Acting Up Read online

  A loud baaa made Addison jump. She turned and saw a boy of about ten leading a black goat on a leash. The animal bleated again and butted its head against the boy’s leg.

  “Stop that, Homer,” the kid said.

  “Well, there’s something you don’t see every day,” Addison murmured to herself.

  To her right, she saw a tent with several long tables lined up underneath it. Dozens of people were milling around inside.

  “Addison!” a voice cried out. A moment later Marjorie Shannon hurried out from the bowels of the tent.

  “Hi,” Addison said, pleased to find someone she knew in the crowd.

  Marjorie didn’t smile back. Instead, she grabbed Addison’s arm. “I need you. Come with me.”

  “Where are we going?” Addison asked with a feeling of déjà vu. Marjorie always seemed to be dragging her somewhere.

  “One of our judges for the dessert bake-off is sick.”

  “So?”

  Marjorie eased up enough to laugh. “Sorry, I got distracted, and seeing you standing there seemed like a godsend. We’re about to start judging the baked goods. It’s a big deal. The winners get bragging rights for years.”

  “You want me to judge a baking contest?” Addison asked in amazement.

  Marjorie nodded and continued to drag.

  “I don’t think I’m qualified,” Addison said, trying to dig in her heels. “I can’t even cook.”

  Marjorie was much stronger and she kept pulling. “Doesn’t matter.”

  “I’m pretty sure it does.”

  Finally, Marjorie stopped. “Can you taste something and rate it on a scale of one to ten?”

  “Maybe.”

  The dragging commenced again. “Then you’re perfect.”

  “I make it a habit not to eat sweets,” Addison said, trying one more time. “I can’t gain weight.”

  “I’d kill to weigh as little as you do,” Marjorie returned. “Besides, you could stand to add a few pounds. You’re too skinny as it is.”

  “It’s my job to be skinny. I’m competing against twenty-three-year-old girls with zero body fat and no cellulite.”

  “I don’t see where dieting helped you there.”

  Ouch! “I preferred it when people in this town held me in awe.”

  “Oh, my!” Marjorie gasped, and her cheeks turned bright red. “That didn’t come out right. I—”

  Addison held up a hand to stop the apology. “It’s all right. I think I know what you meant. Being skinny didn’t keep my husband from falling in love with another woman, so what does it matter if I gain a few pounds now?”

  A pained wince issued from Marjorie’s lips. “I am sorry. That was insensitive, but could you please help me out?”

  Well, shoot. Addison sighed, feeling the noose tighten around her neck. “Okay.”

  “Great. The peach cobbler category is about to start.”

  “How many categories are there?”

  “About twenty-five.”

  Addison came to an abrupt halt. “No way. I like you, Marjorie, but seriously? No.”

  “You won’t have to judge all the categories,” she said. “We always switch out the judges after two rounds.”

  “All right, but don’t say I never did you a favor.”

  An hour later, Addison forked the last entry in the blueberry pie category into her mouth. She’d finished the peach cobbler contest, and after much begging she’d agreed to do one more category. At this point, Addison was way past sick and scouting the premises for the nearest garbage can, just in case.

  She was jotting down a score for the entry as Julia hurried up. Her mane of red hair was fastened on top of her head and she wore oversized sunglasses. She looked more like a celebrity than Addison did at the moment.

  “Hey, there you are,” Julia said. “Elizabeth’s been looking for you. She told me to keep an eye out. How in the world did you wind up in here?”

  Addison’s stomach made a scary gurgling sound as she glanced up. “I stopped to look inside the tent. If you can sneak me out, I’ll give you a million dollars.”

  “You’re way too nice.” Julia surveyed the tent and found the warden. “Marjorie, Inspector Number Twelve is officially off duty,” she yelled across the tent.

  Julia took Addison’s arm and led her away before anyone could protest.

  “Thank you,” Addison said. “I think I’m going to have nightmares about marauding peaches and blueberries for weeks after this.”

  “Like I said, you’re too nice.”

  “I have to admit, it was fun until I got to my twenty-eighth peach cobbler.”

  Julia grinned. “I guess you’re skipping lunch.”

  “Unless lunch consists of an entire box of antacid tablets.”

  Julia threw her head back, and if Addison’s stomach hadn’t been revolting from cobbler abuse, she might have laughed, too.

  The women made their way across the fairgrounds, past the Ferris wheel, the Spider Crawl, the carousel, and a potato sack slide. There was even one of those strongest man poles with a bell at the top. As they passed, a brawny guy swung a metal hammer, hit the target, and sent it crashing into the bell at the top.

  Then Addison spotted a long line leading to the dunk tank. When she saw who sat in the booth, she understood all the interest. Pastor Seth sat on the narrow plank. Who wouldn’t want a chance to dunk the minister, after all? Judging by appearances, he’d already become intimately acquainted with the water.

  “Aw, baby, you look wet,” Julia said. “Did a little old lady dunk you?”

  Seth smirked at her from behind the mesh covering the top half of the tank. The other half was clear glass, so observers could enjoy the spectacle of the dunkees falling into the drink.

  “Why don’t you take a turn next, honey?” Seth called back.

  “Uh-huh. I melt in water, remember?” Julia said with a cackle.

  A pretty blonde holding a baby turned to Julia. “Sis, how about taking a shot at dunking him?”

  Julia turned to introduce the young woman. “Addison, this is my stepsister, Sarah, and the cutie with the big blue eyes is my niece, Mary.”

  Sarah started to say hello and then took a closer look at Addison. “Holy cow!”

  “Hi, nice to meet you,” Addison said, keeping a straight face.

  “Holy cow!”

  Julia cackled again, which seemed to bring Sarah back to earth. She blushed and Addison bent to chuck the baby under the chin to give the woman a moment to recover.

  “What was I saying?” Sarah asked when she’d come back to her senses.

  “You were urging Julia to try and dunk Seth,” Addison said.

  Julia folded her arms. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to humiliate him.”

  “I think you’re chicken,” Sarah said. “Hey, Seth, your girlfriend is a chicken!”

  “I know,” he called back. “She’s all bark and no bite. I bet she couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn from two feet away.”

  Addison saw the moment competitive fire struck. Julia’s eyes narrowed, and she drew herself up to her full height, which was impressive. She pulled two dollars out of her pocket and gave it to the attendant, who handed her three baseballs.

  The crowd started cheering as Julia approached the throw line. Seth taunted her from his perch, but she ignored him. She tossed the ball a few times, as if testing its weight and feel.

  “Come on, sweetheart, I’m starting to dry off,” Seth called out.

  She quirked a brow, then before Addison could even blink, Julia’s arm spun around her head, and she released the ball with a loud twhup. Addison had seen fast softball pitches on TV, but never in person. Julia’s throw was a thing of beauty.

  Seth went down and then came up sputtering. Everyone cheered.

  Even Seth laughed with good-natured humor. “Hey, where’d you learn to throw like that?”

  “I played softball in high school.”

  “No fair,” he said. “She’s a pro.”


  “I also have two more throws,” Julia said. “Get back up there, honey.”

  Seth grumbled, but climbed up on his perch again.

  “Addison!”

  She turned in time to catch two little boys. Jason and Carson latched on to her middle as the rest of the Thomas clan descended on her. Even Lori had broken off from her friends, and she’d brought Aaron back with her.

  Elizabeth hugged her, despite the presence of the human leeches attached to Addison’s stomach. Diana and Caroline were next. Jake and Matt kissed Addison’s cheek, and the other kids bounced around, trying to tell her all about their adventures. Throughout it all, the twins remained fastened to her sides.

  Ethan suddenly appeared by her shoulder. “Hey, let her breathe, guys,” he said, peeling the boys away. “Hi.”

  “Hi.”

  Ethan wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans but couldn’t have been more handsome if he’d been wearing a tuxedo. Addison hadn’t seen him since the day in her attic and now nerves danced along her entire body. She hadn’t imagined Ethan almost kissing her. She also couldn’t forget confessing things she’d never told anyone else.

  What had caused her to open up? Addison guarded her secrets for a reason. Letting people in gave them power to use those secrets as a weapon.

  Ethan ducked closer. “Saw your show last night,” he said in her ear. “You pulled off quite a stunt.”

  “All thanks to a harness and a pulley.”

  “Your ex-husband is an idiot.”

  Addison’s heart jumped. A smile sprang to her lips. Their eyes met and his mouth curved in a sexy grin.

  A cheer from the crowd went up again. She turned to see Seth emerging from the water once more.

  The attendant blew a whistle. “Time’s up!”

  Seth grinned, and in one smooth motion, he launched himself out of the tank, heading straight for Julia. She screeched and tried to duck behind Sarah, but he grabbed her anyway. He silenced her protests with a kiss as the onlookers clapped.

  “Next victim!” the attendant called.

  Ethan started to remove his shoes and socks. He handed them to his mother, along with his watch.

  Well, now Addison understood why the entire family had gathered. “Don’t tell me,” she said.

  “It’s for charity.” He sent her a wry look. “People love to take a swing at the principal. My half hour always makes the most money.”

  Ethan’s brothers hooted as he made his way over to the tank. He climbed up to the seat and settled in. People cheered, and several of them joined the line for a turn.

  Jake Thomas beat them all, however. He paid his money, but when the carny handed over three baseballs, he gave them to Addison.

  “What are you doing?” Addison said, gaping at the oldest Thomas brother.

  “You throw them at the target and try to hit it,” Jake explained. “He goes in the tank.”

  “I know what they’re for,” she said with asperity. “Why did you give them to me?”

  An impish grin flashed across his handsome face. “Don’t you want a chance to take Ethan down?”

  “I can’t throw.”

  Meanwhile, from his perch above the tank, Ethan was laughing with delight. “Come on, Addison!” he yelled. “I’m getting hot. Take your turn so we can get to the next person.”

  A collective “ohhhhh” went up as the audience reacted to the blatant taunt.

  Addison scowled, which only made Ethan laugh more. “Uh-oh, the star is mad!”

  Oh, he was so going down. Addison grabbed one of the baseballs and approached the throw line. Ethan continued to taunt her. “Have your pampered Hollywood hands ever held a baseball before?”

  The first ball sailed through the air. Unfortunately, it not only missed the target, but the tarp behind the tank, too.

  “Ooops!” Ethan said. “Try opening your eyes next time.”

  Addison focused on the target, trying to block out his voice. Her next shot hit the tarp at least, though nowhere close to the red ring. Her third shot went awry, too. Way awry.

  “Maybe you should stick to acting,” Ethan said, laughing so hard he almost knocked himself in the tank.

  Addison gave him her best Corrine Barrett stare of death, but he continued laughing. Finally, she’d had enough and ran toward the tank. Ethan watched, mirth still lurking his eyes. However, all traces amusement disappeared when she punched the target. The narrow bench collapsed, and he went down.

  When he surfaced, Ethan grabbed the mesh barrier. Addison’s senses took a trip toward Wonderland. His T-shirt clung to his muscular chest, and his hair hung over his forehead, while drops of water slid down his nose and cheeks. Standing there, dripping wet and delicious, he was so hot Addison wouldn’t have been surprised if the water had started boiling.

  Had they ever made one of those wall calendars featuring school administrators? He could be Mr. July.

  “Cheap trick, Ms. Covington,” Ethan said.

  Addison stepped closer. “Don’t ever goad an actor. We make our living competing against other people for jobs, and we don’t like to lose.”

  “There’s going to be payback, you know,” he said, eyes glinting.

  A mock shudder racked her body. “I’m so scared.”

  He laughed.

  Leaning closer, Addison pressed her chest against the mesh, and his eyes darkened.

  “Hey, Mr. Thomas?”

  With extreme reluctance he dragged his gaze back up to her face. “Yeah?”

  “You look real good all wet.”

  She walked away before he could respond, making sure to swivel her hips enough to give him a good show. The Thomas women were leading a cheer, while his brothers howled. Jason and Carson each gave her a high five.

  Aaron patted her on the back. “Way to take down the chief,” he said over his laughter.

  The rest of the Thomas clan got in line for their shot at Ethan. The male members of the family anyway. Caroline, Elizabeth, and Diana took the two younger girls for a promised ride on the Ferris wheel. The younger boys were left to try their hand at dunking. Lori and Aaron once again ran off to join their friends.

  “Be at the main stage at six-thirty,” Elizabeth yelled after the teenagers.

  Addison spent the next couple hours going on rides with Elizabeth’s younger daughter, Susie, and Diana’s little Melissa. The little girl even talked Addison into getting a rainbow painted on her cheek at the face-painting booth. A dazzling smile, an autograph, and forty dollars earned stuffed dogs for both girls from the carny at the hit-the-milk-bottles booth.

  They walked through the exhibits. There was a tent filled with exquisite quilts. Addison bought one for Sydney and arranged to have it shipped. They saw booths with handmade jewelry and ones selling homemade jellies and chutneys. Addison made a point to go back to the food tent for the announcement of the winners of the peach cobbler and blueberry pie categories. Her top choices for each ended up winning second place.

  She ate a corndog, which would most likely clog her arteries for the next fifty years, and shared cotton candy with Melissa and Susie. Since her diet had already been blown by massive amounts of peach cobbler, she figured a few more calories wouldn’t hurt.

  By the time the sun began its descent, Addison was ready to pack it in, but Elizabeth and Diana refused to let her leave before the big auction.

  Addison found herself being dragged toward a large stage behind the circus tent. There weren’t any chairs set up; everyone had simply brought beach chairs or spread out blankets on the grass. A ballet troupe was finishing up their dance. Their faces beamed as they bowed. Once they left the stage, two men dressed in black began preparing for the next act.

  “Okay, what are they trying to sell?” Addison asked. “Is it a silent auction?”

  “Oh, I highly doubt it’ll be silent,” Elizabeth said with the same wicked tone Addison had heard before.

  Diana was too busy giggling to be much help, so Addison turned to Caroline who handed over
a flyer, which listed the events taking place at the main stage. Addison found the Susan Freeman Ballet Academy followed by a Charity Bachelor Auction.

  Addison chuckled. Covington Falls planned to sell off their single men? Who knew the town had enough of them to auction in the first place? She was also starting to get a sneaking suspicion of exactly why the ladies were so eager for her to stay, too.

  They were interrupted when voices haled from across the lawn. The male contingent of the Thomas family swarmed around them. The boys were eager to tell everyone what they’d done, while Susie and Melissa proudly showed off their stuffed animals.

  Jason and Carson had each won a pop gun. Addison admired the toys, even as they regaled her with tales of the magic show they’d just left.

  “Where’s your dad?” she asked.