so good at her job,” Addison said.
“That she is. There isn’t a whole lot for rentals right now, but she found me the perfect place.” Lucas grinned at Addison. “There’s only one condo full of rowdy college students in the entire building. They had one hell of a party Friday night.”
Addison laughed. “Did you join them?”
His grin widened. “Nah. My days of hard partying are over. I’m looking to settle down in my small-town life.”
“Well, you’ve picked the perfect small town,” Addison said. “We’re so much better than Willington.”
Lucas clapped his hand over his heart. “All this trash talk about my home town is crushing to my soul.”
“I can’t help it if Harmony Falls is superior to Willington in every way,” Addison said with a grin, “but I do feel a little bad about the soul crushing.”
“Tell you what, give me one of those friendship bracelets that you’ve made for every single one of your friends but poor old me, and we’ll call it even.” Lucas reached toward Addison’s hand again.
Without stopping to think about it, Preacher clamped his hand around Lucas’s wrist. He glared at the gamer as Lucas raised his eyebrows at him and Addison said, “Preacher, what are you doing?”
“Since when did you and Addison become friends?” Preacher said to Lucas.
Lucas glanced at Preacher’s hand still wrapped around his wrist. “You wanna let go of my hand, big guy? I think it’s a little soon in our relationship for hand holding. Don’t you?”
Addison tugged on his wrist. “Preacher, let him go.”
“Don’t touch her,” he said before releasing his grip.
“You’re being rude,” Addison said to him.
“It’s all good,” Lucas said.
Addison rolled her eyes before digging into the small handbag looped around her forearm. She was wearing a bright green dress with a distractingly low neckline. The pearls were around her neck like usual and when Lucas glanced at them, Preacher scowled at him and could barely control the urge to bare his teeth. He knew exactly what the prick was thinking about – fuck, it was the same thing he thought every time he looked at those goddamn pearls – and if Lucas didn’t stop picturing a naked, pearl-wearing Addison in his bed, Preacher would rearrange his fucking teeth.
“Here, Lucas.” Addison pulled out two friendship bracelets from her purse and quickly tied them around his wrist.
Lucas grinned at her. “You’re too sweet, Addison. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Addison said. “Oh, and here, I’ll give you my number now and you can text me about Tuesday afternoon.”
“What’s happening Tuesday afternoon?” Preacher said.
“You sure you don’t mind?” Lucas said.
“I really don’t,” Addison said.
“What’s happening Tuesday?” Preacher said again.
“Well, I really appreciate your help,” Lucas said.
“Addison,” Preacher cupped her arm just above her elbow – fuck, her skin was soft – and squeezed gently, “what are you doing with him on Tuesday?”
“I’m taking him to the yarn shop to help him pick out yarn for his mom’s birthday,” she said. “Why?”
“Addie! Hey, Addie!” Kira was waving at her from across the yard. “Come over here for a second.”
“One minute,” she called. “Lucas, do you want my number?”
“Yep.” Lucas added her number to his phone and with a final look at Preacher, Addison walked away.
Ignoring his urge to stare at her ass, Preacher instead glared at Lucas. He had Addison’s phone number – Preacher didn’t even have her fucking number. His gaze dropped to the two braided bracelets around Lucas’s wrist. She’d given him two. She’d given him two of her bracelets and Preacher only had one.
For fuck’s sake. Are you twelve? You’re seriously jealous over a goddamn friendship bracelet?
“Addison is great, don’t you think?” Lucas said with an infuriating grin. “It’s a shame about her and her fiancé.”
“Stay away from her,” Preacher said. “She’s not looking for a relationship with a man-child who plays video games all fucking day.”
“Develops them, actually,” Lucas said, that annoying grin still planted on his face, “but it’s still a remarkably fair description of me so I’ll give you that.”
“She’s not interested in you,” Preacher said.
“She’s more into tortured tattoo artists? Is that what you’re saying?” Lucas said.
Preacher could feel his face reddening. His urge to punch Lucas was growing by the minute and what the hell was wrong with him? He never got jealous.
“Look, man,” Lucas clapped him on the arm, “in the interest of not having you punch my face into mincemeat, I’m gonna stop being a dickhead and tell you the truth. I’m not interested in Addison. I like to flirt, and Addison is