His jaw clenched, and he opened his mouth to speak but she stopped him. “You know? You have this innate ability to judge everybody. Reuben the prosecutor, judge, and jury, and no one ever stands a chance. Since I’ve known you, you’ve blamed me for ruining your hair, your car, your restaurant, and now stealing money from you. And of course, I’m going to pollute Kyle too.”
She took a step forward and got as much in his face as her height would allow. “I made mistakes. I’ll be the first one to tell you that. I don’t know what your little report told you, but here are just a few.”
“Maddie, I didn’t—”
“No, no. If you’re going to accuse me of things, I want you to know exactly what I have done, not some made-up crap. At my last count, I’d slept with about fifteen guys, give or take. That waitress job I told you I had for a day? Not only was I bad at it, I also lifted a watch, a wallet, and purses from various customers before I was caught.
“And at a particularly low point after high school, I walked the streets and contemplated prostituting myself for money so I could eat. Almost did it too. Lucky for me, the guy who offered was a cop. Instead of going through with it, I got put in jail.”
His face blanched white and he put his hand on her arm.
Maddie shoved them off. “Don’t you dare touch me. Get out of my house.”
“Maddie—”
She pointed. “Now.”
He turned to leave, but at the doorway, stopped. “I—”
“One last thing.” She held the door in her hand and took a deep breath. “You have the most amazing stepfather I’ve ever met and all you can do is act like a total jerk to him. You accuse him of some pretty crappy stuff, and while I get that your dad died, it doesn’t give you the right to make Gary and your mom miserable just because you can’t get over it. It’s called showing grace, Reuben. Look it up.”
She slammed the door in his face, then opened it back up to see his shocked face. “Oh, and I quit.”
She shut the door a little tamer the second time.
37
A hand shook her shoulder. Maddie stretched in bed and turned to see Kyle peering at her. “What time is it?” Her voice grumbled even to her own ears.
“Eight. I let ya sleep in.”
She sat up in bed and stretched. Labor Day. And her twenty-first birthday.
The only birthday present she wanted was the eleven-year-old who stood beside her bed holding a cookie sheet with breakfast on top. A bowl of cereal, toast—she thought anyway—and milk.
She couldn’t hold back her cheesy grin. “You’re so sweet.
Thank you.”
“Allie told me I had to. And the toast is black.”
It indeed resembled a chalkboard. “It’s perfect.”
Sitting up in bed, she took the tray from him and settled it in her lap. She took a bite of the Frosted Flakes and paused.
Kyle was staring at her, so she smiled and forced herself to swallow the lukewarm, soggy flakes. “Mmmm. Yum. How long ago did you get breakfast ready?”
He shrugged. “About an hour ago. I wanted it to be ready for you whenever you woke up. I didn’t want it to go bad, so I finally woke you up.”
The poor guy was about forty-five minutes late for that, but no one could drag the truth out of her. “Well, it’s fabulous. Thanks.”
He smiled and turned to leave. “I’m gonna go get dressed. We’re going to the fair today still, right?”
“Of course.”
They’d decided no party, just a fun day at the Sandwich Fair and a sickening amount of cotton candy.
When Kyle was out of site, she set the makeshift tray on the bed, grabbed the bowl, and dumped its contents into the trashcan beside her bed, then emptied the tissue box from the dresser into the can to hide her crime.
Note to Maddie: Take out the trash ASAP.
She bit into a piece of the toast, but it caught on a tooth.
Glancing at the door, she reached down and tucked the rock-hard black bread under some of the tissues.
She was about to do the same with the glass of milk when Kyle walked by her room and poked his head in. “You done already?”
She shrugged. “It was good, what can I say.” To prove her point, she lifted the glass of tepid milk and chugged it.
Her stomach almost revolted, but thankfully it obeyed and kept its churning to itself.
“Hey, can Reuben come to the fair with us today?”
Just hearing his name made her want to throw the glass across the room. She hadn’t seen him in a month and a half, and she’d love to keep up the record. “No, I’m sure he’s working or something.”
She would have no idea what the man was up to. When Allie tried to fill her in, she refused to listen.
The only thing she knew was that Livy wasn’t working for him anymore, and that he’d hired a new assistant. She knew that only because a customer at the salon had droned on and on about it. Maddie would have told her to shut up if not for the fact that she was an amazing tipper.
“Did he fire you or something?”
She rolled her eyes. “No, now drop it or we’ll sit here and watch soap operas all afternoon.”
“Fine. Hurry up and get ready so we can go.”
“We’re meeting Allie and the kids at eleven, remember? We have almost three hours.”
She needed to pick up the house a little anyway. Corina was coming tomorrow to get Kyle and was doing her home study at the same time. Maddie had finally saved enough money to make the house look presentable and have a slim but fighting chance at getting Kyle, so she had filled out the formal petition two weeks earlier.
They were waiting for a final court date to see what the judge would decide.
“I’m going to play video games then. Let me know when you can go.”
“You could help me pick up ya know.”
“Or I could not. It’s my last day of freedom. You gonna make me spend it cleaning?”
So much for birthday pampering. “Fine, go.”
“We could always go out to breakfast.”
Maddie frowned. “But you already gave me breakfast in bed.”
He rolled his eyes. “Which you then threw in the trash. I’m not stupid, sis.”
“Let me get dressed. Where you wanna go?”
A speed clean and a McDonald’s stop later, they arrived an hour early at the fair.
Kyle shoved his hands in his shorts pocket. “Let’s ride the rocket launcher.”
The ride that threw its occupants around in circles for an ungodly amount of time was a no-go for her. “Or not. That thing looks like it could kill someone. I was thinking more like bumper cars.”
“Wimp.”
Maddie nodded. “Yep. I’m fine with that title.”
They walked through the crowds, and Maddie bought cotton candy to help keep the scary ride suggestions at bay.
She pinched a puff from the fluffy pink mound and stuffed it in her mouth. Yum, Yum! Pure sugary goodness. She offered it to Kyle, but a throat cleared behind them.
Her breath caught in her chest and a piece of pinky fuzz threatened to choke her.
Kyle smiled for the first time since they arrived at the fair. Traitor. “Hey Reuben. Maddie said you were working today.”
Reuben raised an eyebrow in Maddie’s direction then looked back at Kyle. “Nope. Took the day off to hang out with Allie and the kids. I heard you were in town, though. Having fun?”
He rolled his eyes. “Maddie only wants to ride the sissy rides.”
Maddie rested her hands on her hips and kept her eyes trained on Kyle. She didn’t even want to look at the man. “Safe rides, not sissy rides.”
Kyle kicked a rock on the ground. “Whatever, same thing.”
Reuben’s baritone voice thudded against her ears. “Do you think she would mind if I rode a few with you?”
She sat up straight. How dare he talk about her like she wasn’t even here? “That won’t be necessary. I can ride with him.”
Kyle shoved another piece of cotton candy into his mouth. “Even the Blue Thunder?”
Maddie swallowed. The ride moved every which way, in circles, and upside down at ridiculous speeds that no human should be allowed to travel outside of an airplane. Especially one who’d just gotten a cast off two weeks prior. “Of course, even that one. Now, let’s go. I think Reuben has things to do.”
Reuben’s mouth tipped up into a mischievous smile. “Actually, the Blue Thunder sits three in a seat. We can all go.”
Kyle whooped and hollered and pulled Maddie toward the ride.
When they got to the short line, she stepped back. It was probably short because no one else was stupid enough to get on it. “You two go. It’s okay. I’ll just wait.”
Reuben leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Chicken?”
She narrowed her eyes. The man had some nerve. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Marching in front of them, she held her head up high. She could do this. How scary could a ride at a country fair be?
Maddie heaved into a trashcan beside the Blue Thunder.
Reuben was in so much trouble. She’d done just fine without him. Why couldn’t the man just leave her be?
She walked back toward them, wiping her mouth, and praying her stomach would stop revolting. “I guess that McDonald’s this morning didn’t agree with me or something.” She glanced at her watch. “Kyle, let’s go. It’s about time to meet up with Allie.”
And get rid of Reuben.
Her ex-boss smiled. “I was going to meet her too. She said she’d be over by the food tents. I’ll walk with you.”
Maddie looked at Kyle who grinned from ear to ear. She smelled a setup. “Well, let’s go then.”
Her nose twitched the closer they got to the “food” section of the fair. Normally the smells would be delightful. Now the greasy corn dog mixed with sweet funnel cake aroma made her eye the midway for another trashcan.
Allie and her crew waved to them from where they stood in line at a hot dog and funnel cake stand. “Yoo-hoo, Maddie, Reuben, over here!”
Maddie weaved in and out of the crowd, dragging Kyle along behind her, until they reached the crew. “Hey there. We got here a little early so were checking out the rides.”
“Good! The girls just wanted something to drink real quick. We had a late breakfast so we aren’t hungry yet.”
Phew. Because she’d leave if she had to watch anyone stuff their face right now.
Cole looked from his Mom to Kyle, then back to his mom. “Hey, can Kyle come with me and the other guys to ride rides?”
Allie shrugged. “As long as it’s okay with Maddie.” She turned to her. “The boys from the youth group at church are all meeting up in a few minutes to do the rides together. Kyle’s welcome to join them if you’d like.”
Kyle used his best begging stance, tugging on her arm and looking at her with puppy-dog eyes. “Please, Maddie? I’ll be fine. Come on. You want me to like it here, right?”
Corina had finally agreed to mention Maddie’s request for custody to Kyle. He now used it as leverage.
The boy was good. Too good. “Yes, but I just don’t know if it’s safe. ”
Reuben cleared his throat. “Maddie, I think it’ll be all right.”
She glared at him. “I don’t remember asking you.”
He shrugged. “I know the guys. They’re good, and there’s a few older ones in the bunch. It’s normal for the teens to hang out together at the fair. You’re not in Chicago anymore, Dorothy.”
Maybe she was being a spoiled sport. But letting her little brother roam around the fair without her, even if he was with the youth group from church, just didn’t sit well. She wanted him to get to know other kids here though. “Fine. Go. But take my cell phone. Allie is the number three speed-dial. We’ll call you when we’re ready to leave, or vice versa.” She tossed her phone to him.
He flipped it open and nodded. “Who’s number one and two?”
Do not blush! “Voicemail’s number one.”
Reuben’s phone blared out a saxophone ringtone.
Kyle smirked. “Guess Reuben’s number two then, huh?”
Maddie wanted to throttle him. “Just go and have fun, okay?”
“Cool. Thanks, sis!” He took off with Cole.
Allie paid for her drink and handed it to Sara. “I need to take the girls to the kiddy ride section. I’m sure that will be boring for you guys. How ’bout I meet up with you in a few hours at the exhibits?”
Maddie looked from a smiling Allie to a wide-eyed Reuben. A set-up if she ever saw it. “Wait. I thought the point was to walk around together.”
The fiend smiled. “It is. And we will … in a few hours. Have fun.” She pushed the stroller and pulled Sara along before anyone could argue.
“So, I’m your most important speed-dial, hmm?”
She cast Reuben a barely-tolerant glance. “No, that would be voicemail, remember? Besides, you’re only number two because you were my boss and are highly demanding. I just forgot to change it, so don’t get a big head.”
“Too late. I’m already flattered. Can’t take it back now.”
“You just don’t know about the dartboard with your picture on it hanging in my bedroom.”
A mischievous glint sparkled in his eye. “You hang my picture in your room?”
The man was utterly impossible and egotistical. “Listen. Neither of us wants to walk around the fair together. I’ll just go look at some chickens or something, okay?”
“After Allie went to so much trouble? I think not.”
This was not how she wanted to spend her birthday. At all. And her stomach had tentatively regained it’s land legs. “Fine, you can buy me cotton candy then.” He deserved to buy her a billion cotton candies.
He shook his head. “I think we can do better than sugar on a stick.”
Five minutes later, they walked away from a vendor stand with the biggest elephant ear Maddie had ever seen drenched in powdered sugar. She tore off a piece of the dough and lifted it to her mouth.
Heavenly. She could feel her arteries clogging.
Reuben tugged at her arm and when she jerked it back, he brushed his thumb against the side of her mouth. “Just a little wayward sugar.”
A tremble ran from her cheek all the way to her toes at the feather-light touch. She gulped. “Thanks.”
“Wanna go on the Ferris wheel?”
Being suspended in air with the man she wanted to use as a punching bag? “Not really.”
“Humor me.”
They stood in line, and Reuben helped her into the seat when their turn came but she shook his hand away. “I can do it myself.”
She tripped and landed in the basket with a thud.
He slid in beside her and lowered the bar to hold them in. “Should have let me help.”
The ride lurched and moments later they were airborne.
Then they stopped. She looked around. Had they broken down? “What’s going on?”
Reuben settled his hands on the bar in front of them. “Just loading more passengers. It’ll be a few more stops until we get going.”
Duh. She knew that. Why had she just remembered that little fact? Maybe because they were suspended in the air and with each spurt of movement, the metal machine transported them higher.
Reuben butted her shoulder with his. “You scared?”
She looked down at her white-knuckled grip on the bar. “Um, no. Not at all. Nothing is as bad as the Blue Thunder at least.”
“Liar. You need to stop that, you know.”
“I know. But then you’ll know all my weaknesses, and that just wouldn’t do.”
The ride heaved forward again, but this time didn’t stop. Maddie caught her breath as they circled around.
“I’m sorry, Maddie.”
She tore her eyes from the view of the fair to the man beside her. “You should be.”
“I fired Livy.”
Now that was news. She�
��d heard that Livy had gotten tired of Reuben’s tyrannical rule and left. It was the first time she’d cheered for the woman. None of it mattered though. Reuben, Livy, and the Emporium were none of her concern anymore. “It doesn’t really matter now, does it? That’s between you and her.”
He continued as if he hadn’t heard a word she said. “I went back to the restaurant that day and got to looking at things. Nothing had added up for a while. So I dug into the backup documents and found where she’d doctored invoices and pocketed the difference and changed receipts to show more tips and less sales. She never admitted to it, but I’m pretty sure she was behind the whole payroll thing too.”
Maddie had guessed that a long time ago.
He breathed a hard sigh. “When I fired her, she begged me not to. Seems she’d racked up a lot of debt I didn’t know about and was barely paying minimum payments. Livy liked to live nicely. I just … I guess I just never realized how much she was spending. The payroll thing, I think she was just jealous. It’s the only thing I can figure.”
Despite her best intensions, he’d roped in her curiosity. “Jealous of who? You?”
“No, of you, Maddie.”
Maddie shook her head. The idea of “Miss Supermodel” being jealous of Maddie Buckner was hilarious and not possible. “I’m nothing compared to her.”
He took her chin and tilted it toward him. “You’re right.”
She pulled away and looked out at the crowds below. “Thanks a lot.”
“You’re so much more, Maddie.” His voice was low and husky.
She snorted. “Yeah, when cows fly.”
“You’re smart, funny, and you tell things like they are, even when a certain boss is being a complete idiot.”
“At least you got one thing right.”
“I’m serious. I love your honesty. You don’t sugar coat things and you aren’t fake. I know exactly what I’m getting when I’m with you.”
Sandwich, With a Side of Romance Page 24