Chapter 52
Matt
“So you don’t mind Mary cooking in your kitchen?” Shane asked as we climbed the stairs to my second-floor apartment.
“Hell no, I don’t mind Mary making me, us, a homemade breakfast. I hope she makes enough for leftovers.”
I made scrambled eggs and sausage most mornings, but it wasn’t anything fancy. The breakfast spread Mary described the night before, while we finalized this morning’s logistics, had my mouth watering.
Shane unlocked my door and ushered me in.
“You cleaned my apartment?” I wasn’t a slob, but I’d left socks on the floor in the living room and there were dishes in my sink when I raced out after getting Jamie’s 9-1-1 text.
He chuckled. “It’s not like it was a mess, and I didn’t want you coming home to my dirty dishes.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem. I changed your sheets and washed them. I’ll swap them out again today.”
“I’d say you didn’t need to do all that, but yeah, I would’ve done the same.” No dude wanted to sleep on another dude’s sweaty sheets.
“I cleared your gun; it’s in your safe.”
It took three and a half seconds to remember I’d asked John to take it at the scene. He must’ve given to Shane, who, as my beneficiary, had my safe’s key code.
“Thanks.”
“When will they get here?” Shane asked.
“John said he’d text when they leave Jamie’s. I expect Madi’ll want some time with her niece and nephew before coming over.”
Shane nodded, looking me up and down. “You think you can manage a shower?”
“If I do it before the morphine wears off.” I headed for the kitchen. “Feel like helping me wrap this bad boy?” The burn bandage on my arm was surrounded by a removable cast. The joys of having a broken bone under third-degree burns.
I reminded myself that while it sucked, I still had my arm and after a little physical therapy, I’d be good as new.
The tat on my forearm, however, would never be the same. It now had a big chunk of pale-as-fuck flesh cutting across the middle.
After my shower, I threw on jeans and a T-shirt.
Shane and I sat down at the kitchen table with coffee, Grannie’s blend, of course, and caught up on work. I had a ton of paperwork to file for SSI, including sending in a copy of my police statement. The PD was kind enough to send officers to the hospital to take it. Madi’s too.
I’d just closed my laptop when my phone buzzed.
John: We’re on our way. Mary wants me to ask if you need anything.
Like mother, like daughter.
We’re good, thanks.
“They’re on their way.”
“I’ll make another pot.” Shane typed for another minute before closing his laptop.
“Can you help me pull out the table, then I’ll set it.” My table would be a tight fit for five people, and I’d have to sit on a stool, but it’d work.
Like any other typical bachelor, I didn’t have fancy plates. Nor did I have enough for everyone to have a dinner plate, so I set a pair of smaller plates at my seat. I might not be the best prepared host, but I was a polite one.
“You have any serving platters?”
Shane laughed when I handed him a large wood cutting board. “I have this.”
“We’ll make it work.”
Mary wouldn’t care that I didn’t have serving platters or enough dinner plates.
I folded paper towels to use as napkins and put out mismatched coffee mugs and water glasses.
“Damn it. I should’ve gotten flowers for Madi.”
“You could always order a rush delivery.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” I pulled out my phone and found a local florist who could make a rush delivery. I’d just finished putting my wallet back in my pocket when someone knocked.
“I got it.” I smiled as I rushed to the door.
After checking the peep hole, and tamping down my excitement so I didn’t act like a golden retriever puppy, I opened the door.
“Hey.”
“Hi,” Madi answered. She held the handle of one small suitcase with a backpack strapped to it.
John and Mary were behind her, carrying overflowing boxes, which I assumed were the rest of Madi’s belongings.
“Food’s getting heavy, can we come in?” John asked, disproving my assumption.
Food? “Yeah, of course.” I stepped back and let them in. As Madi passed by, I asked, “Is that all you brought?”
“Skin grafts heal fast, so I won’t be here long.”
We’ll see about that.
I’d use every second of every day I had with Madi to convince her to stay. Adjusting to the idea of living with Madi was easier than I ever would’ve imagined.
I was all in. Is Madi?
She’d told me she loved me after I said it first.
Once.
Afraid Madi would run liked a spooked colt, I hadn’t repeated the words.
Neither had she.
When I called her my girlfriend, a ghost of a smile crossed her lips before she sassed me.
God, I love her spirit.
“We’ll see,” I whispered, but not softly enough.
John chuckled as he passed. “That’s the spirit.”
“How much food did you bring?” I asked, needing to change the subject to safer topics.
“Enough to feed a small army,” John answered. “And a few extra things Mary was worried you wouldn’t have.”
Shane and I shared a look and laughed.
“Matt here was just saying he hoped you didn’t mind that he has one serving platter.” He pointed to my cutting board.
“I’ll make use of it. Now why don’t you show Madi to her room while I get started.” Mary’s suggestion sounded a lot like an order.
“Come on,” I bit back the nickname I’d given her, “Madi.” I reached for her bag.
“I can take it.”
We fought a silent battle of wills while I contemplated the best move. After everything she’d been through, she probably needed a sense of control. I had our entire lives to be a gentleman.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay.” I leaned closer so only she could hear. “But don’t get used to it.”
I sensed more than felt the shiver that ran through her body.
“Right this way.” I led her to the only bedroom in the apartment. “I cleared a drawer for you and some space in the closet.”
Madi surveyed the mid-sized bedroom. The beige carpet and walls were as bland as the color sounded. My navy comforter was folded on top of the unmade queen-sized bed. “I’ll make the bed when the sheets finish drying.”
“Is this your bedroom?”
“It’s the only bedroom.”
“So it’s your bedroom.”
“Yes.”
“But if I’m in here… where will you sleep?”
I took risk. “In here.”
Her eyes widened as she sucked in a breath.
“But.”
“If you can look me in the eye.” I stepped into her space. “And honestly tell me.” I stilled her fidgeting fingers with my right hand. “That you want me to sleep out there.” I leaned in and hovered with my lips a paper-thin distance from hers. “Then I’ll sleep in the living room.”
Madi’s eyes shuddered closed as she inhaled through her nose.
“You don’t play fair.”
“No, I play to win.” I placed a soft kiss on the tip of her nose and stepped back. “So, what’ll it be?”
“I don’t want to make Shane rent a hotel room, so I guess you can stay in here.”
I didn’t call her on the lie. I didn’t need to. The pink spreading out from under the bandages on her cheeks wasn’t from her wounds.
My body would hate me, but I’d be the perfect gentleman while we shared the bed. Unless Madi made the first move.
I shifted my stance so she couldn’t see the evidence of how much I wanted her. Sporting a giant flagpole of an erection was hardly appropriate.
Her parents are in the kitchen.
Problem solved.
“I’ll let you unpack.”
“Can I put my stuff in the bathroom?”
“Of course, it’s just down the hall.” If you could call it that. The hall was five steps long. A closet hiding the HVAC and stacked washer and dryer occupied one wall, and a small pantry and the bathroom occupied the other side.
My kitchen wasn’t much bigger than a galley, but it opened to the living space with a window above the eat-at bar. My small table occupied the tiny space the complex called a dining room.
“Your place doesn’t look like a bachelor’s pad,” Madi said as she walked up behind me.
“Thank you?” I assumed she meant because it was clean and tidy.
“It’s a compliment.”
“Thank you.” I resisted the urge to wrap my arm around her shoulder. “You want a coffee?”
“Yes, please.”
My coffee maker was on the bar, so I didn’t have to disturb Mary to grab the pot.