Chapter 53
Madi
While my mom cooked what was now being called brunch, I sat at the table with Matt, Shane, and my dad. I was only half listening because my mind kept going back to Matt calling his apartment our place, his bed our bed.
Our. He keeps throwing that word around, but I don’t live here.
I couldn’t talk to him about it until we were alone again, so I tried to focus on the conversation as Shane told Dad more about his ranch and they compared stories about raising rowdy teenagers.
“You okay?” Matt asked, grabbing my hand.
Two extra sets of eyes strayed toward me, waiting for the answer.
“Yeah, just tired.” It was more an exaggeration than a lie. “Food will help.”
“Good thing it’s done. John, can you help me carry it in?”
Dad was on his feet in a heartbeat. So was Shane.
Mom had made scrambled eggs with green onion and tomato, pancakes, bacon, sausage, toast, and hash browns. Plus, she’d cut up fresh fruit.
“Looks like you got your wish,” Shane said to Matt.
“What wish was that?” Mom asked as she finally sat down.
Matt grinned, “I was hoping you’d make enough for leftovers,” he admitted with zero shame. “I make breakfast for myself, but nothing half as good as this. This,”—he spread his good arm—“is a feast fit for a king.”
“Well, you deserve it.”
“Dig in,” Dad added, lifting his fork.
Matt didn’t bother answering; instead, he took a big bite and savored every second.
Watching him was hypnotic and a bit of a turn on. The joy on his face. The happy groans he made. The sparkle in his eye when he caught me staring.
“I’ll get it,” Matt said when someone knocked on his door.
When he closed the door, he had a floral arrangement in his hand.
I wiped away the extra moisture in my eyes when he set the crystal vase packed full of purple, pink, and white flowers on the table where my plate had been.
“They’re beautiful.” I leaned in and inhaled the heady floral scent. “Thank you.”
Dad ushered Matt and me to the living room while he and Shane cleared the table. “It’s not every day you get to have someone take care of you. Sit back and enjoy it.”
So I did. Enough so that when I sank into the big, dark brown leather couch, my eyelids gained a hundred pounds and I didn’t have the strength to hold my head up.
A hand on my shoulder nudged me awake. A rough, familiar, bossy voice close to my ear provided its own special kind of warmth. “Wake up, Red.”
Warmth I wanted to savor. Not bothering to open my eyes, I said, “Five more minutes.”
“Your parents are getting ready to leave.”
Dream wrecker.
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and the dream of Matt from my mind, and yawned. My big, loud yawn stretched the lines of stitches on both cheeks, making me wince.
I ignored Matt’s concerned look and said, “I’m awake.” I sounded as unhappy as I felt.
But my parents deserved better than me being a grump.
“Sorry I fell asleep.” I apologized as Matt offered me a hand up. Without thinking, I accepted it and let him lift me to my feet.
“No apologies needed,” Mom said. “We told Matt he didn’t need to wake you.”
I looked at him. I probably would’ve been mad if he’d let them leave without waking me so I could say goodbye. Probably?
“Matt figured it was safer to deal with a sleepy Madi than a mad one.” Dad smiled at Matt like they shared a secret.
Men.
After hugs and promises that I‘d update them regularly, my parents left.
“Let’s get you to bed.”
“I’m awake now.”
Maybe I’ll read for a bit.
“Want to watch a movie?”
That sounded like less effort than reading.
“Matt, you good if I take your truck and explore the town a bit?” Shane asked.
“Go for it.”
“Call if you need anything.”
“Will do,” Matt answered with a wave.
“Do we need to change your bandage?” I asked.
“After dinner.”
“Okay. What do you want to watch?”
“Lady’s choice.”
Thinking it’d be fun to watch him squirm, I suggested a chick flick. To his credit, he didn’t complain or even make a face.
“Do you have PicFlix? They have my favorite movie.”
“I do.”
Matt found the movie about a princess and her servant boy turned pirate hero, the one he’d been quoting, and we settled in on the couch. I made sure I was on Matt’s unhurt side. The last thing I wanted was to cause him pain by accidentally bumping his healing arm.
“On a scale of one to ten, how girly is this?” Matt asked during the opening scene.
“Maybe an eight… and a half, but it has sword fighting and giant rats so…” I shrugged.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad.”
“Jamie and Jack like it.” I figured that’d help convince him. “Now shush.”
He put his arm around me, pulled me close, and whispered, “As you wish.”
“Wait, have you seen it?”
“No, unlike you, I was paying attention. The hero just said it.”