AllFreeNovel
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“Something wrong?”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Maddix. Why did he pop up everywhere? After that unexpected kiss rocked my world yesterday, I’d had every intention of staying away from him.
“Everything’s fine,” I replied.
He stood on his side of the fence, looking irresistible with his dirty blond hair up in a messy bun, and my hands itched to loosen the ties in his hair to let the tresses down.
“You sure? Because it looks like you’re locked out.”
“I am, but not to worry. I’ll sit out here and wait for Gladys to return.”
“And if she doesn’t return until it’s night? Don’t be ridiculous. Come on over. We can hang out until she gets back.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not? Friends hang out. In fact, I’m making caramel apple soft pretzels for the festival tomorrow. You can help.”
I laughed. “You’re baking?”
“Why’s that so funny? I’ll have you know I make the best damn apple pie in the county.”
Against my better judgment, I walked toward the fence. I’m not going to hop it. There’s no harm in talking.
“If you make such a damn good apple pie, why are you making soft pretzels?”
“Thought I’d try something new and give someone else a shot at winning the best apple pie contest.”
“You’re not being serious, are you?”
“Let me show you my ribbons.”
“All right. Stand back.”
I scaled the fence smoothly, something I’d never tried as a teen, having no confidence in my arm muscles to boost me over. Maddix’s father had been an unpredictable drunk too. For the most part he’d been fine, but then he had his days when everything seemed to piss him off. I would not have wanted him to catch me scaling his fence on one of those bad days. I landed softly on my feet and caught him staring at me.
“What?”
“Nothing. You got very ripped. It’s taking a while to get used to it.”
“I started working out at GT.”
“GT?”
“Georgia Tech.”
“Ah, the college that offered you a full scholarship.”
“Yup.”
“How’d that turn out for you?”
I shoved my hands into my back pockets. Why didn’t having a conversation with him feel weird? It was as if the ten years we hadn’t seen each other didn’t exist.
“Great. Got my master’s there too.”
“Sweet. You were always the brightest of all of us.”
“The nerdiest of the nerds.”
