Forbidden Love

by Phillips, Laura

  “No... I don’t think so,” Madison said, finally opening her eyes fully.

  “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have come out in such a rush, but I was late coming back from my break...”

  Madison gave her a weak smile. “It’s okay. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I should have been able to react in time, but I was lost in my own thoughts.”

  “Nothing too serious, I hope.”

  Madison looked at her properly for the first time. Kacey was wearing all black, her blond hair tied back in a messy bun, and she was wearing a light layer of makeup. Kacey had looked amazing at the wedding with more dramatic makeup, but Madison liked this version of Kacey. She didn’t need makeup, even if it did highlight those piercing blue eyes.

  She’d mentioned that she filled in as a waitress when they were short staffed...

  “Madison, are you okay?” Kacey asked, tilting her head slightly to meet her eyes.

  Great, she probably thinks I’m concussed.

  “I’m fine. Sorry... I don’t want to keep you from getting back to work,” Madison said, lifting her hand to her forehead, her fingertips brushing across Kacey’s as she took over, applying the slightest amount of pressure to the cut.

  “But-”

  “I’m fine. Really...”

  Ashley sat down across from Madison. “I’ll make sure she gets home okay, Kace.”

  “Thanks...”

  Madison could hear what she thought was disappointment in Kacey’s voice, but she’d probably dreamed it up.

  “I’m really sorry, Madison,” Kacey said, looking down at her. “I wish I didn’t have to get back to work, but I really need to get back out there... Thanks, Ashley,” she said as she hurried off into the restaurant.

  “She thinks we’re together,” Madison said, pulling the tissue away to see if the cut had stopped bleeding. “Because unlike you, I thought we were playing that game...”

  “I’m sorry, Madison. I honestly didn’t think you’d meet anyone.”

  Madison stifled a laugh. “You’re on a roll tonight.”

  “No. That wasn’t meant to be offensive. You just didn’t have the same intentions Saturday night as I did. You weren’t going there to meet someone. I was... And I’m sorry if I’ve complicated things.”

  “Well, you have, but we’re officially through. When you say ‘Goodbye’ to Kacey, be sad. Okay? I just broke up with you. Or tell her that you were going to do it, but I said it first... Something. I need Kacey to know that we’re done.”

  “No problem. I can do that... Are you going to be okay?”

  “Yes. This is finally slowing down,” Madison said, checking the bloodied tissue again. “I’ll get this cleaned up in the restroom here and then head home.”

  “You’re okay to drive?”

  “Yes, and thanks for the concern,” Madison said as she stood up.

  “I may be a shit friend, but I’m still your friend.”

  “Let’s just not do this again,” Madison said, motioning between the two of them. “No more faking anything, okay?”

  “No one’s said that to me before...”

  Madison narrowed her eyes. “Talk to Kacey, please.”

  “I’m on it.”

  Madison stood up, taking a second to make sure she really was okay, but she wasn’t dizzy. She went into the restroom and washed the tiny cut that had produced a surprising amount of blood.

  Twenty-five... and I’m going to be forty.

  Madison took a deep breath as she stared at her tired reflection.

  I can’t call her.

  Chapter 9

  Kacey stared at her phone and Madison’s name. She’d planned on giving her a call at some point this week, but after what happened at the restaurant, she didn’t know how she could. She’d made a complete fool of herself, nearly knocking Madison out. How was she supposed to come back after that? Romantic comedies made things like that look so... magical.

  That was the furthest thing from magical. It was plain embarrassing.

  “Kacey, are you okay?”

  Kacey looked up as her best friend, Sherri, sat down beside her with two cups of coffee. Kacey was restless in her own one-bedroom apartment, so she ended up here, glad that Sherri had called her. They saw each other at least once a week when Kacey filled in at the restaurant where Sherri was also a waitress, but they tried to get together outside of work most weeks too.

  “Yeah... Well, no... Actually. No,” Kacey said with a sigh as she reached for the steaming mug on the coffee table. “Thanks,” she said as she took a sip.

  “What’s wrong? You’ve been off for a few weeks now,” Sherri said, tucking her legs underneath her as she angled her body towards Kacey, tucking her black hair behind her ear.

  “I was stressed about the wedding, but that was natural, I think. I was responsible for a lot of the planning... Now,” she said, shaking her head slightly. “I don’t know...”

  “You look like someone who needs to talk about it,” Sherri said, draping her arm over the back of the couch.

  “There’s not much to say. I met someone at the wedding, but she had a girlfriend.”

  “Aw, Kacey, I’m sorry.”

  “Well, it’s strange... Ashley was her girlfriend.”

  “Ashley? Our Ashley?”

  Kacey nodded.

  “And you said she was her girlfriend.”

  “Yeah,” Kacey said, running a hand through her blond hair. “Ashley never mentioned her, and when I met Madison... She was suggesting that her and Ashley weren’t going to last, and Ashley said the other night that Madison had broken up with her.”

  “Wow. Okay. Ashley’s not one for secrets. So, what’s the problem? Are you afraid of dating Ashley’s ex?”

  “No... It’s more complicated than that.”

  “She’s my age, isn’t she?” Sherri guessed.

  “No... I don’t know actually. But I’d say that she’s older.”

  “Than me?”

  “Sherri, you’re only thirty-two. Don’t look so shocked.”

  “That’s a bit of an age gap, if she is older than me. Ten years?”

  “Probably,” Kacey said, closing her eyes for a second. “But it’s worse than that...”

  “Wait, what happened at the wedding? Was that the first time you met her?”

  “No... She’s actually my Social Psychology lecturer.”

  “What? And you kissed her? I’m assuming.”

  “Yeah. Well, she kissed me, on the beach...”

  “Your lecturer kissed you,” Sherri said, her mouth open. “That’s crazy.”

  “She uh... She more than likely doesn’t know that I’m in her class.”

  “What? How?”

  “There’s more than two-hundred of us in that class, and that’s just one class. She probably has hundreds of students. She can’t know everyone’s name and face.”

  Sherri wiped her hand across her mouth. “So... Have you...?”

  “No. I haven’t even seen her since the wedding. Oh, well... Except for the other night, when I was covering a shift at The Beach House. I was late getting back, and I rushed through the side door and hit her with it.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah. She had a cut above her eye from it, but she was okay.”

  “Jesus, Kacey... You have to tell her.”

  “I know, but she won’t want anything to do with me then. If she doesn’t already,” Kacey added, bringing her mug to her lips.

  Saying it all out loud did not make her feel any better. It just made her realize how crazy this whole thing was.

  But that kiss....

  Kacey was happy being single. She was focused on school and getting everything organized for the wedding. Now, she’d be graduating in a few months, and there was nothing left to plan. She didn’t know what she was going to do with herself in terms of a career.

  Wait, I’m graduating... What if we just wait...

  “Kacey? What are you thinking?” Sherri ask
ed, lightly touching her arm. “I can see the gears turning.”

  “What if nothing happens until I graduate in May?”

  “So, you’re not going to tell her...”

  “I’m just thinking out loud. I will tell her. I have to, you know, if anything actually happens between us. We were both drinking that night, and I just ran her over at the restaurant. She might not want anything to do with me.”

  “Are you going to ask her out?” Sherri asked.

  “I think so. I really like her... I have for a while, but it was from a distance. A crush really. The wedding was the first time that I actually spoke to her, and we ended up kissing,” Kacey said with a sigh.

  “On the beach? That’s pretty romantic, you know, despite the circumstances.”

  “It was... I’ll see if she’s free this weekend and take it from there.”

  “Make sure you don’t meet anywhere in public.”

  “Oh. Yeah... That’s a good idea,” Kacey said, wondering where they would go.

  “Well, if you want to kiss her, you shouldn’t have to worry about who’s going to see you.”

  “Right. So, I have to invite her over to my apartment, I guess.”

  “You’ll think of something... I haven’t seen you like this in a while, Kacey.”

  Kacey met Sherri’s eyes. “This could be a complete disaster.”

  “You’ll never know if you don’t try though.”

  “I know,” Kacey said, looking at her phone again. “I’ll send her a text... See how she is.”

  “In general? Or after you hit her with a door?”

  “Ughh,” Kacey groaned, covering her face in her hands. “It would almost be funny if this wasn’t my life,” she said with a soft laugh.

  “It’s keeping me entertained. My life would be boring without you Kace.”

  “You’re happily married to one of the nicest guys I’ve met. If that’s what boring looks like, I’d take it any day.”

  “You’ve got plenty of time for all that. Have some fun. If this doesn’t work out, move on,” Sherri said, standing up and bringing their mugs into the kitchen, giving Kacey some privacy to get in touch with Madison.

  Chapter 10

  Madison stared at her phone on the night stand as Kacey’s name lit up on her screen. She tied her maroon silk robe around her waist and towel dried her hair, before she sat on the edge of the bed and picked up her phone, swiping her finger across the screen.

  Madison laughed to herself as she read the message. She could almost hear Kacey’s voice as she tried not to be awkward, covering her embarrassment with a joke as she asked her how she was doing and also if she was free Saturday.

  The cut above her eye was practically healed, and even though she’d decided Monday night in the restroom at The Beach House that she wasn’t going to call Kacey, she was debating meeting her on Saturday. She didn’t call Kacey. Kacey had texted her, and despite what happened Monday night, Madison wanted to see Kacey again.

  She wasn’t sure what really happened at the wedding and how much of it had been influenced by alcohol but seeing her again made her realize that she was genuinely attracted to Kacey. Even when her head was pounding, she still found herself getting lost in those bright blue eyes, but as she started to reply, that nagging voice was back, reminding her that this was a bad idea.

  Maybe this is why I’ve been single for so long though. Maybe Ashley is right, and I am too picky. Maybe this is exactly what I need right now, to step out of my comfort zone and do something different.

  Like date someone younger than me?

  Madison’s damp hair was cold on her shoulders, but she wanted to reply before she spent too much overthinking what she’d say. She typed her answer, letting Kacey know she was free on Saturday. She wasn’t sure what she was agreeing to, whether it was just drinks or maybe dinner.

  Madison blow dried her hair while she waited for Kacey to get back to her, and when Madison started getting ready for bed, running a brush through her dry hair, there was a message waiting for her.

  Kacey wanted to have a few drinks at her apartment. Madison agreed, saying that eight o’clock on Saturday night was perfect, and to send her the address. Madison was in the taxi with Kacey when they pulled up outside her building last weekend, but Madison couldn’t remember the exact street it was on, reminding her that she’d drank quite a bit that night.

  She couldn’t expect too much and build this up into something that it wasn’t. Yes, she was attracted to Kacey, but was there really anything there beyond that? They’d hardly spoken that night, and Madison knew she’d been distracted. When she’d asked Kacey if she wanted to go for a walk on the beach, she’d been hoping for a moment like that, when she could lean in and kiss her, but that was then.

  What would happen now? Would Kacey still be interested in her when she wasn’t dressed up like she’d been that night, wearing more makeup than she normally would?

  Madison had no idea what would happen, but she figured she at least needed to give it a chance. It had been a long time since she’d been so taken by someone, especially that fast. She’d only ever dated one woman who was younger than her, and Lora had only been five years younger than her. This was definitely new territory for her, and Madison didn’t know if she’d be able to overlook that big of an age gap.

  What would my colleagues say?

  Madison wasn’t thinking about things like that on Saturday night. She’d just been caught up in the way Kacey was looking at her, and the way her hands felt on Kacey’s hips, the way their lips had fit together so easily.

  I’ll see how Saturday night goes before I worry about the practicalities. Kacey could just be interested in friendship... or a fling.

  Madison pulled back the gray sheets and slid underneath them, fluffing up her pillow as she got comfortable and tried to relax.

  A fling...

  She’d never been into one-night stands, but that was when she was holding out for the one, certain that she’d meet that special someone any day now. Madison had been waiting a lot longer than she thought she would. Maybe she needed to have some fun. Would she actually be up for something that casual?

  Madison didn’t know, but as she drifted off to sleep, she stopped worrying. She had a date Saturday night with a beautiful woman, and that was something that she hadn’t been expecting. She’d give Kacey a chance, and Madison couldn’t stop herself from dreaming about kissing those soft lips again.

  Chapter 11

  Kacey took one last look around her one-bedroom apartment, making sure nothing was out of place. She knew she went a little over the top with the cleaning, and her place was practically sparkling when the doorbell rang. She would have preferred to have dinner with Madison or go for a drink, but Sherri was right. They couldn’t really be seen together.

  Kacey swallowed the lump in her throat as she checked her reflection in the mirror beside the door. Tousling her blond hair, her loose waves falling below her shoulders as she took a deep breath and reached for the door handle.

  This isn’t right... I need to tell her.

  “Hey,” Kacey said with a smile as she opened the door to see Madison standing in the hallway with a bottle of white wine her hand, wearing dark skinny jeans and a white sleeveless top that showed off her toned arms. Her silky espresso colored hair was straight today, and she ran a hand through it as she returned her smile and said ‘Hello.’

  “Come in,” Kacey said, taking a step back and holding the door open for her. She leaned against the door as Madison breezed past her, her perfume invading Kacey’s nostrils, making her almost dizzy. It wasn’t strong, but it was the same perfume she was wearing at the wedding, and that scent brought Kacey right back to the beach.

  Maybe, I won’t tell her right away...

  “I wasn’t sure what you drank, but I thought a bottle of Chardonnay was safe,” Madison said, handing her the bottle.

  “Thanks. That’s actually what I’m drinking. You didn’t have to bring anythi
ng though... Are you okay? After I nearly knocked you over, I mean...”

  Madison laughed softly. “I’m fine. I don’t think it’ll scar.”

  Kacey ran a hand through her hair, trying to figure out what to say.

  “I’m joking. It’s definitely not going to scar. It’s completely healed, and I know it was an accident. Don’t worry about it,” Madison said, lightly touching her arm as she followed Kacey into the kitchen. “We live less than five minutes away... Or a twenty-minute walk.”

  “Really? You walked here?”

  Madison nodded. “I’m a little bit closer to the park, but it was being so close to campus that sold me.”

  “Can I pour you a glass?” Kacey asked, taking the bottle of Chardonnay that she’d already opened out of the fridge and sliding the bottle Madison brought onto the top shelf.

  “Yes, please.”

  Kacey filled Madison’s glass and topped up her own, wondering how she could keep their conversation away from college and what Madison did for a living. She couldn’t believe that Madison had only been here for a minute, and it was already dangerously close to becoming the topic of conversation.

  “It was Lettuce Lake Park that sold me,” Kacey said, handing Madison her glass. “I try and go for a run most mornings before it gets too hot, and I go kayaking with Ashley or Sherri, a friend of mine who works at the restaurant too. I’m surprised we didn’t meet before the wedding,” Kacey said as they took a seat on the beige colored sofa.

  For a one-bedroom apartment, the living room wasn’t as small as a lot of the apartments that Kacey had viewed last summer. She’d shared an apartment with a different roommate each year, but Kacey had enough money saved up to rent her own place this year.

  Madison left her handbag on the arm chair beside them as she got comfortable, leaving a few inches between them. “Ashley works such long hours, and she has plenty of things going on. We were very independent and too different really. We were friends before, and we shouldn’t have any problems going back to that,” Madison said, taking a drink. “Sorry, that sounded awful, but I’ve known for a while that it wasn’t going to work. I guess, I just feel guilty for not ending things sooner.”