by Leigh James
“Is everything all right?” She never called, and I certainly didn’t expect to hear from her on her honeymoon.
“Yes. Can you hear me?” The connection was choppy. “We’re on the yacht, so I might drop you!”
“I can hear you. Are you having fun?”
“We are having the best time!” Even with the bad service, the joy rang clear in Sienna’s voice. “It’s the best trip either of us have ever taken. We’re so relaxed. Being married is great!”
My eyes filled with tears. My sister and I had never had much in common, but I loved her and wanted her to be happy. “I’m so glad to hear that. Tim’s a great guy. You two are perfect for each other.”
“That’s why I’m calling,” she said.
I frowned, confused. “I don’t understand.”
“Tim and I both think Bob’s a great guy. You should date him. You should bring him home for Thanksgiving.”
“She should give him golf lessons for Christmas!” Tim yelled in the background.
“Seriously, Maddy. Bob can hang. It would be so fun for the four of us to go on trips and have the holidays together. I didn’t think you could ever like anyone so normal—you should go for it.”
“That’s really nice of you to say. It means…it means a lot to me.” I pulled over to the side of the road, right before Bob’s block. “And I want to make it work, but I’m worried I blew it.”
“You didn’t.” The wind must’ve picked up because I barely made out Sienna’s next words: “I know I don’t say it much, but you’re a total catch. Youre brilliant and a babe. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
The call disconnected and I sat there, gobsmacked by Sienna’s words. She liked Bob—she and Tim both did. A future I’d never even considered, one in which I was close with my sister, our husbands were friends, and our someday-children would grow up together, flashed before me. Any guy would be lucky to have you.
That was the nicest thing my sister had ever said to me.
I cradled my phone in my hands. Thank you, I thought at my sister. Thank you so much. I never would’ve guessed that both my father and my sister’s opinions would matter so much to me, but they did. It was actually a nice feeling. I’d spent my whole life distancing myself from my family, but for what? Yes, they were crazy. Yes, they had issues.
But who didn’t?
My father and Sienna had both reached out to me because they cared. They cared about what happened with Bob. They wanted me to be happy. They both had my back. Since they could forgive me for being so standoffish all these years, perhaps I could forgive them for being crazy sometimes.
My dad had been right. People deserved more than one chance.
I decided to be brave. I put the car in drive and parked outside of Bob’s building, and then I rang the buzzer. No answer. I could wait, or I could call him, or…
I had an idea. I jumped back into my car and sped back toward the city, praying that Bob would give me a second chance.
BOB
Madison’s office was empty and locked, which I should’ve expected for a Saturday. I didn’t have my phone, so I couldn’t call her. I decided to go to her house--I couldn’t stand the idea of waiting. With no wallet, I had to run the two miles to Acorn Street. I was breathing hard by the time I made it to Maddy’s neighborhood. Mrs. Lindenmeyer was walking her dog. “Good afternoon,” I panted.
“Hello, young man.” She nodded at me primly as her little dog peed on a cobblestone. “You’re looking quite red.”
“Yeah, sorry about that. Long run.” Even though I was already sweating, I ran the rest of the way down to Maddy’s house. I rang the buzzer, but there was no answer. Crud. I waited for a second, trying to catch my breath.
“Are you looking for the Delaney girl?” Mrs. Lindenmeyer asked.
“Yeah.”
“She just went that way.” She pointed to the top of the hill, heading toward Boston Common.
“Thanks.” I nodded, feeling a spark of hope. I wanted to see her so badly…
I sprinted up the hill.
“Why are you running?” Mrs. Lindenmeyer cried.
“Sense of urgency!” I called back as I pumped my arms, willing my burning lungs and muscles to get a move on. I immediately recognized Maddy’s SUV, but she turned right and blended into the traffic before I could reach her. Her ponytail whipped back and forth as she checked her mirrors and maneuvered the car into the next lane. “Maddy!” I called. But she was already too far away to hear me.
I waited for the cars to pass before crossing the street. But by the time it was clear, she’d already sped off, turning to drive the length of the park. She was so close, but just out of reach.
Not this time!
I took a deep breath and sprinted across the road. I could see her on the road bordering the eastern side of the park. She turned her blinker to head left and I ran for my life. I wasn’t great at golf, but I was a fast runner. Fists pumping, muscles burning, and people looking at me like I was crazy, I gve it everything I had and ran in a dead sprint across the Common. Ducks and pigeons scattered, petrified. A little girl pointed at me as if she thought I might be a super hero—or maybe a robber trying to make a getaway. I didn’t let anything stop me. I jumped over the “Make Way for Ducklings” statues and dodged a trash can, Madison’s car never leaving my sight.
Finally, on the other side of the park, she got a red light.
I made it to her car and practically collapsed onto it. I rapped on the window, making her jump. “Madison Delaney?” I asked as she lowered her window.
She gaped at me. “Yes?”
“I have a delivery for you. It’s urgent.”
Her green eyes widened as she looked around for a package. “What is it?”
“It’s…me.” I grinned sheepishly.
“Aw, Bob. That’s the best package ever.” She reached through the window and gripped my hand. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“That’s good, ‘cause I’m all yours. If you want me.”
“Of course I do!” Her eyes filled with tears and her shoulders shook a little—she was laughing and crying all at the same time. “I have something for you, too.” She reached out and grabbed my T-shirt, pulling my lips to hers.
The long line of cars sitting behind her started honking, but I didn’t break the kiss for a good, long while.
“WILL YOU TWO GET A ROOM?” the man behind us yelled, and we broke apart, laughing.
“Quick, get in!” Maddy said.
I hustled around and hopped into the passenger seat. The yelling guy stopped honking. He gave us the thumbs up as Maddy hit the gas and turned toward Somerville.
“I was just on my way back to your house!” she said, still wiping her eyes.
“You were?”
“Yeah, I have something for you—not just the kiss. A special delivery.” She giggled.
“Great minds think alike, I guess.” I reached out and stroked her cheek. “I missed you.”
She glanced at me, a huge grin on her face. “I missed you too!”
We pulled up to my house and she hopped out, grabbing a package from the trunk. She winked at me, then cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “I have a delivery for Roberto Palmieri—it requires a signature.”
“Here, let me take it.” I grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs to my apartment. Once inside, I gently placed the package on the ground. “Before I open it, I have another something for you, too.”
“You do?”
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against me, my heart leaping for joy to smell her smell, to have her so close. I kissed the top of her head. “Want to have dinner with me tonight?” I asked.
“I’d love to.” Maddy grinned up at me. “Now open your present.”
I laughed when I tore off the brown paper. “This is a cornucopia of goodness.” Inside I found a book of Nantucket ferry tickets, a new tennis racket, and a gift card for golf lessons. And an inscrutable package of medi
cal tape.
“Tim asked me to get that for you.” She pointed at the gift card. “He says he wants you to improve so he can kick your ass and actually feel good about it.”
I chuckled as I held up the racket and the ferry tickets. “These I understand. But the medical tape?”
She arched an eyebrow. “So you can tape your knuckles the next time you fight somebody.”
I laughed, then pulled her to me again. “I promise I won’t fight anybody else. Except Tyler Dermody if he so much as looks at me cross-eyed. Or maybe Dean Smith, if he checks you out again.” I kissed the top of her head again. “Just kidding. I would never do that.”
She sighed as she buried her face in my chest. “I know. You’re a nice guy.” She squeezed me. “But it’s sort of hot of you to say it, anyway.”
We laughed and she snuggled closer. After a minute she said, “Um, Bob?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think you could maybe take a shower before we go to dinner? You’re kind of sweaty.” She pulled back, laughing, and I nodded.
“Anything for you, babe.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
BOB
We shared chicken picatta, lobster fra diavolo, and an amazing black pasta with puttanesca sauce at a tiny hole-in-the-wall of a restaurant in the North End. We drank red wine from plastic cups and held hands across the table.
It was the best dinner of my life.
“Mmm, this is amazing.” Madison finished the pasta and moaned. “I don’t know it I have room for dessert.”
“We could go out for dessert tomorrow night,” I suggested. “And then we can go out to dinner again the night after that. Or appetizers. Or drinks. Or whatever you want.”
She laughed. “So we’re going out every night?”
I shrugged. “Unless you want to order in. I could learn to cook.”
Maddy laughed. “I can’t learn to cook. I tried. I set off every smoke alarm in our house, and as you know, it’s a pretty big house.”
I put my hand over hers. “We can just order a pizza.”
“Not tonight, though.” She gestured at our empty plates.
“No, I meant the night after the night after that. I meant any night you want. I meant every night.”
She giggled “We’re having pizza every night?”
“We’re having whatever you want, babe. And yes, I mean every night.” I paid the check and we walked out onto the street, our arms wrapped around each other. “Will you come home with me?” I asked, suddenly feeling nervous.
“Well, I was about to ask you the same thing.” She bit her lip, and under the glow from the streetlamps, I could see her cheeks turning red. “Do you want to…er…”
“Yes,” I said immediately, and she laughed.
“Do you want to stop by your place first? So you can get…” She took a deep breath. “A toothbrush and some clothes for tomorrow?” The words came out all in a rush. She bit her lip again.
“Are you crazy?”
She looked miserable. “No, um, if that’s moving too fast—”
“Maddy.” I stopped and stood in front of her, holding her hands in mine. “A toothbrush and some clothes are nothing. I’m ready for you to pack up your whole house and move it into mine. I wasn’t kidding about having dinner together every night from now to infinity and beyond. Roberto Palmieri is all in. My toothbrush is your toothbrush. All my toothbrushes are yours.”
“Yeah?” She wrinkled her nose.
“Yeah. I mean, I don’t know how many toothbrushes you actually go through.” I laced my fingers through hers and we headed down the street, taking our time.
She leaned against me. “That’s sweet. I’m so happy to see you. I’m not ready to say goodbye.”
I squeezed her hand. “So don’t.”
She glanced up at me. “I was worried you wouldn’t want to talk to me after everything that happened on the island.”
“I felt the same way—that’s why I didn’t call.” Now that she was next to me, I wanted to kick myself for the time I’d wasted. “But then your mom showed up and told me what an idiot I was being.”
Madison stopped walking. “My mother?” She looked me up and down. “Did she accost you? Are you okay?”
I chuckled. “I’m fine. She had Chip pick me up and bring me over to Katie’s house. She wanted to see for herself what I’d been saying all along--that I don’t have feelings for anybody other than you.”
Madison’s jaw dropped. “She brought you to Katie’s?”
“Yeah, she wanted to see us interact.”
“How did she get your ex to cooperate?”
“Um.” This was probably going to get Aileen in to trouble. “Your mother said she was going to pay her for her time.”
Maddy’s face went red. “Of all the… Wait till I get my hands on her… Just when I thought I could—”
“Hey, hey, it wasn’t a bad thing. Your mother just wants you to be happy.” When Maddy looked shocked, I sighed. “I know, it surprised me too. But she said she thought I should fight for you, which was what I wanted all along. I guess I just had to hear it. And it’s funny, but it actually meant a lot coming from Aileen.”
Maddy blew out a deep breath and shook her head. “I should never underestimate my mother’s level of crazy.”
“True. But I’m pretty sure she loves you, too.”
Her face softened. “Thank you. I should… I should probably give her more of a chance.”
“Yeah, why not?” I kissed the top of her head, but then I hesitated for a second. “Listen, I owe you an apology. I should’t have had to wait for your mother to get involved. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner. I wanted to. But I didn’t want to chase you if you wanted nothing to do with me. Which I would’ve understood, after what happened…”
She shook her head. “I was the one in the wrong. I leapt to a conclusion. I thought that because you were talking to Katie that night after we were together… I guess I just assumed that you wanted to be with her. Not me.”
“How could I want that? How could I ever want to be with anybody but you ever again?”
She opened her mouth and then closed it. After a moment she asked, “Do you really mean that?”
I took both of her hands in mine. “I will never lie to you, Madison Delaney. When I tell you something, it’ll be the truth. I’m not interested in playing a game. I’m not interested in your family’s estate. I’m not just trying to get into your pants.” I eyed her hot body, then shrugged sheepishly. “Although that would not suck in any way, shape or form.”
She laughed, then stopped. Her expression became serious. “I don’t mean to be redundant, but—do you mean what you’re saying to me right now? And if yes, how do you… How do you know?”
I took a moment, considering her question. If I was going to go for it, I might as well put it all out on the line. “Yes, I mean what I’m saying to you—I want to be with you. Your dad could come after me with a tennis racket right now, with Tyler Dermody right behind him, and they wouldn’t be able to tear me away from you.” I laughed. “As for how I know? I’ve had a few relationships. I’m an adult and I’m ready. I know what I want, Maddy.”
I squeezed her hand. “I am not suggesting that we rush things. Day by day is good. But I meant it when I said that I want every day. I want all the days with you. And how I know is, I just know.”
The most beautiful smile spread over her face. “I feel the same.”
I pulled her against me as joy lit up my insides. “You do?”
“Of course I do.” She kissed my cheek. “Now let’s get going! If you’re going to start sleeping over every night for the rest of your life, I’d like to start subito. That’s Italian for immediately, by the way!”
“Okay so, here’s the thing.” Maddy pulled back from our embrace and caught her breath. “I’m kind of freaking out right now.”
“Okay.” I scooted back a bit on the couch, giving her some space. “Talk to me.”
&
nbsp; She bit her lip. “Do you know that Josie and I call you the Italian Stallion?”
I chuckled. “I thought I heard something like that.”
Maddy wasn’t laughing, though. “I’m afraid to be with you.”
I froze. “Do you mean, you’re afraid to have me in your house?”
She threw a decorative pillow at me. “No silly. I mean be with you. You know.”
“But Mads—we already had pretty good fake sex. This can’t possibly be more embarrassing than that, unless Pryce is hiding behind one of your plants.”
“He’s not, thank goodness. But I am embarrassed.” Her cheeks turned pink. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve been with someone. I don’t know what I’m doing, and here you are, a big, hot stud.”
“I can’t believe you just called me a stud.”
She laughed, then stopped short. “But you are. And I’m a born-again virgin.”
Madison. I reached out and held her hand. “First of all, we do not have to do anything until you’re ready. I can sleep over tonight if you want, or I can go home, sleep on the couch, sleep on your floor—”
“I want you with me in my bed,” she said immediately.
“Then that’s where I’ll be. But if we’re doing this every night for forever, there is literally no rush.”
She leaned forward, lips parted, staring at me. “Oh, there’s a rush all right, big boy. I’m just worried I’m going to screw it up.”
I traced her jawline with my thumb. “There’s no way you can screw it up. You’re the hottest person I’ve ever met. You can teach me what you like, and I’ll teach you, an we’ll learn together. I have a feeling you’re a pretty good student, Harvard.”
She arched an eyebrow. “High honors, babe.”
I sank my hands into her hair and looked into her eyes. “If at any point you feel uncomfortable, or nervous, or want to take a moment, just tell me. There’s no wrong answer and no wrong way to do this—it’s just you and me.”
“I will. I promise.”
I grinned at her and waited a second before kissing her again, my gaze greedily raking over her.