by Lily Craig
"I am."
A few days later, with Georgie on the road back up North, Madelyn sat at her computer. Editing had been slow going before, but today she found herself miraculously unblocked. The last few changes no longer seemed insurmountable, and new words flowed from her like they'd been waiting eagerly to be committed to a document.
She finished the latest draft with a smile on her face, surprised at the confidence she now felt. Providing they weren’t too angry with her late revisions, this paper was going to be accepted. She would have her first publication.
With this newfound confidence, Madelyn opened her university email account to check what had happened while she was on break. In amongst the automated university notifications and the late requests for extensions she had already addressed before leaving for Banff, she saw an unread email.
It was from the student whose grandmother was dying.
"Dear Prof. Melnyk,
Thank you so much for being understanding about my late paper. My grandma died a few days ago, but I was able to make it to the hospital to be with her before she passed. I want you to know how much that means to me."
Attached was a selfie taken by the student with her grandmother. The elderly woman was smiling though clearly ill in bed, her thin hand clasping that of her granddaughter. Madelyn dissolved into tears.
It had been a difficult Christmas this year, but she was glad to have gone through it. Whatever might happen this term, or this year, she'd made huge steps towards getting what she wanted out of life.
Madelyn often felt buffeted by her intuition, thinking it a flighty, unreliable voice of temptation bent on making her choices weak and selfish. But this year, she'd listened.
And it had been the best decision she'd ever made.
Epilogue
One Year Later
"Did you pack the beer?" asked Madelyn. Georgie huffed and pointed towards the opened back of the truck, where several cases of beer were visible. "Oh. Thank you!"
"We're going to be late," Georgie said. She waited as Madelyn fussed over a selection of bags of chips, pondering which ones to bring. "And they have chips in Banff. We can get more if we run out."
"But we bought these just for the trip," Madelyn sighed, turning away from the pile on the driveway to grab Georgie's hand. "I can't waste them."
"Trust me, they won't be wasted here. When I come back from the cabin, I'll be sure to eat them all after work one day."
"As long as they find a good home."
"My stomach, and then eventually the toilet," said Georgie. She laughed at the grimace Madelyn made and then slammed the truck’s tailgate shut. Madelyn had driven up to Edmonton to spend a few days with Georgie before the cabin trip. Georgie's rented room in the suburban house had felt more like home those few days than any of the previous year.
It had been almost exactly a year since they'd started officially dating. Time had flown. But it turns out time always flies when you've got almost every weekend booked solid with travel.
Alternating between Calgary and Edmonton for months on end had been exhausting, though welcome. For the next five days, they'd be staying in the same place, no long-distance trips required of each other. And the best part was that they got to do the journey together.
"Thanks again for driving up here so we could head to Banff together, Mads."
Madelyn hugged Georgie from behind and kissed her neck, inhaling deeply afterwards to take in Georgie's warm, spicy scent. "Anytime."
"We ready?"
"I think so," said Madelyn, her eyes darting to the house one last time as if there had been something left behind she urgently needed to spot. She was nervous but couldn’t tell Georgie why.
"That's good enough for me. Let's haul ass."
Georgie's crude turn of phrase snapped Madelyn out of her contemplative mood and made her burst out laughing. "Onwards, Captain!"
They piled into Georgie's truck and backed out of the driveway, leaving Madelyn's car parked in Georgie's roommate's spot. He'd be out of town for another two weeks' rotation up in the oil patch.
"Did you make that playlist you were talking about?" asked Georgie.
"I diiiid!" Madelyn eagerly reached for her phone and plugged in the auxiliary cable, doing a celebratory dance as the first song started playing.
"Oh no. Madelyn, no. Did you seriously put a song from MuchDance Mix '99 on here?"
"'A' song? What makes you think the playlist isn't just MuchDance Mix?"
Georgie shot Madelyn a wide-eyed, horrified look. "No."
"Just kidding. I wouldn't do that to you. But you should have seen how you looked!"
"I'll keep my eyes on the road, thanks. And once you've had your fun with this mix, don't worry. There's plenty of punk to clean out your ears when we're done."
"My ears are squeaky clean, thanks." Madelyn grinned at Georgie as they pulled onto the arterial road that would lead them to the highway. Only a few more hours until she’d do it.
"Guess I'll have to dirty them up later tonight, then." Georgie shot Madelyn a smoldering look and Madelyn felt heat rise up her neck. Eagerness to enjoy each other's bodies while on vacation ran into a barrier.
"I'd love that. But... you remember that Nadia and Hannah will already be there, right?"
Though Georgie paused, it was almost imperceptible. "I do. And that's ok. They've seen worse before, right?"
Madelyn smiled. "Right."
Georgie had finally gotten over her barriers about PDA around friends. Sure, they'd all hung out a bunch in Calgary when Georgie was in town, but that was different. This week, they'd be sleeping in close quarters with the people by whom Georgie had felt so scrutinized. It loosened some of Madelyn's anticipatory tension to see how much more secure Georgie was, even now.
"I love you," she said, reaching over to squeeze Georgie's thigh. The affectionate gesture was familiar and exhilarating in equal parts.
"I love you, Madelyn." Georgie smiled at Madelyn and then honked the horn of her truck.
"Hey! What was that for?" shrieked Madelyn. A Toyota driver to their left on the highway glanced over in defensive shock at the sound.
"Just telling the world how I feel."
"With...honking?"
"Fuck yes!" said Georgie, moving her hand as if to honk the horn again, but Madelyn stopped her.
"No, don't cause an accident! There's too much traffic."
"Sometimes it's too easy to tease you, Mads." Georgie smirked at Madelyn with a devastating glint to her eye. "Like now."
"Fine, fine," Madelyn said, shrugging with a resigned smile. She then turned the volume of the music up much, much louder and raised her eyebrows at Georgie. "You've got your weak spots, too, hey?"
And so, they drove along the wintry highway towards their vacation spot, happily bickering in the way couples do—with hearts full of affection and an intimate understanding of how best to push buttons.
Nadia had been responsible for booking the cabin this time, and she’d chosen a spot much less secluded than the previous year. Better safe than sorry. When Georgie and Madelyn reached the cabin driveway, they parked in the visitor lot for the condo complex. It would take a few trips to unload their gear, but that was ok. The walk from the lot to the front door took them along a beautiful woodsy pathway. Very romantic.
Madelyn had planned it all out.
She fiddled with the packet in her right-hand pocket and nearly lost her courage. Georgie had already started unloading groceries and bags, though, so Madelyn slid out of her seat and onto the snowy ground.
“Leave that last bag for me,” she said brightly. Grabbing its handles, she pulled it off the truck and walked alongside a heavily laden Georgie to the front door. A few other things were already piled there from Georgie’s previous trips back and forth.
“That didn’t take long,” said Madelyn. Her voice sounded strained and falsely bright, so she took a deep breath.
She was nervous.
Georgie pressed the button on her key fob to loc
k the truck remotely and the vehicle honked in response.
Just as Georgie was about to ring up to the others to let them in, Madelyn spoke.
“Wait, I think I forgot something.”
She thought she heard Georgie sigh in frustration, but Madelyn was too keyed-up to be hurt.
“Can you come back with me for a sec?” she asked. Georgie nodded briskly and jangled her keys while they walked back along the path. The waning daylight made the snow crystals sparkle like magic. Madelyn paused by the rough-hewn wooden bench she’d seen along the pathway.
She sat down and gestured for Georgie to join her.
“Shouldn’t leave those things by the front for too long. Don’t want someone to take them,” said Georgie. Madelyn nodded, the words barely sinking in.
“Georgie,” said Madelyn. She resisted the urge to fiddle with the packet again. “Isn’t it amazing that it’s already been a year since last trip’s mess?”
“Time flies,” nodded Georgie. She rubbed her hands together impatiently and glanced back towards the condo.
“It may have only been a year, but it’s been the best year of my life.”
“You’re sweet, Mads. Let’s talk about this more inside.”
“Just wait—I won’t be long.” Madelyn smiled at Georgie’s hurried, tapping foot and reached into the pocket where she’d kept the ring.
Georgie’s mouth dropped open, and she laughed a single, staccato burst.
“Georgie, will you marry me?” asked Madelyn, sinking to her knee on the sidewalk. The cement was cold beneath her jeans but she felt impervious to discomfort. Too much adrenaline flooded her.
“Of course I’ll marry you,” Georgie said, grinning. “That ring for me?”
“Who else would it be for?” said Madelyn, holding up the piece of jewelry in her mitten. Though Georgie took it, she shoved it on her finger with a less delicate motion than many brides might.
“Guess I might have to take better care of my nails if everyone wants to see this ring all the time now.”
“It looks good on you,” said Madelyn, standing up from her kneeling position. She tilted Georgie’s chin upwards so she could kiss her. “Future wife.”
“Ok, now we have to get inside.” Georgie spoke abruptly, standing and starting the walk towards the condo before Madelyn could say anything. “I’m guessing you didn’t actually forget anything?”
Though happiness still soared in her–she’d just gotten engaged to the love of her life, after all—Madelyn’s feelings began to sink. Georgie was acting weird. “No, nothing forgotten.”
She followed Georgie to the condo entrance and up the elevator to their rental unit. The bags and gear took a little maneuvering, and by the time they’d reached the actual front door to the condo, Madelyn was outright annoyed.
Why couldn’t Georgie act a little more joyful about this?
Georgie knocked, smiling briefly back at Madelyn with a strange expression. The deadbolt slid shortly afterward and Nadia answered the door.
“You’re here!” she exclaimed in a voice too loud for the occasion.
“Hey! So we’ve got these bags to take in, but you’ll never guess–” Madelyn started to say, bubbling over with eagerness to share their happy news.
“Just a sec, Mads,” said Georgie. She shot Madelyn a glance that said ‘cool it.’ Hurt dampened the last of Madelyn’s post-proposal jitters and she fought to stay smiling.
They pushed their things inside and closed the door, and then Georgie took Madelyn’s hand. Madelyn almost didn’t want to let her, but she relented. Even if she were a little hurt by Georgie’s strange reactions, she still loved her.
They were still going to be married.
As Nadia led them down the entranceway’s hall and into the main living area of the condo, Madelyn fought the sadness piercing through her otherwise blissful evening.
“Oh!” she said, involuntarily, when they reached the living room. Hannah and Nadia turned to smile at Georgie and Madelyn, surrounded by a group of familiar faces. Most of Georgie and Madelyn’s friends were there, along with Sasha, Mila, Ariel, and a good contingent of Georgie’s family. “What’s going on?”
A bunting banner was strung across the far wall with triangles bearing felted letters that spelled out MADELYN. Before she could say anything else about the surprise, Madelyn gasped again when Nadia, Hannah, Ariel, and Sasha held up signs that read “Will,” “You,” “Marry,” and “Me?”
Shock nearly paralyzed Madelyn, but she heard Georgie clear her throat and say her name. So she turned, as if in slow motion, and came to face her love, who knelt right next to her with a small velvet box held up in her hands.
Madelyn’s tears flowed swiftly, springing up out of the heartfelt surprise so suddenly that she barely bore witness to the ring Georgie offered her. Emotion overwhelmed her.
“Mads, you’re my favorite person. I want to spend my life with you.”
“Yes!” yelped Madelyn ecstatically.
The hush of the waiting crowd murmured with laughter when Georgie widened her eyes. “I haven’t even finished yet,” she said.
Tears began to stream down Georgie’s face, too, and Madelyn barely knew how to string together a sentence. She’d been wracked with anxiety about her own proposal, so consumed by it that apparently she’d missed the signs that Georgie was planning one too.
“My answer’s yes, though,” said Madelyn. “Just like yours was.”
“Hm?” Madelyn heard Nadia mutter to Hannah.
And then Madelyn’s teary joy overflowed into laughter, a belly-shaking, all-consuming form of it that she couldn’t contain. Georgie managed to slide the ring onto Madelyn’s finger while she kept on giggling, and the two stood, hand in hand, to present themselves to the group.
They were engaged—twice now.
With this presentation complete, their friends and family clapped, cheered, and whistled. If Madelyn had thought she was overwhelmed with feeling before, this outpouring of support added a new layer of intensity to the mix.
Hannah brought Prosecco to Georgie and Madelyn while Nadia insisted on taking pictures as they clinked their glasses together.
“What the hell, G. I thought you were embarrassed by everyone knowing your feelings. That’s why I wanted to propose in private, all alone.”
Georgie snorted with laughter and sipped her drink. Nodding, she answered: “Yeah, I realized I was guarding myself too much. Why shouldn’t the people closest to us know we’re in love and happy together? You deserve to be showered in as much love as is humanly possible.”
Ariel, who stood nearby, her mane of golden hair impeccably styled, overheard their exchange. “You two are too much!”
“A toast!” cried out another friend. While the hubbub showed no signs of dying down, Madelyn drank her Prosecco, Georgie’s hand firmly grasped in her own. The celebrations unfolded around them, loved ones genuinely happy to see the two of them together.
“Thank you,” said Madelyn to Georgie. “It was perfect.”
Georgie grinned and stood up straighter than Madelyn had ever seen. “So was yours, Mads. I’m glad we had your proposal all on our own.”
Then she set down her glass on a nearby end table, taking Madelyn’s drink from her smoothly before wrapping her into a deep, low-bending kiss. While the gathered crowd cheered and laughed and applauded their love, Madelyn’s heart pounded with the absolute, earth-shaking certainty that this was precisely how things should have unfolded.
She wouldn’t change a thing.
Author’s Note
Hello! Thank you for reading Never Just Friends.
As I sit down to write this note, it’s currently -40 outside. (Fun fact: this is the point where Celsius and Fahrenheit converge, so it’s the same number in both systems). Winter in Canada can be no joke.
Rather than dwell on the downsides of the season, I wanted to channel everything I loved about winter into this book: the quiet, the sense of intimacy, the slower pace
of things when the world outside is hushed and frozen. Though it’s a time when the days are short and darkness never seems far away, it’s also a season of growing closer and sharing small joys with the people you love.
I wrote Georgie and Madelyn’s story to convey as much as I could of those feelings. I hope you liked it.
Indie authors like myself benefit greatly from reviews, so please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads if you have the time.
And if you’d like to hear from me when I have new books out, sign up for my mailing list. I get in touch no more than once a month, so I promise your inbox will remain uncluttered (at least by me!): http://eepurl.com/dhf1Vz
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Also by Lily Craig
Pretend Girlfriend ~ Available on Amazon
Fake love, real sparks.
When Celeste Lamontagne receives a wedding invitation from her ex, she’s furious. The only thing worse than being cheated on? Seeing your ex and the girl she cheated with get married. Less than a year later. And as part of a two-week long Mediterranean cruise. But they say the best revenge is a life well lived, right? Not for Celeste, it isn’t. It’s arranging an elaborate fake relationship with someone to make your ex jealous.
Lane Bishop is the perfect someone to do just that. Impulsive to the extreme, she loses her job right in front of Celeste. There goes Lane’s best shot at becoming a stylist in New York City. She can have another chance if she agrees to travel with Celeste, pretending to be her girlfriend so that Celeste’s ex sees her happy and thriving. The only catch? Celeste’s an heiress accustomed to getting everything she wants. She’s rigorous about details—some might say spoiled—which clashes with a free spirit like Lane.
Two weeks travelling in close quarters challenges the faux lovebirds. They’ve got to appear harmoniously in love, even when they’d rather rib each other than whisper sweet nothings. But the sparks between Celeste and Lane become harder and harder to ignore. Can they convince the wedding guests of their passion without the flames setting them both alight?