Noah: Hey, Addison. How are you?
She stared at the text for a full thirty seconds.
It was so formal. A stranger could have written it.
Addie: I’m fine. Running into the grocery store.
As she walked toward the entrance, she noticed that Ellis wasn’t far behind. Her phone buzzed with another text.
Noah: Are you alone?
He should already know the answer to that because both he and Jesse had decided.
Addie: There’s a deputy with me.
Noah: Good.
She grabbed a basket and was about to push her cell into her pocket when the next text came through.
Noah: Have you been spending much time with Jules?
Her brows drew together. Where hadthatquestion come from?
She stopped in the bread aisle.
Addie: She brought over some food this morning, and we had a chat yesterday. Why?
Jules was probably the closest thing she had to a friend in this town. If she called Indie, the other woman would probably hang out with her. But she was Noah’s sister, so it felt strange right now.
Noah’s name popped onto the screen as the phone rang.
Her heart did a little skip. She hadn’t heard his voice in days. And she missed it. God, she missed it so much. She missed all of him.
She put the cell to her ear. “Noah?”
“Hey, Addison.”
She closed her eyes, letting the deep rumble of his familiar voice roll over her skin. “Is everything okay?”
“I need you to do something for me.”
“What?”
“Stay away from Jules. At least for the moment.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“I just need you to take my word for it.”
Frustration tangled with the anger that was already sitting in her chest. “No. Unless you tell me why, I’m not doing it. She’s my friend. She’s been looking after me. So you need to give me a good reason if you want me to give her up.”
“Addie—”
“Unless you have something new to tell me, I’m hanging up.” She started pulling the cell from her ear when Noah spoke quickly.
“She wears a wig.”
Addie froze. “What?”
