EIGHTEEN
EVERY TIME MADDIE THOUGHT ABOUT HAYLEY, her pulse quickened. Her heart hammered so hard against her ribs she feared it might break free. She could still feel Hayley’s touch branding her skin, remembering the way Hayley held her tightly throughout the long nights, entirely unguarded.
They had fallen into a type of quiet domesticity.
Evenings were spent curled together on the couch, sharing a glass of wine.
Mornings were softened by the familiar comfort of coffee and sleepy smiles.
For the first time, Maddie felt a deep, almost overwhelming sense of contentment.
She could see her future laid out before her with crystal clarity.
They were meant to last. It was that simple.
Maddie wanted to scream it to the world—that Hayley Maddox was finally hers.
That afternoon, Maddie had been wandering down the sidewalk when she came across a sleek white storefront with warm, glowing window displays. Across the top, large black letters stood out.
Afterglow.
Sitting just inside the glass was a smaller sign that read, “Need it now? 1 hour Discreet Delivery.”
Intrigued, Maddie looked closer. Lined up in neat, evenly spaced rows atop white shelves sat vibrators of every size, color, and shape she could possibly imagine.
Jackpot, she thought with a grin, and pulled the door open.
Maddie browsed the sex shop, taking her time as she scanned the selection and blushed slightly every time she found something new to try with Hayley.
After paying for her items, she walked out into the warm afternoon sun, an unmarked black boutique bag clutched tightly in her hand.
Back in her room, she emptied her purchases onto her bed and began to methodically sort the toys and lingerie into her overnight duffel.
She hadn’t quite finished when she heard the door creak open behind her. “Mads, you busy?” Caitlin called, stepping inside and smirking at what she saw. She gave a low, impressed whistle.
Maddie’s cheeks burned hot as she avoided Caitlin’s gaze. “What’s up?”
“Sandy just called. She’s in New York and wants to know if we’re free.”
“Free for what, exactly?” Maddie asked hesitantly. It had been more than a few years since she, Caitlin, and their agent had last gone out together—partying on Sunset Boulevard until they’d been spotted by paparazzi.
Caitlin huffed out a laugh. “She said a new script came across her desk that she wants to talk to us about.”
That caught her attention. “When does she want to meet?”
“In an hour.”
Maddie darted to the bathroom for a quick shower, then finished packing the duffel. She slung the strap over her shoulder before joining Caitlin by the front door, and the two set out to meet Sandy.
——
The bar was already buzzing when they arrived. Maddie scanned the crowd until she spotted Sandy, waving from a red leather booth tucked into the corner.
“Thelma and Louise!” Sandy hugged them each in turn before sitting back down. “Glad to see the police haven’t caught up with you yet,” she added with a wink.
Maddie and Caitlin slid into the bench across from her, smiling at the old joke.
“So, just to be clear, that makes you…?” Maddie raised a brow.
“J.D., obviously. Are you saying I don’t look like Brad Pitt?” Sandy gestured to her own sharp cheekbones, lean frame, and short tousled blonde hair.
She made a fair point.
They ordered a round of drinks and caught Sandy up on the wedding planning and Maddie’s time thus far in New York.
She shouldn’t have been surprised when Caitlin brought up her relationship with Hayley, nor when the two inevitably teamed up to tease her.
Maddie tried to hide behind the V of her glass, but that only made them laugh harder.
Caitlin steered them back to the real reason they were all there. “Alright, so tell us about this script. It must be pretty big if you flew across the country to pitch it.”
Maddie noticed a flicker of emotion cross Sandy’s face. Embarrassment, maybe. Or nerves.
“Unless there’s another reason you’re in New York,” she suggested with a playful wiggle of her eyebrows.
“Who is she?” Caitlin pressed.
“There is no she,” Sandy scoffed. “I’m here on business.” For such a cutthroat agent, she had never been a good liar.
“Caitlin, how long have we known Sandy?” Maddie asked, turning to her best friend.
“Twelve years for me and thirteen for you, Mads,” Caitlin replied.
Maddie pretended to ponder, resting her chin in her hand.
“And in that time,” Caitlin continued, “how often has Sandy flown all the way to New York City for business?”
Maddie shook her head with a grin. “Rarely. And doesn’t our dear friend and agent get the slightest twitch in her right eye when she tries to lie?”
“Why, yes, she does.” Caitlin attempted to keep a straight face. “It’s like her brain is trying to keep her honest with us.”
Sandy rolled her eyes. “Did you two rehearse this little off-Broadway show ahead of time?” She took a sip of her IPA. “Since you both seem to miss acting so much, let’s get to the point. McKenzie Ryan wrote an incredible script, specifically for you two.”
Maddie’s eyes widened. “Wait, what are you saying?” Nothing had ever been written for her before. Most of Maddie’s roles had featured her as a side character to Caitlin.
“You’d be co-leads,” Sandy confirmed.
“What’s the movie?” Maddie tried to keep a lid on her excitement. In their industry, anything could shift without warning. Better not to get her hopes up.
“The story follows the paths of two college best friends in New York City as they navigate life, and I have to admit—it feels eerily familiar.” Sandy looked between them and cleared her throat.
“Alright, so we’ve got two leads, both women.
Caitlin, your character studies abroad during her senior year, meets a woman at a bar, and spends an unforgettable twenty-four hours with her.
They never see each other again, but years pass, and she still can’t get this woman out of her head. ”
Caitlin let out a soft laugh. “Pining. Yeah, I think I can pull that off.”
Maddie snorted.
“Meanwhile,” Sandy continued, “Maddie, your role is nursing a broken heart after your fiancée called off the wedding the day before, forcing you to learn who you are all over again. Caitlin, you decide to return to the South of France to look for the woman you met in college, and Maddie tags along, starting her own Eat, Pray, Love journey beside you.”
Maddie glanced at Caitlin, searching her face for a reaction. Meeting her gaze, Caitlin raised her eyebrows, a silent question passing between them.
“The best part—” Sandy looked at Caitlin, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. “McKenzie Ryan wants Gemma to play Caitlin’s long-lost lover. Eve plans on calling her tomorrow to talk about it.”
“Let me talk to Gemma too, but if we all like the script, I’m definitely game. Will it be filmed in France?” Caitlin asked.
“Yes,” Sandy confirmed. “They think it will take about nine weeks, maybe more, depending on travel and shooting staying on schedule. I’m told the script takes the women from the South of France to Spain and ends in Portugal.”
“Mads, what do you think?” Caitlin asked. Both women turned their focus onto her, waiting to hear her answer.
Excitement flickered through her chest, but a tight knot of anxiety settled deep in her gut.
Maddie traced slow circles on the side of her glass with her thumb, lost in thought.
What about Hayley? Would she come with them to Europe, or would they have to be apart for months?
Would they even still be together by the time filming began?
“When would we leave?” Maddie’s hesitation was obvious.
“Not for at least six months. They’re working on getting permits, the rest of the cast and crew, and all the other logistics into place. They don’t want to move forward with planning until the three of you have officially signed on, though.”
Maddie’s shoulders relaxed. Six months. Plenty of time for her to figure out how to approach Hayley about it.
“Read the script. Let me know what you think,” Sandy concluded.
“We will,” Caitlin promised, while Maddie offered a quiet nod of agreement.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Sandy polished off her beer and rose from the table with a coy grin. “I have to get going. I’m taking Eve out for drinks tonight.”
“Eve!?” Caitlin and Maddie gasped in unison.
Sandy shot them a wink and then was gone.
“Wow.” Maddie shook her head in disbelief. “Eve and Sandy. I did not see that one coming.”
When Caitlin didn’t reply, Maddie turned to face her.
Caitlin studied her in silence for a moment before dropping her playful tone. “What’s up with you?” she asked, sliding into Sandy’s vacated side of the booth.
“What do you mean?”
Caitlin squinted at her. “The Madison Crane I know would have signed a napkin right here to secure a role like that.”
“So? Maybe I’m trying to be more responsible.” She took a sip of her dirty martini. It burned on the way down, and Maddie appreciated how it dulled her sudden fear of the unknown.
“Mads, we’ve been best friends for over a decade now. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“Can we keep this conversation between us?” Maddie narrowed her eyes. Then, cut Caitlin off as she went to speak. “That means not running home and telling Gemma,” she emphasized, holding out her pinky.
Caitlin wrapped her pinky around Maddie’s. “Fine, I won’t. I promise.”
Pinky swearing had become a sacred covenant between the friends since their early years on set, and neither of them had ever broken one.
It might have seemed childish to someone else, but it meant everything to Maddie and Caitlin.
Whenever one of them called for a pinky swear, the other knew it was serious.
“I was thinking about Hayley,” Maddie admitted. “She claims she’s done running, but we haven’t talked about what that means, exactly. Or what’s going to happen after the wedding. I feel like she already has one foot out the door. I’m afraid moving to Europe for a few months might scare her off.”