Chapter 51
Madi
“Thanks, Mom,” I said after she helped me wash up and braided my hair. I didn’t look great, but I was mostly clean and I smelled better.
I can’t wait to take a shower.
The door opened two seconds later.
“Hey, kiddo, Matt and Shane are here,” Dad said.
“You can let them in.”
“Come on, Mary, let’s give them some privacy.”
After introducing Shane and my mom, my parents left us alone. As soon as the door closed, Matt stood, grabbed his IV stand, and closed the distance between us.
His hug was a little too tight. His breath was a little too shaky.
When I winced, he apologized.
The tension I’d noticed in his shoulders when he entered was confirmed when I put my arms around him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
He stepped back. “Madi, this is Shane. Shane, Madi.”
Shane’s handshake was gentle but not insultingly so.
I like him already.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Madi.”
“Likewise, just wish the circumstances were better.”
“Same.”
Matt kept glancing at the door, his right hand flexing at his side, as Shane and I talked.
“Matt, what’s going on?”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s obviously something; you look like you expect someone to barge through the door any second.”
“You should tell her,” Shane said.
“Not now,” Matt answered.
“Not now?” I raised my voice. “Fuck that. Tell me. Don’t you dare hide shit from me because you think I’m too fucking fragile to handle it.”
Matt’s eyes widened. He ran his hand through his hair.
“Christ, Madi, give me a minute.”
Matt took a few deep breaths.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t hiding it from you. I was trying to calm myself down before telling you.”
I softened my tone, though I was still impatient. “Telling me what?”
“Paul came to see you.”
Every muscle in my body stiffened as I sat up straighter in my bed. My eyes darted to the door. “When?”
“It’s okay, you’re safe,” he said before answering my questions. “He came just before we got here.” Matt looked at Shane. “We heard what he had to say and had security escort him out.”
“You listened to him?” What the fuck could Paul say that they’d want to hear?
“He said he didn’t know what Pamela was doing.”
Pamela had told me the same thing.
“He wanted us to know she’s sick.”
“Sick?” Bat-shit fucking crazy came to mind, but that wasn’t a professional diagnosis.
“All he said was she’s mentally ill.” A whisper of sympathy walked beside my truckload of anger. “Your dad said Pamela confessed to setting other fires and killing another woman who’d hurt Paul. They’re verifying the details of her confession.”
My breath caught in my throat. Holy shit. If Paul were truly clueless, I could have sympathy for him, but it was hard to believe he had no idea his sister was a cold-blooded killer.
“They can’t hurt you anymore. She’ll spend the rest of her life in a psychiatric prison and your father put the fear of God in Paul.”
“With a little help,” Shane added, nodding towards Matt.
“You won’t get in trouble, will you?” I didn’t want Matt doing something stupid and going to jail.
“No.”
Good. “I don’t want to see him.”
“You won’t. Ever.”
“I don’t think I can forgive him,” I whispered, reaching for Matt’s good hand.
It wasn’t his intent, but Paul’s actions almost cost me my life. Almost cost Matt his too. I could have a sliver of sympathy for him without forgiving him.
“You don’t have to forgive him.” Matt hugged me again, this time feeling less tense.
“Can we talk about something else?”
“Of course.” He kissed my temple.
“Shane, why don’t you tell me about your ranch?”
“Happy to.”
Matt sat beside me, careful not to tangle our cluster of tubes and wires, and held my hand, while Shane sat in the hard plastic visitor’s chair beside my bed and regaled me with stories of Matt’s teen years.
“He said you taught him how to use a bow and arrow.”
“I did. He was a natural.”
“He promised to teach me.”
“There are worse teachers.” Shane joked. “Seriously though, Matt’s a great instructor. The kids love taking his class when he visits.”
“I’d love to see that,” I said, teasing Matt. “Does he growl at them when they don’t listen?”
Shane laughed.
Matt held eye contact while saying, “I don’t growl.”
He most certainly did.
“You growl all the time.”
“I only growl at my girlfriend when she doesn’t listen.”
The way Matt said ‘my girlfriend’ shot straight to my heart, and my core.
We’d said I love you in the heat of the moment when we first saw each other, but we hadn’t talked about our relationship.
Loving someone didn’t mean you could spend your life together. Did Matt want to get married? Have kids?
It was no secret that I wanted those things.
Forgetting that Shane was there, I asked, “Girlfriend?”
“Damn straight, unless you, my girlfriend, object?”
Hearing his raspy voice calling me his girlfriend again answered some of my questions without a long, tedious conversation.
My insides were gooey with emotions, and toasty with desire.
Shane cleared his throat, removing the temptation to kiss Matt senseless.
My boyfriend.
I’m still annoyed at myself for falling for him. I’d been adamant about not wanting a relationship, but I fell face first into a great big vat of feelings.
He’d made it easy with his considerate protectiveness, his attentiveness to the little things I liked, wanted, or needed, his determination to help—despite my arguing—when I needed him the most.
I’m his girlfriend. Which made him my boyfriend.
And damn, I liked the sound of that.
Given my dating history, I thought having a boyfriend would be more work than reward, but Matt was different. He took care of me, even if he was bossy about it.
“Answer me, Red.”
My eyes widened as they zeroed in on his grin. Damn him.
“You’re not the boss of me,” I teased.
Just because I liked it when he told me what to do, sometimes, didn’t mean I’d let him get away with it.
At least, not all the time.
Matt winked. “Not always.”
And damn if I didn’t melt just a little more seeing the corner of his lip inch up, turning his grin into a smile.
“Do I need to leave you two alone?”
Matt said yes, but my no was louder.
“Then behave yourselves.” It was Shane’s turn to give the orders.
Needing to change the subject, I asked, “Where are you staying while you’re in town?”
“John said he reserve a room for me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you can stay at our place,” Matt said, dropping the ‘our place’ into conversation like we’d been living together for years.
Shane noticed it too.
What is it with men and their knowing smirks?
“You sure I won’t be interfering?” Shane looked between Matt and me.
“I’m positive. We won’t even be there tonight.”
“Then I accept.”
“I’ll get you my keys. I’m sure one of the guys can give you a ride to...” Matt lost himself in thought. “To where ever my truck is.”
“You don’t know?” Madi asked.
“Nathan drove it to the warehouse.” He shrugged while pretending a haunted look hadn’t just passed over his eyes.
“No worries, John’ll help me figure it out.”
“They’re thick as thieves already,” Matt warned me.
I could think of worse things than his former guardian and mentor getting along with my father.
“You know you have a place to stay anytime you two come visit.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I’d love to see the ranch and meet the people Matt speaks so highly of.”
“Maybe he’ll add a plus one to the wedding RSVP he has yet to respond to,” Shane said, chastising Matt in the process.
“Who’s getting married?” I asked.
“My stepdaughter, Kayla, and her fiancée, Daisy, are getting married in the spring. They don’t want anything fancy, so we’re hosting it at the ranch.”
“I don’t see why I have to stay another night.” I complained after the doctor declined my request. It made sense for Matt to stay; they wanted to monitor him for at least twenty-four hours to make sure there were no complications with his skin graft, but I was fine.
Sore. Raspy. Tired.
None of those things required medical supervision.
“The doctor recommended a forty-eight hour stay,” my mom reminded me, because of course she and Dad were here when the doctor delivered the annoying news.
“What would you tell your patient?”
I crossed my arms to glare at my father for making me admit it was wise to follow the doctor’s orders.
Dad fought a smile as he said, “That’s what I thought. Now stop pouting.”
“I wasn’t pouting.” Maybe I was, but only a little.
“Shane, your mom, and I will take you and Matt home in the morning.”
“Did Shane get to Matt’s okay?”
“He got a ride with Jamie. Said he’d stock up with provisions so everything’s ready for you and Matt.”
Right. Matt and me. At his place. He called it our place. But other than agreeing I’d stay with him, we hadn’t talked about the logistics.
“I’ll need to stop by Jamie’s and grab a few things.”
“I’m sure we can arrange that.”
“And we’ll need to fill our prescriptions.”
“Madi, stop worrying. We’ll take care of everything, just focus on healing.” Mom said.
“Thank you.” I closed my eyes and fought off the yawn trying to escape. Matt said he’d come see me after dinner, so I wanted to stay awake.
We had a lot to talk about. Like, did he have a spare room. I’d be fine on his couch if he didn’t. Where will Shane sleep if I’m on the couch?
After eating the less than delicious meatloaf and soggy carrots, the pudding cup was a much needed flavorful treat.
I wouldn’t complain to the nurse, having suffered through more than my fair share of patients complaining about bland food during my shifts.
Matt was probably complaining or asking one of the guys to sneak him in a burger.
Why didn’t I think of that?
“Can we stop for breakfast on our way home?”
“Tell you what, I’ll cook a big breakfast for everyone once we get you settled in,” Mom offered. “How’s that sound?”
It sounded great. Mom’s breakfast was better than any restaurant’s.