Chapter 38* * *Elodie“You sure you’re okay with me meeting up with Addison?”
I didn’t want to upset Hollis when things were going so well.
He came up behind me as I scrambled some eggs and kissed the back of my neck. “Of course. It’s good for you to get to know her.”
It was the weekend after Hollis and I had declared our love for each other. I’d spent every night this past week with him, except one. I’d insisted on going home to check on Bree and spent Thursday night in Connecticut—not to mention, I was all out of clothes.
Addison and I had decided a Saturday lunch worked best, given her schedule, so I’d be meeting her later today. Even though my initial interest in lunch with her had been to mess with Hollis, I did want to get to know the person who was such a big part of his day-to-day life.
I poured the eggs out onto two plates. “I’m sure there’s a part of her that wants to make sure my intentions are in the right place with her best friend.”
“Nah. Believe me, Addison has been a huge supporter of you from the very beginning. She’s not going to grill you. She just wants to talk to you, maybe rank on me a little for fun. Trust me. You’re good.”***Addison and I met at a cute little restaurant in Midtown. Even though it was the weekend, she was dressed to the nines in a crisp, collared shirt and pencil skirt. I didn’t know her exact age, but Addison looked about Hollis’s age.
“You’re so dressed up. I’m relieved I wore a nice outfit.”
“It’s just a habit. I always think I’m going to run into a client. You look lovely, by the way, Elodie.”
“Thank you.”
After we sat down, I opened my menu and said, “It’s so nice to get out like this. I don’t do it nearly enough.”
She played with her string of pearls. “Why don’t you?”
“Much of my time is spent with Hailey. By the time I get home, I’m exhausted. Well, when I used to go home.”
“Home lately is with Hollis, I take it?” She grinned.
“Yeah, at least as of the past week.”
“And now it’s Hollis exhausting you after hours?”
I chuckled. “Only in a good way.”
The waitress came by and took our order. I opted for salmon over salad, while Addison ordered a burger with Swiss.
After, Addison leaned in and said, “I hope this doesn’t come off as strange, but can I just tell you I prayed for you?”
I didn’t quite understand. “Prayed for me?”
“Yes. I asked the good man or woman above to bring someone like you into Hollis’s life—someone he would find attractive and appealing enough to hang everything up for. It had to be the whole package. Someone who would be worth taking the risk of getting hurt. It had to be someone special, who wouldn’t give up on him. I knew he wanted someone like you before he did. It was actually at my wedding that I wished for you.”
“Really?”
“Well, my third wedding. Let me back up a bit.” She laughed. “Third time was the charm for me. I’d been through two short-lived, failed marriages before I decided my happiness was going to come first. Both of my exes were critical people who never really supported my career, or supported me in general. With my first two husbands—both of whom I met on Wall Street—it was always a competition, never a true partnership. They never had my back.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, don’t be. Everything worked out the way it should.” She smiled. “I met my husband, Peter, when we shared a cab. Sounds like a typical New York love story, right? Except Peter was the driver. He saw me so upset one night after a fight with my now ex-husband number one. He turned off the meter and kept driving us all the way to the Jersey Shore. We stayed up talking all night. We remained friends but didn’t get together until my second marriage was over. So, I basically made the same mistake twice before I saw the light. One day I just woke up and realized it had been Peter for so long. I was ignoring the fact that he was perfect for me. As soon as the papers were signed after my second divorce, I was all-in and never looked back.”
“Wow. That’s a great story.”
“And I know that this is it for me. Peter’s the one. When you know, you know.”
I couldn’t agree more. “Oh, I know what you mean.”
“I hadn’t told Hollis about my friendship with Peter while I was married. I kept that whole thing secret and sacred. But once Peter and I started dating and they actually met, Hollis could see how happy I was. He never approved of my first two marriages. He knew both of those men through the industry prior to my relationships and could always see through them, even when I didn’t.”