Maddie ordered the Teal Vixen and the spare ribs, and I chose the same.
“When we got together, Fitz had Lew make an alcohol-free beer for me,” she explained.
“Okay, that’s so romantic.” I sighed. “I’m so glad you found each other again. You were always so cute together.”
“Yeah.” Maddie bit her lip and she blushed. “I’m so happy I got the boy in the end.”
For a moment, I saw us a year from now and me being the one who said that about Lewis.
“I’ll be right back, sorry. Bathroom.”
I fled the restaurant and went into the bathroom to pee and wash my hands.
Don’t get a fucking panic attack now, Bright.
I forced a smile on my face when I joined Maddie at the table again. She scrutinised me, and I fully expected her to ask me what had happened.
“How hard was it to go from living in Bali to being back in Scotland?” she asked instead. I raised my glass, toasted her, and took a sip of the alcohol-free beer Clara had brought over before answering.
“It’s been okay. I was working so much I didn’t get to enjoy it a lot, anyway. So it doesn’t really matter where I am, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it.” Maddie smiled at me over her beer.
“And it’s been pretty shit, you know?” I went on. Somehow I didn’t want to lie to Mads. “Like, I know how it works but my reach went down after my ex-boyfriend and I split up, and it’s been tough. Lew’s been helping me get new content out.” I broke off. She followed me. Of course she’d seen the pictures and videos of us.
Maddie tilted her head at me with a knowing smile playing on her lips. “He seems very happy that you’re back.”
Oh.Heat rose in my cheeks and I took another sip of my beer to give myself a moment.
“Yeah, it’s been, uh …”
Maddie’s smile widened and made the rest of my sentence obsolete.
She gets it.
“I don’t know if Lew has mentioned it, but we’re doing beer brewing courses and a Christmas market,” she changed the subject and I loved her for it.
“Oh yeah, he told me about it.”A million years ago when we made that list of fake dates.With how naturally our relationship progressed, I had never even looked at it again.
Fake relationship,the voice in my head reminded me.
Oh please, you know it’s not fake,another voice shut the first down.
Great. Now I’m arguing with myself.
“Soo,” Maddie hedged. “I’ve been wanting to ask you a question, and I know it’s a lot to ask so it’s perfectly okay if you say no, ok? Zero hard feelings, yeah?”
I rested my hand briefly on her forearm and squeezed. “Just tell me, Mads.”
“Right.” She giggled. “I get it, I’m super impatient myself. Would you be up for helping us? I want to swamp our social media and market the shit out of it, but I won’t have time and…” She drew a deep breath. “I know you’ll just get it without me having to explain a million things.”
“Of course, yeah,” I said. “I’d love to.”
“Not for free obviously. Did you just say yes?” Maddie snorted.
“Yeah, I did. I’m sure it’s going to be fun.” I shrugged. And I’d get to be around Lew and all his colleagues. Heck, I’d have an innocent reason to hang out at LFD all day and sneak a kiss or three between pictures and posts.
“Oh my God, Noah, thank you!” Mads got up, dashed around the table, and hugged me. “Can you start on Monday?” she added in mock earnest as she sat back down, and I nodded.
