Hannah’s grin nearly split her face in half. “That’s not a bad thing, Madds.”
Maddie shrugged. The knots in her stomach weren’t so convinced. “I suppose.”
Christina smiled over the top of her wineglass, her eyes gleaming with playful impishness. “This is where you flirt back. If you want some company after the auction, you’re going to have to leave a trail of breadcrumbs for the man.”
Maddie laughed and shook her head. Christina was right, of course. If she wanted an orgasm from somebody other than B.O.B., she’d have to come out of her shell a bit. After all, wasn’t that what she’d told Hannah to do? When Hannah had been in the same place two years ago, trying to decide if a fling with Cade was what she wanted, Maddie had urged her to live in the moment or else she’d regret it. And Maddie had a lot of regrets. What would that weekend with Grayson have amounted to had she not gotten cold feet?
She sighed. “Okay, okay. Let me think. I’m rusty at this.”
She tapped her finger on the side of her phone, thinking. The words popped into her thoughts seconds later, and Maddie typed and hit send before she lost the nerve to say them.
MadHatter3000: Confident aren’t we? Don’t think a date means ur automatically getting into my pants. ;)
She stuffed the nail of her index finger into her mouth and waited. Had she been too rude? Too presumptuous?
Seconds ticked by before his reply came back. Just long enough for the doubts to close around her throat. She had to be insane for agreeing to this.
BookNerd: Are you challenging me?
Her head filled with visions of what he must look like. Tall, dark and handsome, like Cade and Sebastian. Full of muscles for sure. And sitting somewhere doing exactly what she was—his phone in his hand, waiting on her replies. The thought had her heart hammering a giddy beat, and her palms sweating, but damn. This could be addicting. It was the most fun she’d had since…well, since Grayson.
Thoughts of her ex had the beginnings of panic clawing their way up her throat. Hands shaking in earnest now, Maddie leaned forward and set her phone down on the coffee table. “I can’t do this. This isn’t me.”
Hannah set down her glass of soda and pushed off the couch, coming to perch on the arm of Maddie’s recliner. She looped an arm around Maddie’s shoulders, hugging her tightly. “Yes, you can. You’re the first person in the store to pounce on any halfway decent-looking man who walks through the door. You’re an incorrigible flirt. Why does this one make you so nervous? It’s just a date.”
Maddie shook her head, memories rising over her. “When I flirt with the guys in the store it’s just fun. I haven’t had an actual date in three years.”
Grayson Lockwood wasn’t the first guy she’d fallen in love with, but that breakup had hit the hardest. Discovering his lies had destroyed everything she’d sworn they had and made her feel like a hopeless fool. She’d discovered on the front page of a local newspaper that he wasn’t just another editor working his way up through the rungs of the publishing company they’d worked for at the time. He owned the company, had inherited it from his father when he died.
Which meant he’d lied to her the whole time she’d known him. His lies had made her question their entire relationship. Was anything he told her real? Or was she just part of the charade? Did she really know him at all?
Like Matt, in college. She’d met Matt originally in Biology class. He’d chatted her up, playing the nice guy, the geek, helping her with her homework. Then one night, he’d invited her to a frat party on campus. He’d fed her spiked drinks, and she’d woken up the next morning alone, confused and violated.
Grayson wasn’t Matt, but he’d still lied to her about who he was. Liars. She despised them. A deep pain crushed her chest every time she thought about it, because it brought her screeching back to that awful night in college. Learning the truth about Grayson had only reinforced what she already knew: that men couldn’t be trusted. Because they all lied.
In the end she’d decided she didn’t want to know which parts of their relationship were truth and which were more lies. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t put her trust in another man who’d only hurt her again.
Her phone pinged again from the coffee table. She and Hannah both turned. Another reply flashed on the black screen.
BookNerd: Nervous?
“Do what you do best, Madds. He’s just a guy, and you need this. You want this. You said so yourself.” Hannah squeezed her tight then released her and resumed her seat on the sofa. “Try being honest with him. Always worked for me and Cade.”
Maddie sighed. She had to admit, Hannah had a point. Cade was good for Hannah. He’d opened her up and given her confidence. Hannah no longer hid the scars that cut across her face. The two of them were so damned happy Maddie couldn’t even envy them. Hannah deserved to be happy. More to the point, if honesty worked for them, maybe it would work for her, too.
She picked up her phone, typing in a more honest reply.
MadHatter3000: I don’t usually do this sort of thing.
BookNerd: Honestly? Me either.
This reply soothed the knot in her chest. His confession, however, filled her with questions.
MadHatter3000: So y r u?
BookNerd: Because I told Christina the only way I’d participate was if she made sure I didn’t end up with some 80 y/o woman or her lonely daughter.
Ah, now they were getting somewhere.
MadHatter3000: So, u don’t want to do this, either.
Knowing her date didn’t feel so certain either wasn’t the most promising prospect she’d ever had, but the nausea swirling in her stomach eased by a large degree. At least she wasn’t alone in her nervousness.
BookNerd: Not originally. I don’t usually participate in these things. I have no desire to end up as someone’s plaything. But I have to admit I’m enjoying this. Christina mentioned that you don’t trust easily. Truth is, neither do I.
Maddie smiled. Beginning to finally relax, she couldn’t resist teasing him.
MadHatter3000: How do u know I’m not an ugly hag?
BookNerd: lol I’ve known Christina since high school. I trust her judgment.
Hold the phone. Christina had distinctly left out that little detail.
Maddie peered across the coffee table at Christina. “You know him?”
Christina smiled. “Of course. You didn’t think I’d set you up with someone I didn’t? I’ve known him since high school. Gr—I mean, Dave is a nice guy.”
Maddie narrowed her gaze on Christina. It had almost sounded like Christina was about to say another name. In fact, since this whole thing began, Christina and Hannah had had secret written all over them. Their heads were always bent together in a quiet conversation that ceased the minute Maddie joined them. She’d let them convince her it was nothing, but this time, she had to know.
She pursed her lips and pointed a finger. “All right, what is it you’re not telling me about him?”
Christina held up her free hand in mock surrender. “Nothing, I promise. You just picked an excellent wine is all. I’m afraid I haven’t indulged in a while, and this Moscato is delicious. It’s going straight to my head.”
Hannah jerked her gaze to Christina and raised her brows. “Why haven’t you been indulging? You love wine. You always indulge.”