Page 13 of Spring Forward
“But we were good together.”
She dropped her eyes. “I know.”
Those two words took the fight out of him. “Then why did you leave?”
“I had to,” Maddi little more than whispered. She took a quick step backward. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head then shook it again. “I never should have come home.”
They had driven to the lake separately, so when she practically ran up the path toward her parked car, he knew she didn’t have to wait for him. She would get in her Altima exactly like she had before. And she would leave.
And, once again, he couldn’t stop her.
Chapter Seven
Mom came in while Madison was packing. “Where are you going?”
“I have to get back to work.” She dropped socks in her suitcase.
“You said you were staying until Sunday.”
In went a pair jeans. “I’m not worried about Grant anymore. You seem happy, so I’m heading back.”
“What about Derek?” Mom dropped onto the bed. “You two were enjoying being together the last few nights.”
Had she seen them? “I don’t know what you mean.”
Mom actually rolled her eyes. “The two of you are great people, but you’re terrible spies.”
Madison sat down next to her mother. “Did Grant see us too?”
“Of course. But don’t worry; he didn’t act any differently than he always does.” Mom patted her hand. “He really is as fabulous as he seems.”
“That’s hard to believe. Our family track record isn’t very promising.”
Madison scooted back, sitting up next to the headboard. Mom did the same. They’d had conversations in that position many times when she was growing up.
“I haven’t made many good decisions where men are concerned,” Mom said. “I’ve gone with the cream of the loser crop.”
Madison could actually laugh a little at that.
“But you have done so much better than I have.”
Madison shook her head. “You only say that because you haven’t met some of the guys I’ve gone out with since I moved away.”
“You’ve mentioned a few of those dates.” Mom smiled over at her. “Men can be such idiots.”
Madison thought of Derek. He wasn’t that way at all. He was the nicest, most sincere man she’d ever known.
“How many of those idiots did you go on more than a couple dates with?” Mom asked.
“None.” They had fallen so far short of the bar that Derek had set that she’d never wanted to go beyond a date or two. They just didn’t compare.
How pathetic is that? You haven’t had a relationship since you broke it off with him because no one was as great as he was. Pathetic.
“Do you know why I started going with Grant?” Mom asked.
Madison shook her head.
“Because he reminded me of Derek.”
