Maddie wrinkled her nose. “How did you get in?”
“Everyone knows you keep the key in that ceramic turtle on the front porch,” Christy said, looking Maddie up and down. “You can’t wear that.”
Maddie self-consciously crossed her arms over her chest to hide her bra. “I know.”
“That’s what you show him at the end of the date,” Christy said. She tossed her makeup kit on Maddie’s bed and started rummaging through the clothes she’d brought. “I went through all the clothes I’ve bought over the years thinking that one day I would be thin enough to wear them. Something in here will work.”
“Good,” Maude said, crumpling the dress she was holding into a ball and dumping it in the garbage can by the vanity. “We have to take this girl shopping.”
“My clothes are fine,” Maddie protested. “They’re comfortable.”
“Honey, with legs like yours, you shouldn’t be worried about being comfortable,” Christy said. “You need to show them off.” She grabbed a black dress out of the pile. “Put this on.”
Maddie snorted. “That dress will never fit me.”
“Put it on,” Christy ordered.
Maddie scowled, but did as she was told. The dress was light and airy. It boasted a flirty skirt that fell just above her knee, and it had spaghetti straps that held up a drooping neckline that displayed way too much cleavage. “Absolutely not.”
“Do you have a strapless bra?” Christy asked, ignoring Maddie’s protests. “You have an outstanding body, but your boobs are a lot smaller than mine. I don’t have anything you can use.”
Maude was already rummaging through Maddie’s drawers. “Here.”
Christy caught the small scrap of material Maude flung across the room. “Put this on.”
“I can’t wear this,” Maddie said. “I look like a … streetwalker.”
“You look like a vision,” Christy countered. “Put that on. I’ll plug the curling iron in and we’ll get going on your makeup.”
“I don’t really wear makeup.”
“And that’s why you don’t need a lot of it,” Christy said. “Trust me. Now, put that bra on. I don’t want to hear another word out of you.”
CHRISTY watched Maddie fidget. She’d always thought the stunning blonde was just being modest when it came to her looks. Sure, she’d been gawky in middle school, but everyone was. Once Maddie blossomed in high school, she’d turned into the prettiest girl in town – and never once acknowledged it.
After spending limited time with Maddie as an adult, Christy had come to the conclusion that Maddie was not being modest. She was just oblivious. Maddie honestly had no idea how beautiful she was. She had no idea how she affected men. It was kind of … cute.
The black dress hit all of Maddie’s curves in just the right way. Maddie was lithe, and she obviously worked out a great deal. She still had the kind of body that sent men on a path of sin without a backwards glance.
After ten minutes of makeup lessons, and twenty minutes with the curling iron, Christy had finished by piling Maddie’s hair on top of her head and securing it with an antique barrette from Maude’s dresser. The loose curls Christy had layered throughout Maddie’s hair were spilling out from a high pile on the back of her head. She looked … breathtaking.
“You’re going to knock him on his ass,” Maude said. She leaned over and ran her fingers over Maddie’s bare legs, nodding when she was done. “Good. You shaved your legs.”
“What does that matter?”
“You can’t sleep with a man if you don’t shave your legs.”
“I’m not going to sleep with him,” Maddie said, scandalized. “I don’t even know him.”
“Of course you’re not going to sleep with him,” Maude said. “He might get handsy, though, and you need to be ready.”
“Granny, please, don’t make me do this,” Maddie said, her blue eyes wide and pleading. “I don’t even like him.”
“Then why did you agree to go?” Christy asked.
“I didn’t really agree to go,” Maddie admitted. “He just kind of … made me.”
“Well, that’s the only way to get you to do anything,” Maude said. “You’re too skittish to ever do anything on your own.”
“I am not skittish.”
“Girl, you’re as skittish as a stray colt with wolves on its tail,” Maude replied. She patted Maddie’s arm. “You’re going to be fine. If he gets fresh, just sock him in the mouth.”
Maddie looked unsure, but all further protests died on her lips when the sound of a car horn caught everyone’s attention.
“Your date is here,” Maude said, grabbing Maddie’s hand and dragging her down the stairs.
It took some effort, but Christy and Maude managed to push Maddie through the door – and then proceeded to watch her until they were sure she was safely in the passenger seat of Todd’s Dodge Charger. Once the car disappeared from the driveway, Christy turned to Maude with a dubious look.
“You know Todd Winthrop is all hands and a snakelike tongue, right?”
“I’ve heard,” Maude said, wrinkling her nose.
“Why did you push Maddie to go out with him? He’s not her type.”
“He’s a jackass,” Maude said. “Maddie still needs some socialization. Plus, a couple of dates with a lowlife like Todd will make her realize that Nick is worth fighting for.”
“Oh, are you really worried those two won’t find their way to each other?” Christy asked. “I had lunch with them yesterday, and let me tell you something, they’re one hot-and-steamy run-in away from stripping naked and mounting each other in the middle of town.”
“Hey, fresh mouth,” Maude said, slapping Christy’s hand. “I don’t want them to just have sex. I want them to be … happy.”
“Trust me, Maude, they’re not going to be able to stay away from each other,” Christy said. “The only obstacle in their way is Cassidy. I feel a little bad for her.”
“Why do you say that?”
“She was watching them yesterday,” Christy said. “They didn’t see her. In fact, Nick wasn’t even aware she was on the same planet because he was too busy trying to take care of Maddie after she discovered that body.”
Maude was intrigued. “Did she say something?”
“No,” Christy said. “You could just tell by the look on her face. She knows she’s already lost him.”
“Then she should let him go,” Maude said.
“She’s not going to do that,” Christy said. “She’s still trying to convince herself that she has a shot.”
“Well, it’s just going to hurt more over the long haul,” Maude said. “I’ve always known that Nick and Maddie were destined to be together. Now we just have to wait for the two of them to pull their heads out of their own behinds and give into their feelings.”
“Oh, they’ll get there,” Christy said, smiling. “Once word gets out that Todd and Maddie went on a date, Nick is going to go nuclear.”
“Well, that will be fun to watch,” Maude said. “Do you want some lemonade?”
“Sure,” Christy said. “I want to hang out here long enough to make sure Maddie doesn’t just circle around and sneak back into the house.”
“That is an unfortunate possibility,” Maude agreed. “We really need to work on that girl’s self-esteem.”
“Don’t worry,” Christy said. “I think once Nick falls into place, other things are going to fall into place, too. She’s still finding herself.”
“I like how optimistic you are.”
“I’m just a sucker for a happy ending,” Christy said.
Nine
Maddie was so nervous she thought she was going to climb out of her own skin. The ride to the restaurant had been long – and uncomfortable. Todd had insisted on taking her down the coast to a cozy little seafood restaurant she’d never heard of before.
Maddie would’ve been more comfortable with a burger and some fries.
Thankfully for her, Todd managed t
o handle almost all of the conversation over the duration of their drive. Maddie occasionally nodded, or interjected a single word, but Todd was more than happy talking about himself for a half hour straight.
Maddie was already bored.
When they got to the restaurant, Todd insisted on racing around to open her door. “Did I tell you how amazing you look tonight?”
Maddie was still self-conscious about the dress. “I feel naked.”
“That’s why you look amazing.” Todd snaked an arm around Maddie’s waist and guided her through the front door. After charming the hostess, and slipping her a fifty because he hadn’t made a reservation, the duo found themselves at a table by the window with drinks in their hands.
“This is a great place,” Maddie said, licking her lips. “It must be new.”
“It used to be an old boathouse,” Todd said. “They renovated it about five years ago. The food is amazing. I highly recommend the lobster.”
Maddie smiled. “Do you bring all of your dates here?”
“Are you asking if I date around a lot?”
“Maybe.”
“I’m not a monk, if that’s what you’re asking,” Todd said. “I don’t think I date more than anyone else my age, though. I probably don’t even date as much as you.”
Maddie knew that wasn’t true. “I don’t really date.”
“Oh, you’re teasing me,” Todd said, smiling. “No one who looks like you can go through life without dating.”
Maddie sipped from her soda. “You’d be surprised.”
“Is that why you’re so nervous?” Todd asked, leaning back in his chair and scorching Maddie with a predatory look.
“I’m not nervous.” She was beyond nervous.
“You might relax a little if you had something a little more … adult … to drink,” Todd suggested. “How about a glass of wine?”
“Wine goes right to my head.”
“Is that a bad thing?” Todd pressed. “I’m the one driving.”
“I’m fine with my Diet Coke.”
“Well, maybe with dinner,” Todd said, glancing around the restaurant for a moment before returning his attention to Maddie. “So, tell me about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Why did you leave nursing?”
Ah, there it was. “I just realized it wasn’t for me.”
“Shouldn’t you have realized that when you were in college?”
“Probably,” Maddie said. “I thought it was what I really wanted to do, but it turns out I couldn’t take all of the … .”
“Blood and guts?”
Maddie snorted. “That didn’t really bother me,” she said. “It was more that I couldn’t take the sadness. It was great when we saved someone and they had a happy outcome. When someone died, though, that’s what I couldn’t take.”
“You always were sensitive,” Todd said. “I remember you adopting stray animals every chance you got.”
“I’ve always liked animals.”
“And your mom just let you bring them home?”
“She liked animals, too.”
“Did you come home because your mom died?” Todd asked.
“Partially,” Maddie said. “Someone needs to take care of Granny.”
“Yeah, she’s a real spitfire,” Todd said, chuckling. “I especially like how she’s always going after Harriet Proctor. Those two are like oil and vinegar.”
“They’ve hated each other since they were kids,” Maddie said. “That’s what Granny says, anyway. She claims Harriet tried to steal my grandfather from her.”
“That’s a frightening picture,” Todd said. “You said you partially came home because of your mother’s death. Why else?”
“I just wanted to come home,” Maddie said. “I don’t think city life was for me. Someone needs to run the shop. I’ve always loved that shop, so it seemed like a natural fit.”
“Well, the city’s loss is my incredible gain,” Todd said, reaching across the table and wrapping his hand around Maddie’s wrist. “Let’s decide what we want to order. Did I mention how good the lobster is?”
NICK was in a horrible mood. He’d had every intention of leaving work, crawling into bed, and forgetting all about his day. That wasn’t in the cards.
He’d found Cassidy sitting on his front porch, a bright smile and a nice dress illuminating her pretty features, when he got home. He’d never given her a key – he didn’t like people in his personal space – so she’d been forced to sit on his porch for more than an hour.
When she’d suggested a nice dinner out, Nick balked. Not only did he not want to go out to dinner, he also didn’t want to spend any time with Cassidy. He had no idea why, but her very existence was starting to grate on him.
She was always so nice and friendly. She was never in a bad mood. She never tried to force him into things he didn’t want to do. There was absolutely nothing wrong with her. “Except she’s not Maddie,” a voice whispered in the back of his mind.
It wasn’t the first time he’d heard the voice. It had reared its ugly head every time he dated a woman over the past decade. He’d learned to ignore it. It was easy when Maddie wasn’t there. Now that she was back, it was darned near impossible. Nick knew he was at a crossroads. He just had to pick a direction, and the one he was leaning toward was going to devastate Cassidy.
So, he’d agreed to dinner. She wanted a nice night out. She wanted seafood and a view. He could give her that. For now.
“We haven’t been here since our first date,” Cassidy enthused, her eyes shining as the hostess led them across the dining room. “I’m so excited.”
“I’m glad,” Nick said.
“Aren’t you excited?”
“Sure.”
“Will this table work?”
Nick smiled at the hostess. “It’s fine.”
“Oh, do you have something by a window?” Cassidy asked hopefully.
“I’m sorry,” the hostess said. “They got the last one.”
Nick lifted his head to stare at the couple the hostess was referring to and pulled up short. The sight of Maddie sitting there – he didn’t even recognize her at first – was enough to throw him. Her date’s identity as he held her hand across the table felt like a semi-truck rolling over him when realization dawned.
“Todd.”
MADDIE felt like she was caught in a trap. It was bad enough she was stuck on an uncomfortable date in an outfit that left little to the imagination, but Nick’s arrival was creating enough pressure on her chest to virtually smother her.
“Oh, hi,” Cassidy said, her voice bright.
“Hi,” Maddie replied dully.
“Winters.” Todd’s tone was terse.
“Winthrop.” Nick’s tone was deadly.
“Oh, do you two know each other?” Cassidy asked, oblivious.
“We all went to high school together,” Maddie explained.
“Oh, that’s great,” Cassidy said. “We can all sit together and catch up. Our lunch the other day got cut short. We really wanted to sit at a window anyway.” She turned to the hostess. “Can we just sit with them?”
The hostess shrugged. “Knock yourself out.”
“I don’t think … .” Nick broke off, unsure.
“Yeah, we’re on our first date,” Todd said. “That’s not really a group activity. I’m not going to be able to flirt with her if I have an audience.”
Nick narrowed his eyes as he regarded Maddie. “You know what? It sounds like fun.” He took the open seat between Maddie and Todd and plopped down in it. He reached over and snagged one of the menus from the hostess. “Have you ordered yet?”
“We were just about to,” Maddie said.
“Winters, do I infringe on your dates?” Todd asked.
“Sit down, Cassidy,” Nick ordered. “I left the seat right by the window open for you.”
Maddie glanced at Cassidy and found the girl’s face hard to fathom. It was a blank slate, but t
here was something there lurking in the depths of her eyes. After a moment, Cassidy plastered an obviously fake smile on her face and settled in the chair Nick had indicated.
“I really love this place,” she said. “Oh, I’m Cassidy, by the way.” She extended her hand in Todd’s direction.
“Todd Winthrop.”
“And you all went to high school together?”
“Yup,” Nick said.
“Did you all hang out?” Either Cassidy was oblivious, or she was purposely leading the conversation into the middle of a minefield. Maddie wasn’t sure which one was true. Since her heart was beating so rapidly, she was having trouble hearing anything else that was going on, though.
“No, we didn’t exactly run in the same circles,” Todd said.
“Oh, what circle did you run in?”
“I was with the popular group,” Todd said. “These two were … their own little group.”
Cassidy swallowed hard. “Yes, I’ve heard they were … tight.”
Todd barked out a laugh. “Tight? They were inseparable. You never saw one without the other. I think Winters here would’ve followed Maddie into the bathroom if he could have. He was a little protective of her.”
“You were protective of her?” Cassidy asked, shifting her attention to Nick. “Did she need protection?”
“I wasn’t protective of her,” Nick said. “Todd just didn’t understand that no means no.”
Cassidy faltered. “I don’t understand.”
“Oh, well, it’s just that Todd was always sniffing around Maddie and asking her out – even though he knew she wasn’t interested,” Nick said. “She had good taste … at least she did when we were younger.”
“I’ll bet you had to beat the boys off with a stick when you were in high school,” Cassidy said, her eyes practically begging Maddie to intervene.
“Not really,” Maddie said.
“Yeah, I couldn’t find a stick big enough to beat Todd off with,” Nick said. Maddie pursed her lips to keep from laughing at the awkward statement. Nick shot her a look. “You know what I mean.”
“So, you had a crush on Maddie in high school?” Cassidy asked, gripping her glass nervously.
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