“Okay,” Tyson said, slowly sliding his hand along Addison’s other shoulder. “Let’s get you home.”
Claudia helped Addison to her feet where Tyson very gently picked her up and carried her to the elevator. Claudia held her hand while Laney pressed the buttons. When they arrived at Addison’s apartment, he set her down on the couch and turned to Claudia.
“Are you staying with her?”
She looked at Addison’s bent, exhausted form on the couch and nodded. “I can’t leave her alone. Do you mind if I spend the night with her?”
He hesitated for only a second before shaking his head. “Of course not. Keep Laney with you for a few hours in case you two need anything. I’ll call you later.”
She went up on her toes and kissed his jaw. “Thank you. See you tomorrow.”
After Tyson left, Claudia turned back to Addison and announced, “Now tell me, what the fuck did you do to my dress woman?”
Addison gasped and then said, “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry Claudia, how much did it cost?”
Claudia laughed. “You don’t even want to know. I just wanted to get a response out of you other than tears. Come on, let’s get you up and into the shower. You have something on your one shoulder that I’m thinking might be grease.”
As Claudia herded Addison off to the shower she said to Laney over her shoulder, “Hey Lane, can you check the cupboards for something alcoholic? We are most definitely in need.”
“Nice. Commando!” she said as she stripped the tattered gown off Addison and pushed her into the shower, drawing a gasp of outrage from the other woman as she turned the taps on without testing them first.
“I didn’t start out commando!” Addison yelled through chattering teeth.
Claudia pulled her phone out and began texting. “Whoa, TMI darling!”
“Then maybe you should stop tearing my clothes off and finding stuff out about me that you didn’t want to know,” Addison snapped back. “And if that was TMI then you’d better stay the heck out of my bedside drawer.”
Claudia burst out laughing. “I didn’t mean too much information on your part, I meant TMI on Daniel’s. I so don’t need to know that asshole has a pair of your used panties hanging around his apartment.”
Addison snorted. “Yeah, he’ll probably keep them in his pocket to remember me by. Like a trophy or something .”
“Yeah, one of the only woman who ever gave him the time of day,” Claudia said nastily. “Don’t forget to scrub your hair too. I think I saw a twig or something in there. I don’t know what you did tonight, but it looks like way too much fun to have ended in so many tears.”
Addison giggled despite the pressing feeling she still had in her chest. “Nope, it pretty much sucked ass from beginning to end. Except for a few very brief seconds that are totally not worth it.”
“Oh yay,” Claudia said excitedly. “Anya is coming over!”
“What?!” Addison yelped.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Claudia said, not sounding at all repentant at inviting someone over that Addison had never met right after Addison had been traumatized. “It’s just that Anya is really good at lifting people’s spirits because she’s a little psychotic, and I was supposed to go out drinking with her tonight so she just sort of invited herself over.”
“Claudia!”
“Oh! Please, Addison!” Claudia begged. “I promise you’ll like her.”
Two hours later, Addison was listening to a drunk Anya argue with a sober Laney over the proper use of a blender while Claudia narrated the entire scene for Addison’s amusement from their position on the couch, where they sat in pyjamas, snuggled under blankets with their cocktails. Addison decided she was definitely leaning on the side of liking Anya.
“It says in the instructions that this appliance is not to be used while under the influence,” Laney said matter-of-factly.
“Are you suggesting I’m drunk, Lamey?” Anya said. “Lemme see those fucking instructions!”
“Anya just tore the instructions out of Laney’s hand, which seems to really piss Laney off, if her clenched fists and death stare are anything to go by,” Claudia whispered to Addison.
“Ah hah! Your fucking bodyguard is a liar Claudia, I demand you fire her ass immediately,” Anya yelled across the condo. “These instructions specifically say this blender should be used for shit like Piña Coladas and Blue Hawaiis and… and other drinks. There’s even recipes! If this blender isn’t meant to be used by drunk people, then why would they have recipes for alcoholic beverages? Simple logic people!”
“Anya’s shoving a bunch of bananas, pineapple chunks and vodka into the blender,” Claudia said.
“That sounds really yummy!” Addison said happily, slurping away at her drink. “Mine is almost empty.”
