Page 45 of Mad for Madison

“Never,” Lane growled. “Not while I’m there.”

“Good.” Again, we were quiet. “He doesn’t want to see me?”

Lane shook his head, but a smile broke out despite his efforts to keep it away. The truth was, when five guys lived in a place as small as this, you saw stuff. The number of times Roman strolled from the bathroom to his bedroom with a towel in his hand rather than around his waist was impossible to count.

“He’ll be fine,” Lane assured me. “It’s just embarrassing.”

“It’s embarrassing for me,” I insisted. “Since when?”

“The blackout,” Lane said.

“Good for you,” I said. “Anyway. Sorry again. I’m an idiot who doesn’t know how to knock.”

“Well, you learned something today,” Lane said.

We shared a smile, and he slipped back into the room, locking the door just to be safe.

I learned more than to knock on all the doors from now on. For as long as they had lived together, Lane and Oakley couldn’t stand one another. I’d always thought there was an undercurrent of attraction between them, but it had never been my place to point that out. If they could be together, what the hell was stopping me from taking the leap? I adored Bradley. He was responsible for every good thing in my life by the sheer fact of being in it. He was the reason I had the guts to hope for better things.

I grabbed the bottle off the table and marched out.

Bradley opened the door, and Lily ran after him. His smile was welcoming and warm, pouring courage into me. Lily’s was so big that it was impossible not to feel the sheer love and joy a child’s smile sparked in you. The overwhelming warmth that rose inside of me nearly made me drop the bottle.

Bradley gestured for me to come in, and Lily wrapped her arms around my waist, not letting me move. “Madison,” she said happily.

“Hello,” I said, handing the bottle of Bradley so I could kneel and hug Lily. “I’ve missed you, kiddo.”

“Daddy says we’ll go to Disneyland together,” Lily informed me.

I looked up at Bradley. “We will?”

“No,” Bradley said kindly. “Lily, I said that if you are good, I will take you to Disneyland this summer.”

“Can Madison come with us?” Lily asked.

Bradley and I exchanged a look, and he shrugged, barely holding it together. I could see his lips trembling with nervous laughter. “Of course I can,” I told Lily.

“I want to see Pluto,” Lily told me.

“Me too, kiddo,” I said. “Pluto’s the best.”

“Come inside,” a warm voice called from the hallway. A woman in her late sixties appeared behind Bradley. “Don’t just stand there in the hall.”

Dorothy wore an old-fashioned apron, but that was the only old-fashioned thing about her. She looked barely old enough to get a grandson, let alone a great-granddaughter.

Dorothy ushered us into their home, her presence commanding but warm. The scent of roasted garlic and herbs filled the air, wrapping around me like a cozy blanket. Bradley took my coat and Lily’s puffy jacket, hanging them neatly by the door, and then placed the bottle of wine I’d brought on the counter.

“Dorothy, this is Madison,” Bradley said, his tone casual but with a hint of pride. “Madison, this is my Gran. She’s the real boss around here.”

Dorothy gave me a once-over, her sharp eyes softening into a welcoming smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Madison. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Hopefully, good things,” I said, earning a chuckle from Bradley.

“Only the best,” Dorothy assured me. “Now, come in and sit. Dinner’s almost ready, and Lily’s been talking about showing you her latest masterpiece.”

“Oh, it’s the best drawing I’ve ever done!” Lily declared, tugging at my hand to pull me toward the living room.

I followed her, marveling at the warmth of the space. Pictures of Lily, Bradley, and their family adorned the walls. A fireplace crackled softly, and a set of crayons and paper covered the coffee table.

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