Page 59 of The Encounter
She moved toward the door and Seth made some wind noises with his mouth before saying in his best weatherman voice, “The storm has shifted toward the south.”
Haley turned and flipped him off before disappearing out the door.
Seth turned back to Jace. “She’s so much fun to pick on.”
“When are you just going to admit you like her?”
Seth jolted back like he had been slapped. “That Ilikeher? What makes you say that? What are we? Twelve?”
Jace tilted his head. “You two fight constantly, but deep down, I know you like her. Are you secret friends?”
“Oh.” He looked almost as if he was relieved before his face cleared. “I wouldn’t say we’re friends. Maybe acquaintances.”
“Whatever you say.”
The constant bickering between his two friends made him wonder if there were deeper feelings there. He knew Haley had no interest in Seth, but part of him wondered if Seth had an interest in Haley. When Seth first started working for Jace, he immediately hit on Haley, who turned him down quickly. After that, Seth picked on Haley nonstop. Jace wasn’t sure if it was a defense mechanism or just the way he acted. He had never seen Seth rag on anyone else the way he did on Haley, though. But Haley’s reactions made it easy for Seth to continue.
“All right. Back to work I go.” Seth stood up and walked to the door before turning around to face Jace again. “I’m thrilled that you’ve found someone like Maddie. I don’t know her, but I can tell she makes you happy. It’s something I can only hope for myself some day.”
Jace looked at Seth, shocked. They rarely spoke of anything deep, and Seth’s brief glimpse of vulnerability took him by surprise.
“Thanks, man. I really hope you find it, too.”
“Thanks.” Then he turned and left.
Jace stared after him for a moment before picking up his phone and texting Maddie.
Would you like to join me for a Friendsgiving with my friends on Monday?
“Sounds like fun,” Maddie said.
Jace looked up to find Maddie standing in his doorway.
“Hey, doll. What are you doing here?”
He came around his desk and pulled her into a hug. She wore skinny jeans and a navy blue crop-top with black heels.
“Kayla wanted to go clubbing. She said she needed to burn some steam and have fun.” Maddie shrugged and glanced around the room, clenching and unclenching her hands. “I decided to join her since seeing you is a perk, of course.”
“I have to work the bar tonight, but I’m going to grab you some VIP bands so you can hang up there. Seth is working the bar up there.”
It was still early, and the club hadn’t quite opened. Jace assumed Robert had let them in, and they hadn’t been set up with wristbands yet.
Her lower lip came out in a pout before her face went to neutral again. “Is there any chance you can work the VIP bar?” She shook her head and crossed her arms in front of her. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked.”
Her gaze shifted to the floor. He settled two fingers under her chin and tipped her face to look at him. Ever since Maddie had walked into the room, she had been fidgeting. Her constant clasping and unclasping her hands gave way to her restlessness. Her eyes darted to the bathroom in the back of the office, then to his chairs, then to the floor. It was then he realized why.
“Are you nervous about being here since it’s the first time since the attack?”
She nodded. “It’s silly, I know.”
“It’s not silly. Is that why you haven’t been back since then?”
She nodded. It had only been a little over a week since the attack, but Jace had seen Kayla come by a few times to see Robert. Maddie had stayed away, opting to see him before or after his shifts.
He tugged her into his arms and held her tightly. “I will work the VIP bar. I’ll even get a few barstools set up around it so you and Kayla can hang out with me if that would make you feel more comfortable.”
“Kayla will be fine. I’m just overthinking it, I’m sure.”
