Chapter 2
2
WYATT
I pull up in front of Madison’s apartment, still not quite believing my luck. It’s rare that I get four days off in a row, so you’d think I’d be looking forward to this weekend. But my family is always breathing down my neck about dating, so I’d been dreading it.
I’m not dreading it now. In fact, I’m already wondering if this pretend weekend fling with Madison can maybe last a bit longer and become a bit more real. She’s a dream come true – beautiful and sweet and oh-so-sexy in a quiet, refined way.
Hopefully this road trip will tell me whether the initial spark is going to last.
I jump out to greet her as she rolls her suitcase out the front door. Madison looks utterly breathtaking in a flirty sundress with a cardigan, her hair half pulled back in a clip to show off her stunning cheekbones and beautiful eyes. Every inch of her is so delicious that I have a need to adjust myself already. Those hourglass curves and toned legs are going to be quite the distraction on the drive.
“I’ll get that.” I feel my grin stretching much wider than usual. “And good morning.”
“Morning. Thanks.”
Madison pauses, biting her bottom lip in a way that makes it nearly impossible to stop myself from leaning in for a kiss.
“Are we huggers?” she asks softly. “I mean, if we’re…together…”
“You bet we are.” We stop at the trunk of my car, and I open my arms. “Of course, only if you’re comfo?—”
She snuggles in for what I will confess is the best hug of my life. My hands press against her back, holding her close. She feels so perfect in my arms that I never want to let her go. My lips brush the top of her hair. “Is this okay?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She eventually steps back, flashing a guilty little smile. “Sorry. You smell really amazing and I’ve never hugged a guy with arms as big as yours. It’s cozy in there.”
I hold my arms out in a circle in front of me, like a dancer. “No apology required. Please feel free to dive in here whenever you like.”
I load her suitcase into the trunk, next to mine, then open the door for her. By the time we reach the highway, Madison has already entered the address into the car’s navigation system, checked the weather – clear skies and a light breeze all weekend – and found some perky indie rock to keep us company.
“So, tell me about this important connection,” I ask. “What do you do, anyway?”
“My dream is to manage a hotel,” she says softly. “Maybe it’s weird, but I love the idea of being part of someone’s big events. Vacations, business trips, weddings. There’s always a few little details that can make someone feel extra special, you know?”
“I like that.”
“I have a distant cousin Adaline, who is the manager of Aadland Sandersville Lodge.” She laughs lightly. “She’s several years older than I am – she used to push me on the swings. Now we’ve completely lost touch, and she’s not on social media. But it would be incredible to have any kind of connection to the Aadland chain. I’d love to get a job at their new property, the Kingsville Plaza.”
“That’s the super classy place uptown?”
“Yes. Right now I’m working at the Kingsville Riverview Suites. But Sarah and Lauren are desk clerk and nighttime concierge at the Hilton and they really like working at a more upscale place, so…”
“I get it. You’re using them to make connections.”
“No!” Her eyes grow wide. “Not using . We’ve always helped each other.”
“I’m sorry, I’ll rephrase. You are maintaining a closer connection than you otherwise might for the sake of your career ?”
“Close enough.” She giggles. “Plus, the last time I saw Cousin Adaline I had my nose in a book and I’m sure she thought I was boring. If she sees me with my friends, it might help.”
“Plus, a few drinks couldn’t hurt.”
Madison glances at me, her fingers drumming on her knee. “I guess I should tell you this now, since it’s going to come up later. I kind of…fake drink.”
I’m already chuckling. This is going to be good. “Please explain.”
“I drink about half as much as everyone else. Less, even.”
“How do you manage that without them noticing?”
She purses her lips, bringing my attention once again to that luscious bottom lip that I’m quickly becoming fixated on. “There’s always a way. If they’re drinking vodka and soda and want me to have one too, I signal to the bartender to make mine just soda. If they’re drinking anything on ice, I dilute it with water on the sly but keep the ice-filled glass in my hand so they think I have a fresh cocktail.”
“Very clever. What about when they want to do shots?”
Her giggle is an adorable half snort. “By the time they get to shots, they’re drunk enough that they don’t notice if I don’t join them.”
“So you’re the most sober person in the group, and most likely to remember conversations and contacts?”
“Ha! Exactly.”
I love that Madison plans ahead to keep her wits about her. At first I was genuinely worried about such a sweet girl hanging out with hardcore party people. I have to say, I’m impressed by this young woman’s sense of responsibility.
“Well, as your fake fling for the weekend, I’ll make sure that I don’t blow your cover.”
“Thanks. Now, what about you? What’s your family like?”
I pause while allowing an 18-wheeler to merge in front of us. “We’re…pretty boring, to be honest. My parents are both pharmacists. My sisters Christine and Andrea were pharmacists too, then they got married and had two kids each, so they’re on full-time Mom duty for a while.”
I glance over to her. “I’m a pharmacist, too. Not exciting, but it’s good, steady work.”
“Hey, it’s an important job. People need their medicine.”
My hand reaches out to give hers a gentle squeeze, gauging her reaction. Madison definitely likes the casual touches. Good . “Thank you for understanding. Yes, it is important.” I release her hand slowly. “My youngest sister Tanya is an interior decorator, so she’s all about aesthetics and image.”
“Which is why her engagement party is a huge spectacle?”
“Exactly.” I pause, flashing her a sudden, stricken look. “I should warn you, my parents –Heather and Brian – grew up in the eighties and are still super into that era. You might be subjected to blasts of random nostalgia.”
Madison laughs. “I wish you had warned me. I could have watched some eighties movies last night.”
“Don’t worry – you’ll be living in one in a few more hours,” I laugh. “Oh, and Heather is all about being the ‘cool’ mom. I’m not even supposed to call her Mom. Now, of course, she’s working on being the coolest grandma ever. You should have seen her agonize over whether she wanted the grandkids to call her Grandma, Gammy, or Nana. It took her weeks to decide.”
“And?”
“Tanya talked her into Nana. She thinks it’s more elegant.”
“But Tanya is the one getting married. Does she have kids?”
“Not yet, but oh my god…there’s a whole chart for her timing. Married at thirty-one, baby number one at thirty-three, a second one at thirty-five, then done.” I glance over to gauge her reaction as I add, “I’m thirty-four, by the way.”
“Oh. Um, I’m…twenty-two.”
I shrug. “Pfft, twelve years ain’t so bad, is it?”
“Not at all. Girls mature faster, and according to what I’ve been reading lately, men don’t really grow up until they hit forty.”
I snort. “Very nice. Calling me childish to my face. Just for that, I’m ordering chicken fingers with ketchup for lunch.”
Madison’s sweet face is even more adorable when she tries to scowl. “Don’t you be insulting chicken fingers, buddy. Sometimes they’re amazing.”
“I agree. Which reminds me: you are in charge of choosing where we stop for coffee in about…an hour and twenty minutes. Then lunch. Plus any other stops along the way.”
“Roadside attractions! Cool!” She’s already pulling out her phone and scrolling quickly.
I love how enthusiastic Madison is about everything. There’s a lightness about her that is drawing me in. I’m already thinking about figuring out how often I can sneak in a hug, and how much casual PDA will be acceptable.
“Oh!” she exclaims. “Wanna stop and check out the World’s Largest Rag Rug?”
“I think that’s a great big raggedy yes.”