Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89465 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89465 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t hate you?” she asks rather than arguing about my assessment.
“Is this about Madison?”
She tilts her head as if what I just asked is the most ludicrous thing she’s ever heard.
“Why, Chase Woodson, why on earth would I be upset that you made my friend fall in love with you and then you just tossed her aside to go back to your ex?”
It’s my turn to look confused. “Excuse me?”
“There are no excuses for you,” she says, swallowing as if the hateful words taste bitter on her tongue. “Now the boys are welcome to stay and eat their sweets, but I think I’ll have to ask you to wait outside.”
“It’s almost a hundred degrees outside,” I remind her.
“And Hell is much hotter. Maybe it’s time to start acclimating yourself.”
My jaw hangs open as I stare at her. Adalynn Tate is the nicest woman anyone could ever meet, but clearly she has a venomous side when she’s riled up.
“I think there are some wires crossed here, Ad.”
“Ad-uh-lynn,” she says, enunciating every syllable. “Only my friends call me Ad, and you are certainly not my friend.”
I take a deep fortifying breath, knowing I should just walk away, but the fact that she could possibly believe that Madison is the wronged one here annoys the shit out of me.
“Your friend is the—”
“If you say one bad word about her, Chase Woodson I swear, I’ll…”
I cross my arms and wait for her threat, but that’s the thing about Adalynn. She doesn’t do hateful. It’s clear she can do protective which is all this hissing is.
“You’ll what?” I challenge, trying not to smile when her face grows nearly as red as her fiery hair. “Please tell me how Madison selling our story makes me the bad guy.”
The anger in her face fades quickly. “What? She would never.”
“She did, Adalynn. She—”
“How could you even think that?”
“Because she whispered every damn dirty detail to that fu—dang vlogger.”
She raises an eyebrow at my near slipup. I’d never hear the end of it if she told my dad I not only cussed in front of her but I did it in front of the boys too, even though they aren’t paying me any attention.
“She sat right over there and recorded a private conversation Madison and I were having,” she says, pointing in the direction the boys are sitting. “She would never say something like that, knowing it was going to be heard by millions of people.”
“You’re telling me—”
“That you’re an idiot and you don’t deserve her if you thought for one second she’s the type of person to speak to a stranger about such personal things. How could you not tell the entire conversation was pieced together to make it sound like she was being interviewed? Heaven’s sake, Chase, she might’ve spent some years in the city, but she’s a hometown girl at heart. She’d never put her private business on display like that on purpose.”
I knew she wouldn’t. Deep down, I knew Madison wasn’t the type, but I let my history with Emily cloud my judgment. I let my ex’s betrayal taint my new life.
“Shit,” I say, not bothering to curb my language. If ever a few cusses were needed, it’s now.
“Shoot,” Adalynn corrects because I know she just can’t help herself.
“I need to talk to her.”
I look up, wishing her friend would help me. I may have gotten this wrong about Madison, but I know the girl can hold a grudge. I still don’t know why she hated me for so long when we were younger.
“She deserves better than you,” Adalynn says, crossing her arms defensively, her chin tilting up an inch or so higher.
“Daddy! Look!”
I spin around, praying it’s Madison.
“That’s a funny looking bird!”
I bend so I can see out the window better.
“Is that a peacock?”
Adalynn sighs. “Bobby John Prichard can’t seem to keep the thing from escaping. I’ll call him about it in a minute.”
I turn back to face her. “I’m sorry I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I’ll clear it all up.”
“You should’ve figured it all out before now. Why is it always too late? Men, I swear, they just can’t get out of their own way.”
“Too late?”
Adalynn sighs once again as she turns to walk toward the hand sink behind the counter. “Madison moved. She’s taking a job in the city. You should be proud. You ran her out of town.”
Chapter 38
Madison
“The curriculum is purposely difficult,” Mr. Lane continues. “The preschool we’ll be applying for requires it.”
I give them a tight-lipped smile.
I shouldn’t have a single opinion on how people want their kids raised but having a classroom setup for a two-year-old seems a little excessive.
The house is lovely, if a little stuffy and unwelcoming. It’s clean, in no small part I imagine for the other staff they have working for them. A lovely woman, wearing a name tag with Viola, answered the door and welcomed me to sit, offering me tea or lemonade before scurrying off.