“I like some of the male species. I love my dad. I love Buster.”
He doesn’t even flinch as I disinfect his wound. His gazeis deep and serious as it rests on me. “Who else do you love, Madison?”
“My best friend Emily. And that’s it. That’s my list of who I love.”
“That’s a very low acceptance rate, to be admitted onto that list.”
“Yeah, well, the candidates haven’t exactly been stellar.” I sigh. “Look, I’m not some man-hater. I’ve just been hurt and disappointed a lot, and I know it’s my own damn fault. I’m always building up someone in my mind. Always wanting something to be more than it is.” I smooth the medical glue acrosshis scratch. “But all that’s in the past. I’m done with it.”
“With giving your love to men who don’t deserve it?”
“More than that. I’m done giving my love away to anyone, period.”
He studies me. “What’s that mean, exactly? Gonna commit yourself to a nunnery?”
“Doesn’t sound so bad, if you ask me. Free health care. No married men leering at you day in, day out. Do they let you be a nun if you have a tattoo?”
His eyes dip down my body. “You have a tattoo?”
“Mmhmm.”
I hike up my top to display the delicately inked butterflies across my ribcage.
His eyes trace them as if he’s memorizing them.
“Why butterflies?” he asks, voice a little rough.
“It’s one of the only things I know about my mom—that she loved butterflies. And yeah, she left me—leftus—but I like to think there was some part of her that loved me. At least for a little while.”
Luke’s eyes have been riveted to my abdomen, but at my words, his gaze snaps up to meet mine.
“You said she wasn’t around. Sheleftyou?”
“When I was three. Ran off with herdrug dealer. I spent years being angry at her. Then being really sad for her.” My fingers trace the edges of the butterfly wings. “Now I’ve finally forgiven her. The tattoo is part of that.”
“She missed out on a lot,” Luke says, holding my gaze.
“Exactly. Good health, a roof over her head?—”
“You, Madison. She missed out on you.”
My throat feels tight. “Yeah, well.” I pull my shirt back down. “In any case, if the nuns won’t have me on account of the tattoos and the swearing and all the rest of it, then so be it. No matter what, my heart is closed for business.”
CHAPTER 9
Change My World
Luke gives me a ride home, as promised. He’s good at that: following through on his word. There’s no last-minute flaking or excuses or broken promises.
He says he’s going to do something, and he does it.
What a revolutionary concept.
As he pulls up in front of my house, I turn to him. “Thanks for the ride. And getting supplies at the hardware store. Jeez, I feel like it was a million years ago after the night we had.”
“No kidding.” His fingers tighten on the steering wheel.
He’s strangely tense now, and it’s got me on alert too.
