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“To you, Smiles? Always.”
She snorts and looks into her mug. “It makes me feel like I’m helping a little. It sounds stupid.”
“It doesn’t,” I interject, but she rolls her eyes.
“I’m not a doctor. I can’t heal people. I’m not a teacher with the skills to help someone learn. I’m not an engineering genius who designs world-changing rocket engines.” She side-eyes, her lips twitching. “I’m not anything like that. My imprint in the world is a small one. But this makes me feel like I’m making a small difference. Even if it’s only to one person at a time through words. It’s still… something.”
I rest my head against the back of the seat. “I’d say it’s everything to that one person. Don’t underestimate how much of an impact you can have on someone, Mads.”
Her eyes drop to my lips. And mine drop to hers.
My phone rings on the table in front of us and her face lights up. “It’s Drew.”
“Go ahead.” I gesture to my phone, and she scoops it up with the biggest smile I’ve seen on her face since we were at the opera. She pauses, swiping something off the screen before she connects the call.
“Drew,” she answers with undisguised delight. Her eyes flick to me, then away. “Yeah, he’s here. I was just closer to the phone.”
I drink my coffee as I listen to the easy way they chat. I always wondered what having a sibling would be like. Growing up with Drew is the closest I have.
“I can’t wait to tell you all about it,” Maddy muses, stroking the book stickers that decorate the lid of her laptop. “Oh, Chloe’s staying longer at my place now. So those things you and Tan were going to help fix for me, maybe wait until I’m home? Or at least, check she’s okay with you doing it while she’s there. Thank you.” Maddy pauses. “How are Mum and Dad?”
She gnaws on her bottom lip, mumbling the odd “yeah”, and “I know”. Then she says, “Love you too,” and holds the phone out to me.
I take it and walk over to the rear doors, staring out over the formal gardens and pool. Guilt twists at my gut before I even get my first word out.
“Hey.”
“All right?” Drew asks.
“All good here.”I had sex with your sister.
“How’s funding going?”
“Nearly there.”Then I ate her out in the kitchen.
“That’s great. Be good to have your ugly face back.”
My eyes dart to Maddy, but she’s typing on her laptop again.
“Missed me, have you?”But that’s all, I swear. I haven’t touched her since. And I won’t again. I can’t.
“Like you’d miss an infection in your dick. But you make me look better. And I need that lucky charm. It’s time we had another double date. It’s been too long.”
I chuckle. “You’re full of shit.”
Drew laughs. We’ve always made a good duo when it comes to women. He’s dark and broody, with an air of danger about him, which women seem to go mad for. Even though he and I both know his bad boy days are way behind him. Behind both of us. And I’m fairer and can break out the charm when I need it.
“I thought we weren’t dating together again. What happened to the lawyer?”
Maddy’s eyes snap to mine, then away just as fast. I clear my throat and turn away, looking back at the garden.
“She’s dating someone.”
“Since when did that stop you?” I resist looking back at Maddy and instead step to the side so I can make out her reflection in the glass of the doors. She’s closed her laptop and is drinking her coffee.
“Since she threatened me with a restraining order, remember?”
I swallow my laugh and cough instead.
