Page 60 of I’d Be Honored

MADDIE SHUT THE FRONT DOOR SOFTLY. Still dazed, she drifted into the living room and let herself fall backward onto the couch.

Caitlin paused the movie. “Um… why are you home?”

Gemma sat up straight. “Where’s Hayley?”

“Relax, Gem, I didn’t leave her in a ditch somewhere,” Maddie replied, but the joke didn’t land.

Caitlin and Gemma exchanged a quick look before returning their full attention to her.

“I’m just as confused as you two.” Maddie sighed. “Everything was perfect. But then on our way out, we ran into Hayley’s clients. By the time we got outside, it was like a switch had flipped. I tried to ask her about it, but she just completely shut down. She said she wanted to go home. Alone.” Her voice shook with hurt.

“Who?” Gemma asked quietly.

“Huh?” Maddie blinked, tilting her head toward Gemma.

“Who were the clients?”

“Oh.” Maddie paused. “Shit, I can’t remember their last name, but I know the wife’s name was Amy. And her husband was… Jacob? Something like that.”

Gemma’s face stilled. “I’ll be right back.”

Maddie watched her hurry out of the room, then turned to Caitlin. “What was that about?”

“I have no idea,” Caitlin drawled, still staring at the empty doorway. She looked back at Maddie. “Are you okay?”

“Not really. I don’t get it. I thought we were finally getting somewhere real. Now I have no clue what’s going on.” Maddie buried her face in her hands and groaned. “Cait, what am I supposed to do? I really like her, and I’m terrified I ruined this before it ever even had a chance.”

The date had been too much, Maddie scolded herself. She should have known better than to push Hayley into it.

Caitlin slid closer and wrapped an arm around her. “This isn’t about you, Mads, I know that much. Give her some time, I’m sure she’ll come around. I’ve seen the way she softens around you.”

Maddie let out a shaky breath and leaned into the embrace, wishing she could believe it.

Gemma never returned that night. Maddie and Caitlin waited up, tracking the slow crawl of the clock. They finally gave up and went to bed, hoping the morning would bring answers.

Sleep wouldn’t come. Maddie stared up at the blank ceiling, her thoughts circling the same terrifying loop. Every whispered conversation with Hayley, every night spent tangled together in the sheets, every corner of New York they’d explored side by side, replayed in her mind.

Maddie could feel the weight of Hayley’s body on hers, the electric heat of their bare skin touching, the arch of her spine beneath Hayley’s touch—all of it burned.

The fear of losing that future, of watching something so precious slip away, pressed against Maddie’s chest until she couldn’t breathe. She tried to brace herself for the inevitable impact, the brutal, gut-wrenching end she was now convinced was coming.

After hours of lying awake, she decided to text Hayley.

Maddie: Is everything okay?

Maddie stared at her dark screen, waiting for a response that never came. Only then did a fitful sleep finally claim her.

MORNING ARRIVED, INDIFFERENT TO THE SHADOWS in Maddie’s heart. She rolled over, immediately reaching for her phone. No messages.

Maddie found Gemma alone in the kitchen. “Morning Gem. Where’s Cait?”

“She went for a run, trying to beat the heat.”

Maddie heard Gemma move closer as she stirred the creamer into her coffee.

“While I have you alone, we should talk,” Gemma said softly.

A pit formed in Maddie’s stomach.