Once Upon A Half-Time 2(157)
“And Bob Ragen threatened Maddox and me after the town meeting. He said if he knew Granddad would have been hurt in the fire, he’d have lit the match years ago.”
“Holy shit!”
“Given all the problems with our property lines and survey markers and uh…” I shrugged, suddenly aware of how pale my blonde best friend was, and how identical she looked to the rest of the town. “He didn’t like my family. Bob’s not stable. He could have easily broken inside and caused the fire.”
“Okay.” Delta paced the room, rapping a finger over my whiteboard. “But…what can you do with all this information? What do you hope—”
“If I can prove Maddox was innocent and have his record wiped, I might be able to win him back.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Even if Maddox is innocent in this crime, he’s guilty of others. If he hadn’t been jailed for arson, he’d be behind bars for something else by now, maybe something worse or bloody.”
“That’s not true.”
“I know how you felt for him, but his leaving is for the best. You haven’t slept, you haven’t eaten. And honestly?” Delta bit her lip. “Your apartment is one copy of Catcher in the Rye short of an NSA watch list. Maddox is not worth this stress. He just isn’t.”
“I’m in love with him,” I said.
“He’s not right for you.”
“He’s the only one who’s right for me.”
Delta didn’t believe me. “He’s dangerous. He was back for only a few weeks and look at how much trouble he caused. How many times did he get into Nolan’s face? And the Chief? Josie, he’s too frightening to even get a job in this town.”
“That because no one will give him a chance.”
“He’s not a man who deserves a second chance. I know you blame his parents, and I know you think it’s just his upbringing and that he can be changed…but he thinks with two things—his cock and his fists. Neither of those will get your store back or help you take care of Matt.”
I sighed. “I really don’t have time to be lectured.”
“Make time. You need to listen. Maddox leaving is the best thing that could happen to you.”
“Delta—”
“I came here to give you another file I found at work—the reports we had to re-do after we conferred with the police.” She prevented me from reaching for the folder. “But I’m not helping you drive yourself crazy.”
“I’m close to figuring this out.”
“No, you aren’t. Put it down, come outside with me, and we’ll walk so you can clear your head.”
“You don’t understand.”
“You hurt now, but I promise. One day you’ll see that Maddox was the wrong man for you—”
“I’m pregnant.”
The air trapped in my chest. It was the first time I admitted the truth out loud. It still shocked me more than Delta.
She sunk onto the couch. I followed.
“You’re…pregnant,” she said.
“Yeah.”
“With a baby?”
God, I hoped so. “It’s not a gingerbread man.”
“And you’re...it’s…”
“Maddox’s baby.”
Delta paled. “I thought you were on…”
“We…no. Not anymore. We were trying.”
More than a few times.
Her mouth dropped open. I was lucky she was too shocked to chastise me. “Does he know?”
“No.”
“Does anyone know?”
My smile forced the words out. “You?”
“Oh God, Josie.” Her eyes closed. “How far along are you?”
“I just found out earlier this week.”
Now she got pissed. She slapped my arm but immediately apologized like I was carrying Maddox’s secret baby in my shoulder.
“You didn’t tell me! How could you let this happen?”
“Once upon a time, Maddox and I wanted to start a family.”
“And now?”
“He wants nothing to do with me. I don’t even know how to get in touch with him.”
She snorted. “Call the nearby jails.”
I groaned, rolling off the couch to hide from the smell of the food. “Don’t start.”
“Seriously. Call his parole officer. He can’t leave the state, right?”
“Somehow I don’t think he cares.”
This was supposed to be a happy occasion, but everything turned inside out, upside down, and then tangled itself in a knot of bad decisions and heartache.
Maddox would have been so excited. All he ever wanted was a baby and me and a life where we could just love each other. He deserved nothing less.