thing to … to”—she paused for a second to laugh again and then sucked in some air so she could talk—“to laugh at that. But when I got into my car … ” Maddie was gasping for breath. “I couldn’t stop laughing. I laughed so hard I almost peed myself.”
I laughed too, not just at the story, but at Maddie. Her face was scarlet but she looked so beautiful and serene, even while struggling for air and laughing so hard.
After she settled down a little, I asked, “How in the heck did you end that meeting? I mean, what did you say, ‘Nice meeting you, but I’m sorry this didn’t work out’?”
She was still laughing as she said, “Oh, I took the job.”
Fuck yeah. She took the job. Oh my god, this was the best news ever. “You did? That’s great. A job like that must pay a fortune … not to mention how great it will look for your portfolio.”
She smiled. I could tell she was proud of herself, and she deserved it. “What did Peter say when you told him?”
Maddie muttered, “Oh, I haven’t told him. We’re supposed to have dinner tonight, so I’ll probably tell him then.” Her tone turned serious. “Are you mad at me?”
I almost choked on my Coke. “What? Because you laughed at a person with a disability? No … no, not at all.”
“No, you idiot.” She lightly slapped my arm. “Not because of that. Are you mad at me for the other night?”
I racked my brain. “Maddie, I have no clue what you are talking about … unless you mean wearing a sweater with a hole in it.”
She swatted my arm again. “Not that, you moron. You know, the other night when your mom was so rude to you. I didn’t say anything. It’s been bothering me since.”
“Really? Why?” My voice cracked a little.
“Because she is such a bitch. I’m sorry, Lizzie, I know she’s your mother, but God, what a cunt.”
I laughed. “Don’t worry. You can say whatever you want about my mom and you won’t hurt my feelings or make me mad. I’ve never called her that, though. I call her The Scotch-lady.”
It was her turn to chuckle, covering her mouth with her hand so she wouldn’t spit out her food. “You’re right. She always has a scotch in her hand … Scotch-lady … I like that. Who else calls her that?”
I paused and thought. “To be honest, I’ve never told anyone I call her that.”
She put her hand on my arm and whispered, “Your secret is safe with me.” Her wink gave me goosebumps.
For the rest of the meal, all I could think about was that Maddie had taken the job. I didn’t know much about interior design, but I believed she would have to be up here quite a bit until it was done. Maybe I should start expecting more pop-ins … wait, was that an oxymoron? How did one expect pop-ins? Oh well … who cared. This was the best day ever.
Chapter Twelve
I tarried as long as I could with Maddie, but I had promised to have dinner with Sarah and her mom, and Maddie had to drive back to Denver. We said our farewells and I sped home to arrive before Sarah returned from shopping.
By the time Sarah entered the apartment, I was sitting on the couch with a book and a pen. I had read a few pages, but the thought of Maddie working in the same town preoccupied my mind. I glanced back at the pages I had read and saw I hadn’t marked any up at all. I knew it wasn’t sinking in.
“My, you are engrossed in your book.”
I smiled. “It looks as though shopping was a success today.”
Sarah stood in the doorway, five large shopping bags garlanding her arms. I noticed there were smaller bags tucked inside the larger ones. “You could say that. One of these days, you’ll have to join us again. I’ll pack you some energy drinks.” Sarah set the bags down and came to the couch. I lifted my legs so she could sit and then placed my legs on top of her.
“I got us the coolest blender. Now we can have bona fide margaritas.” She stroked my leg, running her hand up my shin beneath my baggy jeans.
I laughed too, not just at the story, but at Maddie. Her face was scarlet but she looked so beautiful and serene, even while struggling for air and laughing so hard.
After she settled down a little, I asked, “How in the heck did you end that meeting? I mean, what did you say, ‘Nice meeting you, but I’m sorry this didn’t work out’?”
She was still laughing as she said, “Oh, I took the job.”
Fuck yeah. She took the job. Oh my god, this was the best news ever. “You did? That’s great. A job like that must pay a fortune … not to mention how great it will look for your portfolio.”
She smiled. I could tell she was proud of herself, and she deserved it. “What did Peter say when you told him?”
Maddie muttered, “Oh, I haven’t told him. We’re supposed to have dinner tonight, so I’ll probably tell him then.” Her tone turned serious. “Are you mad at me?”
I almost choked on my Coke. “What? Because you laughed at a person with a disability? No … no, not at all.”
“No, you idiot.” She lightly slapped my arm. “Not because of that. Are you mad at me for the other night?”
I racked my brain. “Maddie, I have no clue what you are talking about … unless you mean wearing a sweater with a hole in it.”
She swatted my arm again. “Not that, you moron. You know, the other night when your mom was so rude to you. I didn’t say anything. It’s been bothering me since.”
“Really? Why?” My voice cracked a little.
“Because she is such a bitch. I’m sorry, Lizzie, I know she’s your mother, but God, what a cunt.”
I laughed. “Don’t worry. You can say whatever you want about my mom and you won’t hurt my feelings or make me mad. I’ve never called her that, though. I call her The Scotch-lady.”
It was her turn to chuckle, covering her mouth with her hand so she wouldn’t spit out her food. “You’re right. She always has a scotch in her hand … Scotch-lady … I like that. Who else calls her that?”
I paused and thought. “To be honest, I’ve never told anyone I call her that.”
She put her hand on my arm and whispered, “Your secret is safe with me.” Her wink gave me goosebumps.
For the rest of the meal, all I could think about was that Maddie had taken the job. I didn’t know much about interior design, but I believed she would have to be up here quite a bit until it was done. Maybe I should start expecting more pop-ins … wait, was that an oxymoron? How did one expect pop-ins? Oh well … who cared. This was the best day ever.
Chapter Twelve
I tarried as long as I could with Maddie, but I had promised to have dinner with Sarah and her mom, and Maddie had to drive back to Denver. We said our farewells and I sped home to arrive before Sarah returned from shopping.
By the time Sarah entered the apartment, I was sitting on the couch with a book and a pen. I had read a few pages, but the thought of Maddie working in the same town preoccupied my mind. I glanced back at the pages I had read and saw I hadn’t marked any up at all. I knew it wasn’t sinking in.
“My, you are engrossed in your book.”
I smiled. “It looks as though shopping was a success today.”
Sarah stood in the doorway, five large shopping bags garlanding her arms. I noticed there were smaller bags tucked inside the larger ones. “You could say that. One of these days, you’ll have to join us again. I’ll pack you some energy drinks.” Sarah set the bags down and came to the couch. I lifted my legs so she could sit and then placed my legs on top of her.
“I got us the coolest blender. Now we can have bona fide margaritas.” She stroked my leg, running her hand up my shin beneath my baggy jeans.
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