethan was leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded across his muscular chest. Addison had the insane notion she’d like to lay her head on his chest and have those strong arms around her.

  Too nice. And too soon.

  She stood, giving herself time to gather her scattered emotions. “I’m fine.”

  Ethan noticed anyway. “You’re crying. He made you cry.”

  He took a step, and Addison held out a hand to ward him out. “Please don’t do the adorable, heroic thing right now, or I will fall apart. I was saying goodbye.”

  “Goodbye?”

  “My divorce became final when I signed a piece of paper. It took a few more weeks for my heart to catch up. I’m okay. A little sad, but fine.”

  Ethan nodded. “I had that moment, too. Sad, but fine.”

  “Do you ever get past it?”

  “I don’t know yet,” he said, giving her a wistful smile.

  Addison rolled her eyes, which thankfully had stopped leaking. “Boy, you sure know how to give a girl hope. Come on, I have to go tell Aaron he’s staying.”

  “You sure you’re ready to have a teenager living with you full-time? You’re dealing with a lot yourself.”

  “It might be good for me to focus on someone else’s troubles for awhile.” She chuckled. “I’m sick of my own complaining. In any case, Aaron’s a pretty good kid. I’m sure he won’t be much trouble.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “This is so lame.”

  As it was perhaps the hundredth time Aaron had repeated the phrase since Addison had dragged him out of bed, the teenager’s complaining had turned into white noise. Ignoring him, she pulled into a parking space and turned off the car.

  Aaron regarded her with sullen eyes. “I thought you were cool.”

  “Just your luck to wind up with a regular old boring adult,” Addison said, flashing her best red carpet smile. “Guess that’ll teach you to run away from home, won’t it?”

  The kid blinked, and Addison fought an amused grin. She’d obviously caught him off-guard by refusing to care whether or not he thought she was cool.

  If Aaron didn’t know what to make of her, Addison was equally puzzled by her new charge. Aaron’s gratitude for taking him into the bosom of her — or rather Aunt Ruth’s — home had lasted until she’d informed him he would have to go to school. Then he’d turned into a muttering, grumbling lump of expensive baggy clothes. It was Addison’s first experience with teenage angst, and boy, was it was ugly. She was now certain God sent children to earth as babies because their parents would kill them if they didn’t start out cute.

  “Aaron, you have to go to school,” Addison said. “You’re fifteen and you have a lot to learn.”

  “It’s a public school,” he said, his voice laced with contempt. “I’ve never been to public school.”

  “Think of it as a growth experience.”

  He sighed. “Whatever.”

  Addison was starting to hate that word and the accompanying shrug. She didn’t even look to see if Aaron followed as she climbed out of the car, but he was behind her by the time she opened the front door. The halls were empty, which meant everyone was already in class.

  Aaron came to a stop. “We’re on a movie set.”

  “The whole town is a movie set,” Addison said with a wry grin. “You’ll get used to it. You might even — gasp — come to like it.”

  A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You are so strange.”

  The smile transformed him into a wickedly handsome boy. “Like I said, you run away from home, you have to deal with the consequences,” Addison said. “Come on, let’s get you enrolled.”

  “What about home schooling?”

  “You don’t want me teaching you.”

  “You could hire a tutor.”

  Addison put a hand to her temple, as if in deep thought, then snapped her fingers. “Wait, I have an idea. You could accept your fate and learn to deal with going to school like a normal kid.”

  He sighed. “This is so—”

  She could do the eye roll thing as well as he could. “Lame. I know. Come on.”

  He trudged beside her, doing his best impression of a man on his way to the gallows. They located the main office. A forty-ish woman who reminded Addison of the school secretary from that classic Matthew Broderick movie sat at a desk behind a long counter.

  “Hello,” Addison called.

  “I’ll be right with you.” The woman turned. “Oh, it’s you!”

  “I’m here to enroll my stepson,” Addison said. “I called last week.”

  The woman’s head bobbed. “Yes, I remember.”

  “Are there any forms for me?”

  “Yes.” She whirled around, grabbed a stack of papers from a file cabinet. “Fill these out. Emergency contact information. I have his class schedule, too.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Oh! I’m supposed to tell Principal Thomas you’re here. I’ll go get him.”

  “All right.”

  She sent Addison another wide grin and scurried off to fetch Ethan.

  Aaron leaned back against the counter, eyeing her with uninhibited speculation. “So, we’re special enough to get a personal welcome from the principal?”

  “I guess he wants to make sure you find your classes.”

  He waggled his eyebrow. “Or maybe he wants to see you.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Her heart jolted a little. “We’re just friends.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She wasn’t sure of anything where Ethan was concerned.

  Before she could say any more, Ethan came around the corner. He was adjusting his sport coat as if he’d just put it on. The dark blue color set off his blond hair, making her want to run her fingers through it. He stopped, and she swore he could read her mind.

  Aaron crossed his arms, and she tried her best to ignore his you-are-so-busted leer.

  Ethan coughed and turned to the secretary. “Nancy, would you send a runner to get my niece?”

  “Of course, Mr. Thomas.”

  The secretary hurried off. Ethan adjusted his tie as he took the remaining steps forward. “Good morning, Addison, Aaron.”

  “Morning, Ethan,” Addison said. “I’m sorry if we interrupted you.”

  She prodded her stepson. “Morning. Nice school,” Aaron responded, even as he sent her a silent version of this-is-so-lame.

  “Thank you. Have you gotten settled in?”

  A shrug was the only answer.

  Ethan raised a brow in question.

  He thought she could help? Addison could only give a shrug of her
own. “Aaron’s goal in life is to use the least amount of words possible to communicate. I think it’s to conserve energy for important things. Like eating and sleeping.”

  Aaron grumbled his you’re-so-strange mantra under his breath.

  “I’ve also got excellent hearing,” she intoned under her breath.

  Ethan’s eyes danced as he watched them. She loved knowing she was providing so much amusement for him. Then the office door opened, and Ethan’s niece walked in with the runner.

  Lori Thomas’ eyes lit up. “Hi, Ms. Covington.”

  Ethan put a hand on his niece’s shoulder. “Lori, this is Ms. Covington’s stepson, Aaron. He’s going to be staying with her for a while. He’s in your grade, so I thought you could help him out. Make sure he finds his classes and introduce him to some of your friends.”

  Aaron took in Lori’s long, straight hair, pink polo-like shirt and denim skirt, and his lip curled. With her fresh face and conservative clothes, it was clear Lori didn’t match the sophisticated type of girls he was used to in New York and L.A.

  Addison stomped on his foot, and he turned to glare at her. She glared right back and mouthed Be nice.

  The mulish expression softened to a frown. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” Lori returned with a matching tone.

  Well, this is the start of a beautiful friendship, Addison thought. The amusement was flaring in Ethan’s eyes again, and she didn’t dare look at him.

  Thankfully, the receptionist returned with a class schedule for Aaron. “All set.”

  Addison prodded her stepson again, and he gave her one last dark glare before taking the paper.

  Addison patted him on the back. “I’ll be back after school. I have rehearsal this afternoon.”

  “Good for you. Are you going to take me home first?”

  “No, you’ll be helping me,” she said with a grin. “You’ve just volunteered to work on the sets.”

  Aaron’s eyes widened in horror. “No way.”

  “Way.”

  With a muttered oath he turned to follow Lori, though he grumbled all the way out the door. Once the teenagers were gone, there was nothing to do but deal with Ethan. Frankly, she she’d rather take on Aaron. He was much easier on her nerves.

  “Guess he got over the sad puppy phase,” Ethan said with a faint smile.

  “I’m sure he figured this would be an extended vacation. I spoiled his notion by insisting he go to school and eat at least some things that don’t come in a bag labeled chips or candy.”

  Little chill bumps skated down her spine as he laughed. Addison fought them back. Her synapses had gone on sensory overload all of the sudden. Maybe because she’d felt dead for so long, and now she was starting to experience real emotions again. At least she hoped reviving hormones explained her reaction.

  Ethan placed a hand on the small of her back and she jumped. Heat branded her skin where he’d touched her. If she checked, she felt sure she’d find a palm print back there.

  Ethan’s eyes widened. “What’s wrong?”

  “N-nothing. Did you say something?”

  “I said I’d walk you out,” he said, cocking his head, like the old RCA dog. “I was going to open the door for you.”

  Addison tried for a breezy smile. “I love Southern gentlemen.”

  The hallways were still empty as they made their way back to the main entrance. Addison felt him stealing glances at her and tried to act like a normal person.

  “Besides the school issue, is everything going all right with Aaron?” Ethan asked.

  “Other than needing a mouth guard to keep from grinding my teeth into dust? Great.”

  “I did warn you.”

  She wagged a finger at him “Just wait. Your turn is coming soon, and you’ve got two of them.”

  A mock groan issued from his lips. “Don’t remind me. I’d prefer to keep them frozen as they are now.”

  “I was teasing. I’m sure you don’t have to worry too much. Your boys have a wonderful family supporting them. Unfortunately, Aaron got shortchanged in the parental department, too.”

  For the first time in their acquaintance, Ethan regarded her with something akin to admiration. “I think his fortunes have taken a turn for the better.”

  Heat raced up her cheeks. Was she blushing? What in the world was happening to her? One word of praise from Ethan Thomas, and she’d turned into a giggly schoolgirl.

  “Ethan—” a feminine voice called out.

  Addison’s head whipped around. An attractive blonde was approaching at a fast clip. She wore a belted, navy dress and nude pumps, an outfit Addison was certain June Cleaver would have loved. When the woman realized Ethan wasn’t alone, her steps faltered. Then she recovered and continued her grand promenade to Ethan’s side.

  He greeted the newcomer with obvious warmth. “Good morning, Carrie.”

  “Ethan, I’m so glad I caught up with you,” she said, ignoring Addison entirely. “We need to discuss the senior field trip to Atlanta.”

  “Can we do it after lunch?”

  The abject disappointment sweeping across over her face was comical. “Of course. I know you’re busy.”

  The woman glanced over, eyes traveling down to Addison’s shoes and back up to the top of her head. The survey lasted all of three or four seconds, but she felt almost violated.

  “Addison, this Carrie Rogers,” Ethan said, ever the gentleman. “She teaches American History.”

  The smile didn’t quite reach Carrie’s eyes. “Hello. It’s wonderful to meet you finally.”

  Good ole’ Southern manners. Those rules of etiquette meant you had to act nice even when you wanted to scratch someone’s eyes out.

  “Nice to meet you, too,” Addison said, returning the other woman’s sugary smile with a matching one of her own.

  “I can see you’re occupied,” Carrie said to Ethan. “I’ll come by your office after lunch then.”

  So saying, the woman turned and sashayed down the hall. Despite her annoyance, Addison couldn’t help studying Carrie’s walk. It was a real thing of beauty.

  Meanwhile, Ethan was watching Addison. “Why do I get the impression you two don’t like each other very much?”

  “Because you have eyes and ears, and pretty good powers of observation,” Addison said. “In most instances anyway. You do tend to miss the big things on occasion.”

  “What did I miss?”

  “Your Miss Rogers doesn’t like me because she thinks you belong to her,” Addison said, continuing on toward the exit.

  “I’m sorry?”

  They reached the door, and she sailed through without waiting for him to open it. “She likes you.”

  “Carrie?” he said.

  Men. They were so clueless sometimes. “Like I said, big miss there.”

  “But she was Jenny’s best friend.”

  “I think she wants to be your best friend now.”

  “She’s never said anything.”

  “Of course she wouldn’t. Not while you’re still grieving for your wife. You haven’t noticed the way she looks at you?”

  His head dipped. “I haven’t noticed any woman.”

  “You haven’t dated anyone since your wife died?”

  “It was all I could do to get out of bed in the morning and keep up with the boys. Everything else was a blur.”

  What would it be like to be on the receiving end of such devotion? Addison suspected it could become something of an addiction. Trying to look anywhere but at Ethan, her gaze instead fell on a statue of a woman next to the flagpole. Curious, she stepped off the walkway.

  The statue itself was about five-and-a-half feet tall and rested on a small pedestal. The form was crafted out of black granite, and the detail was amazing. The woman had a sweet, heart-shaped face and a slim figure clad in a pretty sundress. The sculptor had even managed to create long, flowing tresses. A breathtaking work of art.

  Jennifer Daniels-Thomas, beloved Wife, Mother, Teacher and Friend, the p
laque read.

  Suddenly, Addison forgot how to breathe. “It’s your wife.”

  Ethan slipped his hands into his pockets. “Yes.”

  “Your wife has a statue.”

  “I know.” A puzzled frown flitted across his face. “Are you all right? You look upset.”

  “I’m fine,” Addison said, forcing herself to look away from the plaque. “Whoever did the sculpture is very talented. What a lovely tribute.”

  Ethan gazed at the granite face. “For a long time I couldn’t walk by here. Now, I make a point to come every day.”

  “How beautiful.” Addison’s smile felt frozen in place. “Listen, I need to get going.”