Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
“I’ll be okay.”
“Honey, if you’re sad and miss the man, just call him.”
“I don’t think I can. We agreed—”
“Yeah, yeah. You agreed on vacation sex and nothing more. But, sometimes, we change our minds, Maddie. Call him. The worst he can say is no.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Okay. I need coffee. I’ll come over later and we’ll celebrate with mimosas and donuts.”
“I won’t pass that up.”
Chapter Ten
Dylan
It’s been a week since I last saw Maddie. I fucking miss her. I shouldn’t have let her walk away without insisting we stay in touch.
Without saying something.
Because I’ve been damn miserable since I got back to Seattle.
“You’re so moody,” Mom says as she pours me a cup of coffee. “Did you have a bad time in Iceland?”
“No, I had a great time.” I push my hands through my hair and sigh. “I met someone.”
She pauses mid-pour and stares at me. “What?”
“Don’t get too excited.” I explain about Maddie, leaving out the sex parts because no man wants to tell his mom about that. By the time I’m done, the woman is beaming and probably hearing wedding bells in her head.
“Call her immediately.”
I sip my coffee and shake my head. “I don’t think so.”
“You’ve been so grouchy since you got back. You’re obviously miserable and in love with this woman.”
“In love with her?” I scoff, but my stomach flutters. “I barely know her.”
Mom just rolls her eyes. “You said she lives here in Seattle?”
“Yeah.”
“Then call her. Or go see her.”
“I’ve driven past her house.” I wince, not meaning to admit that out loud. “I’m not a stalker, damn it.”
“Of course, you’re not. But I wouldn’t do that anymore unless you plan to stop. More than once is a little creepy, Dylan.”
I laugh a little. Mom has always been funny.
“Life’s short, buddy,” she says and sits next to me. She suddenly looks so tired. “We know that all too well. Things can change in the blink of an eye.”
My parents never recovered from losing my brother—not that they should. But it’s given them a different perspective on things. Sometimes, Mom reminds me of that.
“I can’t force her to want something she doesn’t, you know.”
“But you don’t know if she does because you didn’t ask her. The worst she can say is no.”
I sip my coffee again, contemplating.
She’s right. I’ve been pretty miserable since Maddie got on that elevator.
Maybe I need to stop being so proud and just have a conversation with the woman. For fuck’s sake, we’re adults.
“Fine.” I set the mug down and stand, looking for my keys. “I’ll go see her.”
“Attaboy,” Mom says with a grin. “Go get your woman.”
“She’s not mine. Yet.”
Maddie doesn’t live too far from my parents’, actually, just a few miles in a nearby neighborhood of North Seattle.
I checked.
The townhouse is nice and on the newer side. It’s definitely in a safe part of town, which makes me feel better.
When I park near Maddie’s unit, I have to take a minute to calm my nerves.
Showing up like this might annoy the hell out of her.
Shit, I’m annoyed at myself.
Finally, I step out of the car, walk to Maddie’s door, and ring the bell. It’s Saturday, so she shouldn’t be in the office today.
Then again, she might have gone in to make up for being away over the holidays.
But within a minute of me ringing the doorbell, it opens, and Maddie’s eyes widen and then blink fast when she sees me.
“Did I wish hard enough for you that I conjured you out of thin air?”
And just like that, all of my doubts disappear.
“I was in the neighborhood,” I reply. I want to reach for her, pull her into my arms, and kiss the hell out of her.
But I wait.
“Come in,” Maddie says and steps back. She brushes her hair away from her clean face. I realize that she’s in shorts and a T-shirt with her hair up as if she’s been exercising or working on a project.
“I’m sorry if I interrupted anything.”
“You saved me,” she says with a smile. “I was about to get started on painting the kitchen. It needs it, and I have the time these days.”
“Why’s that?”
“Oh, I quit my job.”
I smile and offer my hand for a high-five. “Nice.”
“It was overdue. When I went into the office on Monday, Jim was an asshat, and I decided it just wasn’t worth it.”
“I’m glad.”
“What are you up to?”
I lick my lips and take in Maddie’s home. It’s exactly what I would have pictured for her: no clutter, clean lines on the furniture, pretty things on the walls.
“Well, I was just at my parents’ house and decided to come over here to see you.”
She frowns. “Your parents live in Seattle?”
“Yeah. Actually, Seattle is my home base when I’m not out on assignment.”
She opens her mouth, then closes it again, scowling at me. “You never told me that.”