Chapter Eighteen #2
“She does light up when some other guy messages her, though,” he says, and I raise my brow, sitting up suddenly in bed.
“She does? Who?” I ask, and he chuckles.
“I dunno, don’t pay much attention, to be honest. You’re her bestie, shouldn’t you know this shit?” he states, rubbing salt in the wound.
Maybe Alex doesn’t tell me everything.
Maybe she doesn’t trust me as much as I thought.
“Yeah, I thought I was, but maybe I don’t mean as much to her as I thought I did.”
“Wait, whoa… what does that mean?” he asks.
I slide my legs out of the bed, and they dangle off the side to the floor. “Maybe no one is on my side,” I say and end the call, throwing my cell to the edge of the bed with a huff.
No sooner does it hit the mattress than suddenly it beeps with a message, and I roll my eyes as I pick it up to see a message from Nate.
Nate: Are you okay?
With Ria’s help, teaching Nate to read, his messages are so good now. I have no doubt they will improve immensely having her there with him all the time.
Me: Fine, just need to figure a few things out…
Nate: I can come over? I don’t have to go with Ria to her appointment till later today.
Me: I’m good, spend the day with Ria. Thanks, though. P.S. You have mad writing skills now, bro!
Nate: Ha Ha, Ria might be helping me, but I’ll take the credit!
Me: Hi Ria! But really, I’m fine. Also, please don’t tell Alex I called you…
There’s a long pause, and I know Nate is debating this in his head.
He and Ria are incredibly good friends with Alex, and if there’s a problem with our friendship, they would want to tell her, but they would also want to keep a promise to me.
I’m putting them in a bind. I know that.
I’m an ass for doing it, but I don’t want Alex to know I’m checking up on her.
Nate: Only because I love you, but you need to talk to Alex. You guys are too good as friends to let something, whatever this is, fester. Got it?
Sighing, I find myself nodding even though they can’t see me, then type back my reply.
Me: Message received loud and clear. Love you both too.
I go to throw my cell back on the bed, but instead I bring up the Lovepessimist app and open the message from Madeline. Gnawing on my bottom lip, I take a deep breath and type out five simple words.
Me: Would you like to meet?
I hover over the send button, clenching my jaw furiously.
I’m going through the options in my mind, weighing up the pros and cons.
I can’t decide whether to hit send or not when my cell beeps in my hand.
I jump, causing a ripple effect, and my arm jolts, tipping my thumb and sending it to the screen right over the send button.
I open my eyes wide as the five words are sent to Madeline before I’ve truly made my mind up on whether to send them or not, and the little tick symbol shows next to the message as delivered.
“Shit, shit, SHIT,” I snap, my voice becoming louder and louder with each word while I stand and pace the bedroom. I glance at my cell and wonder how the fuck that happened while my heart races.
This could change everything.
It suddenly lights up green, letting me know she’s read it. “Dammit! I was never this nervous with Jaci,” I murmur as the little typing bubbles appear, bouncing up and down.
Fuck! She’s typing back.
I continue my pacing as I wait for her to reply.
Luckily, I don’t have to wait long.
Madeline: Do you have any plans today?
I choke on thin air as my eyes pop out of my head.
I wasn’t prepared for this.
I wanted to make this first meeting a big event.
But then again, I did that last time, and look at how it turned out.
Maybe it’s best to do something more impromptu?
Me: Only tonight. I have dinner with a friend, but I can do brunch or lunch?
As I type back, a nervous tension builds in my stomach. I so badly want this to work. I don’t want another repeat of Jaci. And Madeline ticks so many of my rules, it’s not funny.
Madeline: Breakfast sounds nice. I can come now if you’re free? Would you like to meet somewhere specific? Or shall I come to your place?
I let out a stifled laugh. Wow, trusting. That’s strange, but she obviously can’t come to my place. No way. But I figure we can go somewhere they know me and tend not to bug me. Plus, I’ll take Scott from security with me to stand in the background.
Me: Do you know Finlay’s Irish Pub? The one with the green shutters?
The little typing bubbles appear, and I flare my nostrils, hoping I’m doing the right thing.
Madeline: I do, see you there in 30?
I let out a heavy sigh, and a smile creeps on my face.
Me: I’ll wear a black hoodie and jeans. I’ll sit at the table by the bar with the booth seat. Looking forward to meeting you, Madeline. Xo
Madeline: I’ll be in a red dress. See you soon. xo
I swallow hard.
This is actually happening!
I send Scott a quick message to pick me up in fifteen minutes, then head to my closet to get dressed. After I tie my shoes, I splash on some cologne, just enough to catch a whiff. Then I grab my wallet and keys, heading for the door, where Scott is already waiting for me.
“So we’re doing this again, are we?” he asks.
“We’re trying. If she starts screaming or asking for my autograph, get me out of there, okay?”
Scott chuckles in answer as we walk to the car.
The drive isn’t long, and as we pass the gallery, Alex is standing in the window, positioning artwork.
My chest squeezes that I haven’t even told her what I’m doing.
But it all happened so quickly that I haven’t had a chance to process it myself. Plus, I’m not really sure what’s going on with us right now. So I’m not going to talk to her until tonight. Then I’ll fill her in on everything.
“So are you excited?” Scott asks as I turn to him, his shaved scalp making his head look unusually large and shiny like a damn bowling ball.
“Nervous. I don’t want another Jaci.”
“Hmm… and no Alex to save you this time. I can promise you, I won’t be having a romantic dessert with you. I love you and all, but bromance only goes so far,” he says, and I let out a laugh.
“You’re a dick.”
“Yep, but I’m a buff dick, and good at my job. That’s why you keep me around.”
I groan. “True. What’s Dwayne doing today?”
“Pretty sure he’s going with your brother and Ria to the doctor. Nate’s being very protective.”
I chuckle. “Hmm… yeah, I can imagine.”
“Okay, we’re here. Want me to pull in around the back like normal?”
I nod, and he pulls the car down the side street and into the back parking lot where the staff park. Typically, customers aren’t supposed to park here, but the owners of Finlay’s gave us the okay to park here on occasion. And if I need a quick getaway, this is a good way to do just that.
We step out and walk in through the back entrance. The pub is quiet as not many people come in during the morning hours. And being a pub, most people come here to drink, which is a shame because the food is exceptional.
Walking in, I nod at Tamika, the usual bartender, and she smiles while gesturing to my usual booth. The one I told Madeline I’d be in.
I take a seat, and Scott grins at me and sighs.
“Good luck, bro. I’m just going to be over here if you need me.
” He pats my shoulder, then heads to the tall table and stool opposite the booth.
It’s far enough away that he won’t be able to hear our conversation, but close enough to know if anything’s going wrong.
I’m tense.
I’m nervous.
As I lean back in the booth, I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans while wondering what she’s going to be like.
Will she look like her picture?
Will she know who I am?
Will she fangirl over me?
I have no idea, and not knowing while I wait is slowly killing me.
“Matt?” a deep, husky voice calls out from beside me, breaking my thoughts.
I look up at Madeline, who looks exactly like her picture.
Exactly like the freaking redheaded goddess of every man’s fucking wet dreams. Her figure is curvy but proportioned.
Her face is model-perfect. Her lips are full and plump, covered in red lipstick.
Her eyes are the brightest of bright green.
Her lashes go on for days, and she’s wearing a red dress that isn’t revealing but is figure-hugging enough to make my cock twitch, reminding me that I am a man and I have needs.
Needs that very much haven’t been met in a long, long while.
“Jesus,” I murmur.
She smirks and bats her eyelashes. “Not Jesus, just Madeline, but it’s so nice to meet you finally. I was beginning to think you were never going to ask.”