open long enough for Connor to slip out. “Let’s get over to Addison’s. She’s got breakfast waiting for us.”
“Breakfast.” Nathan rubbed his hands together, a broad smile on his face. The former Green Beret could eat his way through a buffet and still have room for more. “Now you’re speaking my language. What kind of breakfast?”
Jason shrugged. “Not sure. But try to leave some for the rest of us, will ya?”
“I make no promises.”
Kyle shoved his cousin down the porch stairs and the two men started wrestling. Jason tripped them both and then jogged ahead to Addison’s door, chuckling. His buddies caught up to him. A wrestling match ensued. Petty insults and childish comments upped the ante.
A sharp whistle brought all three men to a halt. Jason’s head was trapped underneath Kyle’s armpit. He craned his neck to find Addison standing on her front porch. An apron hugged her slender waist and her long hair was pulled back into a low ponytail.
She attempted a stern expression, but a smile played on her gorgeous lips. “Would you gentlemen kindly stop fooling around in my front yard for all the neighbors to see?” She shook her head. “Worse than children.”
Kyle chuckled and released Jason’s head from under his arm. Then he followed up the move with a shove.
Jason pinwheeled but stayed upright. “I’m going to sic Connor on you.”
Kyle ignored him, bounding up the steps to greet Addison. “Sorry about that, Addy. Won’t happen again.” He flashed her a charming smile before jerking a thumb toward Nathan who was retrieving his hat from the grass where it’d fallen during the wrestling match. “That lump over there is my cousin. I’m not responsible for his table manners.”
Addison bit her lip hard and it appeared she was doing her absolute best to keep from laughing in Nathan’s face. He tipped his cowboy hat in her direction. “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am. Nathan Hollister. Thank you for inviting us to breakfast and church service.”
“My pleasure.” She gestured toward her open door. “Please, go on inside and make yourselves at home.”
Kyle and Nathan disappeared into the house. Jason took the porch steps two at a time. “Hey. Sorry about that. My friends are a handful.”
“They’re wonderful.”
Addison’s smile made Jason’s breath quicken, but the dark circles under her eyes didn’t escape his notice. She hadn’t slept well either. Not that he could blame her. She’d been attacked twice in two days.
A trace of flour crossed her cheek. Without thinking, Jason reached up to swipe it away. The curve of her cheek was smooth, like satin, with a faint smattering of freckles dancing across the surface.
She laughed and swiped at her face. “I must look a fright. I’m a messy chef, but I promise the food is good.”
“You look beautiful. As always.”
The words were out of his mouth before he could snatch them back. Heat flooded the back of his neck, and he wanted the porch to open up and swallow him whole. He was normally reserved. What was it about this woman that cracked all his defenses?
Addison lifted her gaze to meet his and her smile widened. “Are you flirting with me, Jason?”
He cleared his throat. “I’m paying you a compliment, hoping you’ll forgive me when we get inside and discover Nathan has eaten everything already.”
She laughed. Jason let out the internal breath he was holding. Crisis averted. He needed to remember that he and Addison were friends. That’s all they would ever be. Jason was damaged goods. Romance and falling in love was impossible. The sooner he accepted that, the better.
Addison glanced inside and the smile melted from her face. “Before we join Nathan and Kyle, I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything.”
“I spoke to my client, Chloe, this morning. She’s very upset about the attacks, especially when I mentioned Michael had an alibi. She asked me to come by her apartment. I think she wants to tell me something but doesn’t feel comfortable sharing it over the phone. Will you go with me to see her?”
“Of course.” He was grateful she asked. Jason didn't want Addison going anywhere by herself, given the attempts on her life. “We can go right after church.”
Ten
Chloe McCormick lived in a three-story apartment complex within walking distance of downtown Austin. The building desperately needed some maintenance along with a fresh coat of paint, but there was a solid attempt to make it family-friendly. Younger children played on a well-tended playground and several older kids skateboarded across the parking lot.
Jason followed Addison