Tell Me Lies by Jennifer Crusie Page A

Maddie had nodded.
    “Yes,” she’d said. “I want that boy to stay with me.”
    After a moment’s surprise, Widdy had said she was sorry, but no, he was bad, and had dragged him off to the principal where he’d gotten paddled to teach him not to hit others, but it hadn’t mattered at all because Maddie had said, “I want that boy to stay with me.”
    Then he got expelled for a week, and then school was out, and the next year she was at the junior high, and even when he got there, she was in the smart classes and he was in the dumb ones because he was a behavior problem, so he didn’t see much of her. He didn’t have to. All he had to do was close his eyes and she was there, saying, “I want that boy to stay with me.”
    But she wasn’t saying it now. He watched her walk slowly, carefully, from the car to the porch, and he wanted to go to her. She shouldn’t be alone. But she shouldn’t be alone with him, either. People would talk; they were probably watching now. And Henry would have his hide. He was considering going out to the farm for Anna when Maddie leaned against the porch rail as if she just couldn’t move anymore, and he got out of the car.
    “Maddie?” he called, and she turned as he came up the walk. “I was waiting for Brent. Are you all right?”
    “Oh.” Her voice sounded thin and flat. “I thought you might be stalking me. It’s been that kind of a day.”
    “Well, it’s almost over,” he said, trying to sound hearty. “Half an hour to midnight.” She wavered for a moment. He reached out to put his hand under her elbow to support her and noticed for the first time that she was barefoot, and her vulnerability laid him low. “Are you all right?” he said, moving to help her to the porch, but she leaned into him instead, so he slid his arm around her shoulders to hold her up and felt his heart kick even faster. This was bad. “Maddie, do you want me to call a doctor?”
    She shook her head once, her forehead against his chest, and her curls brushed his chin. They were so soft that he gave up and put both arms around her and held her, wanting to keep her safe and also, treacherously, just plain wanting her. “I’m sorry, Mad. I don’t know what this is about, but I hate it. What can I do?”
    She drew a long shuddery breath. “Well, don’t be nice to me for starters or I’ll cry all over you.”
    “That’s okay,” he said, even though he hated women crying. It was okay. She could wipe snot all over his shirt if she wanted, as long as he could hold her. “Go ahead. Howl.”
    She clutched him closer for a moment, and he held her tighter in response; then she said in a voice that was almost normal, “Do you realize we’re standing in the middle of my yard? The whole street can see.” She lifted her head, and he saw a watery smile, and his heart lurched. “This is going to ruin your reputation.”
    “Oh, damn,” he said, trying to keep his voice light. “And up to now I’ve been so appreciated.”
    “I appreciate you,” she said, and he forgot to breathe for a moment. Then she took that moment to step away from him, and he felt emptier than he could have imagined. “Thanks, C.L.,” she said. “I needed to not feel alone there for a minute.”
    “You’re not alone.” He thought about kidnapping her and taking her out to Anna and making sure she was never this unhappy again. But there was Brent in the way, and she had a kid, a daughter, he thought, and it was too late for them. “Take care of yourself, Mad,” he said as he turned to go. “Yell if you need anything.” Her soft “Thank you” followed him down the path, and by the time he was back in his car, she was inside the house.
    He sat and watched the lights go out in her house and tried to think unexciting thoughts while his mind and body ached for her. He had to get out of there.
    C.L. put the car in gear. Tomorrow he’d find Brent. The son of a bitch couldn’t hide from him forever. And then he was