"Why?"
She shrugged. "We're not compatible. I don't think this will work out."
He blinked at her. "Why the hell not?" But he didn’t get an answer because she'd shut the door on him. Short of breaking it down, he didn't have a clue how to get her to re-open it.
***
"Hey, Pete, tell me," Sam said as he jogged beside his friend, "when a woman slams her door in your face after a date, does it mean she never wants to see you again?"
"Not with Linda," Pete said between puffs. "That's her idea of foreplay."
They pounded the pavement winding through the quiet streets around Pete and Linda's place before Pete added, "Are we talking about Maddie here?"
"Yeah. I think I hurt her feelings."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing! I think. We went down to the river and she kind of fell in."
Pete's laughter ended with a wheeze and coughing fit. They stopped so he could catch his breath. He bent over, hands on knees and heaved some air into his lungs.
"You okay?" Sam asked.
Pete nodded and held up a hand. When his breathing returned to normal, he said, "Did you push her in?"
"No!"
They started jogging again. "Maybe she had PMS. Whenever Linda gets cranky I know it's that time of the month."
Sam hadn't considered that. "Maybe. Or maybe I said something to upset her, but I can't remember what."
"That's possible. I'm always saying things to Linda that upset her but I never know it until she yells at me." He paused to catch his breath. "Half the time I still don't know what I did wrong even after she explains it to me. I find a kiss and telling her I love her makes everything okay again."
"That's not going to work on Maddie yet. What do you think I should do?"
"You're asking me? Jeez, Sam, you're the one with all the experience when it comes to women."
"But you're the married one, so you must have done something right along the way. None of my relationships have lasted longer than a year. I'm good at pulling them, it's the keeping them that gives me a headache. And Maddie's not like any woman I've ever known, so I don't think all my old techniques will work on her."
"True. She's one of a kind that girl. Don't get me wrong, I love my sister-in-law, she's a great girl, but thank God I fell in love with Linda and not Maddie. My wife might have a temper and be a little crazy at times, but she's a lot more predictable."
"Don't let her hear you say that."
Pete laughed and coughed, breaking his rhythm. He never quite got it back again, so Sam decided they should head home.
"How about a drink back at your place?" he said.
"Good idea." Pete sounded relieved and wasted no time turning round.
"So you think I should talk to her? Apologize?"
"Maybe you should just leave it."
Sam thought about it for a moment then shook his head. "Nope, can't do that."
Pete looked at him sideways. "You got it that bad, huh? In that case, I think you should talk to her, and apologize. Saying sorry never hurts."
"But I don't know what I'm apologizing for."
"Doesn't matter." He puffed heavily several times.
Sam decided to stop talking. Pete needed to save his breath for the run home.
***
"I'm joining a convent." Maddie, sitting at her sister's kitchen table, sipped her second mug of coffee in an hour. It was her fourth for the day and it wasn't even lunch time. Her system buzzed. Probably she should lay off the caffeine but she needed some excitement in her life since sex with Sam wasn't an option.
Or was it? What's a little thing like a broken heart anyway? Especially if she got to sleep with Sam. It would be worth the sacrifice.
"Can you wait till after Wednesday night?" asked Linda, jiggling Ronan on her knee. "I need a babysitter."
"Sure thing. What are spinster aunts for anyway?"
"You're not a spinster yet. You don't achieve that status until you're at least thirty-five."
Maddie groaned and banged her forehead on the table. "Life sucks. Men suck."
"Mummy," said Emily, coming through the door, "what ith Auntie Mad doing?"
"She's having a nervous breakdown, honey. It's nothing to worry about. Go and play."
Emily patted Maddie's arm then disappeared outside where David was seeing how far Palm Beach Barbie's head could spin round without snapping off.
"Do you think I'm having a nervous breakdown?" Oh God, what if she was? What did one feel like? If it felt like a caffeine rush then she was in serious trouble.
"Possibly," said Linda, "but I wouldn't worry too much yet. Wait till after Wednesday."
Maddie groaned again. "Nice to know I'm still loved."