Page 110 of Noel Secrets

“The very moment.”

She smiled and she kissed him. It quickly turned deep and passionate. Price backed her into the door and took advantage of her mouth in a way that had her floating and seeing a future with him.

The door flung open behind her, and she would’ve fallen if Price hadn’t held her up.

“Hey.” Price turned her into his side and smiled at her friend. “Gillian. It’s an honor to meet you. Thank you for being there for Addie.”

Gillian’s hazel eyes were wide. “You’re back with him?”

Addie looked up at Price. His dark gaze was begging her to say she was. “I’m letting him buy me banana pudding ona consistent schedule,” she said. “We’ll see where it goes from there.”

Price chuckled and squeezed her closer. “We’ll see,” he agreed. “Nice to meet you, Gillian.” He focused in on Addie when Gillian didn’t respond. “I’ll see you soon, Addie.”

“Are we talking four days between puddings or four weeks?”

“Probably a week. Ten days at most.” His gaze intensified. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

He grinned at her, gave her a soft kiss, nodded to Gillian, and strode for the stairs.

Addie watched him go. Turning to Gillian, she was surprised to find unbridled anger in her friend’s eyes. “Jill? Are you all right?”

Gillian looked at her. The anger didn’t abate. “I thought you were done with him. He lied to you and broke your heart.”

Addie stepped inside the apartment. There were cameras out here that the police were monitoring. She didn’t need Detective Thayne hearing the conversation.

“I’m working to forgive him,” she said. “Price is incredible.”

“Says you,” Gillian hurled at her, slamming the apartment door behind her.

“Says me,” Addie returned. “What is your deal?”

“You always have to have every guy.”

“Wow.” Addie held up her hands. “You know my issues with men. Can you please be happy that I’ve found a good one I can trust?”

Gillian rolled her eyes and stalked past her to the kitchen.

Addie had no idea what was going on. Was Gillian so jealous of her and Price that she’d act like this?

Following her friend, she touched her arm. “Jilly, I’m sorry. You know I appreciate you and don’t want to fight.”

Gillian whirled to face her, a long knife in her hand and a wild look in her eyes.

“Jilly?” Addie arched away, carefully stepping back. “What are you doing?”

“I tried to be your friend, but you have to have every man love you. Jamison loves me. Not you. You were only a fling for him. If you die, Jamison will go free. There’s no proof that he attacked you. It’s all your word against his.”

Addie’s gut churned. She carefully retreated. Gillian followed, the knife held at the level of Addie’s heart. If Addie could get out the front door, the cameras would pick this up.

“I didn’t know if I could go through with killing you like Jamison needs me to.” Gillian’s words were level, but her eyes were wild. “But then you prove that you don’t care about me, only about your newest fling. Jamison is right. You deserve to die.”

“When did you fall in love with Jamison?” Addie asked, hoping to distract her, still taking cautious steps backward.

“Years before you knew he existed. He always loved me. Always. You were only a distraction, and your lies about him attacking you are going to land him in prison. Roger brought me messages from Jamison, explaining how we had to take you out so he could be free and we could be together.”

“Gillian.” Another step back. Her heart was racing out of control, her palms sweating. Should she scream for help or try to race out the door? Gillian was close enough she could stab her when she stopped to fling the door open. “Jamison is using you. Roger told the police everything. How he and Jamison plotted to torment me and kill me. How Roger took those pictures and sent the notes. Don’t get mixed up in Jamison’s lies and get yourself sent to prison.”