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An embarrassed heat crept across my face. She must have noticed my awkwardness around touch back in high school. I didn’t exactly like the idea of it having been that obvious, even though it was true. Sudden contact made my nerves jump, even if it was friendly.
I did my best to smile and make light of the situation. “I guess you must have wondered what was up with my friends getting permission before giving me even a high five and stuff like that.”
Madelyn shrugged, seeming totally unfazed. “Everyone’s entitled to their preferences. If Logan and Slade couldn’t respect yours, they’d be crappy friends. I’ll have to get into that habit of being more conscious about that stuff too.”
She made it sound as if I wasn’t weird at all. Which I knew wasn’t true, because I’d gotten enough strange looks from other people at my reactions to a casual tap or nudge. My mom had often grumbled about how I’d stiffen up if she’d come in for a spontaneous hug.
Madelyn’s acceptance was such a relief that a tickle of curiosity passed through my mind. Would I really mind it that much if she touched me? She definitely wasn’t like any other woman I’d been around. Why didn’t she judge me when so many other people did? She hardly knew me, and yetshetreated me with more respect than people who’d been in my life for ages. And she wasn’t just easy-going and kind—she was smart too. A whole puzzle all in herself.
Why was Logan so set on keeping her in the dark? Imagine what she might be able to figure out alongside us if she had the full picture.
I took a deep breath and shut down those thoughts. My first loyalty was to Logan, not to the woman in front of me. He’d made himself clear when he claimed that Madelyn would be in more danger if we involved her, and I wouldn’t go behind his back and do that.
“Is there anything else I can do to help right now?” she asked.
“Not at the moment,” I said with forced nonchalance. “I’ll let you know when we’re ready to take our next real steps.”
Yes, Madelyn was a puzzle, and this entire situation seemed to be full of the kinds of puzzles that I’d usually devour and solve in a matter of hours. But I couldn’t let myself be distracted from what was really important. I’d have to shut down my puzzle-addicted brain before it carried me off the deep end again. I might think Madelyn had the right to participate as much as Logan would let her, but I wasn’t going to pull her into a scenario where she’d get hurt.
I wouldn’t make that mistake again. I’d already dragged more people down with me than I’d ever wanted to.
