Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters Collection (54 page)

For the second time in his life, Jamison was falling for a woman, but his second matchup with love was starting to look like it might end the same way as his first—with Jamison out cold in the ring and the woman he’d fallen for slipping out of the arena, never to be seen again.

CHAPTER EIGHT

MADDIE PACED BACK and forth in front of the apartment window overlooking the street with her cell to her ear, nibbling her thumb as she waited for Dawn to finish making sandwiches for her kids and get back on the line.

Maddie knew she shouldn’t leave Lucy alone downstairs in the bakery for much longer, but she needed girl talk so desperately she was willing to risk Lucy being overwhelmed by the Saturday afternoon rush in the name of gaining some peace of mind.

“Okay, I’m back,” Dawn said, sounding breathless. “The savages are fed and I’m all yours for at least the next fifteen minutes, or until someone spills something.”

“Thanks so much,” Maddie said. “I’d usually talk to Naomi, but I can’t talk to her about this and I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do.”

“Jamison troubles?” Dawn asked.

Maddie nodded, though she knew Dawn couldn’t see her. “I think I should just end it. Like, tonight. Tell him I’m sorry, but I can’t do this. Give us both a clean break before things get too complicated.”

“But weren’t you the one who said you didn’t want to date unless it had the chance of going somewhere?” Dawn asked, sounding as confused as Maddie felt.

“Yes,” Maddie said. “But that was before!”

“Before he started falling for you.”

“Or
acting
like he’s falling for me,” Maddie said, thinking about what Jamison had said on the roof this morning enough to make her stomach flutter with anxious butterflies all over again. “I’m not sure what to believe. I mean, I’ve known him for years as a friend, but I don’t know how he acts with women he’s dating. This might be his M.O.”

“In what way?” Dawn asked.

“Maybe it’s more than his magic love-rod that made all those women fall for him,” Maddie said, warming to her theory. “Maybe he gets them addicted to the love-rod, then turns on the lovey dovey charm to reel them in, and then—BAM! As soon as they start to lower their defenses and want to snuggle up and play house, he decides he’s bored and moves on.”

Dawn made a skeptical noise. “I don’t know Maddie. It doesn’t sound like he was being manipulative. It sounds like he’s just having a great time being with you. You’re having a good time with him, right?”

“Yes,” Maddie said around a mouthful of her thumb, her teeth digging into the skin so hard it stung. “The sex is so good I think I’m becoming a nymphomaniac.”

Dawn laughed. “Then why do you sound so miserable? You’re making problems where there aren’t any. Relax and enjoy things. Give him a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.”

“Maybe. Or maybe not…I don’t know. I’m so confused.” Maddie turned back to the window, gazing at the firehouse across the street where only half an hour ago she had been happier than she could remember being in ages.

Argh! Why did Jamison have to start looking at her with mushy eyes and saying sweet things and ruin everything?

“I don’t know if I’m ready to jump into something serious with lots of feelings in it,” she continued, spinning away from the window. “Especially with a guy like Jamison. He’s been my friend since we were little and I love him, but I know what he’s really like. He’s the nicest heartbreaker ever, but he’s still a heartbreaker.”

“Now, slow down for a second,” Dawn said, but Maddie pressed on.

“I mean, I’ve never seen him in a relationship for more than a few weeks, and never anything serious.” Maddie paced faster, running a shaking hand through her hair. “He says there was this woman, Wendy, in Atlanta that he was ready to commit to at one point, but no one in Summerville ever met her. And how serious could it have been if he never brought her home to meet his family or friends?”

“Maddie, I think—”

“And what is wrong with him, anyway?” she continued. “To start saying things like ‘the morning doesn’t feel right without you in it’ to me right now? We’ve only been dating a week and I’m nowhere near as pretty as most of the girls he’s dated or as thin or as blonde. I mean, sure, I have big boobs, but that’s only because I have a big bottom to match, and I’ve never seen Jamison with a girl with a big bottom. What is he thinking? And why is he—”

“Maddie!” Dawn shouted, loud enough to make Maddie flinch and her mouth snap shut. “Stop this! You are being crazy.”

“No, I’m not,” Maddie said in a small voice, hurt that Dawn couldn’t try to see where she was coming from. “I’m trying to be rational.”

“Honey, love isn’t rational,” Dawn said gently. “I’m not saying you should jump in blind and ignore your reservations about Jamison, but bailing on him when you were the one who said you were open to something serious isn’t fair either.”

Maddie bit her lip. “Then what should I do?”

“Talk to him,” Dawn said, as if that were the easiest thing in the world. “Talk to him about your concerns and see what he has to say. He might surprise you. It sounds like there’s more going on in his head and heart than you’re giving him credit for.”

Maddie took a deep breath and let it out slowly, seriously considering what Dawn had said. Considering she’d been naked with Jamison nearly a dozen times, the thought of talking honestly with him shouldn’t have been that scary. But it was. This wouldn’t be witty banter or light conversation, this would be the real Maddie standing in front of him, dressed in nothing but her fear and insecurities.

But Dawn was right. Jamison deserved to know what she was thinking before she cut and ran.

“Okay,” she finally said. “I’ll talk to him. I’ll do it tonight.”

“Good,” Dawn said. “Now can I ask your advice on my latest trial of angst and woe?”

“Sure thing.” Maddie stood up straighter, immediately feeling more like herself now that the conversation was shifting away from her problems. She’d always been more comfortable being the strong shoulder than the one shedding tears on it.

“I’m thinking about moving to Atlanta. Like, in the next week,” Dawn said, triggering a squeal of excitement from Maddie.

Dawn had lived in Little Rock, Arkansas for years, far enough away that they only had the chance to see each other once or twice a year. Having another best friend close to home sounded like Christmas coming early to Maddie.

“Don’t get too excited yet,” Dawn continued with a laugh. “I’ve had a job offer, a good one, at a private college where I’ll make almost double what I’m making now. They need someone ASAP because their full-time art professor eloped with their part-time art professor. They both quit without notice to go follow a Grateful Dead tribute band across Eastern Europe. But if I move, then Dave and I will have to work out a new custody arrangement. He would have the kids for six weeks in the summer, and I’ve never been apart from them for that long. I don’t know if I could handle it.”

“Maybe you could break it up a little?” Maddie suggested. “Three weeks at the start of the summer, and three weeks at the end?”

Dawn made a considering sound. “That could work, but even three weeks seems like a lot. I was missing them like crazy after the singles retreat.”

“I can imagine,” Maddie said.

She and Dawn talked for a few more minutes—weighing the pros and cons of a potential move—and by the time they hung up Maddie felt like she had a much better sense of perspective.

Sure, she’d been through a terrible break-up, and maybe had a few more scars than she’d realized until confronted with another man acting like he cared about her, but at least she and Serge didn’t have to worry about custody or visitation. In many ways she was less encumbered by her previous relationship than her friends.

Now she needed to woman up and take her love life by the horns. She had to gather her courage and confront Jamison. If he was really as into her as he seemed to be, then he’d be willing to talk through her issues. And if he didn’t seem inclined to listen, well…that would tell her everything she needed to know.

Maddie tucked her cell into her pocket and hurried down the stairs, feeling lighter than she had since she’d crawled off the fire station roof. She swept behind the counter, filling orders faster than Lucy could ring them up, concentrating on the work, refusing to glance at the clock or count down the hours until Jamison was due to give his secret knock at the bakery’s back door.

* * * * *

JAMISON STEPPED INTO The Horse and Rider around four o’clock, still feeling off-kilter from his morning with Maddie. He kept racking his brain, trying to figure out what he’d done wrong, but coming up empty. Sure, he’d talked feelings a little, but in his experience, women usually loved that kind of thing. Besides, Maddie was the one who said she wanted them to have a shot at something serious.

Maybe she’s changed her mind. Maybe she’s decided you’re not all she thought you were.

Jamison scowled as he crossed the room, settling onto a stool near the bar and ordering a Corona, hoping a beer or two before he met Maddie would help him relax. Being stressed-out was one of his least favorite things, and not something he normally did when he was dating.

The moment things got stressful, Jamison walked. He routinely bailed at the first sign of impending angst. But the thought of putting an end to things with Maddie made his stomach ache. He didn’t want to imagine a future where he didn’t get to make her laugh, make her come, hear her say his name in that way that left no doubt she was completely into him.

Or so he’d thought…

“Hey, what are you doing here?”

Jamison turned to see Mick Whitehouse sliding onto a stool beside him. The younger man’s curly black hair was darker than Maddie’s, but their blue eyes were nearly identical, so identical any chance of banishing Maddie from his thoughts evaporated as soon as Mick sat down beside him.

“Came for a quick beer or two before I meet a friend,” Jamison said. “Can I buy you a round?”

“Sure, thanks,” Mick said.

Jamison signaled for the bartender to bring another Corona before turning back to Mick. “What about you? Drinking alone?”

“No, I’m meeting friends from high school for beer and wings after they get off work,” Mick said. “Faith’s working again tonight, so I didn’t want to stay at home alone. I get all pathetic and mopey by her third night on duty.”

Jamison grinned. “Life as a firefighter’s main squeeze not all you thought it would be?”

Mick shrugged. “It’s not easy, but she loves her job and I love her so…we’ll make it work.”

Jamison nodded, secretly wondering if Maddie would feel the same way, or if she would come to resent his time at the station the way some of his ex-girlfriends had in the past.

Maybe she was already thinking that it was a pain that Jamison was gone nearly half the week. Maybe she wasn’t on board for a relationship that involved a certain amount of separation. Even though significant others were allowed to visit their partners on duty, it wasn’t the same kind of availability someone with a nine-to-five job could offer.

“And the four days off in a row thing is nice,” Mick continued. “I’ve worked it out so I do most of my remodeling work while Faith’s at the station so we can spend all her free time together.”

“Sounds nice,” Jamison said, his stress pendulum swinging back the other way as he considered the possibilities for him and Maddie to coordinate schedules.

If she could log her early mornings at the bakery while he was at the station, they could linger in bed together at least three mornings a week, something that sounded absolutely heavenly as far as Jamison was concerned.

“It is. And Faith and I are really good.” Mick cleared his throat as he pulled his beer closer to his chest. “She told me that you two talked and you helped her a lot, so…thanks, man. I appreciate it. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost my chance with her.”

“No worries,” Jamison said gruffly, not wanting to think about chances that might be lost.

Mick laughed. “Sorry, am I grossing you out? My friends don’t let me talk about Faith anymore. They say I’m too whipped, but I think they’re just jealous.”

Jamison smiled. “No, I’m not grossed out. I…” It was his turn for awkward throat-clearing. “There’s actually this woman I’ve been seeing.”

Mick’s brows lifted. “Oh, yeah? New girl?”

“Kind of new, kind of not,” Jamison said, shocked that he was confiding in Maddie’s brother, of all people.

He’d always liked Mick, but they’d been too far apart in age to be close growing up. But now… Well, Mick was in a relationship, and Jamison wanted to be in a relationship with Mick’s sister. There was a chance Mick might be able to offer some insight, even if he didn’t know it was Maddie Jamison was talking about.

“We’ve known each other for a long time, but now things are different,” Jamison continued. “Good different, though. At least I thought so. We’ve been having a lot of fun together, easy conversation, never an awkward moment, but when I started getting a little heavy today it was like she couldn’t get away from me fast enough.”

Mick took a swig of his beer, seeming to think on what Jamison said. “You think she isn’t on board for something serious?”

“No, she’s on board,” Jamison said. “At least she said she was. She’s the one who said she didn’t want to date unless there was a chance it could become something more. So why would she suddenly change her mind, especially when everything’s been copacetic?”

Mick grunted. “Man, I don’t know. Women are confusing. That’s one thing I love about Faith; she’s so direct. There’s never any bullshit mystery. Only good mystery.”

Jamison shook his head. “Yeah, but that’s the thing, this girl has always been direct with me, too. She never hesitated to tell me what was on her mind when we were friends.”

Jamison watched Mick out of the corner of his eye, hoping he hadn’t said too much. The last thing he wanted was to tip Mick off that he was talking about his sister, but at the same time he needed a guy’s point of view and he couldn’t talk to Jake, so…