Chapter 40
Maddie
At some point, I must have drifted off trying to wait up for Carlos, but I wasn’t sure when. It was almost five in the morning and the apartment was quiet aside from the TV and I was in his bed alone.
I lifted my phone to see if I had any messages, but there weren’t any missed calls or texts, which had me pissed. Why the hell would he tell me to meet him here if he wasn’t going to show up?
I decided to check the rest of the apartment just to be sure, but he wasn’t here. The bed was still made on his side, and even though he sometimes got in early, he was never up this early.
Even if he came in late, he would have let me know he was home.
After I made my way through his apartment, getting confirmation I was alone, I felt myself getting even more annoyed.
I dialed his number, and it just rang, so I sent him a text to let him know I was going home and I didn’t appreciate him making me stay here all night alone.
First thing that came to mind was he’d gotten caught up with some woman. No matter what business Carlos was handling, he was always in touch with me.
Even if it was just a text to say he was busy and couldn’t talk, but for him to go missing with no communication at all had me questioning things.
I occasionally thought he was with other women, how could I not?
The man was gorgeous and paid. He was reckless with his mouth, but all in all, he was a sweetheart and respectful.
He wasn’t the type of man whose phone was constantly going off or had women showing up at his place, so whoever he dealt with knew better than to be around when he didn’t want them to be.
It was possible he was only with me, but it was also possible he was just careful.
Him not showing up, with no calls or texts had me thinking the worst. I never really worried about his safety because he was just that guy.
He wasn’t the type of man who got caught up, so of course, the only thing I could think was some woman had his attention.
I sat on the edge of his bed for a minute, looking around and trying to figure out my next move, but then deciding it would be best if I just went home. If he wanted to see me, he knew how to find me. I was, after all, living in his apartment.
I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my purse and keys before shutting off the lights in his room and heading toward the front door. After I was out, I locked up and headed to my car.
An hour later, I was home, showered, and drinking a cup of coffee on the sofa. I was fuming because I still hadn’t heard from Carlos when I heard a knock on the door.
I rolled my eyes, thinking it was him, but Carlos had keys. So I stopped by the kitchen, placed my mug on the counter, then headed to the door.
“Who’s there?” I asked, raking my fingers through my hair, still damp and curly from my shower.
Instead of anyone answering, I heard keys. I turned my back to walk away, knowing it had to be Carlos.
As soon as I heard the door, I spoke without turning around as I lifted my mug.
“You better have a really good excuse for leaving me in your bed alone all night because I’m really pissed with you right now.”
“And you better have a really good excuse for being in my son’s bed all night.” A woman’s voice made me freeze where I stood and I swallowed hard before I turned to face Carlos’s mother.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I thought you were Carlos. I mean, you have keys. Shit, you’re his mother, why wouldn’t you? Please forgive my language. I’m sorry.” I stopped and inhaled. “Let me shut up.”
The hard stare she gave me softened a little and a smile crossed her face before she extended her hand. “Maureen Robertson, and you are?” She paused and peered over the top of her Coach frames. “Besides sleeping with my son?” she asked with a smirk and waited.
“Maddie, well… Madeline Emmerson.” I accepted her hand and shook before she shut and locked the door then entered the apartment.
She placed her purse on the counter before pulling her shades off and placing them next to it.
“I assume my son is not here from your little rant when I walked in.”
“Um, no he’s not.”
“You live here?” she asked, looking around as she moved through the living room and kitchen.
“Yes, but not with him. He’s at his place in White Plains. I’m just staying here for a while until I find a place.”
“Hmmm,” she said and pulled out the stool that lined the breakfast bar. “Come sit.” She nodded at the stool next to her.
Thank goodness I was dressed halfway decent in leggings and a pullover.
“How long have you been dating my son? I assume you’re dating if he’s allowing you to stay here.”
“Yes, we are. Well, I mean, I guess we are. It’s only been a few months.”
She looked me right in the eyes with an expression I couldn’t read before she looked me over again. “You’re pretty, but I expect that. He must like you, Madeline. Or do you prefer Maddie?” she asked with a soft smile that made me relax a little.
“Either one is fine.”
She chuckled and looked around. “I haven’t met you yet, why is that?”
I thought about my answer and decided there was no point in lying. “He said we weren’t there yet. That if he took me to meet you, you would expect us to be serious, so he hasn’t.”
“Serious, huh? Do you not consider living with him serious?” she asked, again looking in my eyes like she was trying to see if I would lie. She made me nervous because I couldn’t read her. She was nice enough, but I wasn’t sure.
“I do. I mean we are, but not like he said you considered serious. We’re still new.”
“What do I consider serious?” she asked with raised brows.
“Wearing a ring type of serious.”
She burst out laughing and I was confused.
“Did he tell you that?”
“Yes, why?”
“Oh sweetheart, he really likes you. He doesn’t want me to chase you away, that’s the only reason I haven’t met you yet.”
I frowned, trying to make sense of what she said.
“Not like that. Carlos is a very private man about certain things. Especially his relationships or lack thereof. I harass him all the time about settling down and giving me some grandkids and I told him that the first woman he’s serious enough to let me meet, I would convince to marry him.
He said I was crazy and would have them running and not looking back.
I take it he meant that. He likes you if he’s afraid for you to meet me.
Not that I’ve ever met any of his women before, unless it was running into them out in public by mistake, but trust me, they weren’t worth the conversation I spent on them. I like you. You have good energy.”
“Thank you.” I blushed.
“And apparently, my son thinks so too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. So Maddie, tell me about yourself,” she said with a smile.
“There’s not much to tell. I’m recently divorced and trying to figure out my life.”
“That was honest,” she said with a light chuckle.
“No sense in hiding it. I am who I am and you’ll eventually find out one day. I’m not ashamed of the choices I’ve made in life. I made them, so I have to take ownership.”
“That’s very true. I learned a long time ago that if people can’t accept you at your worst, they don’t deserve you at your best.”
I frowned a little, not really knowing if her statement was an insult or a compliment.
“Oh dear, don’t look like that. I sort of just say what’s on my mind. I don’t mean anything by it. I just respect your honesty.”
I smiled at her confession. “He gets his bluntness from you. Your son has quite a way with words and doesn’t really hold back.”
She laughed and nodded. “That he does. Divorced, huh? What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I don’t. I just married the wrong man for all the right reasons. I loved him and he cheated on me. Classic tale of love gone wrong, you can say.”
“I can sympathize with that. Carlos’s father was not always the best husband. He never understood the whole monogamy thing. That’s one of the reasons I raised Carlos the way that I did. I wanted him to be a better man than his father ever was. He eventually figured it out.”
“So you guys are happy now?”
“Oh heavens no, not even close. Well, we’re both happy, just not with each other. He’s married to a woman half my age. When I said he figured it out, I didn’t mean with me.” She winked at me and I laughed.
After both of our calls to Carlos went unanswered, she and I spent the next few hours getting to know each other.
I learned a little more about the man I was involved with and she learned as much as she could about me. We shared a simple lunch I whipped up for us. We exchanged numbers and she made me promise to call to schedule lunch. One with Carlos and one without. I agreed and she left.
I was alone again and annoyed I hadn’t heard from him, but she assured me he was fine and not to worry. I had no clue if I was more worried or pissed, but either way, he would catch hell from me the moment he surfaced.
I tried to have her attitude about the matter, but half the day was gone with no word from him. So I turned on the TV and tried to distract myself from thinking ’bout him. Hopefully, he would surface soon.