by J. L. Leslie
“Oh, goodness!” my mother exclaims.
“We can’t have the two of you sleeping in the same room. Your friend can sleep in the guest room,” my father states.
I open my mouth to protest, but Carmella comes in and leads Jade upstairs, who doesn’t even glance back at me. I look to Keegan and Landon and both are shaking their heads. Amelia looks at me with a frown.
I never should’ve come back.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jade
I lean against the door after Carmella closes it. This was not the plan. We have hotel reservations and that reservation included expensive sheets. I’m quite certain being stripped down and fucked hard would get me out of this funky mood I’m in.
Instead, I’m here and Madden is somewhere else in this massive house. The disdain his parents have for me is still crawling over my skin, reminding me of who I am. I’m a waitress with less than a grand in my savings account. He’s an heir with millions.
I glance down at the doorknob and twist the lock. My body might want sex, but my heart needs space.
I soak in a bubble bath until my fingertips are wrinkly and then crawl into the massive king-size bed. When I hear the light knock on my door, I ignore it. I lie there, wide awake, and hold my breath until I see his shadow underneath the door disappear. Then, I cry myself to sleep.
When I get up in the morning, I know I’ve only slept a couple of hours. My eyes are puffy, and my hair is a mess. I do my best to look presentable as I head downstairs, knowing I’m not quite ready to face this family again.
I find Landon already in the kitchen eating breakfast. Carmella makes me a plate and puts it at the table beside Landon.
“Early riser?” he asks.
“Actually, no. Just don’t sleep well when I’m away from home.”
“Where is home exactly?”
My cheeks turn red and I shove a piece of bacon into my mouth to avoid answering him. “Small town, not too far from here.”
He chuckles. “Madden taught you well.”
“Don’t tease the girl,” Carmella scolds. “Besides, when was the last time you brought a girl home?”
“And subject her to this craziness? I don’t think so.”
“You’re the oldest, right?” I ask. “Not married?”
He flashes me a smile. “Are you offering?”
Madden walks in and kisses the top of my head. “Back off.” His tone is teasing, but a warning nonetheless. “Jade, my parents will have to set up an arranged marriage to get this one off the market.”
“Don’t give them any ideas,” Landon says. “You and Keegan are welcome to be the domesticated ones. I prefer the bachelor lifestyle.”
“Eh, it’s overrated.”
His hand is on my shoulder when he says this. I instantly regret not letting him into my room last night. This was his trip, and I was supposed to be there for him. Instead, I let his parents get to me and I shut him out. It couldn’t have been easy for him to come back here and face them.
I reach up and brush my fingertips over his hand and he leans down and kisses my cheek.
“We can get the hell out of here whenever you’re ready.”
I turn into him, nuzzling my face to his. “I am ready whenever you are.”
He steals a piece of bacon from my plate and tells me to finish eating while he says his goodbyes. I don’t waste any time scarfing the food down, even when Landon knowingly laughs his ass off at me.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Madden
“So, when do I get to see the dress?” I ask.
Jade looks over at me and smiles, shaking her head. “The day of the wedding. You heard Amelia.”
“And you’re going to stick to that?” I tease.
“Yep,” she laughs. “You know, I can see why you love her,” she says, suddenly going quiet. I look over at her and her gaze is focused forward. “I mean, why you fell for her.”
“Seeing her with Keegan wasn’t as devastating as I thought it was going to be,” I admit.
And it wasn’t. I know that’s because Jade was with me. She made it easier. I open my mouth to tell her that, but for some reason, I don’t. I’m not sure how to. Something changed between us last night. She shut me out and I can’t bring myself to ask her why. It’s easier to act like it didn’t happen. To pretend maybe she was asleep.
We pull up at Jack’s and I grab her hand before she gets out. “Thanks for coming with me.”
“No problem.”
“Are you sure? Because I know my parents were a pain, and that’s putting it nicely. I’m sorry for the way they treated you.”
She smiles over at me. “It’s all right. They didn’t expect you to bring me and they’re ready for you to come home.”
“It’s no excuse, Jade.”
“It’s really no big deal. After the wedding, I won’t even have to see them again.”
She gets out before I can say anything else. I know something is wrong, more than my parents’ behavior. She’s been distant since she went dress shopping.
We walk in the bar and Casey is already filling ketchup bottles and putting them on the tables in preparation for the night. Her mood seems just as sour as Caleb’s was all week, so I assume they’ve yet to make up.
Jade heads behind the bar and starts checking the shelves. She begins making a list of what she needs from the stock room.
“You want some help?” I offer and she plasters on a smile, handing me the list.
“You can bring me that from the stock room if you don’t mind,” she says.
I head to the back and I’m able to get the tequila and scotch she needs in one trip. I make a second trip for the rest. I’m putting the box on the bar when Casey walks up.
“How was your night off?” she asks Jade, a slight hint of jealousy evident in her tone.
“It was good,” Jade answers. “Was it crazy here?”
“Not too bad. Caleb and Brady decided to have an impromptu pool tournament with a construction crew that was in town from Redbud,” Casey explains. “I really think Caleb only comes in here to piss me off. I should’ve nut punched him.”
I laugh at her statement and she glares at me. Okay, obviously laughing was not the appropriate thing to do, so I decide to offer some advice.
“Maybe he’s really sorry for whatever he did. Just saying.”
“Has he served his purpose yet?” Casey asks, turning her attention to Jade and gesturing toward me.
“Casey...” Jade starts.
“I mean, I know he’s hot as hell, but I thought you were only screwing him to make Brady jealous. Mission accomplished, right?”
It pisses me off that she’s talking about me like I’m not even here. “If this is how you treat your best friend, I’m sure Caleb had good reason to do whatever he did to you,” I comment and walk away before either of them can say a word.
When I reach my apartment, I half expect to hear Jade knocking on my door, but I don’t. I know Casey’s right. Hell, it was my idea to make Brady jealous in the first place, but I thought we were past that at this point.
Has Jade been going back to Casey and telling her everything that’s been happening between us? Has it all been in the hopes that her and Brady will get back together?
As angry as I am, I tell myself that’s bullshit. Fuck, it shouldn’t matter even if it isn’t bullshit. If she wants to go back to Brady, then that’s her decision. Eventually, I’ll have to go back to Dallas and Jade will be here in Hollis. It’s not fair of me to pretend otherwise.
I can’t lose sight of what our arrangement is and was from the very beginning.
Temporary. That hasn’t changed.
Has it?
Chapter Thirty-Five
Jade
I don’t want to be angry with Casey. She is my best friend, the first friend I made when I moved here, but she had no right to lash out at Madden. I wait until Madden is out of sight before I confront her.
“Do you want t
o tell me what that was all about?”
She arches an eyebrow at me. “Too harsh?” I give her a look and she concedes. “Fine, that was above and beyond my normal bitchy self. Neither you nor Madden deserved it.”
I prop my elbows on the bar. “What’s going on with you lately? You and Caleb are still fighting, which is unusual. And you know I’m not trying to get Brady back anymore.”
“I do know that,” she admits. “I guess seeing the two of you together, so happy and shit, got me a little jealous. Why can’t me and Caleb have that? Why does it always have to be so damn difficult?”
“What you and Caleb have is long-term, Casey. Me and Madden are a temporary thing.”
“Yeah? I don’t think he’s gotten that memo. Besides, Caleb and me are finished. I’m done with second, third, and fourth chances. Hell, we’re probably on our tenth chance by now. I can’t keep doing this with him. Forgiving and pretending to forget. If he wants Tori, he can have her.”
“I know you told me he cheated with her, but do you really believe that?” I ask. “I don’t see Caleb as the cheating kind.”
“He admitted it, Jade, and then used the famous Friends line that he thought we were on a break.”
I cringe. “Were you?”
The murderous look she gives me tells me that it doesn’t matter if they were or not. Him hooking up with Tori, her arch nemesis, in any shape, form, or fashion is unforgivable.
“You’re right. He knows how you feel about her. I’m sorry I even considered that as an option and I wish I could make things right for you.”
“I’ll be fine. I think I just need a change of scenery. You know, get out of Hollis for a while. I’m going to check out some college classes in Redbud and figure out what I have to do to enroll. You should think about doing it with me.”
I have always wanted to go to school, get my degree. Be something more than a waitress. I wasn’t lying to Mr. Steele when I said I’d been saving my money. I have been for a long time. It still isn’t enough, though.
“I will definitely consider it.”
Casey stands up and gives me an apologetic smile. “Thanks for being a good friend when I was a shitty one. Now, I will finish up down here while you go upstairs to your guy.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll help you first.”
“Jade, go,” she urges. “And apologize to him for me, will you? I suck at those.”
I assure her I will as I take off my apron and head up the stairs. I knock lightly on the door and hear Madden tell me to come in. I open the door and my breath catches when I spot him strutting across the room in only a pair of boxer briefs.
“You’re staring,” he murmurs.
“Well, you’re in your underwear.”
He grins. “You’ve seen me without them before.”
“I think I’ll miss that sight the most when you go back to Dallas.”
It’s meant as a joke, but my tone comes out serious, melancholy. He quickly catches on and walks over to me, pulling me into his embrace.
“You know I’m not leaving anytime soon, right?” he assures me. “I’m more concerned with you ditching me for Brady. Tell me I’ve got it all wrong. Tell me you’re not still using me to make him jealous.”
His lips brush over mine and I’m lost for a moment, convinced that he’ll stay in Hollis forever and we’ll get our happily ever after. Just like the fairytales I read so long ago.
Wanting that fantasy to be true, I tell him the truth. “I don’t even think of him anymore, Madden. I only think of you.”
What have I gotten myself into? It was supposed to be about making my ex jealous. Using Madden to get at Brady, win him back.
Not sure when I fell in love.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Madden
I stack another pancake onto the plate and drizzle a generous amount of syrup on top. It’s been a long week, the two of us barely getting a few hours together each night, so I want to get Jade away from Hollis today.
I grab the tray and head into her bedroom. She’s still sleeping soundlessly. One bare leg is kicked out from under the covers. Her blonde waves cascade down her exposed back. The bed dips under me as I sit down and nudge her side.
“Jade, wake up.”
She stirs and grumbles, “Five more minutes.”
It takes less than that time for the smell of the food to reach her nose. She starts shifting and rolls over with a smile on her face, clutching the blanket to her chest as she sits up.
“You made me breakfast in bed?” she asks as she grabs a piece of bacon.
“Well, it’s Saturday. I try to be nice on Saturdays,” I joke. Jade leans in for a kiss and I happily oblige.
“You’re always nice.”
“According to my father’s last message, I’m a selfish prick who needs to grow the fuck up and bring his money back,” I say. “He’s reason enough to skip the wedding.”
“You can’t back out. You promised Keegan.”
I promised Keegan. He actually made me say those words out loud when I spoke to him Wednesday. I’m sure he thinks I’ll back out and not show up, but I won’t do that. Even if the days seem to be getting shorter as the wedding gets closer. Jade takes my mind off of that, though. We’ve been pulling longer hours at work, but as soon as I get in, I find her. If she’s working, I either hang out in my room or downstairs with the crew until she gets off. We stay at my place or hers, doesn’t matter to us. Neither of us mention Brady or Amelia, both of them long forgotten now.
“Finish eating. We’re going to Redbud.”
“What? Why?” Jade asks, her mouth full of pancake.
“To buy Keegan and Amelia a wedding present,” I explain. “You have syrup here...”
I close my mouth over hers and then grin as I lick the syrup off her chin. Jade giggles as I make my way down her neck. “And here...and here.”
I take the tray and sit it on her nightstand. I scoop her body under mine and trail lazy kisses over her bare tits, making them sticky. She definitely doesn’t seem to mind.
“I thought we were going to Redbud,” she says with a sigh.
“We have time for a detour.”
Once we’ve made love, we take a quick shower together, cleaning off the remnants of the syrup, and head out of Hollis. I enjoy the sound of her singing the entire ride. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing the sound of her voice. I even find myself singing along a little, but I stop when she catches me.
“Do you know what you want to get them?” she asks as we walk into J.C. Penney.
“Not a clue. My mother normally handled the shopping part for the family. Buying for Landon and Keegan was simple. This is different.”
“Well, I’m sure they’re not registered at J.C. Penney, so we’ll have to wing it,” Jade says. “What does Amelia like?”
I shrug. “Yellow is her favorite color. She likes the smell of vanilla and honeysuckle. Pizza is her favorite food.”
I realize I’m rambling on about Amelia’s favorite things — the woman I thought I was in love with — and Jade might not want to hear that I know all of those things. It would probably bother me if we were off buying Brady a gift and she knew exactly what he liked. Fuck, this probably wasn’t the best idea.
“I can just order them something online or grab something in Dallas when we go for the wedding,” I offer.
“Why? We’re already here.”
She acts as if she’s not bothered, so I don’t dwell on it. We walk around the store together and Jade points out a set of dishes she thinks Amelia might like. The pattern is yellow.
“That works.”
“Do you want to get them some vanilla and honeysuckle scented candles? She’ll probably like that.”
“I’m sure she will,” I agree, honestly not caring about the gift as much as I wanted to have a day alone with Jade. I let her lead the way and also let her pick out the candles. “What else?”
“Madden, this is your brother a
nd future sister-in-law. You should be picking out the gifts.”
“Well, then this is good. I don’t have to get them anything else.”
“I need to go to the restroom. I’ll be right back,” she says and I watch her walk away.
I stand there with the cart for a moment and then look around, realizing I’m near the jewelry section. I walk over to the counter and a necklace catches my attention. The single sapphire diamond drop is the exact shade of Jade’s eyes.
I look up at the cashier and smile. “I’ll take that one.”
There’s no sign of Jade as I quickly pay for the necklace and stuff the box in my pocket. I’m sure my father will see the charge on my credit card, but at this point, I don’t give a shit. If he wants to believe I’m in Redbud, he can. It doesn’t mean I’m coming home any time soon.
I push the cart back to where I was standing and a few seconds later, Jade’s back. She falls into step beside me as we head toward the registers at the front of the store. I stop walking and she gives me a funny look.
“Come here.” I take her hand and pull her closer. “I’m pretty sure your favorite color is blue. You like the smell of apples. You love wings and tacos and bacon cheeseburgers...” I kiss her and lick my lips, “and pancakes.”
She laughs and her lips brush against mine. “Point taken. Thank you.”
I keep my arm tucked around Jade’s waist as we walk through the store. Her necklace is hidden safely in my pocket. I know her well enough to know she’ll be surprised when I give it to her at the wedding.
She’ll tell me I shouldn’t have and that she can’t accept it, and I’ll tell her she absolutely can as I slip it around her neck. Then, I’ll make love to her, because no matter how hard I try to convince myself I’ll be able to walk away soon, I can’t get enough of Jade.
I’ll have her for as long as I can.
Because damn it, I don’t want this to end yet.
Chapter Thirty-Seven