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Maddie poked Grace’s thigh. “Don’t get jealous. He’s mine. Not sharing him.”
“Oh boy,” Grace exclaimed.
I whipped my phone out and ordered an Uber. According to the timer it would be here in three minutes.
“Come on, sweet girl. Up you go.” I took both her hands, helped her up. I couldn’t yet determine how steady she was on her feet, but I hooked an arm around her waist just in case. Grace walked us to the entrance, and once we stepped out in the pleasant evening air, Maddie almost became a deadweight in my arms. She was silent on the way home, nestling her body against me.
Grace’s words played in my mind. I was far from perfect, but knowing Maddie had so much faith in me made me want to be the man she saw. I wanted to be the man she needed. I carried her in my arms all the way to her bed.
“How was dinner?” she asked, curling on one side after I took off her shoes. I sat next to her, stroking her hair.
“Good. A bit crazy. Hailey’s taking three weeks off to work with me.”
Maddie did not look surprised. Instead, she tried to hide her smile in the pillow.
“You knew about this?” I asked.
“I might have accidentally on purpose outed you to your sisters.”
I bit down a smile. “How do you do something accidentally on purpose?”
“Well, Val cornered me on my last morning at the house. Started pestering me with questions. I thought it was just girl talk, you know? But then Hailey called too, and I thought she might be up to something. But instead of downplaying how much you work, I laid everything out for her. I sold you out. In my defense, you seemed to need it.”
Her voice came out muffled because she was hiding her face in the pillow in earnest, fiddling her toes against one another.
“I’m glad you did. I was in over my head, but I’m not used to admitting it.”
She perked her head up. “You’re a strange white knight. You rescue everyone else, but I think you need a rescuer yourself. Far from me to overplay my abilities, but I’m the perfect candidate. Can I apply for the position?”
“It’s already yours, Maddie.”
“It is? What are you doing?” she asked in alarm as I stretched next to her on the edge of the bed.
“Lying next to you. Or next to the bed. I’m gonna fall over if you don’t make space for me.”
“But you’re not sleeping here, are you?” She sounded even more alarmed, even as she made space for me.
“Why the hell not?”
“B-because I’m not feeling well. I might barf, and that’s messy and—”
“Maddie! I’m staying!”
“Oh, by all means, go all bossy and melt the pants off me when I’m down. Damn Slutty Marys.”
“What?”
“I asked Jose to make me a Bloody Mary, but light on the vodka because I was helping Grace. I didn’t want a Virgin Mary. That’s boring. It should be illegal to have to drink nonalcoholic cocktails on a Friday night. Anyway, he did a number on me. Said I looked like I needed it.”
“Did you?”
I’d thought she’d felt strangely tense, but I put it up to her not wanting Grace or me to see her drunk. I should have known there was more to it.
“A little. I’d just gotten off the phone with my parents, who said they wouldn’t make it to my birthday because they’ve booked a gig. They didn’t have time to get together for Christmas, so I was hoping they’d make it to my birthday in two weeks. I wasn’t planning a big party. I’d love one, but I don’t have time for that. Just a small dinner....” She was silent for a moment before adding, “I sound so silly, getting worked up over this.”
“You’re not silly. It’s important to you.”
She shrugged. “I should let it go. I just miss them so much. But I have Grace, and my friends.”
