Chapter Thirty
As I’m on my way over to hang out with Claire at her house—Easton has a meeting with his agent and won’t be home till later—dark clouds start rolling in, blotting out the sun.
There’s definitely a storm coming, but if the weather people are right, it won’t arrive in full force for a few more hours.
I’ll be home by then, sitting alone at my place, thinking about Lennox.
I hate that I miss him this much.
It’s been a couple of weeks since we broke up, but it feels like it’s been months. I never imagined I could miss someone so much.
But I do.
I miss his kisses.
I miss his hugs.
I miss loving him, and him loving me.
Okay, I’ll say it—I miss his cock.
But there’s more than just that…
I miss going out on dates with him to restaurants and shows and even hitting up that old retro drive-in.
I also miss just hanging out with him at home, watching TV or talking for hours.
I miss sharing our meals and sharing our lives.
I miss going through my ups and downs with him, as I swear I can tell that man anything.
I miss how he makes everything better when I’m having a bad day.
Damn it!
I just fucking miss him!
“Ugh,” I breathe out as I pull up to Claire’s house and park in front.
Before I can grab my purse and phone and hop out, my cell dings.
Picking the phone up from the passenger seat, I see it’s a text from Lennox.
Holy crap!
My heart starts beating faster.
To be honest, I’m not even mad that he’s contacting me.
But I should be, right?
After all, I asked him for some time.
But, truthfully, is that what I really want?
“I don’t think so,” I mutter.
I’ve had two weeks to myself, and I hate it.
I’ve actually been secretly hoping Lennox would text or call or do something.
See how confused I am?
I just don’t know what to do anymore. That’s why I need to talk to Claire.
I decide not to look at the text until I do exactly that, as I want to read it with a clear head and maybe with some decisions made.
So, tossing my cell into my purse, I jump out of my car and head up to her house.
Claire greets me at the door, and once I’m inside, she gives me a big hug.
“How are you holding up?” she asks, patting my back.
“Not good,” I reply honestly.
“Come on.” She takes a step back. “Let’s go talk in the kitchen. I’ll make us some coffee.”
“Sounds good to me,” I say on a sigh.
After we take our seats at the table in the kitchen, hot coffees in front of us, I say to Claire, “Well, I guess you were right all along. I should’ve stayed away from Lennox. Because he definitely hurt me, just as you predicted.”
I’m ready and waiting to hear her lecture me.
It’s okay; I deserve it.
But to my surprise, she says, “Now hold on a minute here. Let’s not just write him off completely.”
My brows shoot up as I warm my hands by gripping my coffee cup.
I scoff, “You can’t tell me you’re Team Lennox now.” I pause, then ask incredulously, “Are you?”
She hems and haws. “Well, to be honest, um, I don’t know. Er…” Wincing, like she’s fearing my reaction, she finally adds softly, “Maybe I am Team Lennox after all.”
I slap the table. “Oh my God, Claire! I thought you hated the guy?”
Looking contemplative and not fazed at all by my outburst, she takes a sip of coffee.
Finally, setting her cup down, she says, “Okay, first, I never hated Lennox. If you take away his record with women, he’s actually a good dude. I mean, he’s been a great friend to Easton. And Shane too. I just never thought he’d be the right pick for you.”
I chuff and mutter under my breath, “Well, that sure turned out to be true.”
“No.” Claire shakes her head. “I don’t think that anymore. After seeing you two together, I now believe he may just be the perfect fit for you.”
I snort, but Claire ignores me and goes on. “There’s magic there with you two, Madison. I wouldn’t be so quick to throw that away. A love like that is hard to find.”
Okay, she’s kind of right about that.
After a beat, I quietly admit, “The way I feel about Lennox is something I’ve never experienced before. I guess I’ve never been in love, like for real. But still, what he did hurts, Claire.”
“I know, sweetie.” She reaches across the table and pats my hand gently. “Sometimes love does hurt. There are bound to be troubles and misunderstandings in any relationship. But that doesn’t mean you throw everything away.”
Shaking my head, I say with a chuckle, “I still can’t believe you’re defending Lennox.”
She laughs. “I know. I kind of can’t believe it either.”
We smile at each other before taking sips of our coffees. Her words have been wise, and she makes a lot of sense. I’m feeling a little better about things, like maybe I overreacted.
Setting her cup down and trailing her finger along the rim, without looking at me, Claire says, “I think you should give him another chance. He knows what he did was wrong. He knows he needs to be honest with you, even about uncomfortable things.”
“Yeah,” I snort. “Things like having an interview…alone…with a chick who’s dying to sleep with him.”
Claire looks up and over at me, her finger stilling on the rim of her cup. “But he didn’t sleep with her, Madison,” she says. “And when she touched him, he moved her hand away. You just happened to walk in at the moment where it looked worse than it really was.”
I nod. “That’s true.” We’re quiet for a beat, and then I say softly, “He texted me today. It’s the first I’ve heard from him since I told him I needed time.”
Now it’s Claire’s turn to smack her hand on the table.
But she doesn’t look like she thinks this is bad, even though I told her I asked him not to contact me. She actually appears to be more delighted than anything else.
Clearly, she is, as she gushes, “Oh my God, no way. What did he say?”
“I don’t know,” I reply.
“What do you mean, you don’t know? Didn’t you read his text?”
I shake my head. “No.”
With her brow creasing, she says, “What is wrong with you, girl? Read the damn text.”
My purse is by my chair, so I slowly reach down and pull out my phone. Carefully, I set it on the table.
“Hello!” Claire exclaims. “What are you doing over there? Read the freaking text already, okay?”
But I don’t.
Not yet.
Biting my lip, I say, “I don’t know if I want to. What if it’s bad? What if it’s a text telling me to just give it up and never contact him again? What if he is done with me?”
“Oh, stop it,” she pshaws. And then she adds, “I swear, if I knew your passcode, I’d grab that phone from you and read the damn thing myself.”
I guffaw. “Good thing I have Face ID turned on.”
“Yeah, lucky for you,” she mutters under her breath.
Claire is something else. You can’t put anything past her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she snatches up my phone after all, turns it to my face, unlocks it, and reads the text.
Shit, she has that look.
I better do it first.
Lifting the phone, I quickly use my Face ID and unlock it. “Okay,” I say, blowing out a breath. “Here goes nothing.”
“Or everything,” Claire chimes in.
Sighing, I open the text and read it to myself.
It says:
I love you. I miss you. I’m here when you’re ready.
Tears well in my eyes, and in that moment, I know in my heart that I am going to forgive Lennox.
“What does it say?” Claire asks.
I turn the phone around, and she leans forward and squints.
After she’s done reading the text, she sits back and says, “I only have one thing to say, Madison.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“Go get your man, girl.”
I don’t even need any prompting, ’cause that’s exactly what I’m going to do.