Page 35

I plant my hands on my hips. “Okay, seriously, who are you to Eddie?”

Cherry finally stops, perching herself on one of the stools. She props her elbow on the counter, resting her chin in her palm as she looks me up and down with a smirk. “The better question is... who are you to Eddie?”

I freeze.

Shit.

She could be from his record label, someone sniffing around for dirt. And if she is, I need to stay in character.

Straightening my shoulders, I lift my chin. “I’m Eddie’s girlfriend.”

Cherry’s smirk vanishes—and then she bursts out laughing.

Full-bodied, head-thrown-back laughing.

I scowl. “What the hell is so funny?”

She wipes at her eyes, still chuckling. “Oh, sweetie. Are you serious?”

“Yes,” I snap, folding my arms. “And unless you want me to throw you out on your ass, I suggest you tell me who you really are.”

Her laughter fades, but there’s still amusement dancing in her dark eyes. “You know what? I like you.” She grins wide, hopping off the stool and extending a hand. “I’m Cherry. And before you pop a blood vessel, relax—I’m just a friend.”

I eye her hand suspiciously. “Just a friend?”

She rolls her eyes and waves her left hand in my face, flashing a sparkling wedding ring. “Happily married. No threat to your fake relationship, sweetheart.”

I stiffen. “What makes you think it’s fake?”

She snorts. “Oh, please. I know Eddie. If you were really his girl, you wouldn’t be standing over there looking like you want to stab me. You’d be in his lap.”

Heat flushes up my neck.

Damn it.

Cherry smirks like she knows she hit a nerve. Then she hops back onto the stool and kicks her feet up on the rung. “Now, be a doll and make me some coffee, will you?”

I scowl but grudgingly turn toward the coffee maker. “You’re awfully bossy for someone who just barged into a stranger’s house.”

“Eddie’s house,” she corrects.

I shoot her a look over my shoulder. “You said you’re just a friend. What kind of friend?”

“The kind who once used him to make my husband jealous.” She grins when I freeze. “Relax, I had a good reason. My idiot husband wasn’t getting the hint that he needed to put a ring on it, so I thought if I made him a little territorial, it might push him into action.”

I raise an eyebrow as I pour the coffee. “And did it work?”

Cherry snickers. “Not exactly. Eddie and my husband ended up bonding over their shared love of motorbikes instead. Next thing I knew, they were riding off into the sunset, leaving me fuming on the sidewalk.”

Despite myself, I snort. “That is kind of funny.”

Cherry grins. “Right? Don’t worry, Eddie was a perfect gentleman. But my husband? He’s still mad at him for ‘stealing’ me that one time, even though it was my damn idea.”

I shake my head, setting a mug of coffee in front of her. “Sounds like a complicated friendship.”

“Nah, it’s simple. We’ve got each other’s backs.” Cherry wraps her hands around the mug, watching me. “So, what’s your deal? How’d you end up here?”

I hesitate. There’s something sharp about her, like she sees more than she lets on.