Chapter Thirty-One
Gavin
I woke the next morning to someone knocking on the front door. Had to be Ron. No one ever visited me, and mom was too sick to get up without help. Though it could have been her with Karen's help.
After pulling on a pair of jogging pants that lay in a heap on the floor by the bed, I stumbled into the living room and opened the front door. A big yawn caused me to turn and lift my hand to my mouth.
"I brought breakfast." Maddie's voice was soft, sweet.
"Nice." I moved back to let her in and turned my attention back to her. The thin blue sweater she wore left plenty of creamy thigh on display, and I couldn't help wonder why her nipples were budded. Cold? Or had someone turned her on.
"Can I come in?" She stood still, waiting for me.
She thought I was the same cock that barked order at her two weeks before when I was still so pissed about everything. And maybe I was. Who the hell knew.
"Yeah. I was going to head over to mom's this morning and check on her. She wasn't doing too good yesterday." I ran my fingers through my hair and closed the door, turning to follow the pretty ray of sunshine into the kitchen. Her sweet ass shook in her romper, and I knew she wasn't wearing panties.
My body hardened a little more. I stopped by the counter and sat down on a stool, scratching at my beard as she moved around the kitchen like she owned it.
"What are you doing up so early?" I stifled another yawn. "And over here?"
She paused and gave me a worried look. "I can leave."
I smiled. "No, I'm just saying. It's Saturday morning before 10. Don't high maintenance woman like you sleep in or something?"
"High Maintenance?"
"Gold diggers? That a better term?" My smile widened, but her’s faded.
"I just thought you wanted me over here more often so your momma wouldn't ask questions. I can leave." She turned and pulled two small plates out of the cabinet, loading them each up with a muffin and a few other pastries. She had no plans of leaving.
"Yeah, you're right." I took the plate and stood. "I'm glad you remembered. Hate to have to pull out the rule book and spank you with it."
"I like spankings. Remember?" She moved around me, walking to the front patio, shaking her fine ass more than she needed to.
"I do recall something like that." I reached around her and opened the door. The scent of her perfume stained my lungs, and she glanced my way, her eyes filled with false innocence. "You're not wearing panties." I kissed her shoulder and caressed her ass, needing to validate my thoughts.
"They don't work with this outfit." She gave me a cocky grin and walked out onto the small porch. "Do you need to put on shoes and a shirt?'
"For what?" I sat down on one of the chairs and glanced up at her before picking up a fruity looking tart.
"Hey! That plate is for your mother and Karen." She lifted hers. "This one is ours."
"Oh. Shit. I thought that one was yours and this one was mine." I handed her the plate and opened the door to walk back in the house.
"You were going to eat four pastries?" she called after me, and damn if I wasn't falling in love with her. She was worried about my weight, or my health. Either way, I enjoyed her attention.
I pulled on a t-shirt and slipped my feet into some shoes before rejoining her. "My hair sticking up anywhere? My mother will bitch at me about it as if it's not her fault that I have cowlicks everywhere."
She laughed and moved closer, handing me one of the plates and reaching up to brush her fingers through my hair.
It felt good. Too good.
"There. Much better." She brushed her hand down my face and lifted to her toes, kissing me softly. "We have to act married."
"Agreed. Sit on my lap at mom's." I winked as she gave me a soft sound of disapproval. "I take that as a no?"
"You're corrupt." She walked off the porch, her body causing mine to ache.
"And I'm yours," I mumbled. At least for a little while longer.
She moved up to the house and knocked, but I reached around her and opened the door. "What? It's rude to just walk in."
"You knock at your mom's house?" I gave her a cocky grin and walked in, calling out. "Mom? Karen?"
"She's in her room, watching that bird again." Karen walked out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "What are you two up to?"
"Maddie went and picked up some goodies." I lifted the plate and smiled back at her. "I'm going to go check on mom."
"Go for it." She winked at me and turned to Karen. "Try the blueberry one. It's to die for."
I walked down the hall, knocking on mom's door before slipping into the room. "Mom?"
She turned and gave me a weak smile. "Hey, baby."
"Hi. Maddie brought you some treats." I walked to the bed and sat down beside her as she glanced back toward the window.
"Thank you." She closed her eyes. "I'm not hungry. I'm tired, and I wanna see your daddy soon."
The hot ball of fear stuck in my throat choked me. "Well, then I'll just eat them." I tried to keep my voice light as tears burned my gaze. I prayed like hell that Maddie would stay out. I didn't want her to see me choked up.
"You know how much I love you?" Her voice was a rough whisper.
"Yes, mom." I stood and moved to the desk near her window, setting down the treats. "You know we forgot something at the wedding, right?"
"Your chapter?" She patted the bed beside her, barely moving her thin fingers. "Read it to me now? Please?"
"Only you." I pulled a chair to the edge of the bed and sat down, pulling out my phone and opening the document. I reached out and picked up her hand, kissing it softly. "I love you so much."
"Me too." Her eyelashes fluttered, and she closed them again. "Don't mind me if I fall asleep. Just keep reading."
I nodded and cleared my throat. I was so fucking close to breaking down. We didn't have six months. We didn't have six days from what I could tell. Maybe going to Maddie's parents for dinner was a bad idea.
No. Mom wouldn't feel up to eating anyway, and if anything happened, Karen would call me right away.
I started reading and glanced up to see Maddie stick her head in the room. I motioned for her to come in, suddenly more than willing to have her hear the story too. My voice broke a little as I neared the end of the first chapter and glanced up to see my mother sleeping, her skin almost translucent.
"Gavin," Maddie whispered as she walked toward me. "Come on. Let her rest."
I nodded and stood, turning and welcoming Maddie in my arms. I kissed the top of her head and closed my eyes. Life was beyond fleeing, and I was a man that couldn't seem to hold onto anyone I loved.
"I'm happy we did this." Mattie glanced over at me in the car as I drove us out to her parent's place. She squeezed my hand softly.
"You must have seen the money." I licked the side of my mouth in hopes of curing the dryness on my tongue. My mom wasn't going to last much longer. I should have been right beside her. I didn't want her to die alone. It scared the fuck out of me. "I deposited it earlier this past week. It just takes forever because—"
"Hey. It's not the money, okay? It's you. I'm glad all of this happened because of the friendship that you and I will have when it's done." She pulled her hand back, and I realized she was pale.
"What's up?" I pulled into the drive away as a cold sweat ran across me. I hadn't seen Maddie's parents in years. Were they still kind and welcoming? Would they be pissed about us being married?
Not that we really were, but we were still sporting rings like we were. I hadn't been in front of a girl's parents that I was dating since high school.
Dating? Is that what I thought we were doing? It was laughable.
"I just want you to like them." She got out of the car and walked to the front, waiting for me.
"I already like them, silly woman. We grew up together. Your cousin is my best friend in the whole world." I reached her and pulled her into a hug, needing her warmth.
"Kiss me. Please?" The need in her eyes left me with no choice, not that I would have denied her anyway.
I wanted her kisses every day. All the damn time. As many as I could store up.