Page 149 of Cold As Ice

“Hmm.”

“You can take off,” Kayleigh called from the back. “I can manage.”

“You want to grab a drink?” Austin asked.

“I really shouldn’t.”

“Just an hour? No pressure.”

“Fine, okay. But I can’t stay too long, I have to pick Imogen up from her grandparents.”

“Your parents are back?”

My heart tumbled.

Crap.

Crap.

“Uh, no.” I didn’t want to lie but I also didn’t want to go there yet. Still, I found myself saying, “She’s with her father’s parents.”

“Oh.”

And there it was.

The story I had yet to tell him.

The story Ineverwanted to relive.

I inhaled a shaky breath, hoping he would drop it.

He did.

“I’ll wait for you to get your things,” he said, sticking his hands in his pockets and stepping back, as if he were stopping himself from reaching for me.

“I can’t believe he’s here,” I said to Kayleigh, joining her in the back.

“Really? Because I think this is going to become a regular occurrence until you give him another chance,” she chuckled.

“I can stay—”

“No, go. It’s quiet and I’ll be closing up soon anyway. But promise me, you’ll hear him out this time. You deserve happiness, Madison.”

All I managed was a nod, too choked up to reply.

I quickly slipped off my apron and hung it on the peg and grabbed my purse.

“Have fun,” she called after me, and I waved her off.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

“Any preference where we go?”

“Somewhere local. I don’t have long, remember.” I reminded him.

“So what did Imogen really think of the game?” Austin asked as we walked down the street.

“Oh, she loved it. Had Scottie and all his friends eating out of the palm of her hand.”

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