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“Are you sure you want me to come by? You guys just got back from your honeymoon. Shouldn’t you be relaxing or something?”

“We did enough relaxing.” Addie answered with a laugh. “Plus Howie and I go back to work in a couple of days. We both want to see you. Will you come?”

“Maybe.” Emma answered. “You’re positive? No more time alone?”

“Why are you being so insistent on not coming?” Addie demanded. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just tired and I don’t really feel like going anywhere.”

“Is it Stephen? Does he not want you to come?”

“It has nothing to do with what he wants.”

“Then you’d better get your ass over here tomorrow night.” Addie ordered. “If you don’t come here, we’ll come there. Take your pick. Which will it be?”

Emma sighed and gave up. “Fine, I’ll be there tomorrow around five.”

“Good, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear. I’ll see you then.” Addie hung up and turned to Howie. “Something is definitely going on.”

----------------------------

Emma arrived on schedule and Addie was thrilled to see her. She went to give her best friend a hug but Emma pulled back.

“What gives?”

“I have a cold and I don’t want you to catch it. You guys can’t afford to get sick right now.”

Addie raised her eyebrows.

“I’m serious Addie, this is why I didn’t want to go anywhere.” Emma said and tried to fake a sniffle. “I’m not sure if it’s a cold or the flu.”

“We’ll risk it.” Addie answered and dragged her friend down to the kitchen. “Howie, Emma’s here!”

Howie came running up the basement stairs and went to grab her but Emma scooted away from him. He looked hurt and she felt really bad.

“I’m not feeling good Howie and I don’t want you guys to catch whatever it is. I told Addie that I should have stayed home.”

Howie leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll take my chances.”

Addie dragged Emma into the living room to show her the pictures from the honeymoon while Howie worked on dinner. They’d gotten through half of them when he announced it was time to pull out the plates and silverware. Addie had just run into the living room to grab a tablecloth when the doorbell rang.

“Hey Em?” Howie asked. “Can you grab that for me? I have to finish stirring this so it doesn’t stick.”

Emma nodded and headed down to the door. She opened it up and came face to face with Nick.

“Seriously?” she muttered.

“Sorry.” Nick said quickly. “I was just on my way home and I thought I’d dropped these papers off for Howie. I didn’t feel like making an extra trip.”

Emma left him standing at the door and made her way back to the kitchen. This is so not going to go well, Nick thought to himself. He closed and locked the door, then followed the voices down to the kitchen.

“Hey Nick!” Howie said giving him a hug. “What’s up?”

“I came by to drop these off. Probably should have called first.”

“Probably.” Addie seconded with a fake attitude.

Emma sat there and watched as the three of them put on their show. She knew they were full of crap and had planned this whole thing; she just didn’t know why.

“Do you want to stay for dinner?” Howie asked.

“Maybe that’s not the best idea.” Addie pretended to whisper and shrugged her shoulder at Emma.

“No Addie, it’s fine. I don’t want to ruin whatever you’re planning.” Emma interjected.

“What’d you mean?”

“First, you were so insistent that I come to dinner and then Nick just happens to show up here? I don’t know what gives but you can all stop pretending like this is some big coincidence. I’m not stupid.”

They could all see the agitation in her face and started to rethink whether this little talk was worth having.

“I can leave.” Nick offered. “I should go.”

“No.” Emma said sarcastically. “I think you should stay. Please don’t leave on my account. We might as well get this all done and over with since you all went to so much trouble.”

Addie couldn’t believe how downright hostile Emma was being. This was so out of character for her and she didn’t know how to respond. She watched as Emma offered to help Howie take down some plates and she helped her dig out the stool.

“Do you want some help?” she asked her best friend.

Emma just shook her head and started opening the cabinet.

“They’re on the top shelf.” Howie said quietly.

Addie was having second thoughts about this whole thing and had just turned around to grab something when she heard Nick roar.

“What are those?”
Chapter End Notes:
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