Page 61 of Heartless

“What do you mean you know more about planning a wedding than I think?” Of course Madison wouldn’t miss the implication. She was like a dog with a bone with every single thing she did. Once she decided she wanted something nothing could stop her.

“Well,” I cleared my throat. “I’ve been a guest at weddings. And whenever people get engaged that seems to be the only thing they can talk about. I’ve heard plenty.”

“From who?”

“Friends. Family members.” I counted on my fingers, then pointed at her. “You. You haven’t stopped talking about weddings for…” I pretended I didn’t know how many nights we had spent together now.

“Nine is the number you are looking for.”

So I wasn’t the only one that was counting. That made my chest fill with equal amounts of hope and dread. Hope that she liked me as much as I unfortunately liked her. And dread that…well, that she liked me as much as I liked her.

There was literally no one I could talk to about my feelings for Madison. I didn’t feel like sharing with Ryan and Jessica yet, and Tyler would be surprised, given the fact he thought I was already dating his sister. I had to figure it out on my own.

“How did we manage to spend nine evenings together without killing each other?” I asked in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

“I think it’s the dog’s constant peeing and chewing on my things. We can’t finish our thoughts, so we fight less.”

We weren’t fighting at all and that was the most confusing part of our routine. Why did we fight so much before? Where did all that animosity go? Would it come back?

“So you think we don’t fight because none of us can speak long enough to annoy the other?”

“Basically.”

“Isn’t communication the key to a successful relationship?”

“Ours is fake. It doesn’t count. And how would I know what it takes to have a successful relationship?”

“You’re the wedding planner. Doesn’t that make you some sort of an expert on love?”

She just scoffed.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

“You can tell me. We’re friends now.”

“Since when are we friends?”

“Since we became the foster parents of this little guy I think.”

She rolled her eyes and the pup chose that moment to take a dump right in the center of the carpet.

Madison pinched her nose shut. “Oh, God. I hate my brother. And why does that smell like death?”

I chuckled as I watched the disgusted look on her face, while she opened the door to the pool area to let some fresh air in. The dog ran outside and Madison groaned in frustration.

“Go get him before he falls in the pool,” I said and stood up from the couch to clean the poop.

When I joined them outside, I found them sprawled on a lounge chair. The darkness created a sense of intimacy that I wasn't quite prepared for.

I sat down on another lounge chair, keeping a distance. “I feel so comfortable around you, it makes me feel anxious, if that makes any sense.”

“It does,” she said quietly.

And those were the last words we spoke to each other for an entire week.

At some point I took the dog and snuck into The Blue Diamond through the back door and left Madison alone in the dark.

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