“What are you doing later today.” Bursts of joy popped in Maddie’s veins.
“Mentally preparing for my next class and afterwards I’m going to have to take a nap.” Alex smiled sheepishly.
“Come nap at my flat, I’ll prepare lunch.” Maddie realised her enthusiasm was getting the better of her. “I’m sorry, I’m jumping the gun the way I usually do.”
“How about dinner?” Alex grinned and another weight lifted off Maddie’s shoulders. “I may be up for some of your spaghetti carbonara by then.”
Maddie smirked. “You mean a replay of our first date?”
“I’d love that, but you shouldn’t overdress this time around.”
“Deal.” Maddie’s heart jumped in her chest.
Later, after Alex had made her way back to the gym for her final class of the week—a chaste peck on the cheek as goodbye—Maddie lingered in The Bean and wondered if it really would be that easy. Probably not, but at least things were looking up.
ALEX
Alex peered at her reflection in the mirror. The worst of the headache had died down, but her eyes drooped and her shoulders hunched, no matter how many times she corrected her posture. More than that, she was mentally and physically exhausted. And now she had a date to prepare for.
“Never again, Pozzato,” she told her mirror image and applied the emergency eye balm Nat had given her. “Only to be used in extreme circumstances,” Nat had said. A fresh start with Maddie qualified as just that.
She’d slept for three hours in the afternoon, after finding Rita’s rock in the corner of her bedroom and stashing it as far away as possible in her unused sock drawer. Fatigue had taken her and had given her mind no chance to dwell on past and present loves. She’d tumbled into a dreamless sleep and had woken up feeling slightly better, but not exactly looking like someone who was about to reenact a sexy first date.
“Don’t make the same mistake again,” she whispered to herself. The only way going back to Maddie now would be different than when she had launched herself blindly into their affair a few weeks before, would be if she was honest with herself. Rita was alive and kicking, living her life on the same stretch of over-populated land as Alex was, and she was gunning for a reunion . Ignoring Rita’s existence had been the easiest way to deal with the painful collapse of their relationship, but now it was time to re-acknowledge she had an ex running around out there. An ex who had caused her a great deal of pain, but who had also provided years of happiness. These were the facts. Now all that remained was to find a way to deal with them.
“You’re not alone, Pizza.” Alex channelled Nat’s advice in her head. “You have me and Maddie and I also happen to know a really good shrink.” Alex managed a smile. Her face still looked ghastly and her body felt as if all life had been drained from it, but at least she had hope. She shot herself a wink in the mirror and went on her way to meet Maddie.
* * *
“How are you feeling?” Maddie’s eyes brimmed with compassion as she held the door open.
“Shattered.” Alex barely made it into the apartment before her throat tightened and a flood of tears welled up behind her eyes. She pushed her back into the door for support and pulled Maddie close. “Oh damn,” she said, her voice muffled by Maddie’s shoulder. Alex let the tears flow out, all of them, while Maddie wrapped her body around her.
“It’s all right.” Maddie patted her hair and rubbed her neck.
Alex knew, as ruined and confused as she felt in that moment, Maddie was right. It was okay for her to cry on Maddie’s shoulder. She didn’t have to strive for perfection in everything she did every hour of every day. She could come home to Maddie and display some insecurities.
“Great start to our date,” Alex said after the biggest wave of tears had subsided. “Can we try again?”
“How about we go straight to the massage part?” Maddie gently freed herself from their embrace and searched for Alex’s eyes. A crooked grin split her lips.
Alex remembered the shoulder ache she’d had on their first date and Maddie’s swift offer to massage some oil into it. “I’m too tired to protest, not that I want to.” Alex lifted up her tank top to brush the last tears from her face.
“Do you want to eat first?” Maddie asked.
Alex shook her head and headed for the sofa.
“What are the chances of you falling asleep while my hands perform their magic on your shapely body?” Maddie asked while cracking her fingers ostentatiously.
“I’d say ninety to ninety-five percent, but only because you’re such an expert at it.”