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How didn’t he know he was Hollywood good? I hadn’t been kidding that he could make it big. Sure, sometimes luck was involved, but Maddix never lacked in the luck department.
“OMG, you still like him.”
I glanced at Ashlee, who had calmed down when I explained about Maddix and me. After selling the customers what they needed.
“What? No.”
“Yes, you do.” She pointed from me to Maddix. “It’s in the way you watch him. You get that soft, goofy smile on your face. How the hell did I miss this?”
“I didn’t want you to know.”
“And you kept it a secret all this time. So how are you going to pull this off? I mean, you live in Atlanta, and he’s here.”
“There’s nothing to pull off, Ash. We’re just friends.”
“Just friends, my ass.” She shook her head. “You and Maddix, wow. And here I thought Evan and I were an odd match.”
“Wait, what? You and Evan are a thing? Since when?”
Her face turned crimson. “It was a temporary lapse in judgment right before I got married.”
“Is that why Eva looks like him? Eva? Evan? You totally named her after him.”
“It was subconsciously, and I know she does. I thought she was his, but it turned out she’s not.”
“Damn.”
“He adores her just the same. Anyway, I felt guilty I was hooking up with someone who hurt you badly. But all this time, you did the same thing.”
“I broke up with him after he started mistreating me.”
“And now? He’s a good guy, Troy. Hell, even Evan has changed. Not as much as Maddix. Ev still can be a little much, but Maddix, he’s a sweetheart. Do you know he brings meals to shut-ins and drives them around to do their errands?”
“He does?”
“Yes, and he coaches the little league team.”
“All right, Ash, you don’t need to extol his virtues anymore. I get it. He’s the all-American boy next door.”
“I wouldn’t say boy next door. He’s fucking hot.”
I scowled. “He’s gay.”
She laughed, wiggling her eyebrows. “Jealous?”
“I won’t even dignify that with a response.”
The band ended their last song, and I cheered along with the crowd scattered around the park. They’d given a professional-level performance.
“Oh shit, I should grab Eva and give my mom a break.” She kissed my cheek. “Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face, sweetie. If you want that man, go after him.”
Except with Maddix, I never had the guts to go after him. He’d always come on to me.
Maddix and his friends broke down their set. When they were done, he returned to his stall, carrying two plastic cups. He extended one to me. “You look thirsty.”
I couldn’t decide if his words had a double meaning. Shrugging, I accepted the drink and downed the apple cider. I would think of it as payment for him sticking me behind his stall.
“Thanks for taking my place,” he said. “The money goes to the rec center.”
