Page 45 of Heartbreak & Cupcakes
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and lifted it up and pointed at me.
“What the fuck were you think—" I started to ask when he cut me off by lifting his phone.
“I have to send this to Nick.” He chuckled. “You looked like a bull ready to charge.”
“Maddox.” His name came out as a warning, which I knew would only egg him on further. I just couldn’t seem to help my reactions to this. It was fucked up.
“Relax,” he held up his hands in mock-surrender. “We just went to Gino’s for pizza with the girls. It wasn’t like that. We mostly talked about you.”
The relief that I felt was swift and welcomed. My shoulders dropped and the tension in my chest eased. “You did? What did she say?”
“I’m still fucking with you.” He grabbed another cupcake and leaned against the counter. “We didn’t talk about you at all actually.”
“What did you talk about?”
“We talked about life. Her shop. My apps.”
The anger that had eased was back in full force.
“But it wasn’t a date, I swear,” he clarified. “In fact, she made a point of saying that she doesn’t date. She hasn’t been on a date in two years. I’ve never been friend-zoned in my life but damn, that’s exactly what she did. I’m not gonna lie…it hurt a little.” He touched his hand to his chest.
I was jealous before when I thought that Maddox and Sadie had gone out in a romantic setting but hearing that they’d talked like friends was somehow equally as upsetting. I’d known the woman for six months and the only thing I knew about her life and her shop was what I’d found out from my private investigator.
And whose fault is that?The little voice in the back of my head that sounded a lot like Ash piped up.
It was my fault. I could have gotten to know her. I could have said more than ten words to her each time I’d seen her. But I’d done everything I could to keep my distance from her and now her and Maddox were what…friends?
My internal reflection was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. This conversation was notover, but it would have to wait.
“Thanks, again. For keeping Lexi.”
Maddox lifted a cupcake from the box. “I should be the one thanking you,” he said as he took a large bite.
“Daddy!” Lexi and Hannah hit the bottom of the stairs and my daughter rushed to me, jumped up, and threw her arms around my neck.
“Hey, Squirt!” It felt so good to hold her and know that she was safe that I momentarily forgot about Maddox and Sadie’s budding friendship.
“Gigi is sick.” She said as she tightened her grip around me. I could hear the fear in her voice.
“I know. Do you want to go see her?”
She nodded against my shoulder.
“Say bye to Uncle Maddox and Hannah.”
Lexi lifted her head and waved.
“Talk to you later.” I lifted my chin to Maddox saying goodbye then ruffled Hannah’s hair. “Bye, Banana.”
Maddox lifted the pink Sweet Temptations box up toward me. “Do you want to take a cupcake to go, Lexi? They are Sadie’s Specials,” he emphasized as he looked at me with a knowing smirk.
Her eyes lit up as she took it from him. I could see how much he was enjoying this. I had a feeling that my attempt to distance myself from Sadie was a losing battle now that Maddox had a direct line to her, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
On the way to the hospital, Lexi talked nonstop about playing with Hannah and the fact that Hannah’s birthday was next week while her own was still a month away.
I did my best to be present and listen, but the truth was my mind was occupied. The closer that I got to the hospital the more anxious I felt. My heart was starting to race. My palms were sweaty. This was the same hospital that Ash and AJ had been taken to.
This isn’t the same situation, I told myself.
