Chapter 25
brAXTON
Maddox: What are you doing today? Would I be considered needy if I asked to see you?
The text message is the last thing I see before slipping into a cab and rambling off the address to my favourite brunch place in the city to the driver.
With a giddy smile, I set my purse on my lap and start to type a reply.
Before sending it off, I snap a quick photo of myself wearing one of his jerseys and attach it.
Me: And you’re a bit needy . . . but it’s ok. I don’t mind *wink emoji*
Maybe I’m teasing him a little, but what’s the harm? I need the sliver of joy it brings when those said plans include a tense conversation with my family over a plate of strawberries and cream crepes.
The offer—or more like summons—for a brunch meeting came last night, not long after Maddox tucked me back in my car and sent me home, my lips swollen and already missing the feel of his. I fell quick and hard from my high the instant the text came through.
It was Mom who made contact, but I’m not na?ve enough to believe it wasn’t ordered by my father.
Choosing my favourite spot to eat reeks of one of his plans.
A place with nowhere to park on a Wednesday during peak brunch time.
If I have to take a cab, I can’t run off as easily as if I had driven myself.
I’m almost offended he thinks I would fall for it. That he could make me feel comfortable and na?ve to his plans and then blindside me.
I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. Honestly, it took longer than I thought it would for him to find out about what I’ve done.
My phone vibrates, and one look at the message has butterflies flapping in my stomach.
Maddox: Good jersey choice. And who are you having brunch with?
Me: I’ve been craving crepes for so long. I can almost taste them already.
Maddox: Who?
Me: My stomach is grumbling.
Maddox: Fine. Have it your way.
I nip at the inside of my cheek.
Me: That doesn’t sound comforting. What does that mean?
Three minutes go by without a reply, but as soon as I see the word Read appear with no sign of him typing . . .
Me: Don’t you ghost me right now Maddox Jamieson Hutton.
Read.
Me: This is my least favourite game ever.
Maddox: Have fun at brunch, baby girl.
I blink at the message before tossing my head back and laughing. The cab driver looks at me oddly in the rear-view mirror, but I just keep laughing. As much as I want to be annoyed with Maddox, I can’t. Instead, he’s unknowingly helped me relax.
A handful of minutes later, the driver drops me off outside of Tina’s Brunch and Tea House, and I fiddle with my hair, stalling going inside. I peer inside the big windows, searching for my parents in the midst of all the full, pretty pink tables.
They’re in my favourite booth. The one right beside the long, pastel-clothed pastry table and mimosa fountain. My parents might be sitting with their backs to the window, but I would recognize them anywhere. Front or back.
I grind my teeth. Is it worth it to call in to work for the rest of the day so I can get drunk off champagne and orange juice?
“Are you planning on standing outside or going in to have those crepes you’re so horny for?”
I look for the owner of the voice, feeling more terrified than excited to see him.
My eyes are bulging when they land on Maddox.
He’s closer than I expected and a total freaking vision in thigh-hugging dark jeans and a thin, deep green T-shirt the exact shade of his eyes in the early afternoon sun.
The backward cap on his head has me swallowing a groan. I’m a sucker for the backward hat.
“What are you doing here?” I rush out, anxiously fiddling with the hem of the jersey that lands just above my hips after I tied the front to avoid looking like I’m wearing a potato sack.
His eyes travel appreciatively down my body, and I fight back a blush as he flashes me a Cheshire cat smile. Must focus.
“Those aren’t the words I was hoping for, but I’ll take them. You never did like surprises,” he says, coming to a stop only a foot in from me. In one quick swoop of his head, he’s kissing my cheek and collecting my hand in his. “Hey.”
I lean into his lips but arch a brow when he pulls away. “Hi back. How did you know I would be here? I thought I was perfectly vague.”
He narrows his eyes, scowling. “Yeah, wasn’t a fan of that. I had to come here and make sure you weren’t meeting another fake boyfriend. I don’t share. And really? You said crepes, and unless they’re from Tina’s, you won’t eat them. It was easy to piece it together.”
And if I remember correctly, he only lives a few blocks over.
“It’s worse than another fake boyfriend, Dox. My parents are inside.”
My anxiety must be obvious because he starts to rub my arm while bringing our joined hands to his lips and kissing my knuckles.
“I’m glad I’m here, then. You’re not dealing with this by yourself.”
I shake my head, looking back into the window. There’s another person at the table now, and when a head of flaming-red hair catches my eye, I blow out a small breath of relief.
“My sister is with them. I won’t be alone.”
“Little Annalise Heights is inside? It’s been too long. I can’t wait to catch up.” Maddox tosses me a wink. When I still don’t relax, he sighs and cups my cheek, drawing circles on my tense jaw with his thumb. “Your father doesn’t scare me, Curly. I’m just doing what a good boyfriend would, right?”
I nuzzle into his palm, staring up at him, looking for even the slightest bit of hesitation, but he’s all confidence.
“If you’re sure. My father isn’t known for being subtle. He’s going to be livid to see you with me. It isn’t going to be pretty,” I warn.
Dox’s grin is pure arrogance. “Then I can’t wait.”
“Okay,” I breathe, nodding one too many times. “Let’s go in, then.”
He wraps his body around my back and holds my hand tight as we walk to the door. Extending an arm around my head, he pulls it open for me, the bell chiming as we enter.
My stomach falls between my knees when my dad whips around and finds the two of us. Sharp as daggers, his blue eyes cut deep.
Maddox immediately flanks my side and slips his free hand around my waist, pulling me tight to his body. His hot breath warms the top of my head before he kisses me there and whispers, “We leave when you want to.”
I nod stiffly, and then we’re at the table.
“Braxton!” Annalise squeals, jumping out of the booth and ripping me away from Maddox before pulling me in her arms. I smile into her pin-straight hair and hug her back.
While my little sister may be four years younger than me, she’s always been mature for her age. It’s one of the reasons we became so close so young. My opposite in every physical way, she looks more like Mom than Dad.
“It’s only been a few weeks, you know?” I tease, pulling back.
“Oh, I know. You used me for free labour when you moved into your new house, and then I was chopped liver.” Her glare is weak and wavers when she moves it to the man still glued to my side. “Maddox Hutton. I see you’ve gotten quite massive over the years.”
A loud laugh rips out of me before I can suck it back. My sister lacks a filter. No matter who she’s around, she can’t seem to ever find one. It’s one of the things I love most about her.
Luckily, I don’t have to worry about Maddox having a problem with it. He only lets out a deep laugh of his own and gives her a genuine smile.
“It’s nice to see you again, Anna.”
My sister flashes a grin. “You two sit. I’ll pull up a chair, and then maybe you can both tell me why I had to find out about this relationship on social media and not in person.”
She lifts a brow at me and then walks away in search of an open chair in the busy restaurant. I face my parents, choosing to focus on my mom and her tired eyes as I slide into the booth opposite them. Maddox follows, but he doesn’t wait for either one of my parents to get the first word.
“Mrs. Heights, it’s nice to see you,” he says, slinging his arm over my shoulder, keeping me close.
I risk a glance at my father and find his lip curled, his focus on Maddox. Hate, disgust, rage. It’s all there on his face. He’s not bothering to hide it, and that’s a terrifying realization.
“Hello, Maddox. We didn’t know you were coming, or we would have ordered you a beverage when the waitress was here,” Mom says apologetically.
Dad scoffs, taking a break from trying to make Maddox disappear into a cloud of smoke with his eyes to glance at me.
“I raised you better than to show up with uninvited guests. And what are you wearing?”
“Do you not like it? I figured I would show some team spirit. I’m sure you know how well our hometown is playing in the playoffs this season.”
Rage lights his eyes. “If dressing like this and bringing him here with you is some sort of act of rebellion—”
“I’m far too old to rebel, Dad. And if we’re going to talk about my new boyfriend, he should at least be here. Don’t you think?” I counter.
“Stop this charade, Braxton. We all know you’re not together.”
Maddox drops his head to the dip of my shoulder and chuckles lightly, almost dangerously.
Lips part on the side of my neck, over the heavy thump of my pulse, and lightly suck.
My skin lifts with goosebumps as he starts to draw shapes on my bicep.
Every few seconds, he slips them higher up my arm until they’re tucking beneath my shirt sleeve.
“It’s embarrassing that after this long, you still don’t believe how in love I am with your daughter. She’s been mine since the day we met, Roy. It would be smart to start believing just how much she means to me.”
The sheer possession in his tone has me fighting back a shudder.
My core clenches, the feeling of his touch on my arm and his thigh pressed to mine almost too much.
It should feel wrong to be thinking about all the ways I want him to prove those words to me while we’re in public, but I can’t help it.