“Now we strategize.” Sarah surveyed the tables. “We want to sit somewhere empty, not too large, so you can get cozy with Kevin when he comes to join us.”
“And you with Joe.”
Sarah made a face. “I do not do cozy with Joe. That’s Carrie’s job.”
“Ha. I think if you ever wanted to get cozy with Joe he would be more than happy to.”
“What?” Sarah was still analyzing the table situation, effectively using her habit of blocking out what she didn’t want to hear. “Small ones are taken. That one will do.”
Addie followed her to a table for six set up at the perimeter of the clearing.
Sarah put down her plate, patting the place diagonally across from her. “You there. Then Kevin can choose if he wants to be intimately close to you on the bench, or to gaze longingly into your eyes across the table.”
Addie pretended disgust, giddy inside. “You are a piece of work.”
“Aren’t I? Hey, Joe.” She beamed as Joe sat next to her, and managed to keep the smile going when Carrie sat opposite him.
“May I join you?” Kevin’s rich voice—not as deep as Derek’s—came from behind Addie’s left ear.
“Absolutely.” She made a show of giving him room on the bench, then after he was settled, scooted back until their thighs touched. “Isn’t it great to—”
“Boy this looks good.” He grinned around the table. “Joe, how are you?”
“Not bad.” Joe’s features turned stiff.
“And you are Carrie?”
“That’s me!” Carrie gave a Miss America smile and giggled. She was a tiny redhead from Atlanta, who was so perky and cheerful and enthusiastic about everyone and everything it made Addie want to step on her. “I’m a friend of Ellen’s from grade school!”
“Welcome. This is a great gathering. And perfect weather. Supposed to keep going until the ceremony, too. Hey, Paul.” Kevin turned, leaning back into Addie, so his shoulder pressed against her breast. He raised his beer to his friend a couple of tables away. “This one’s for you, buddy!”
Addie turned to see Paul’s reaction, but her eyes never made it that far. Derek, holding a plate and a beer, was making his way...oh, no...straight to their group. Worse, he sat opposite her, where she’d have to look at him.
“Addie, my hot woman.” Kevin had turned back to the table and was gazing down at her. “Have I told you how fabulous you look?”
She nodded, laughing. “You have! And then I told you—”
“Yeah, I remember now.” His eyes skimmed intimately over her. A sudden movement across the table made her glance at Derek, who was giving Kevin another I-would-kill-you-if-it-were-legal glare. Addie turned determinedly back to Kevin, who was still ogling. “You lost a bunch of weight or something, right?”
“Fifteen pounds.”
“Good for you. And you.” Kevin put his elbow on the table, pointing at Derek. “I know you.”
“Derek Bates.” He said it like a challenge.
“Derek, right. Right.” Kevin did a quick drumbeat on the table. “The s-s-sailor man.”
“And you’re the s-s-sales man.”
Kevin’s smile froze slightly. “Vice president of IT sales. Small company but we’re making big, big money.”
“Impressive.” Derek glanced at Addie. “You’ve known each other a long time?”
“Oh, yeah, Addie and I go way back.” Kevin draped his arm casually around her shoulders, and then let it slip across her back and down, landing on what the bench wasn’t using of her rear end.
Oh, my.
His hand was warm. His fingers started moving back and forth. She pressed her thighs together experimentally. No, she wasn’t dying of lust. But then they weren’t in a private room, able to concentrate only on each other and on their feelings.
“We met after Paul and Kevin became friends in middle school,” Addie said. “Kevin was—”
“John Witherspoon Middle School in Princeton, New Jersey. Cross-country team. I’d hang out all the time at Paul’s house.” Kevin leaned in to stage-whisper to Addie. “I always had a crush on you.”