Page 97 of Forever Home

Mentally, I prepared myself the last few days for this moment. But now that it’s here, I don’t think I’m ready to face him. Though as his lips part, it’s clear I don’t really have a say. Better to get it done and over with now, before Sam and Asher get here, I suppose.

“Madi… you look great.”

Out of all things… he leads with that.

“Thanks,” I reply, trying to not feel as awkward as I do. “Um, you do too.”

Running his hand through his hair, he glances around the kitchen, “I’m just making the sides today. Knox really wanted to cook the meat.”

“Yeah,” I quickly reply with a nod. “He’s been talking about it. But I just assumed you were going to do it… cooking's kind of your thing.”

Shrugging a shoulder, laughter escapes him. “Yeah, it is… but I mean if a man wants to man a grill… who am I to deny them that rite of passage.”

Laughter escapes me before I shake my head. “Don’t let him hear you say it like that.”

“He will be okay,” he mumbles in reply. “Look—I want to apologize…”

“You don’t have to,” I say, cutting him off before letting out a heavy breath. “I’m the one who needs to apologize. I should have listened to you and gave you a chance and I didn’t. I know now that that girl was justbeing a bitch, but seeing her get what she deserves on live t.v. was more pleasing than putting the finishing touches on a fourteen-layer cake.”

We both laugh at my comment, as he turns to lean against the kitchen counter next to me. Just apologizing to him seems to take a weight off my shoulders and honestly, it’s what I’ve needed. But more so, I need to tell him how I feel.

“I don’t regret anything.”

His eyes meet mine and soften. “Neither do I. I miss you, Madi. And I know that asking for another chance would be a long shot… I want to make everything up to you.”

The thought of jumping into his arms right now and forgetting everything that happened is appealing. But jumping like that is what honestly got me in trouble in the first place. Taking my mom’s advice to figure out what I want in life is at the forefront of my mind; I can’t do that with him right now.

“I know you do.” I admit softly. “But our lives are so… complicated right now. You’re still in New York, and I’m here. So, in the end what’s really changed? I mean—how would we even make it work.”

“There’s ways to make it work, Madison.”

His optimism is refreshing, but I can’t allow myself to get my hopes up. “Why don’t we start with being friends again, first.”

It’s clear by the expression on his face as his smile falls that it wasn’t the reply he wanted, but he nodded in agreement nonetheless. “Can I call or text you?”

“Do you promise to do it every day?” I ask him, remembering the conversation we’d had once before.

He seems to as well as he chuckles. “Yes, I promise. I won’t repeat previous mistakes.”

Taking a long moment to look at him, I nod. “Good. Then take the pies outside, and we can talk more later about everything.”

At that moment, I hear Kylie’s laughter and Sam’s sweet voice from outside. The arrival of the rest of our group rings joyfully in my ears as I hand the pies to Jaxson, who walks in front of me outside to join the others.

My body is wrapped within the embrace of Sam, who smothers me with affection as if she hasn’t seen me in years. “Oh my God! I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” I laugh as I watch her eyes scan to Jaxson for a moment before falling to me.

“Are we talking to him again? Because honestly, I still want to have words—”

“No, no,” I reply quickly, shaking my head. “Everything’s okay. While I haven’t completely forgiven everything… he and I are okay. Common ground and all.”

She seems hesitant to trust what I’m saying but shrugs absently after a moment. “Good, I hate it when any of us are fighting. Now, point me towards the food because I’m starving.”

An hour later, Knox, Kylie, Dante, and I returned from inside the house, where Dante had proceeded to explain the right way to plate pastries and croissants, which led to a small heated debate—that he lost, of course.

“It’s okay, guys; you’re the guests of honor today,” Knox calls out ahead of us to Sam and Asher, who are slowly beginning to rise from their seats to help us. “You don’t get to lift a finger.”

“What!” I gasp. “And you make me bake my own birthday cake for my party?”

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