Page 25 of Mad for Madison

I nodded. “It’s Lily’s favorite. She wouldn’t get bored if I took her there every day.”

“You think she might grow up to be a paleontologist?” Madison asked.

I laughed. “A paleontologist in space, more likely.”

He nodded, considering it as seriously as if the decision was his and immediate. “That will be a thriving field of study someday.”

Madison’s genuine interest in Lily caught me off guard. Most people nodded politely when I talked about my daughter, but Madison’s expression softened, his smile reaching his eyes like he was imagining her as clearly as I saw her every day. It was a small thing, but it made the ache in my chest grow. I wanted so badly for this to be real—for him to sit across from me like this a thousand more mornings, his interest in my life and my daughter’s not just polite but earnest.

“I hope so,” I said. “She’s smart enough for it. She remembers the names of every dinosaur and can tell you what they ate and how fast they ran. It’s kind of wild.”

Madison leaned on the table, chin resting in his palm as he looked at me. “She sounds amazing. You must be so proud.”

“I am,” I admitted. My voice softened. “But it’s not just me. Gran does so much for her. I wouldn’t have made it this far without her.”

Madison nodded slowly, his gaze steady, and I felt like he saw all of me—the good parts, the ones I didn’t show anyone, and the flaws I tried to hide. “You’re a good dad, Bradley. Better than most. Better than mine ever was.”

His words struck me harder than I expected. I looked away, unable to hold his gaze any longer. “I’m just doing what I have to do.”

“That’s what makes it so special,” Madison said, his voice soft but sure. “You don’t even realize how much you’re giving her, do you? You’re teaching her what love looks like. What stability feels like. That’s rare.”

I swallowed hard, not sure how to respond. The weight of his words pressed down on me, making my heart ache. “I don’t know. I just…try.”

“And you’re doing better than you think,” Madison said firmly.

The intensity in his voice made me look up. His expression was so open, so sincere, that I felt my chest tighten again. He was dangerous, this man. Dangerous because he made me feel seen in a way I hadn’t felt in years. Maybe ever. And I could feel myself wanting to reach for more, even though I knew I shouldn’t.

“You’re going to ruin my appetite with all these compliments,” I joked weakly, trying to deflect.

Madison laughed, his eyes sparkling as he sat back and picked at his salad. “Can’t have that. You’ve got pancakes to finish.”

I nodded, spearing a piece of pancake with my fork. The syrup was sweet, but the bite caught in my throat, stuck on the rising tide of feelings I couldn’t suppress. Madison deserved someone better. Someone who could walk into his world without fear or hesitation. Someone who didn’t have to think about how this would affect a little girl or an old woman who had already sacrificed too much.

But as he smiled at me across the table, I couldn’t stop myself from wondering. What if? What if, for a little while, I could let myself want this?

“Do you want to come to the museum with us?” I asked. I knew instantly what a terrible mistake that was. I knew I shouldn’t have put either of us in this position. But the words were out already, and they couldn’t be taken back.

Madison held a fork with salad on it halfway to his mouth and looked at me. Slowly, he lowered his fork, licked his lips, and blinked. “Are you sure?”

How was I supposed to say that I absolutely wasn’t sure? How was I supposed to say that every fiber of my being wanted him there despite my brain very loudly telling me it was a bad idea?

“I’ll understand if you don’t want to…”

“I want to,” I said. He was not unwelcome. And he was a good person, a decent person no matter the job he had, especially when so many bankers, lawyers, and real estate agents weren’t even close. The job was just that. It wasn’t part of this equation. “I’d love it if you met Lily.”

“I’d like to,” Madison said, the surprised expression still firmly on his face. He grinned a moment later, then hid his smile behind the salad.

And when all was said and done, I knew this was the best way to go.

CHAPTER 6

Not Normal Enough

Madison

Was it a date?It felt like a date. It felt like the first date ever, the kind that planted a buzzing sensation deep within my chest that wouldn’t leave me until the scary part was over. And just like the first of all the dates, I couldn’t tell you what the scary part was.

Would I be at ease once I arrived there? Or would I yap nervously for an hour before the anxiety lifted?

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