"So, how are you adjusting to Rivers Edge?" she asks casually as she drop a straw into her cup of lemonade.
"Good. I like it here," I tell her. I don't get attached to the area I'm in. I try not to even pay that close attention to whatever small town or big city I'm in. I'm just stopping by, on my way through. But, Rivers Edge holds something special here and his name is Nate.
"What else do you like? Something in the form of a hot, six foot, beefcake of fireman?" she asks with an ornery smile.
"Nate is very nice," I say in a small voice. I hate being put on the spot. Don't draw attention.
"Nice," she snorts. "Nice as in has a great ass when he's walking through the bedroom naked?"
"Please, dear God, tell me that you are not talking about one of my brothers," Avery says as she walks through the back room and towards our table.
"I was just trying to get the goods from Lia on Nate. I bet he has a great ass," Erin says casually. "Jake's ass is magnificent and they are brothers."
"Blah, blah, blah, blah," Avery says as she stuffs her fingers into her ears.
"Seriously, Lia. Have you seen that man's back?" Erin asks as she fans herself.
"You mean with the big tattoo across it? His muscles make me want to massage his back … with my tongue," I reply with a giggle. Giggle! Who would have thought I would turn into a total starry-eyed schoolgirl when I talk – and think – about Nate.
"Yes! Jake has a couple of tattoos and, frankly, it makes him hotter," she says before taking a bite of her sandwich. "I want to bite his chest every time he removes his shirt."
"Oh my God, kill me now," Avery mumbles as she inhales her sandwich.
"Oh, don't be like that. You have your own hot piece of man-meat waiting for you at home," Erin says with a wink.
"Yes. Yes, I do," she replies with a big grin.
"I'm surprised you're not pregnant again," Erin says before stuffing more chips in her mouth. Seriously, where is she putting all of this food?
"Ryder's only five months old. We want to wait just a little bit before adding another baby," she says with a far off, happy look on her face.
"Well, at least there's plenty of practicing until then," I tell my boss. Not like I know about practicing or anything. Monday night with Nate at the creek was the first time I was brought to orgasm without manual stimulation. I haven't had the big "O" with a guy since the early part of my relationship with Garrett, and even then it was mediocre.
"Oh, there is plenty of practicing," Avery replies with a beautiful grin that hints at dirty thoughts.
"So, the reason I stopped by was because I wanted to ask you something, Lia. The girls and Mrs. Stevens are getting together tomorrow night for my bachelorette party. We are doing a spa night at the Stevens' house with dinner and plenty of wine. I want you to come," she tells me before stuffing the last bite of her sandwich in her mouth.
I practically choke on the much smaller bite I just took. "You want me to come?"
"Well, yeah. You're new in town and I like you," she says with another friendly smile.
"Yes, you have to come," Avery adds.
I think about it for a few moments. I really do want to go. I can keep a low profile starting Sunday, but Saturday night, I want to hang out with the Stevens ladies and enjoy myself. It's been so damn long since I've enjoyed the company of true friends. People who didn't have an agenda or want something from me. And frankly, it's been so long since I've felt comfortable enough to just hang out. Let my hair down. Be me.
Do I even really know who me is?
"Okay," I reply. "I'd love to go."
Both ladies at the table give me big smiles.
"I'll text you the details," Avery tells me.
"Are you going to eat that?" Erin asks, eyeing what's left of my chips.
"What is wrong with you?" Avery asks, raising an eyebrow at Erin.
"Nothing, I just skipped breakfast. Jake woke me up before work today," she says with another big grin.
Avery and I both laugh at Erin's dreamy look. You can tell she's either reliving her wake-up call from Jake or she's planning her own ‘welcome home' for this evening.
The three of us make small talk until it's time for Erin to head back to the library. Avery and I get to work restocking the glass case until the clock hits two o'clock. As we do most days, I leave at this time while Avery mans the place until it's time to close at four. I quickly grab my purse from the backroom, throw Avery a wave over my shoulder as she tells me to expect her text, and head out the back door.
When I reach the top of the stairs, I dig through my too-large purse for my keys. It takes me longer than normal to find them since they slid down into one of the side compartments. I make a mental note to get a smaller purse on my next trip to St. Charles. The last thing I need is to not be able to get inside my apartment quickly … if I should ever need to.
I slide the key in the lock and give it a turn. I start to step inside when this uneasy feeling washes over me. I stop in my tracks, half inside the apartment, with the screen door against my back. Something feels … wrong.
I glance around the apartment from the doorway, yet nothing appears to be out of place. The cereal bowl and spoon are still sitting next to the counter by the sink. The small pile of clothes is still in front of the closet where the washing machine and dryer are housed. The small light above the sink is still on. Nothing appears disturbed, yet the apartment feels different. Off.
A noise sounds behind me causing me to startle. I drop my purse, contents spilling on the floor around me, as I whip around and come face to face with Maddox Jackson.
"Hey, sorry to scary you. I was talking to you as I walked up the stairs, but you didn't seem to hear me."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I say as I bend down to pick up the contents of my purse. "I was just … " my voice trails off as I look around the quiet apartment.
"Is everything alright?" Maddox asks from his squatting position right next to me. He looks around the apartment and then returns his chocolate brown gaze back to me.
"Yeah, of course. I just … something just … felt off," I say as I stand up and look around the room again.
"Hey, why don't you stay right here, and I'll give your apartment a quick check," he says as he steers me back to the top landing of the staircase.
Maddox makes quick work of checking all of the rooms and closets. Of course he finds nothing, silly. You're completely overreacting and now Maddox probably thinks you're crazy.
"I don't see anything," he says as he returns to the door.
"I'm sure it's nothing. I'm probably overreacting. I'm so sorry to have made you come up here and check out the place," I say, feeling completely embarrassed and small.
"Hey," he says as he looks me square in the eyes. "It was no problem. I would rather be safe and check everything out than to be sorry I didn't. If you say something didn't feel right, then we'll go with your gut feeling. Why don't you come inside and take a look around and make sure nothing is out of place or missing, okay?" he says as he leads me inside the apartment.
I scout from room to room looking for any sign of something - anything - out of place. Maddox follows me as I take in the unmade bed, the piles of discarded clothes, and the toothpaste open on the sink. Everything is just as I left it.
"Everything is fine," I all but whisper as we return to the tiny kitchen.
"Well, that's good," he replies. "Listen, if you ever have any problems or see anything out of the ordinary, give me a call," he says as he pulls out his wallet. He takes a receipt and an ink pen and writes his name and number on the slip of paper. "This is my cell. Call me day or night," he adds as he hands over the paper.
"Thank you. I feel so silly now," I say with a grin.
"Trust your gut, Lia," he says with a half grin. I can totally see why Avery fell head over heels in love with the man. Hot cop with bulging biceps and triceps and all the other kinds of ‘ceps, plus a smile that causes traffic jams.
I walk him to the door and step onto the landing with him.
"Listen, Lia, I don't know your history or anything and you damn sure don't have to tell me anything. You seem like a great woman whose maybe had a rough go of it in the past. Listen to your heart when it comes to things like this. Don't hesitate to call me, Jake or Nate if you notice something funny. Your gut instinct is one of the greatest gifts you have. Use it."