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The mood lightens a little when she grins at me.
The waitress and the hostess return at the same time. I watch as Madison tips very generously before handing over the slip for me to add my signature. She promises to come back soon when the waitress thanks her.
She carries the drink out while handing over the bag of food to me. She doesn’t even grumble when I open the passenger side door for her.
The trip to the hotel feels longer than it should because I keep losing focus on the way her lips wrap around the straw to that damn drink I now regret turning down.
Chapter 14
Madison
Instead of making Chase carry the food inside when we get to the hotel, I grab the empty tea cup I got from the deli and the bag of to-go food.
He’s going to have to deal with the boys and Emily once we’re inside.
“I made reservations, so the keys should be waiting at the desk,” he grumbles after giving his name and car keys to the concierge who will bring up the luggage we left in the vehicle.
Heat swirls around us, the massive amounts of concrete holding in humidity and warmth as we make our way to the elevator.
Sweat blooms on my skin, making me feeling utterly disgusting as I nod in understanding. It’s one of the worst things about living and being in the city. It was one of the cons I didn’t know to consider when making my decision about whether I wanted to go to college in Austin or attend Lindell University. My need to get away from my parents and spread my wings a little ultimately made my decision, plus, at eighteen, we don’t exactly consider things like heat and humidity. Our tolerance for such things is much higher when we’re young with the world at our fingertips.
I frown as I lift my forearm to my cheek to swipe at a bead of sweat rolling from my temple. I’m no doubt less than a year from being the person who yells at kids to get off my lawn.
I straighten my spine, refusing to go into old age, in my case, inching up on thirty, so calmly.
“Madison!”
I grin when Cale jumps off the couch in the lobby and starts running my way. Cole isn’t very far behind, the iPad Emily took with them once again forgotten on the sofa. As I crouch low, hands still full from the deli, I smile, catching the way Emily glowers at me as if I’m the one responsible for this entire situation. I swear some people wouldn’t realize they’re the problem even if every detail was lined out in front of them.
“Hi there,” I tell them, doing my best to hug them back when they wrap their little arms around me.
“You went to Mike’s?” Cale asks, dipping his finger inside the bag and pulling it back some in an attempt to see inside.
“We did. I got the turkey spinach wrap. Would you like some?”
I fully expect him to curl his nose up. Kids aren’t exactly known for liking anything that mentions vegetables, and I haven’t been around them enough yet to know their tastes.
“With the aioli sauce?” Cole asks, joining the conversation.
“I think so.” I grin at the childish inflection in his words.
“I’m going to go get you the room keys,” Chase says as I stand.
I feel a little out of place as I watch him walk across the lobby and completely bypass Emily without a word on his way to the front desk.
The boys’ booster seats are set off to the side, and Cory is nowhere to be seen. He had to have driven her here and brought the seats inside. I don’t see the prissy woman risking her manicure on such trivial things.
I used to admire her. I used to think what a poor woman to be married to such a jerk, but after seeing the way her kids are around her, my point of view is changing some. When I look her way, I no longer feel sorry for her. I’ve always trusted animals and kids, and if they act in a certain way around certain people, then there’s a reason for it.
Cale and Cole aren’t hateful to their mother, but they prefer me, a virtual stranger, over her. Maybe it’s because I haven’t disappointed them yet. Maybe she’s known to make mistakes or go back on her word. Disappointment goes a long way when someone is developing an opinion about someone.
She rolls her eyes like an annoyed teenager when she looks and finds me watching her.
“Did you guys have lunch?”
Both boys frown.
“We rode around for a little while,” Cale says.
