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“Listen, calm your fucking tits, man.”
“Excuse me?”
“Everything is fine. The team’s not in jeopardy. Hell, when that picture of me ran in the tabloids a month ago, she spun the story to make me look like a fucking gentleman.” And she did, painting me as the Good Samaritan who was just opening a car door for a lady. In fact, she fostered a counter-campaign, distributing an article to as many media outlets as possible that explained the reason I get photographed at times with women in that situation: me exhibiting my southern charm and chivalry. The news outlets went apeshit over it.
“She’s damn good at what she does, and there has to be a reason why she isn’t talking to you at the moment, so chill the fuck out.” I blow out a breath, trying to calm myself down. “Look, I met a few of her friends at the Puppy Palooza event. Maybe I’ll get in contact with them and see if they know where she is or how to get a hold of her. Maybe her phone broke or something, and she’s in the process of getting a new one. You never know what’s going on in someone else’s life, so you shouldn’t go assuming the worst, okay?”
He huffs, and I can only hope that some of those words got through to him. “Fine. But if I don’t hear from her by tomorrow morning, I’m going to the owners. I won’t let this team go down because of her.”
“That won’t be necessary. Now, relax for a moment, and let me see what I can find out.”
“You’d better do something, Maddox, because this isn’t just her ass on the line. It’s yours, too.” Then the line goes dead, and I have a strong fucking urge to throw my phone against the wall.
“Jesus.” Standing from my bed, I head to my closet to change my clothes. I run into the bathroom to check my appearance really quick since I’m sure I look like shit from a lack of sleep. Dark circles under my eyes reveal the stress my heart and mind have been under, but other than that, I just look like a man in love with a woman whohepushed away this time.
I need to fix this, once and for all. So I hop in my truck and race across town, hoping Penelope will answer the door when I knock.
* * *
“Penelope?” I bang louder, hoping I don’t rattle the walls, but I could have sworn I heard movement inside just a second ago. If she’s in there and not answering, that means she doesn’t want to see me. And I don’t know how I’m going to take that.
“Penelope, open up, please. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry about yesterday. But I need to talk to you. There’s shit going on with Liam, and—” My phone ringing cuts me off.
I pull it from my pocket and see Leslie’s name across the screen. I momentarily debate just calling her back later, but from the looks of it, Penelope’s not home, anyway. And maybe my cousin can give me some advice.
Reluctantly, I answer and lean against the door. “Hey, Les.”
“Uncle Maddox!” Stella shouts over the call. Even though I’m technically their second cousins, Leslie’s kids call me their uncle, and I don’t mind it at all. Her voice instantly makes me smile, granting me a moment of reprieve from all the stress.
“Stella Bella! How are you, my princess?”
“I miss you, Uncle Maddox. When you come home?”
“I’ll be there in a few days, Stella. And we are gonna play tea party and watch all of the princess movies, okay?”
“Yay!” she shouts, and I can hear Leslie laughing in the background.
“Listen, can I talk to your mommy, please? It’s really important.”
“Okay, Uncle Maddox. I love you!”
“I love you, too, princess.” There’s a shuffling noise, and then Leslie’s voice comes through. “Hey, Mad. Is everything okay?”
“I fucked up, Les. With Penelope.”
“Oh, shit!”
“Mommy, you said a bad word!” Stella shouts in the background.
“Bad words are for grown-ups, sweetie. It’s okay,” she says and then focuses back on me. “What happened?”
I briefly explain to her how things have been going and how I might have restrained Penelope yesterday because she wouldn’t talk to me. By the end of it, I can almost visualize the look on her face, the one that says I’m a complete fucking idiot.
“Well, I’d be pissed at you, too, if I was dating you and you left me like that.”
“I know. It wasn’t my finest moment. But do you remember slapping me out of my stupidity after Grace died? It worked, so maybe sometimes a little tough love is the answer.”
“Yes, but I don’t think that’s the only reason she’s not returning your calls right now, given that you’ve always been suspicious that she’s been hiding something. You of all people should have respected that. You know what it’s like to fight demons in your head when you’re still living in the past.”
