Been There Done That (Leffersbee #1) - Hope Ellis Page 0,114
agreed to answer any questions you may have for her.”
She snatched the envelope out of my hand. “I’ll take a look.”
Zora grimaced. “We’re going to get breakfast. You want to come with?”
The screen door on Leigh’s side banged closed in response.
Zora and I exchanged glances.
“It’ll be alright. I’m not surprised. If I thought someone cheated on my best friend, well, I’d do everything in my power to make her pay.”
“Rightfully so,” she agreed.
“Alright. My stomach is eating my back at this point. Please, can we take you inside and get some clothes on you so we can go?”
“Sure.” But she stood there smiling, her gaze stuck to mine. “Thanks, by the way.”
“For what?”
“For contacting The Redhead. Putting her in contact with Leigh, who is definitely going to call her, by the way. I believed you, but this helps.”
I wrapped my arms around her, happy that I could now. “What do I keep telling you? There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
Responding to the dark intent in her eyes, I boosted her up until her legs wrapped around me. She’d just kissed me when another voice sounded behind me.
“Now I see what was so important in Green Acres.”
“Valley,” I corrected automatically, then turned, unable to believe my own ears.
“Eddie?”
“One and the same,” he confirmed, his gaze bouncing between me and Zora. “So. Are you going to introduce me?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nick
“The trick to throwing an axe is knowing when to let go.”
At that, our Axe Master hefted the axe behind his head until his elbow was skyward, then released it in a smooth downward arc.
The ax bit into the innermost circle of the bullseye. Perfect.
Zora stood at his elbow, tracking every nuance of his movement. “Okay. Can you do it again?”
Leigh snickered. I shot her a look.
Zora glared back at her friend. “Quiet from the peanut gallery, please.”
Eddie shifted closer to me and said, just loud enough for me to hear, “He could do it fifty more times and—”
“Shut it.”
He snorted with laughter. “You’re really gone over this girl.”
Leigh wandered over to us from her corner, her expression pained. “Listen. I know you probably like having sex with her, but it’s not healthy to support delusional behavior. She sucks at this and that’s not going to change today. We can’t keep slowing down the game for these long tutorials every time it’s her turn.”
“We’ve got the lane until this place closes.” I ignored them both, watching the Axe Master sneak a quick glance at Zora’s ass.
This fucker.
Eddie murmured something to Leigh. They both cracked up.
Our plans for the day had changed once Eddie showed up. Leigh was determined to spend time with him after learning he was my closest friend. She’d cornered Eddie for most of our time in the throwing lane, pumping him for information.
And kicking our asses in competition.
I shouldn’t have been surprised that it was her idea to come here. Or that she mimed chopping off my nuts when she made the suggestion.
I didn’t care. I would do whatever it took to get along with Leigh’s crazy ass. It was clear she and Zora were extremely close and protective of each other. Now that I had Zora back, I’d deal with whatever happened, no matter the obstacle.
Even if it was this bitingly sarcastic woman with scarily accurate aim.
Knoxville Axe was a relatively new establishment and a favorite after-work hangout of the hospital staff, apparently.
“I should buy one of these,” Eddie had said, taking in the high-ceilinged renovated warehouse. In addition to its throwing lanes, Knoxville Axe offered a full bar and restaurant with cutesy amenities like a cereal bar and board games for diners. I’d expected the place to be swarming with students this time of day, but it was relatively slow. We easily snagged our own throwing lane as well as a supervising Axe Master named Chase, who sported a beard even Gimli the dwarf would have envied. Chase reviewed safety protocols, demonstrated the basics of axe throwing, and led us in what was supposed to be friendly competition.
But Zora was anything but friendly after watching the hash marks pile up under everyone else’s names. I would defend her to the end against anyone that talked trash about her, but privately, I wondered if she was throwing with both eyes closed. Every axe she threw was destined to ricochet off the bottom of the wooden board.
Leigh planted a hand on her hip. I hadn’t known her long, but I knew more shit talk was coming. “You know,” she called