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And at that moment, Maddison twists around to face me.
Our eyes lock.
She frowns, and then quickly puts her back to me again. Her mother wraps an arm around her, kisses the top of her head, and says something.
The kitchen doors swing open, and her grandfather steps out. He catches my eye. “You think I can beat the missus, Doc?”
“I’d bet a dollar on it.”
“You have yourself a bet.” He winks at me before shuffling away.
I try not to look back at the Bradshaw booth yet again. Don’t want to seem weirdly obsessed.
Besides, now Hana’s setting up the board. “I’ll be red,” she says, as she starts gathering pieces.
Chapter 14
Maddison
“Mo-oom, please,” I say, ducking away before my mother can smother me with another kiss. “Don’t.”
I know I’m only being cranky like this because of what I just saw. But I can’t help it.
My annoyed state oozes out of my pores.
Nick is at the counter,with Hana.
And it’s my fault. If I could’ve paid for Hana’s legal services with cash like a normal person, I wouldn’t be in this freaking situation.
Butno.
I had to stoop to our dumb arrangement.
And now I’m supposed to be playing matchmaker, for her and Nick.
While every bone in my body protests.
“Oh, come on,” Mom says. “When’s the last time we were all together in a booth like this? Let your mama give you some sugar.”
She hooks her arm around me and pulls me in again. I feel the warmth of the kiss she plants on the top of my head, and manage to get away before her perfume soaks into my sweatshirt. I smooth my hand over my hair to make sure it’s not bumpy.
My mother tugs gently at the end of my ponytail. “Look at how long it’s getting.”
Gran, across the table, picks at the plastic-wrapped box. “Would someone give me a hand with this?”
At that moment, my grandfather slides in beside my mom, so he’s across from Gran. He sets down his coffee mug and gently takes the box from my struggling grandmother. “Allow me, honey. What’s the buzz?”
My mother pats my head. “We’re talking about how long Maddison’s hair is getting. And how nice it is to have her here. It’s been a while since we’ve all sat together like this.”
“Well, this set isn’t complete without my mini-me. Where is Bertie Junior, anyway?”
I do my best not to look at Nick and Hana as I check over by the coffee maker for Dad. He’s not there, and I can’t help but note that Nick and Hana are busy setting up pieces.
So, they’re really going to play.
Great.
Here I was, thinking Nick and I were going to have our tiebreaker game.
