“They’ll understand.” Aislinn took her by the shoulders and pulled her in for a goodbye hug. When they stepped apart, Aislinn said, “It’s a lot to deal with, being switched. I promise you, they get it. They’ve already been through it once with me.”
“Honestly, tonight has been great.”
“But maybe just alittleoverwhelming?”
Madison sighed. “I’m that obvious?”
“Hey. It’s totally okay for you to need the space to process, or whatever. Just remember we’re here for you. Call any one of us, anytime.”
“Thank you.” Madison got out her phone. She brought up Aislinn’s cell number and sent her a text confirming dinner at the ranch on Saturday. “Now you can reach me whenever you feel like it. I’ll group text everyone so they can get hold of me, too.”
“About Saturday...” Aislinn wore a knowing little grin.
Madison didn’t get it. “What?”
“Bring Sten.”
She stifled a groan. “So I’m not only obvious, but transparent, as well.”
“He’s a good guy. And hot, which never hurts.”
“We’re just, um, friends.”
“Like I said. Bring a friend.”
* * *
Sten leaned across the passenger seat to push open the door when Madison came down the walk. She climbed in and buckled up.
“You got here fast.” Her gorgeous smile seemed forced.
He started up the engine again and headed for home. “I had some errands to run in town, then I grabbed a burger at a little place I know that’s not too far from here.”
She stared at the darkened street ahead. “You really should let me pay you to ferry me around.”
He responded in a flat tone. “Maddy.”
She sent him a snooty little glance. “What?”
“Knock it off.”
They rode in silence for a few minutes. She said, “That was Aislinn, on the porch with me.”
“Yes, I know. She’s a sweetheart.”
“You should’ve come up, said hi.”
“I thought about it. But tonight, well, it was for you, to meet your family. I didn’t want to butt in to that.”
“I should’ve come and gotten you.”
“I think that’s three times you’ve said ‘should’ since you climbed in this truck. What’s going on?”
She folded her hands in lap and gazed down at them, pensive. “They were wonderful, all of them. I like them a lot and I’m really glad you pushed me to finally go and meet them.”
“But...?”
“It’s just weird, that’s all. To be in that house I would have grown up in, with all the people I would have known all my life, to have all these might-have-beens whirling around in my brain.”
