Free The Bet (Addison #2) by Erica M. Christensen Page B

seems odd to me. I didn’t think we’d beat the photographer here. It’s not like we’re extremely early, maybe fifteen minutes tops, I would think.
    “Where’s everyone at? Are you sure we’re at the right beach?” I ask Lucas and he nods.
    “Carlos and Andrea should be here any minute.” Carlos…I wonder how he’s doing. I should probably call him or at least shoot him a text. I need to apologize. I still feel terrible for snapping photos of him and the pool boy and sending them to his dad. A gust of wind blew sending chills through my body.
    “Ugh. We should have grabbed coffee. I’m freezing out here.” I shiver.
    “Shoulda coulda woulda, but we didn’t. Did we?” Lucas mocks me and wraps his arms around me to keep me warm.
    “You’re lucky I like you.” I kiss his cheek.
    “I know.” He smiles and kisses the tip of my nose. He grabs my hands and breathes on my fingertips to warm them up. I hear a faint noise in the distance, a familiar voice.
    “That was perfect, you guys!” Lucas and I look up the beach and see a man holding a camera. The man starts walking toward us. Lucas breaks away from me and meets the man, shakes his hand. I can’t quite get a great look at what the guy looks like. But his voice…I swear I know that voice. He comes closer to greet me, and it’s him. The photographer is Carlos. Carlos’s eyes widen, Lucas goes to introduce us and Carlos interrupts him.
    “Addi, long time no see.” Carlos says with a bit of attitude. Lucas looks back and forth at us.
    “You guys already know each other?”
    “Oh yes, we know each other very well.” I feel my cheeks burning and my stomach churning. I know he hates me and I wish he didn’t. We were so close. He was my best friend. For crying out loud, I was going to marry him. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I can tell by the look on Lucas’s face that he feels the tension between us.
    “Well, that’s awesome. Where’s Andrea?” Lucas asks.
    “She can’t make it…so we’ll have to use Addi.” Carlos slants his eyes at me.
    “What? No. I’m not going to be in any photos.”
    “Please, Addison. This is a big shoot.” Lucas butters me up with his puppy dog eyes. They’re so hard to say no to, but I’ve never been in front of the camera before and I really don’t want to be in front of Carlos’s camera.
    “Ugh. Fine, I’ll do it,” I groan.
     
    ***
     
    After the shoot I ask Lucas if he would give Carlos and me some time to talk. Lucas didn’t ask any questions, he’s walking ahead of us and giving us the space.
    “Carlos. I’m sorry. I truly am. I know that no amount of apologies will take back what I did to you and make things right.” Carlos stops walking and turns to look at me straight on.
    “Addi, what you did hurt. But you had every right to react the way you did. I’m sorry too, Addi. I really am. Most of all I’m thankful for the way things went down…I would have never pursued a career in photography, my passion. But because of you, I am now photographing models for magazines and book covers. I can’t thank you enough.” Tears form in my eyes, Carlos sets his camera bag down and hugs me, kisses me on the cheek. “I love you, Addi. Take care of yourself.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FOURTEEN
     
     
    “Hilton, can we get lunch? I’d like to talk.”
    “Yeah, it’ll have to be a quick lunch though. I have a meeting with a new client this afternoon.” Hilton sighs.
    “If you don’t want to go we don’t have to.”
    “I’ll pick you up in about twenty-five minutes.” Hilton ends the call.
    I quickly change into fresh clothes and walk out into my living room. My mom is packing a bag for their fishing cruise this afternoon.
    “Mom, can we talk?”
    “Of course, sweetie.” She glances up at me and offers a warm smile.
    “Why didn’t you tell me he was going to be here?” Her warm smile fades and she tucks my hair behind my ear.
    “I knew something was