I thought I was finally dating a grown man, but of course, I was mistaken. Again. Every other boyfriend’s been the same way. It’s all fun and games at the beginning, but six months later, he would rather play video games than spend time with you. He leaves his dirty clothes everywhere until you clean them up out of sheer frustration. He says you nag and you’re no fun anymore when real-life issues need to be dealt with. I can’t do that again. It’s exhausting, and it sucks the life right out of you.
I glance at Liam. His hands are tight on the steering wheel, bloody knuckles on display. His left eye is red and swollen. There’s a smear of dried blood on his cheek. His entire body tight with frustration, mouth clamped shut in a thin line. Frustration is rolling off him in waves. The evening’s emotions bleed into the silence, broken only by the sound of breathing and the click of the directional when we turn. We’re drowning in tension.
My brother, sitting right behind me, cracks his knuckles. It fuels my ire because he’s well aware that it bugs me when he does it.
“Well, that sucked. Good fight, though,” my brother blurts out, and for me, it’s on. I’ve found a target for all my conflicting feelings.
“Oh, so this was fun for you? That’s your response to this whole entire shit show? It was a ‘good fight.’” My voice climbs higher, my fury pushing forward until my emotional dam breaks and it all comes out.
“This is my point, Walker. You’re all a bunch of children. It’s ridiculous. You’re a god damn adult.
“A fistfight is not a way to solve conflict. And that poor Austin kid? What was up with that shit? This team is like hanging out with the worst fucking frat on campus. You’re not in college anymore. This is literally what I was saying weeks ago. Grow the hell up.”
“What about me. Mads? Do I need to grow up too?” Liam asks in a deceptively calm voice, devoid of emotion.
Now, this is where I should stop talking, but do I? No, because sometimes I’m my own worst enemy.
“Well, it certainly wouldn’t hurt Liam. You’re the Captain, so I’d say this is on you.” I say, my voice layered with contempt.
“Jesus, Maddie!” Walker gasps.
“Harsh,” Irish shakes his head in sympathy.
“Because “I’m a man-child and no woman wants that.”” Liam’s expression is as flat as his tone of voice. I can’t tell what’s going on in his head.
“Yes. Exactly.” I say with a clipped tone. There’s a sharp intake of breath in the backseat, and immediately I know I said the wrong thing.
“Because you need a partner not a project, right?” he says in exactly the same tone. Alarm bells are ringing in my head because that sounds familiar. Oh shit. My fight with Walker. How does he know what I said?
I turn my head to glare at my brother, ready to blast him again.
“Don’t yell at Walker. This isn’t on him. Do you know why, Maddie? Because I heard everything. I was in the next room and it’s not like you were whispering.” he says, his tone full of suppressed anger and something more, but I can’t place it.
“I... I’m not... ?” I stammer because he’s caught me off guard.
My chest tightens, and I feel my cheeks flush with heat. Liam overheard our fight. I break out in a cold sweat, and everythingtangles in my head. Anger is the easiest to latch onto, and I grab it with everything I’ve got.
“I heard what you said Maddie, everything you said about me.” Liam continues in his frigid tone.
And because I can’t help myself, I blurt out.
“So why didn’t you listen?”
It’s cold and mean, and as soon as I say it, I want to take it back. But it’s out there now and I can’t. A pained look flashes across his face before he shuts it down, schooling it into an empty expression. Wincing, I feel twinges of guilt, but ignore them.
“I didn’t listen? That’s what you think?” His voice is even colder now, even more distant. And because I’m an idiot, I keep going.
“Well, based on what happened tonight, no, I don’t think you did. If you had, then maybe this team wouldn’t act like a bunch of frat boys.” I hear Walker’s gasp from the back seat. I watch as Liam’s face contorts through a series of emotions - hurt, guilt, remorse, then frustration, until he’s back to his vacant look. Regret washes through me, but that just increases my fury.
“I see. Well, I guess I know where I stand.” He says with deceptive calm, cold and unforgiving.
He gestures toward my window, and I notice that he’s parked in front of my place. Ace jumps out of the car when I open the door. Exiting the car on autopilot, I turn around to face him. I should say something, but I just stand there. What do I even say at this point? I should apologize, especially for that last comment, but I don’t. Liam’s face gets bleaker the longer the silence lasts until, giving a heavy sigh, he grabs the door handle.
“Good night, Madison.” He says curtly before pulling the door shut.
I wince and grit my teeth against the sudden pain in my chest before I trudge toward the stairs and drag myself up to my apartment. Ace follows me, quietly nuzzling my thigh with his wet nose. Liam waits until I’m in my apartment before he drives off, which only makes me feel worse and worse about everything that just happened.
That’s not man-child behavior.
