"Save it," she said. "I get it."
Thomas was silent for a brief moment and then declared, "Well, I'm glad for it. Now that you're older, you know what you want. At least you don't have any embarrassing, cringe-worthy, fumbling hook-ups to remember. You'll be smart about it when a good guy eventually comes around."
What Maddie didn't tell him was that she wanted those embarrassing, cringe-worthy, fumbling hook-ups to remember, she just wouldn't allow herself to have them. She'd always felt left out of some exclusive inner circle, especially in the later years of high school-where her friends bragged about making out with so-and-so at so-and-so's party-and in college-where her friends seemed to have an endless stream of one-night-stands and boyfriends.
And how many times had she blushed and stuttered whenever a new, unassuming friend asked about her love life? Or when her group of girlfriends exchanged blow job tips when they were tipsy on a Friday night and she sat silently, nursing her wine, feeling horribly self-conscious, like something was wrong with her?
Yet, a part of her-that annoying, stubborn part-still waited. And waited, and waited, and waited for her dream man to come along. A dream man that had obsidian eyes and who she'd never seen genuinely smile.
It was silly. Completely stupid. Then again, she'd always been the hopeless romantic devouring romance novels, instead of doing her biology homework.
When Thomas pulled into Montgomery Restoration & Repair's parking lot, Maddie felt her heart skip a beat. She tugged at her cardigan in nervous excitement, wondering if she should've worn her cute black blouse with the bow detailing underneath or if she was right in choosing the delicate peach top with intricate beading. It was girly, adorable, and it made her happy, so she allowed herself to be confident in her choice.
Turning to Thomas with a small smile on her face, she said, "Wish me luck."
She wanted him to leave as quickly as possible, considering that he and Caleb were friends back in high school. They hadn't been best friends or anything, but they ran in the same circle and had eaten lunch together almost every day. And for some reason, Maddie didn't want Caleb to know that she went to the same high school with him, or that Thomas was her brother. She wanted a fresh start, a clean slate. Besides, they weren't the same kids they were back then.
He was frowning. "You don't have to do this, Maddie. I'll help you pay for the car. It's not a problem."
Considering he was an engineer, Maddie knew that money really wasn't a problem. This was about her pride. She'd made the mistake and she would be the one to pay for it.
Spending time with my high school crush is just a bonus, she thought.
"No, I want to do this. Don't worry. I'll call you as soon as I get home, okay?" He was clearly hesitant, so she got out of the car quickly, clutching her purse. "Thanks for taking me to go get my wallet and dropping me off. Love you!"
And then she slammed the door and waved as she hurried towards the open garage. She breathed a sigh of relief when Thomas finally pulled away.
"Hey there, sweetie," Brian greeted, wiping his greasy hands on an even greasier rag. "Caleb said you'd be comin' around this evening."
She nodded and smiled. "Yep! To help with the bookkeeping."
He raised a brow. "Then you got your work cut out for you. Wait 'til you see that office. John was never good with numbers."
"John?"
"Caleb's uncle. He passed away last month. Lung cancer, but we all saw it comin' the way he used to smoke. Caleb's been tryin' to keep it together, but it's been hard on him," Brian responded, frowning.
Maddie's brows drew together and a pang went through her chest. "That's terrible. I'm sorry, I didn't know."
All she knew was that Caleb had come to live with his uncle and aunt when he'd been nine years old. She didn't know what happened to his parents, but his uncle had practically raised him. Thomas had mentioned once that the two were pretty close, at least they'd been during high school. She knew all too well the pain of a loved one's death and she didn't wish it on anyone.
Poor Caleb.
"We all loved John, but he'd been sick for a while. It wasn't a surprise in the end. Maybe that's a blessing, when you know it's comin'."
"Brian, it's none of her business," came a sudden, harsh tone. Maddie whirled around to see Caleb standing at the top of the metal stairs in front of his office. His face was darkened with anger, his brows pulled down and his full lips pressed into a hard line. His gaze swung to her. "Get up here. You're late."