He slapped me on the shoulder and moved inside. “I’m not stupid.”
Everly came in behind him, and I bent to give her a quick hug. “Morning, Ev.”
“Morning.” She shuffled her feet, keeping her voice low. “Is Addie all right?”
“She’s doing good. She just roasted me for asking her that very question.”
Everly’s mouth curved. “That’s a good sign, I guess.”
“She’s stronger than you think.”
“I know she’s strong. I just—”
“You worry,” I finished for her.
“Exactly.”
Hayes started towards the kitchen. “Come on. These donuts aren’t going to eat themselves.”
We reached the kitchen as Addie was clearing the table. “Hey,” she greeted. The word was hesitant as if she knew that Hayes and Everly had come to check up on her.
Everly gave her cousin a warm smile. “Hayes needed to come talk to you this morning. I suggested donuts and bringing me along.”
Hayes flipped open the top of the bakery box. “There were no suggestions, only commands.”
I chuckled and moved to Addie’s side, wrapping an arm around her. “Ev is smarter than you, so it’s good that you listened.”
Everly grinned at me. “Thank you.”
“You’re not helping the situation,” Hayes groused.
Addie shifted at my side. “You wanted to talk to me about something?”
Hayes moved to one of the cabinets, pulling down some plates. “Get a donut. We can talk over sugar.”
I could tell that Addie wanted to push, but she bit her lip instead. She accepted a plate and selected a chocolate donut with sprinkles. I moved in and got a Boston cream.
We all settled around the table—Addie and me on one side, Hayes and Everly on the other. Hayes swallowed a bite of donut. “We can talk one-on-one if you’d prefer.”
I scowled at my brother. He held up a hand. “She has a right to give a private statement, Beck.”
“I know that—”
“Here is fine,” Addie interjected.
Hayes pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I need to get your statement.”
Addie ripped at a piece of her donut. “Okay.”
He tapped a recording app on his phone and read off an official-sounding introduction. “Whenever you’re ready.”
She took a long breath. “When I came out of the restroom, Walter was in the hall. I didn’t recognize him right away, and by the time I did, he was charging me. He tried to punch me. I dodged the worst of it, but he still clipped me.”
I reached over and took her hand in mine. I needed to feel her alive and breathing. Had to assure myself that she was okay.
Addie squeezed my hand and pushed on. “He tried to get me out the back door, but Beckett’s been teaching me some self-defense stuff.”
Hayes’ brows rose in my direction. “Self-defense, huh?”