Beauty and the Wiener

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Beauty and the Wiener Page 26

by Casey Griffin


  Just as they were unraveling the thick rope fastening the Belle to the dock, she noticed a few latecomers scurry toward the boat, their shoes clacking musically on the dock, echoing across the water. The deckhands waved them on, waiting for them to board. It wasn’t until the twinkling string lights sparkled down on their heads that Addison recognized them.

  She only saw a flash of their faces before they’d boarded, but she recognized them instantly, like an image carved painfully onto her heart. It was Felix with Naia and Oliver. And he’d brought Charlotte as his date.

  Addison drew back from the rail like she’d been burned. Well, she supposed she had been. But wasn’t she the one who had rejected him? Scorned him? Insulted him? Sent him running into Charlotte’s arms?

  So why did it hurt to breathe, like those two pints of Raspberry Lemon ice cream that she’d cried into the night before had tightened the bodice on her dress. And it certainly wasn’t the cool night breeze that was making her eyes sting so badly.

  A thunk shook the floor beneath her feet. A thunderous whistle released from somewhere above. Addison jumped, and her high heel stuck in the grass. The ship lurched and she faltered.

  Slowly the Belle began to pull away from the dock. The dogs were in a tizzy, barking because of the horn, and then barking because of the barking. That’s why she didn’t hear anyone approach until a sharp finger jabbed her on a bare shoulder.

  Addison spun around. Her eyes narrowed when she saw who it was. “Penny.”

  “Haven’t stolen enough dogs for your collection yet?”

  Addison’s teeth clenched. “I didn’t take the dogs.” She tried to go around the famed handler, but Penny blocked her path.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Addison noticed Holly Hart lurking nearby. Of course her cameraman, Hey, You, wouldn’t be there, but the reporter clung awkwardly to her phone, like she was ready to start recording Addison and Penny if a cat fight, or rather dog fight, broke out.

  Penny leered at Addison. “Even if you didn’t steal Lilly, your carelessness makes you just as guilty as if you did.”

  “Lilly wasn’t even your dog.”

  “A handler loves their dog as much, if not more, than the owner. We train it, we shape it, mold it into the pinnacle of excellence. We become one with it. And you tore all that time, effort, and love away from me.”

  Over Penny’s shoulder, Addison could see Kitty Carlisle. When Kitty’s shifting eyes landed on Addison, she flinched. Picking Elvis up, she moved to the other side of the deck, as if afraid that Addison could make her bichon frisé disappear with a simple look.

  Groaning, she pushed past Penny. “I need a drink,” she muttered to herself.

  The last couple of weeks had taken their toll on Addison’s patience. She was tired of the stares, the nervous glances, the whispered accusations behind her back—and sometimes to her face.

  Addison descended the stairs and marched through the double doors to the second deck. The clinking of glasses told her there was a bar nearby. Thank God, she thought. When she glanced over, she spotted Piper and Aiden standing next to the rich mahogany and marble bar.

  As usual, they were unable to see anyone but each other. Even their two lovesick doxies had wound their leashes around their owners’ legs to get as close as they could. Addison smiled. It wouldn’t be long before they were engaged.

  Thankfully, Aiden’s attention was too focused on Piper to notice Addison. She wasn’t ready to face him. Not yet. Not tonight. She still had hope, however small, that she could uncover the dognapper. She just had to keep her eyes peeled and be ready for anything.

  A waiter carrying crystal dog bowls filled with amber liquid passed by. By the smell, Addison guessed it could only be Hound Hooch, liquefied chicken made to look like beer. Addison ducked behind him and kept pace as he swept to the other side of the room in order to hide herself from the lovey-dovey couple.

  The waiter suddenly turned away, exposing her. Addison spun, hoping to find cover among eager dancers already heating up the dance floor to a waltz before dinner. However, she took one too many turns. An elbow from a server, a stray hip from a dancer, and Addison was sent stumbling.

  Her heel caught on a flowing piece of her tulle gown. She skidded on the parquet floor and her foot slipped out from under her. Her hands flew out, automatically reaching for the nearest thing.

  She grazed a cashmere jacket as she fell against a man. Arms wrapped around her to brace her fall. When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring up at Phillip.

  “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” he said. There was that smile that had so enamored her right from the start. He was still that smart, charming, polite man. He was a catch.

  And because she’d made a promise to herself that she’d give him a chance, when he held out his hand and asked her, “May I have this dance?” she replied, “Of course.”

  She placed her hand in his. His other hand trailed down her low-backed dress and pressed her closer to his tennis-toned body. And then he spun her around the dance floor.

  Addison’s rhinestones glittered beneath the chandeliers, and the tulle of her dress trailed delicately behind her as they spun over and over again. The waltz was so romantic and the historic boat took her back to another time, another world. She became so lost in the moment, the beauty, the fantasy, forgetting her doubts and her worries until she felt like a princess.

  He dipped her low and she let her head tilt back, enjoying the magic of it all. Then she saw him enter the room: Felix.

  Phillip set Addison on her feet, grinning mischievously over his suave move, but she barely noticed.

  On their next spin around a nearby couple, Addison glanced at the front doors again. Charlotte had her arm linked through Felix’s, holding him tight—maybe a little possessively, she thought.

  Felix’s dark eyes scanned the room. Addison’s head moved around to keep him in sight. When his gaze fell on her, she faltered and stepped on Phillip’s toe.

  “Ouch,” he hissed.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled, but she was too busy weaving and bobbing her head to get a better view.

  Felix had shaved. Not only that but he’d trimmed his ebony waves and combed them neatly back from his face. And was that…? Yes. He wore one of the bespoke suits they’d admired in the shop across from Joe’s Dive.

  He looked even better than Addison thought he would. This new Felix was deceptive. This cleaned-up version looked civilized and blended in with the lavish surroundings. The way he carried himself, however, that certain swagger and that piercing look, belied the capable, cunning man beneath. The promise that he was so much more than everyone else in that room could know. Addison had only begun to learn how much more. She supposed it would be Charlotte who would now find out how much.

  She lost the rhythm again and did a sort of half-turn instead of a quarter turn.

  “Ouch.” Phillip winced.

  “Sorry.”

  Phillip led her around the dance floor again, and Felix was swallowed by the crowd. Addison tugged, and dragged, and redirected their steps to get back on the other side again, until she was practically leading. She moved her head this way and that to see over Phillip’s broad shoulders.

  “Ouch,” Phillip said again.

  Phillip’s next few steps were more like limps. That’s when Addison decided to ignore Felix entirely. He was there with someone else, after all. Not her. It obviously didn’t take him long to move on, so he couldn’t have liked Addison very much. No big loss, right?

  Images flashed through Addison’s mind, of Charlotte in Felix’s arms. He had clearly made his decision. Addison was here with Phillip, anyway. P-H-I-L-L-I-P, she reminded herself sternly.

  She turned her gaze upward and batted her eyelashes at him. He gave her a flirtatious wink, or maybe it was another wince of pain as she stomped his foot yet again.

  By the time they rounded the dance floor once more, Addison saw Felix and Charlotte cozied up in a dark, secluded corner. C
harlotte leaned her face up toward Felix. He ducked his head so she could whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

  Their faces were so close together, her lips almost brushing his cheek to be heard over the big band on the stage. He turned his face toward Charlotte, as though about to kiss her.

  Addison’s eyes widened, pressure building in her chest as she forgot to breathe.

  “Ooof.” Phillip lurched forward.

  “Ouch!” Addison cried as he bumped into her.

  “Sorry,” they said simultaneously.

  Addison belatedly realized that she’d stopped dancing altogether and had caused a traffic jam behind them on the dance floor. At that moment, the song thankfully came to an end.

  Addison gave a brief boblike curtsy. “Thank you for the dance. Sorry. Must be the waves throwing me off-balance or something.”

  “No problem,” he said, gracious enough not to point out that it wasn’t really a wavy ride.

  Near the edge of the parquet floor, Addison spotted Holly Hart holding her phone out. She was staring down at the screen as though checking her messages. However, as Addison continued to stare at the reporter, a naughty smile creased the corners of her eyes.

  Was she following Addison around to record her? Maybe Holly thought she was conducting her own investigation that night.

  It was suddenly very warm in there. Too many people crowded that deck, too many people who hated Addison, who were waiting to see if she’d do something wrong. She needed to get out of there. But there was no way out, no way off that moving vessel beyond diving into the cold bay, which she tucked away as a good backup plan.

  “Save another dance for me later?” she asked Phillip.

  “Maybe I’ll buy you a drink instead,” he said, wiping her footprint off his wingtip shoe.

  She smiled sheepishly, but was already backing away from the dance floor. “I’m going to go get some fresh air. Excuse me.”

  “Certainly.”

  She bumped Holly’s shoulder as she passed, causing her to drop her phone. Addison “accidentally” kicked it across the floor somewhere. She ignored Holly’s shouts at her back, just as she tried to ignore the suspicious looks from the other guests as she weaved through them.

  They whispered behind their hands as she walked by. She could feel the blame in their postures and gazes. There were so many against her, rooting for her to fail. Even Felix’s cool gaze swept over her blankly as she passed by the lovebirds in the corner.

  Addison’s pace picked up as she headed for the exit. The room was suddenly too small, and was that three-hundred-foot boat really big enough for all of them? What’s worse, hidden among them all could be the real bad guy, waiting for the right moment to strike again.

  If Addison didn’t catch them before the night was over, if they got away with it all again, those missing dogs would stay missing forever. Not to mention, her life would be ruined, and this time for good. She was already doing a fine job of accomplishing that all on her own.

  25

  Wagging the Dog

  Addison burst through the doors and onto the outer deck of the Belle. She leaned against the rail, almost tempted to dive right overboard to escape the suffocating feeling of being trapped on the paddleboat with so many people. People who didn’t want her there.

  The crisp night air was like a splash of cold water on her bare shoulders and neck. She reached back and swept her hair off her neck, but it only reminded her of when Felix had braided her hair in the sauna, the last time she felt claustrophobic, so she let it drop again.

  The dark bay water sparkled all around the boat with the reflection of thousands of string lights. They’d left the Embarcadero behind with its busy streets and the ships coming and going from the piers. A haze had settled over San Francisco, emphasizing the bright cityscape as though it were one solid band of light. From a distance, the financial district looked so magical and foreign.

  The bay was dark and lonely except for the occasional boat floating by. The Belle chugged away leisurely, the paddle wheel churning at the back of the boat, urging them beneath the Bay Bridge. Underneath the heavy sky, the bridge stood out like a thick black strip over Addison’s head.

  Her clutch suddenly vibrated in her hand. She popped the clasp and pulled out her phone. The display said DAD.

  At the very thought of him, the tensed muscles in her back relaxed and she answered. “Dad?”

  “Hi muffin. I thought you had your dog party tonight. I didn’t expect you to answer. I was just going to leave a message.”

  “I’m just taking a break.” Sort of. “What’s up?”

  “I just called to let you know that we got some good news tonight,” he said, cheerily. “We sold the corner store.”

  Addison’s heart clenched and she felt her breath whoosh out of her in defeat. She gripped the rail in front of her. “You did?”

  There was silence on the other end before he said, “You don’t sound quite as happy as I thought you would. Is everything okay?”

  Addison’s memories rushed back to her as she recalled all the movies she’d watched in that little corner store, how she’d do her homework behind the counter, how she’d wash people’s windshields for a bit of pocket change to buy candy. She’d whiled away many happy hours there growing up. It had been like a second home to her. And then she considered all the years of hard work her dad put into it, and for what? To sell it at a loss out of desperation?

  Shaking off the sudden emotions eating at her, Addison closed her eyes and tried to put aside her own selfish disappointment at the news. Her dad seemed genuinely relieved.

  “No. No. It’s good news,” she said, trying to put a smile on her face as though he could see it. But it fell flat. “I just … I guess I was hoping that I might be able to help you somehow. That if my fashion line did well enough, I could pay you back for sending me to pet grooming school, for all you’ve done to help me get myself set up here in the city.”

  “Sweetheart—”

  “I know it wouldn’t have been much,” she said, realizing how silly she was being. “But it might have helped hold off the banks until, I don’t know, maybe business got better.” Saying it out loud suddenly made her feel childish. Like she was holding onto an unrealistic fantasy—not for the first time, it seemed.

  Her dad chuckled, but she could hear the kindness behind it. “I appreciate the thought. It’s very sweet. But you need to worry about yourself. Dora and I can take care of ourselves.”

  Addison sighed. “I guess I just worry about the two of you. I know that things can get tough when money is tight.”

  “Dora and I will be just fine. We’ll get through this. It’s an opportunity to do something new, have new experiences together.”

  He really sounded excited, and she knew that was probably Dora’s doing. The corner store was the only thing her dad had ever known, while Dora was more the adventurer. Whatever was about to come next would need a sense of adventure, and Addison was glad that Dora was going to be the one beside him for it.

  “So”—she hesitated—“you two are fine then? I mean, you and Dora are going to work through it together?”

  “Of course.” He laughed again, maybe in surprise. “Dora and I are partners. We’ll get through anything that life throws at us. We love each other.”

  “But you and Mom—”

  “Your mother and I had a lot of things, but we didn’t have what it took to get through the bad times. We didn’t have enough love. Dora and I have that.”

  Addison went quiet on her end. She wondered if it would be enough.

  As though he read her mind, he said, “With enough love, you can make it through anything. There’s more to life than money.”

  Addison knew that. Of course she did. But at the same time, hearing it come from her father meant so much more than reading the old adage off a bumper sticker or coffee mug. After he’d lost so much because of money and had to work so hard for it, if he could still say that, then it must be true.<
br />
  Here she’d been worrying about ending up in a relationship where money would never be an issue, like with Phillip. But while money was an issue for Dora and her father, they didn’t let it come between them.

  “That’s good. I’m happy for the two of you.” This time the smile on her face felt real.

  “So don’t worry about us,” he said. “Who’s the parent here, anyway? Shouldn’t I be the one worrying about you?”

  “I just wanted to make you proud, to show you that your sacrifices for me haven’t been for nothing.” And ever since the dogs had gone missing, she’d been feeling just that.

  “Of course I’m proud of you. I’d be proud of you no matter what.”

  “No matter what?” she asked.

  “Absolutely. Dora and I are looking forward to your fashion show on Sunday. We’ll be the ones cheering from the front.”

  Addison swallowed hard, wondering if there would even be a fashion show at this rate. However, there was still a chance. If she could uncover the dognappers, the fashion show could still be a success. It reminded her of why she’d come to the gala that night. It wasn’t to dance with Phillip or cry over Felix. It was her last chance to solve this mystery once and for all. Saying good-bye to her dad, she ended the call.

  As she was tucking her phone away in her clutch, the doors to the covered deck opened behind her. A bubble of laughter and the sounds of mingling drifted out.

  “There’s the prettiest girl at the ball.”

  Addison recognized Piper’s voice. She turned to find Piper and Zoe coming out to join her.

  “I’m sure Aiden would disagree with that statement,” Addison told Piper.

  “But Phillip would agree,” Piper said, with a hint of cheekiness. “I saw you two dancing. So I take it the two of you are picking up where you left off on Wednesday night?”

  “Maybe.” Addison hesitated. “I mean, he’s a great guy.”

  “Really?” Zoe asked with a skeptical tilt to her head. “Is that why you were busy eyeing up that guy across the room?”

  Addison scowled, mostly because she was annoyed at getting caught. “I wasn’t eyeing Felix.”

 

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