Maddy
My gut clenched.
I’d broken him.
Broken us.
Because I had been afraid… of so many things.
I’d broken the very thing I’d been afraid of breaking. Stupid, stupid girl.
My throat felt tight as we pulled up to his parents’ old house. We’d exchanged the cruiser for his old truck again, which just made the tension that much worse, because the smell was enough to send me into a haze full of memories spent in that back seat, spread out for him to see.
I slammed my door shut and walked slowly toward the house.
“It’s open,” he said behind me.
A few inches, and I could lean back into his arms. Would he wrap them around me? Or push me away? My shoulders slumped as I opened the door and took a step over the threshold.
I didn’t recognize a thing. It still had the same shell as before, but the old hardwood floors had been replaced with a dark-looking slate, the walls painted a warm tan color, and the pictures all replaced with more modern pieces that brought life into the house that I hadn’t even realized had been missing. “This looks incredible!”
“Thanks.” Jason stepped around me and down the hall into the open kitchen.
I could tell he was still working on it; the floor was all pulled up, and the backsplash was missing. All of the appliances were a shiny new chrome. The granite was a bright white. I loved everything about it.
“It’s my side project.”
“It looks like more than a side project. Did you pick out the colors and everything?” I ran my fingertips along the cold granite while he pulled out two water bottles and tossed me one.
“Yeah.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal. “I had an apartment with Colt before he went off and got married to my sister. And after that, my parents decided they wanted to travel, so I get free room and board for redoing the entire house and putting it on the market, and they get free labor.”
My heart stuck in my throat, as my brain tried to process the idea of him not living next to my parents. “You’re selling?”
He gave me a funny look that made me feel somewhat stupid. We were adults, not kids, but still. “They’re selling, but yeah, why?”
It felt like the end.
Like the final nail in the coffin.
The day that the Caro family no longer lived beside me.
I almost sank to my knees. What was wrong with me?
I didn’t want to admit it.
Admit the reasons for coming back, for holding out hope that maybe… just maybe… things would pick up with Jason and me.
I scratched my head. “Nothing, it’s just, where will you live?”
Can I sound any more desperate?
His lips twitched as he ran a hand through his messy dark hair. “Why are you so concerned?”
“Potential homelessness would concern any decent human being,” I fired back.
He choked out a laugh. “I just got another promotion. I was thinking of buying my own place, maybe getting a cat…”
My eyes narrowed into tiny slits. What game is he playing here? “You hate cats.”
He stared me down so hard — the way only Jason Caro could — that even my skin felt aware of his eyes as it erupted in goose bumps. “People change.”
The air was thick with tension. I tried to breathe, but it was suddenly difficult.
“Honey, I’m home!” Max’s voice echoed down the hallway as he appeared in the kitchen with Colt and the ridiculously handsome stranger.
“Hi.” The stranger held out his hand; his voice was smooth and held a hint of arrogance that made me question his intentions, and then I saw the wedding ring, and then realization dawned. “I’m Reid—”
“The Phantom!” I hadn’t meant to yell it.
He’d played The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera before it left Broadway and would be starring in the newest rom-com releasing this month!
“Careful, your high school’s showing,” Max whispered out of the side of his mouth, earning a glare from Jason.
“Weren’t you just on the cover of Entertainment Weekly?” I ignored them and bounced up on my feet.
“Aw, you saw it?” He turned his movie-star grin toward me.
Max moved between us and shoved Reid. “Keep talking, and his ego won’t fit next to mine, and that just puts me in a bad mood.”
Jason groaned behind me. I turned and was surprised as his hand shot out and pulled me to his side, as if I belonged there.
I tried to tamp down the butterflies.
Just like I tried not to overanalyze what it meant.
I failed on all accounts and almost turned in his arms and asked him if that meant I could sleep over like old times.
Stupid kiss was really hurting my self-control.
Stupid memories of everything surrounding us, reminding me of what we’d had, what I’d left behind. And the more I thought about it — really thought about it — the more I questioned my decision. Had I based it off fear alone?
“Stop using the eyes on her!” Jason barked, making me jump. “Plus, you’re married!”
“He can’t help it,” Max answered for Reid. “When you’re an Emory, it just… happens.”
Jason punched Max in the arm and grinned. “Sorry, when you’re a Caro, it just happens.”
“That shit hurt!” Max rubbed the spot and then turned his handsome smile back to me. “So, are we doing this or what?”
Colt made a strangled noise as Jason’s grip on my body tightened. “You aren’t joining us.”
“But it was a pool party,” Max pointed out, “and we need to re-create the actual event so you can move on and marry other people, right? Isn’t that what you want, Jason? To move on with your life?”
Jason’s grip loosened its hold.
Tears burned my eyes.
Why am I putting myself through hell?
Oh, right. To gain his forgiveness and then what? Continue pining for him while he marries another woman? Why not just step on a rusty nail?
“Besides, we all know the real reason you couldn’t marry Jane.”
I felt my body tighten with anger. Jane had been the popular girl at school. The one everyone wanted to be — gorgeous, rich, and thankfully, stupid and selfish as well. I hated her. And the minute I’d heard that Jane and Jason’s wedding was off two years ago, I’d almost driven back into town and groveled at his feet.
Pathetic, I know.
“Oh?” Jason asked. “You mean, other than you guys sabotaging the entire thing?”
“Details.” Max waved him off. “You didn’t have a heart then. You were like the Tin Man, awkwardly singing in the forest.” He nodded enthusiastically. “But look what we have here.” Max pointed at me. “Maddy’s returned, so now you can get your heart back, slam it in its place in your chest, and bone the first woman who winks at you! Happily. Ever. After.”
Colt groaned. “I don’t think that’s how this works, Max.”
“It does.” He said it like he meant it. “Oh, and I hope you guys don’t mind.” A few honks sounded from outside. “I scrolled through the invite list for the reunion weekend and invited some people who looked fun.”
“Where the hell did you even FIND the list?” Jason roared.
I winced as Max just gave him a blank expression and said, “Does Superman reveal all his secret powers all at once? I didn’t think so…”
“Are there no depths to where you won’t crawl?” Jason mumbled under his breath.
Max arched a brow. “I don’t understand your question.”
The doorbell rang.
And Max was off, peeling his shirt from his body, revealing a ridiculous six-pack, and rubbing his hands together as he whispered, “Show time.”
I turned around and gave Jason a pleading look. The last thing I wanted to do was be at a party at his house, like we used to have, and see all my old, successful friends with their husbands and kids and lives and… I must have looked panicked because Jason grabbed my arm and pulled me down the hall. He shut us into the master bedroom.
There it was. The same bed we’d fooled around on, just because it felt naughty to make out where his parents slept.
Sixteen-year-olds.
“Hey…” Jason cupped my face with his strong hands, “…look at me.”
I gulped and focused on his hypnotic eyes.
“I’ll get rid of them. I’m sure I can come up with something. You can hide out in here.”
My eyes narrowed. “Hide out? Why would I…?”
He took a step back, his face guilty. “Look, I’m not saying you need to be ashamed of coming back home. I just know that—”
“What?” I interrupted. “What the hell do you know, Jason? About me? About my life? My shame?”
“Whoa, calm down—”
NOT the thing to say to a woman. Ever.
“I’m perfectly CALM!” I yelled. “And I’m fine, totally fine with a party. In fact, maybe that’s exactly what I need after a long day!”
“Long day?” He stepped back. “Long day? Are you saying you hated it?”
“A trip down memory lane where I got to remember all the awesome things I did with the one man I’ll never have? Yeah, it was a freaking blast! Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds, and for the record, I’m fine.”
“You said that.”
“Yeah, well.” I lifted my chin at him. “It’s because it’s true.”
“I believe you.” He smirked.
How dare he smirk!
I narrowed my eyes and jerked open the door then marched down the hall toward Milo’s room, where I knew I could find a bikini.
Once I got to the end, I paused.
“Top dresser-drawer,” he called.
“I KNOW!” I yelled back then slammed the door behind me. Like a teen.
Well, one thing’s for sure. This whole blast from the past was doing wonders for my maturity level.
Fantastic.