Page 97

Dad returned and I glared at him. “I have to tell Maddy. She is gonna be pissed.”

He grimaced. “Let me know when you decide to tell her.”

“Does Mom know?”

He nodded. “She was annoyed with me for butting in, until I gave her my reasons.”

“And then?”

“She baked me a cake. Carrot. It was delicious.”

“Don’t expect one from Maddy.”

“I’m not letting her pay me back.”

“She’s gonna fight you.”

“She can fight all she wants. I’ll win.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Maddy rested her head back on the padded headboard, her sigh a low sound in the room. I was stretched out on the bed, my head in her lap. She stroked her fingers through my hair in absent-minded caresses. The room was dim, the only light from the lamp in the corner. Low music played from the speaker on the same table.

“Tired?” I asked.

“Your mom made sure I had the full package,” she replied. “Facial, manicure, pedicure, and massage. I hadn’t realized how tight my neck was until the massage therapist started. It relaxed me, and now, yes, I am a little sleepy.”

“Lie down and sleep, then.”

She looked down, meeting my eyes. I found myself watching her constantly. I had missed her face so much. Her expressive eyes, all the different smiles she had, the way her emotions were so plainly expressed on her features. The sheer loveliness of her. I simply couldn’t look away when she was close.

“It’s eight o’clock, Matthew.”

“So? I nap three times a day, and I would have zero problem falling asleep beside you.”

“I should go if I’m going to sleep. Your parents⁠—”

I cut her off. “Wouldn’t be the least bit shocked if you stayed the night.”

“I can’t.”

Carefully, I sat up, facing her. “Why not?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. It feels wrong. It just does.”

“Mom adores you. So does Dad. Seeing you with me over the breakfast table wouldn’t faze them a bit. They’d be thrilled.” I tickled her under the chin. “They know I can’t ravish you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Aren’t they surprised?”

“About?”

“Us? You forgiving me so quickly? The fact that we’re back together as if nothing happened?”

I took her hands. “First off, there was nothing to forgive. I made the decision to break it off.”

“Because of me putting school first⁠—”

I shook my head. “Which was the right decision. I made the same decision when I was in med school. It came first. Sometimes, you have to make those decisions. I hated walking away from you. I regretted it every single day. But I knew you needed to have that space. I never blamed you. Ever. But I also never stopped loving you.”