Page 23 of Cold As Ice

And Austin was very good at that.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I hit send and gnawed my bottom lip as I waited to see if he would reply.

My phone bleeped, and I almost jumped out of my skin with excitement.

God, I was pathetic.

Austin: That’s very accommodating of her.

Madison: I thought so. Maybe we can hang out again if you can fit me into your busy schedule. I know how much you love the holidays, after all.

Austin: I might be decorating Christmas cookies or out making snow angels, but I can probably squeeze you in. When’s good?

Madison: I’ll have to let you know. I need to figure out things with work first.

The lie came easily enough, but it didn’t feel good. But I could keep the two parts of my life separate. Here, when I visited Lakeshore, I could be the fun, sexy Madison. Austin didn’t need to know about the other side of me.

He probably wouldn’t like her anyway.

I shut down the little voice whispering cruel, spiteful things in my ear. I was proud of the young woman I’d become. All I’d endured and continued to endure. And I loved my life; I did.

But it didn’t mean I didn’t yearn for things.

Things I knew would never come easily for me.

Austin: Just let me know. I liked hanging out with you tonight.

I smiled, feeling all giddy inside.

Don’t run away with yourself, Madi. It’s a bit of fun, remember? FUN.

Madison: I liked it too. Night Austin. xo

Austin: Night, pretty girl.

For the first time in a long while, I fell asleep with a smile.

* * *

“Wake up, wake up, sweepy head.”

The bed shook beneath me as I peeled my eyes open. “Imogen Grace.” I smiled. “What are you doing here?”

“Grammy Cara and Pops said we coulds surprise you.”

“They did, huh?” I wrestled the four-year-old ball of energy off me and sat up. “Well, I’m definitely surprised.”

She smiled at me, her little dimples making my heart flutter. “I missed yous, Mommy.”

“I missed you too, baby girl. Come up here.” I held open my arms, and she dove into them, smushing her face against me and wrapping her little pudgy arms around my neck.

I hadn’t seen her in four days, hadn’t held her or breathed in her cute little toddler smell.

I thought I knew love until the bundle of sunshine curls came along and stole my heart, and I realized everything I thought was a lie.

Imogen Grace was my whole world, and I hated being apart from her. But my parents had insisted on taking her on their annual trip to Frankenmuth, and they’d insisted I take a trip to see Fawn.

The opportunity didn’t arise enough for me to turn it down, but now my daughter was back in my arms, clinging onto me like she hadn’t seen me in years and the mom guilt set in.

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