The Bet (Addison #2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Lucas shuffles the room key in his hand.
    “I know, I can’t wait to go to bed!” I yawn.
    “Bed? Are you kidding me? We’re on vacation, Addison,” Lucas squeals.
    “This is not a vacation, Lucas. This is business. We’re here for work.” A smirk travels across my face. He returns the smile and holds the elevator door open for me. Once we reach the room we’re shocked to find how big and beautiful it was. A jacuzzi tub in the corner, a huge flat screen TV, a ginormous window, and a balcony overlooking Isla Verde Beach. There was only one problem with the room…there was only one bed. One fucking bed. Are you kidding me? I’m going to kill Shelly or John, or the both of them. Whoever the hell set this whole thing up is just begging to be murdered.
    “Only one bed. Hmm…looks like I’ll be sleeping on the floor or we can toss a coin.” Lucas breaks the awkward silence.
    “This is ridiculous. Abso-fucking-lutely absurd. Did your uncle do this?” I question hastily. Lucas sets his bag down and takes off his flannel shirt. It’s clear to see he’s been working out a lot in the past three months. His muscles are looking a lot larger than they were before, or at least from what I remember. I shake the thought away.
    “I’m not sure, Addison. It’s not that big a deal.” He stretches his arms over his head and yawns, then removes his white t-shirt and throws it on the chair next to the big window. He walks out onto the balcony.
    I put my luggage on the bed and open it up to find something cute to wear if we really do happen to go out tonight. I mean, we are staying in a hotel with a casino. I reach in the side pocket to grab my makeup bag and feel a tiny square box. I pull it out and open it up. There was the locket from Stephen…an ache grows in the pit of my stomach. I place the box back into the side compartment and walk into the bathroom. Three months later and it still hurts like it all happened yesterday. Sometimes I regret ignoring his calls and text messages. What if he didn’t go through with the wedding and was trying to reach out to me to tell me that? What if he really did just want us to run away together? The ache in my stomach grew and spread to my head. Great, a migraine…I turn the shower on and while letting it warm up, I clip my fingernails and undress, then step into the hot, steamy shower, letting the hot water spray over my face, washing the tears away as fast as they come down. The past is unchangeable and I think that’s what hurts the most. We can’t erase anything and we can’t paint it as a perfect portrait. The past is the past and that’s all it will ever be. People think it’s the memories that haunt us and hurt us, but they don’t. The past itself haunts and hurts us, solely because there isn’t a fucking thing we can do about it.
    “You look beautiful.” Lucas gulps and looks me in the eyes, careful not to let his eyes drop to my body. I’m wearing a fitted white dress and coral pumps. My dark brown hair is curled and falls past my shoulder blades.
    “Thanks. You don’t look too bad yourself.” I brush past him and zip up my suitcase and put it in the closet. “Are you ready?” I ask.
    “I’ve been waiting on you.” He walks toward the door and opens it for me.
    “Go on ahead of me. I know how this works. I get to walk ahead of you so you can stare at my ass. Right?” I lightly punch his arm and walk out before him.
    “That’s not what the plan was…Just using the midwestern manners my momma taught me.”
    “Oh, I know how you country boys work. Your midwestern manners don’t fool me.”
    “We’ll see about that.” He bites his bottom lip and laughs.
    I’m almost positive this bet we made is not going to pan out the way we originally planned. Keeping my lips off of him might damn near be impossible.
    There are bright LED blue lights all over the restaurant, the chairs are silver, and the tables are made of a light colored wood. Everything about