Page 17 of The Encounter
“I haven’t heard from him yet, and I’m disappointed. I guess maybe I was hoping to hear from him even though I hadn’t exactly expected it. He is Jace Locke after all.”
Kailynn nodded in understanding. “I see. So why don’t you contact him?”
Maddie stared at her incredulously. “What? No way. I’m not desperate.”
“Contacting him wouldn’t make you desperate. You would merely show your interest.”
“No. I think I need to wait for him to contact me. If he wants to see me, he will.”
Kailynn shrugged. “Okay, but let me know how that goes. I’m wildly curious. I need to live vicariously through you.”
“What about Chase? I thought you two were doing well.”
“Oh, we are. We’re fantastic! But Jace is a celebrity, and this is juicy stuff.”
Maddie laughed and got back to the stores she was researching, while Kailynn continued working on her latest dress. She knew Kailynn was right. She should write Jace if it was going to bother her so much—rip the bandaid off, so to speak. But she was being truthful when she said she didn’t want to look desperate. She couldn’t lie to herself either. If she contacted him and he didn’t respond or reciprocate, then she would probably feel crushing disappointment. That was something she was willing to put off a bit longer. Plus, her history with men had her hesitating to make any moves. She didn’t exactly make the best dating choices, and the last thing she needed was to start a relationship she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready for.
After getting home that night,Maddie flopped on the couch next to Kayla.
“Still haven’t heard from him, huh?” Kayla asked.
Maddie shook her head. “No.”
“He’s probably just busy. He has a lot on his plate.”
“Probably.”
“Are you upset?”
Maddie looked over at Kayla at that remark. “No. A bit disappointed, honestly, but that’s all.”
“I can ask Robert what Jace has been up to.” Kayla reached for her phone.
“No!” Maddie shouted, startling Kayla and herself. She hadn’t intended on yelling, but she didn’t need it going through the grapevine back to Jace that she had been asking about him.
“Okay, okay.” Kayla set her phone back down on the coffee table. “You have it bad.”
“I can’t have it bad. I barely know the guy.”
“Or do you?” Kayla waggled her eyes suggestively.
Maddie rolled her eyes and tossed a throw pillow at Kayla. “Stop it.”
Maddie’s phone buzzed.
Are you free to do dinner Thursday night?
Maddie sat up straight. “It’s him.”
She read the text to Kayla and then stared at her.
Kayla stared back. “Well? What are you waiting for? Write him back!”
Maddie bit at her lip. “What do I say?”
“You say, ‘Of course I want to do dinner with you, you beautiful hunk of a man. Afterward, let’s bone like rabbits.’”
Maddie only blinked in response to Kayla’s answer until Kayla rolled her eyes.
