Page 18 of I’d Be Honored

Come for me, Madison.

A broken whimper escaped her lips, and she swallowed the sound with a low, trembling growl. Maddie felt herself burst apart, raw and unraveling at the seams. She sensed Kim coming undone on the other end of the line, connected yet separate, but she kept her eyes squeezed shut. In that fragile, aching stillness, Maddie clung to the vision of Hayley, desperate to hold on to the feeling she had conjured for a moment longer.

“Fuck, that was hot,” Kim rasped, jolting Maddie back into reality.

The guest room. Caitlin and Gemma just down the hall.

Maddie released a slow breath and opened her eyes. By the time she reached for her T-shirt, Kim had disconnected the call.

SLEEPING IN DIDN’T HELP. THE SUN felt too bright, too exposing, and a heavy shame settled over Maddie as she replayed the night before. The video call with Kim had been a mistake, one she already regretted. Every breathy moan they’d exchanged was starting to feel less like an ill-fated accident and more like a deliberate act of self-sabotage.

Once her eyes finally adjusted to the harsh morning light, Maddie pulled on last night’s sweatpants and padded into the kitchen for coffee. There was a note on the counter, tucked under an empty mug that sat waiting for her by the Breville machine.

Running errands. Enjoy the house to yourself, see you later!

- Caitlin & Gemma

Maddie enjoyed a peaceful start to her day, catching up on the latest TV and film news while the house sat still around her. She finally dug into the stack of scripts she’d been avoiding, trying to figure out which, if any, of the roles felt like the right fit for her.

By the time she finished, daylight had been pouring through the windows for hours, goading her. Maddie decided she needed to get out of the house and burn off some of her restless energy. She hopped up from the couch and changed into a matching Alo set—a pink sports bra and biker shorts. With no real destination in mind, New York City suddenly felt full of unexplored adventure. She laced up her sneakers, slicked her hair into a high ponytail to keep it from sticking to her skin, and pushed her sunglasses up her nose before setting out toward Washington Square Park, letting the streets decide the rest.

An endless stretch of blue sky offered no mercy from the sun, scalding the city below like a blowtorch. Maddie walked along the park’s path, paved with steaming asphalt and bordered by bright green grass. She paused to watch as a handful of kids splashed through a fountain, squealing with laughter. The thought of joining them tempted her for a moment as she craved a quick escape from the heat, but she kept moving.

The square Washington Arch rose ahead of her, and soon she was stepping onto the cobblestone streets of SoHo. The designer storefronts called to her, each window display whispering promises of air-conditioned fashion, but she knew better. Even one little Chanel shopping bag would be too much for her to carry on her adventure. She’d get Caitlin to come back with her another day, she decided.

Instead, a small coffee shop caught her eye on her left. Its windows fogged with cool air, overflowing greenery pressed against the glass. Maddie slipped inside, sighing with relief when a blast of air conditioning hit her skin. She ordered an iced latte and a croissant for a quick energy boost before stepping back into the sun with a new destination in mind. She’d suddenly remembered seeing videos taken from the Brooklyn Bridge, with its elevated walkway for sightseers to cross on foot and appreciate the unmatched views of the city. It was the perfect day for Maddie to go see it for herself.

Thirty sweaty minutes later, she finally reached Centre Street, the entrance to the bridge looming above her. She strolled along the wooden planks, the East River shimmering gently through the gaps in the steel slats. Halfway across, she paused to snap a few photos and marveled at the view. Sunlight danced across the water below, boats carving bright paths of white wake. She closed her eyes and tipped her face toward the sky, letting the warmth soak into her skin until her breathing slowed.

By the time Maddie got to the other end of the bridge and spilled out into Dumbo, her legs were humming with exertion. She let the path guide her past a carousel, where children clung to painted animals, their laughter rising and falling with the music. Nearby, people were sprawled out in clusters across the rocky shoreline of the river, tanning their bodies and sharing gossip, while joggers wove through the crowded concrete. Bikers sped by in blurs, and a group of teenagers threw a ball around on an expanse of lush green lawn.

Maddie kept to the water’s edge, ducking into the deep shadow of the bridge. When she felt as though she’d walked about fifty miles through a desert, she stopped to claim a vacant bench. She let her mind go quiet, the city’s relentless rhythm softening around her as she stared out at the Manhattan skyline and breathed in the river air.

“You found my favorite spot,” a familiar voice murmured from behind her, like silk brushing against the nape of her neck.

Maddie turned to peer over her shoulder, shading her eyes against the blinding glare as she looked up toward the source—a goddess.

A goddess in a designer suit, no less. Striking and backlit by the afternoon sun, she looked as if she had descended from the heavens just to grace the mortals below with her presence. Her blazer was draped over one arm, leaving her tanned shoulders bare beneath a creamy off-white vest. Her hair was shorter than the last time Maddie had seen her, freshly cut and styled into a sleek, razor-sharp bob that framed her face. Even with dark round sunglasses hiding her eyes, Maddie could feel the weight of her gaze.

Hayley goddamn Maddox.

“Did I?” Maddie finally choked out, clearing her throat.

Hayley stepped around the bench and sat right on the edge, as far away from Maddie as the wooden slats would allow.

Maddie almost laughed at the display, noting mentally that it had been Hayley’s decision to engage with her in the first place.

She could have just kept walking.

“What are you doing on this side of the bridge?” Hayley asked tentatively, staring out at the water.

Maddie glanced to her left, then shifted to mirror Hayley’s position. “Caitlin and Gemma were out doing their own thing today, so I decided to take a little walk.”

Hayley snuck a peek at her, her eyes darting away when Maddie caught her through the side of her sunglasses.

“Greenwich Village to Brooklyn is a bit more than a little walk.”

Maddie smiled, savoring the hint of impressed surprise that had slipped through Hayley’s cool façade. “What are you doing on this side of the bridge?”