Chapter 9 #2
Maddy: Reyesss—Did anyone still call her that? Maddy had no idea. She never really called Noa that anyway, that was more a Jake thing. Delete.
Maddy sighed and dropped her head back against the throw pillow behind her. She had gotten Noa’s phone number from Jake this afternoon when he dropped her off after the salon.
She had been thinking about Noa a lot ever since The Huxley last Friday.
Her reconciliation with Jake had gone significantly better than expected, and she was quite enjoying having him back in her life.
And Noa had been like a sister to her. She was the only person besides Bunny that Maddy had actually thought about reaching out to after she left.
Quite frequently, at the beginning. Then, as time went on, whenever she felt that urge, Maddy told herself that she had waited too long and Noa wouldn’t want to hear from her.
She had continued to tell herself that when she arrived back in Coronado and her childhood bedroom flooded her with memories of their friendship. Their countless days at the beach, the debate trophies they won together, the double bed they shared over thirteen years of sleepovers.
But if Jake could forgive her, perhaps Noa could too.
She went back to the text. Hey Noa, It’s Maddy. I know it’s been a long—
A knock on the front door made her jump. Maddy stared at it, unmoving. Bunny had disappeared into her bedroom a half an hour ago, and the island typically kept to itself after dark.
“Mom,” Maddy called out. “Are you expecting anyone?” She still made no move to get up.
“What dear?” Bunny’s voice carried down the hall, muffled by her bedroom door. “I’m in the bath!”
Bunny, then, would not be getting the door.
Maddy set her phone on the cushion and crossed the room. She pulled the door open, and under the porch light stood Aspen on the welcome mat with the smirk already in place.
“Aspen.” She heard the surprise in her own voice. She had gotten used to Aspen’s presence on weekday mornings, but she had never dropped by unannounced after dark.
“Hey,” Aspen said with a casual smile. “I know I usually just let myself in, but I didn’t want to startle you.”
Maddy just stared at her. She knew etiquette dictated inviting her in, but somehow that felt like a trap. “What are you doing here?” She kept one hand on the edge of the door.
Aspen leaned a shoulder against the doorframe. “I heard you hung out with my niece today.”
Maddy narrowed her eyes. Definitely a trap. “I did.” She said carefully. “She runs a very thorough tour.”
“She does.” Aspen’s smirk deepened. “And I’m only slightly jealous.” She held her index finger and thumb close together.
The words ‘Jealous of me or her?’ were on the tip of Maddy’s tongue. She bit them back.
Aspen grinned like she could see the question that had formed in Maddy’s mind, but didn’t press.
“It seems you left quite the impression on her, as well. Which is why I’m here.
” Aspen tipped her head toward the dark street.
“I was on my way home from a soccer game, and Maisie insisted I stop by and invite you to join us at the aquarium tomorrow.”
Maddy opened her mouth to reject the invitation, but Aspen held up a finger to stop her. “Correction. It was more of a directive than an invitation. She’s really already made up her mind that you’re coming.”
Maddy huffed. Based on her interaction with Maisie this morning, that one-hundred percent tracked. Still, she wasn’t willing to give in to that smug, knowing look on Aspen’s face so easily.
Maddy cleared her throat. “I can’t. Bunny needs help—”
“I’ll send my dad over.” Aspen interrupted, her eyes sparkling with the challenge.
Maddy crossed her arms, refusing to give in. “I have to go to City Hall tomorrow to get the fireworks permit—”
“City Hall is closed on Saturdays.” Aspen interrupted again, clearly very pleased with herself.
Maddy sighed and searched the air for her next lie.
“And before you hurt yourself coming up with another lame excuse, you should know that your fate has already been decided. If you say no to me now, your next visitor will be a bossy eight-year-old who doesn’t take no for an answer.”
Maddy bit back her laugh and shook her head.
Maybe this would be a good thing, she thought.
An opportunity. Aspen was clearly up to something.
Her push-and-pull moods. Her relentless attempts to get Maddy to converse with her.
The teasing smirks that had returned with a vengeance this past week.
The excuses to come into the kitchen during PT sessions that Aspen didn’t even try to pass off as believable.
Showing up at nine o’clock at night with an invitation to spend a whole Saturday at the aquarium with her and her niece.
These were the same mind games Aspen used to play in high school. Maddy just didn’t know what she was playing for this time. To secure her place as Bunny’s pseudo-daughter? To beat her at The Cup? To prove she still had the power to get in Maddy’s head after all these years?
Maddy didn’t know, but a day at the aquarium would give Maddy an all-access pass to connect the pieces and figure Aspen St. Claire out. She was different around Maisie. More open and pliable. Maddy could use that to her advantage to extract information and beat Aspen at her own game.
Maddy met Aspen’s patient gaze. Yes, two could play this game. She casually leaned her body against the edge of the door to mirror Aspen’s posture, pursed her lips, and deliberately ran her eyes down Aspen’s body and back up before meeting Aspen’s eyes again.
Aspen’s smirk faltered, and her throat column bobbed as she swallowed.
Maddy smirked. Then she softened her voice—not too much, just enough. “Okay, fine.” She lifted one shoulder. “I’ll come.”
Aspen was clearly surprised. “Wh– Really?”
“Mhm.” Maddy kept the smirk in place.
Aspen’s face broke into a wide grin. “Great!” Aspen pushed off the doorframe. “I’ll pick you up at ten. Be ready, Maisie has a full itinerary planned.”
“Okay. See you at ten.” Maddy confirmed, eyes still locked on Aspen’s.
Aspen slowly stepped backward towards the three porch steps like she was waiting for Maddy to say “just kidding” or “I changed my mind” before Aspen could reach the first stair.
Maddy didn’t. She gave her a small wave, which Aspen returned and stumbled on the first step. Maddy laughed and quickly covered it. Aspen gave an embarrassed laugh and another small wave before fully turning and walking stiffly towards her SUV in the driveway.
Maddy took a step back and closed the door. Huh. That was…interesting. And kind of…fun? God, was this how Aspen felt all the time?
She glanced at her phone that was still face-up on the cushion where she’d left it. She crossed to the sofa and picked it up, unlocking the screen and staring at her unsent text.
Noa could wait. She had an outfit to plan.
* * *
The aquarium sat perched at the top of a bluff with sweeping views of La Jolla Shores and the ocean below.
Aspen had picked her up at ten o’clock on the dot.
She couldn’t see Aspen’s face through the glare on the windshield as she made her way down the walk, but she had felt her eyes tracking her all the way to the passenger-side door.
Maddy had chosen to wear a black wrap-front camisole that hugged her torso, the thin straps leaving her shoulders bare, the neckline low enough to show cleavage but not low enough to be considered inappropriate around children.
The skirt sat high at her waist and fell to her ankles in loose panels of green palm leaves and white tropical print, the fabric light enough to catch the breeze.
The real showstopper was the slit that opened along one thigh, revealing most of her leg when she walked.
It still didn’t reveal anything more than a pair of shorts would, but it was all about the tease.
The quick flashes of leg that were otherwise contained.
She paired the outfit with black strappy sandals, gold hoops, and sunglasses tucked into her hair, like she had merely thrown the outfit on because it was June and the tropical print was appropriately themed for a trip to the aquarium.
But Maddy knew the second she pulled open the passenger door and saw the knowing smirk on Aspen’s face that Aspen saw it for exactly what it was—mental warfare.
She said nothing though, and the car ride was relatively painless. Maisie led the conversation, spouting a series of random facts and briefing them on the animals they would visit that day.
Outside the entrance, the morning crowd was already three families deep at the ticket windows. Maddy had her wallet out and her card between two fingers as they approached the counter.
Aspen stepped in front of her and gently pushed her hand down. “Put it away, Sterling.”
“I can buy my own ticket, Aspen.”
“I know you can. You’re not going to. I practically strong-armed you into this on my niece’s behalf.” Aspen slid her own card across to the cashier with a smile. “Two adults and one child please.”
Maddy wanted to say that she never got strong-armed into something she didn’t want to do. But she didn’t know if that would be a point for or against her. So she let it go and slid her card back in her purse.
While Aspen was distracted by the cashier, she took the opportunity to really take in Aspen’s outfit for the first time.
A forest green short-sleeved button-down worn open and loose over a fitted white tank that ended right at the edge of her high-waisted denim shorts, with Birkenstocks.
Maddy trailed her eyes down to the tropical print on her skirt.
It was the same shade as Aspen’s shirt. They fucking coordinated.
She rolled her eyes and looked around for Maisie—who had been by her side just a moment ago and somehow vanished—and found her in front of a touchscreen map by the entrance doors, operating it with both hands and impressive speed.