“I’ll be back at seven-thirty to get you,” he said.
“I’ll be ready.”
He tried to smile a genuine smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He hoped she couldn’t detect his anxiety. If she did, she didn’t let on. And even though they were neighbors, when Adam walked out of her door, fearing he would never see her again, he forced himself to go anyway.
Chapter 29
It took all of Adam’s willpower to stop himself from calling Maddie or knocking on her door every five minutes. He had told her he would be back to get her at about seven-thirty, but somehow he managed to get ready a lot faster and found himself pacing the floor, waiting for the time to pass.
What seemed like an eternity later, he grabbed his guitar and amp and knocked on her door at precisely seven-thirty. He counted to thirty slowly. She didn’t answer. He tried the doorknob. It was locked. He felt his heart start to beat a little faster.
He needed to get a grip—she always kept her door locked.
He pressed his ear to the door, listening for any sounds or movements. Nothing. He stood back and rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants.
Maybe she hadn’t heard him knocking.
He knocked really loudly and listened again. A few seconds later he heard footsteps approaching the door. He closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
When she opened the door, he hastily took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. She was still here.
When he finally released her, she looked at him curiously as she searched his eyes. He knew she could sense his apprehension, but certainly she had to understand. He hoped she would be patient with him for a while until he calmed down some and quit acting like such a clingy freak. Who could blame him?
He took a moment to check her out. She was wearing tight skinny jeans with rips in the knees, a t-shirt with a plunging neckline, a denim jacket, and black, high-heeled boots.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she beamed. “You’re looking pretty good yourself.”
He kissed her firmly on the lips. He thought about scooping her up in his arms, carrying her back to bed, and making love to her for the rest of the night. But he was reliable, if anything, and he wouldn’t leave the band hanging. So instead, he kissed her gently one more time and took her arm in his to escort her to his truck.
Adam opened the passenger door for Maddie and then began to load his guitar and amp in the back of the truck. As he did, he had a realization. He had been so caught up in the events of Maddie’s return that he hadn’t had time to think about what would happen if he showed up with her at the gig with no warning or explanation.
It suddenly occurred to him that Zach, Claire, and rest of the band might not be so happy to see her. Zach and Claire were very angry at Maddie for what she had done to him. In fact, Adam thought Zach might even hate her. He had said some really nasty things about her, his way of showing his support for Adam. Adam knew that Zach meant well. He had his back. Zach couldn’t understand how anyone could do that to someone they supposedly loved, especially when the victim was his best friend.
Adam also realized there was no way he could tell them the truth about why Maddie had left and how they had reunited. His friends would think Adam had lost his freakin’ mind. How could he expect them to understand and believe Maddie’s story when he wasn’t sure he understood or believed it himself?
He knew that when he walked in the door with Maddie that night it was going to be a shock to all of them. He worried that they might tell her off. And he also knew they were going to think he was an idiot for taking her back. He didn’t care about that, but he didn’t want to alienate his friends.
Adam got in the driver’s side of the truck. Maddie was sitting in the middle, right next to him, like she had always done in the past. She put her head on his shoulder and held his free hand as they headed for the nightclub.
After a few moments of silence Adam said, “You do realize that Zach and Claire and the guys are pretty angry about you leaving me?”
Without hesitation she said, “I imagined they would be. I don’t blame them. I know they really care about you. They also don’t understand.”
“No shit,” he said. “That might just be the understatement of the year.”
Realizing his words sounded harsh, he laughed to try lightening the mood. She didn’t laugh.
“They could never understand what has transpired between us,” he said. “I’ll never be able to explain it to them—at least not anytime soon.”
She nodded somberly. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I don’t have to go if you don’t want me to.”
“I’m not asking for an apology, Maddie,” he said gently. “I absolutely want you to go. I have already forgiven you. I just want you to be prepared and know they might not welcome you with open arms.”
She winced and said, “I wouldn’t expect any less. I know they will think I deserve it. They care about you. They’re angry that I hurt you. I get it. I’m angry at myself for hurting you, but I truly believed I was doing the right thing. They don’t know the truth, and they never will. I can handle it.”
Adam began to think that maybe it was a bad idea to take her so soon. He should have eased everyone into her reappearance over time. It might have been better if they had more time to come up with a believable story about her return, but he didn’t voice that opinion. They were already en route and he didn’t want to
