I tried anyway.
My stupid smile—the one I couldn’t help but display any time I thought about Madi—gave me away.
“The one that puts that smile on your face. The one you can’t shut up about.”
“I haven’t talked about her that much.”
“Liar. You’ve mentioned her in every phone call since you’ve returned to Weatherford. You forget, I know you almost better than you know yourself.”
“It was worth a try.” I had no reason to hide my feelings from Shane, but it still felt weird opening up.
“You’ve spent a lot of time avoiding relationships because of what you went through and the fear of losing someone you love.”
That’d never been a secret. I didn’t talk about women, didn’t bring them home, didn’t do long term. I wasn’t the first person who wanted to avoid another heartbreaking loss.
Everyone I’ve loved has left me, in the most painful way possible,except Shane.
“Matt, you’ve never talked about anyone the way you talk about Madi. Hell, you barely talked about women at all. When was the last time you tried hooking up?”
Not that long ago, but I ended up spending the evening with Madi.
I laughed at the memory.
“Care to share?”
“The last time I tried, I ended up on a date with Madi.”
“Did you now?” His knowing smirk was as annoying as it was endearing.
“Technically a fake date. Some guy was harassing her.”
“And you stepped in to be her knight in shining armor.”
Madi and I used the phrase in private, but her pride would never allow her to admit in public.
“Something like that, but maybe don’t use that phrase with her. She’s fiercely independent,” I reminded him, feeling nothing but respect for Madi.
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
“You’ll like her. She’s feisty and doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit. And she’s a giver, like you.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Shane asked, standing and grabbing our trays.
The tension in the wall of Sheppards as Shane wheeled me toward Madi’s room set off all my alarm bells.
As we neared the wall, I heard Paul’s voice.
“Son of a bitch.” I jumped out of the chair. When Shane’s hand landed on my shoulder, I warned him. “Don’t.”
He let his hand fall.
Jay must have heard me because he stepped aside, making room for me to pass him.
“You need to leave.” I growled through gritted teeth so as not to create a bigger scene in the hospital hall.
“I came to apologize to Madi.”
“Over my dead body,” I said, advancing on Paul.
