“Is that what you’ll be wearing?”
Kacey nodded. “Yeah, but don’t feel like you have to.”
“I will,” Madison said, carrying their plates over to the sink. “Do you want to go for a run today? Before it gets too hot?”
“Yeah, but I’ll have to swing by my apartment. I don’t have anything else to wear,” she said, looking down at her shorts and flip flops. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Okay. Do you want to go now?”
“Sure. I’ll meet you at the parking lot in less than a half hour. I won’t need long to get ready.”
Madison backed Kacey up against the counter top, leaning in to kiss her, brushing her lips across Kacey’s.
Kacey’s hand slid up her arm and over her shoulder as she deepened the kiss, their tongues gliding across each other.
“And maybe,” Madison said as she pulled away. “We could shower here after...”
“I like the sound of that,” Kacey said, kissing her one last time before finding her bag and heading out the door, leaving Madison in the kitchen smiling after her.
Chapter 38
Madison leaned into Kacey as she slid her arm around her waist, her toes digging into the sand as they sat on a beach towel and the last fireworks exploded in the night sky. Today had been a great day, and Madison felt like she might have stepped into some alternate reality. She was happy. She had a girlfriend. Ashley was with Brooke now. That night at the club when she’d seen Kacey and Brooke kissing on the dance floor seemed like months ago.
Madison met some of Kacey’s friends including Sherri who worked at The Beach House and her husband. The only thing that made her nervous was that she might be meeting Kacey’s mother tonight, but so far that hadn’t happened. She did meet Trent who seemed like a great guy. He had one of those laughs that was contagious, and Madison found herself easily laughing at his jokes.
One of her biggest fears when she started falling for Kacey was their age gap, and so far, it hadn’t been an issue. Kacey had a mixture of friends, some from college who were her age or younger and the people she worked with at The Beach House. Madison always thought she was mature but as she got to spend more time with her, she could tell that Kacey really was. It hadn’t been wishful thinking.
Madison’s confidence was soaring, and she knew it was because of the way Kacey looked at her. It was something that Madison only started noticing in the last week or two. Her eyes lingered on her, openly checking her out, and today, when Madison had been wearing her favorite black bikini, she got the reaction she was looking for. Kacey couldn’t keep her eyes off her, and even though she’d just turned forty, she didn’t think she’d ever felt sexier.
“Do you want another beer?” Kacey asked, slipping away from her, and Madison immediately missed the warmth of her body against hers.
“Sure,” Madison said as they both stood up. She carried her flip flops and her empty bottle of beer as they made their way back to the bar along with most of the crowd who were watching the fireworks on the beach.
“Well,” Ashley said, joining her as Kacey went ahead of them, falling in with some of her friends from college. “This is certainly not how I imagined I’d be spending my fourth of July. I mean, I knew I’d be here, but I definitely didn’t think I’d have a girlfriend, and I didn’t think you would either.”
“Thanks,” Madison said, gently elbowing her as they trudged through the sand.
“You know what I mean. I few months ago, both of us were desperately single and now look at us.”
“I know. It’s hard to believe.”
“Do any of Kacey’s college friends recognize you?”
“I don’t think so,” Madison said, the breeze coming off the ocean whipping through her dark hair. “They haven’t said anything... So, I don’t think so. They’re probably business students, not psychology. Even if they did, we’re sticking with our story. Nothing happened while she was my student, and technically, nothing did happen. A few kisses... Not enough to get me in any trouble, but at the same time, I’m not going to advertize the fact that anything was going on before she graduated.”
“And what about Elizabeth? Have you been introduced?”
“No... Not yet. I can’t believe how nervous I am about it,” Madison said as they climbed the steps leading away from the beach and into the bar.
“Well, here’s your chance,” Ashley said, grabbing a hold of her arm and steering her to the right where they stood in front of a table of people that Ashley seemed to know. “Did you guys miss the fireworks?”
“Yeah, well,” Elizabeth said, putting her arm around the woman beside her. “We lost track of time, and by the time one of us finally noticed that they’d started, we were all too lazy to get up and head outside,” she said with a shrug. “So here we are.”
“Liz, have you met my friend Madison?” Ashley asked.
“No. I don’t think I have. I know your face though.”
“I was Ashley’s plus one to your wedding, and I’ve been to The Beach House too many times to count in the last few years so that doesn’t surprise me. The wedding was beautiful, by the way,” Madison said, knowing that she was rambling. “You looked lovely.”
“Thank you. My daughter took care of everything. She’s around here somewhere. I don’t even want to know what that day would have been like without all of her planning.”
Madison just smiled back at her. Could this get any more awkward?? Ashley wasn’t helping either.
“Oh, I see her,” Ashley said, leaning to the right slightly to get a better view. “Up at the bar doing shots. Oh, to be young,” Ashley joked, and Elizabeth laughed with her, but Madison felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack.
“I have to go,” she said to Ashley when Elizabeth was chatting with the woman sitting beside her.
“What? Why?”
“I’ll call you,” Madison said, brushing past her before she could quiz her. She paused for just a second, wondering if she could get Kacey’s attention, but she kept going, deciding to send her a text when she was on the way home. If she told her that she was going, Kacey would want to leave with her, and Madison didn’t want to cut her night short. She looked like she was enjoying herself, but Madison cringed when she thought of doing shots, her stomach flip flopping, as if it could remember all of the damage Madison had done more than ten years ago when she could drink all of those crazy colored liquors.
Madison paced outside while she waited for her Uber to show up. She couldn’t believe Ashley had brought them over to Elizabeth’s table. What was she supposed to do? Say that she not only knew Kacey, but that she was her girlfriend. She knew Kacey wasn’t in the closet. She even said that she told her mother she was seeing someone.
Wait, didn’t she say that her mother saw me? ...and that she was surprised that Kacey was seeing me? Holy shit. Now, Elizabeth probably thinks I’m a complete idiot... Although, she said her daughter was around here somewhere... So, she didn’t let on that I knew her?
Madison’s head was pounding as she got into the back of the car. She didn’t know what to think. If Elizabeth knew who she was, why didn’t she just say it? Was she waiting for me to say it?
Madison sighed as she unlocked her phone and typed a quick message to Kacey, telling her that her head was killing her and that she needed to get home and get some sleep. Not a complete lie.
There was something about seeing Kacey up at the bar, downing shots, that reminded Madison of their age gap, and just when she started to think that it wasn’t a big deal, it came flying back, and Madison wondered if that doubt would ever go away. How much longer was she going to let those fifteen years bother her? It didn’t seem to bother Kacey.
Madison closed her eyes, willing the throbbing pain to go away. At least Ashley was happy. She just clicked with Brooke and the two of them couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Madison wished she hadn’t let that feeling of panic get to her. She should have excused herself and gotten some fres
h air, instead of running away like she had. She did feel like shit though, and she knew she wouldn’t be much fun to be around. It was either the alcohol catching up to her or the nerves of meeting Kacey’s mother that got to her, maybe a little of both.
Chapter 39
Kacey slammed the empty shot glass against the bar, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She knew she’d pay for this tomorrow, but this was the first time she’d hung out with her college friends since they’d graduated, and most of them would be leaving in the next few weeks, either for a job or to go back to their hometowns.
She turned to see Ashley laughing with her mom at a table full of people and beer bottles. She excused herself and went over to them, wondering where Madison was. She hadn’t seen her since they left the beach about a half hour ago.
“Hey,” she said to Ashley, lightly grabbing her arm and leading her a few feet away from the table. “Have you seen Madison?”
“She left a few minutes ago,” Ashley said.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I think meeting your mom might have freaked her out.”
“She met my mom?” Kacey asked, her heart beating a little faster now. “Shit. What happened?”
“Well, Madison didn’t say you two were together when your mom mentioned you... So that was weird.”
“My mom knows I’m dating Madison. I pointed her out at the restaurant.”
“Oh,” Ashley said, her eyebrows arching. “I guess Liz was waiting for Madison to say something then...”
“Ugh,” Kacey said, running a hand through her hand. “I was going to introduce them. I just wanted to-”
“Have a few more drinks?”
“Yeah. Something like that. I want them to like each other... And I know I should have done it already, but I know my mom’s probably not going to be impressed with the age difference... and the fact that she was my lecturer. I haven’t told her that part.”
“She’ll come around. Madison shouldn’t have left though,” Ashley said, taking a drink. “I don’t know what got into her. She just left.”
“How’d you ever put up with her?” Kacey joked.
“Ha. I didn’t. Madison’s probably one of the greatest friends you could ever ask for.”
“What?”
“I didn’t want to go to your mom’s wedding alone, and I’ve discovered over the years that when you have a girlfriend, you get way more attention than if you were single. So, Madison agreed to be my girlfriend, and it worked out pretty well for both of us,” Ashley said, signaling to the waiter that was going by to get another round for their table.
Kacey knew it was taking her longer than it should have to process her words. “Wait, so you never dated Madison?”
“Na. We met online and went on a date, but that was years ago. We’ve been friends ever since.”
Kacey just stared at Ashley. Why has Madison spent the last three months lying to me?
“I think I’m going to go,” Kacey said, but Ashley was distracted by the tray of drinks arriving at the table beside them. She knew Ashley was drunk, but Kacey believed her. She just couldn’t figure out why Madison would lie to her.
Kacey slipped away from the crowded bar without saying goodnight to anyone. She wanted to get home and dive under her covers. She’d drink a few glasses of water and take some tablets, and hopefully she’d feel alright in the morning.
Chapter 40
Madison stepped out of the shower, her head still aching from all the alcohol she’d drank yesterday. She took more pain killers and vowed to stick to the rum next time as she dried her hair and got dressed. She checked her phone again on the way into the kitchen for a much-needed cup of coffee, but she still hadn’t heard from Kacey.
At least I didn’t do any of those shots...
She should probably go for a run, but her body wasn’t up for it. She felt like she’d been hit by a bus on her way home last night. She sat at the breakfast bar, sipping her coffee and picking at her slice of toast. She was definitely in no condition for a run.
Instead of going to the park for a run, she decided to pack a bag with some lunch, a beach towel, and the book she was reading. She could stretch out under the shade of a tree instead of curling up on the couch here. Getting some fresh air would do her good. She needed to get out of this fog.
*****
Madison stretched her arms over her head. She’d been sitting for the last twenty minutes in the shade. She slid her towel over the grass and into a patch of sunlight and got comfortable on her stomach. She hated how often she was checking her phone, but she was starting to wonder if she should be concerned. Kacey always texted her back a few minutes later.
Madison glanced at her phone again. Maybe I should just call her. She closed the book and picked up her phone, unlocking it with her thumb. Just as she was about to press Kacey’s name, Madison thought she saw her, in the distance, by the parking lot.
Madison sat up again, squinting her eyes to get a better look. That’s definitely her. She got up and left her towel and book behind her, slinging her bag over her shoulder, walking across the grass until she reached her.
“Hey,” Madison said, sliding her sunglasses on. “How are you going for a run? I thought I was going to die this morning.”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I thought this might help... Tire me out or something.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah... I just feel like shit, and I probably shouldn’t have drank so much last night. Did you have a good time yesterday?”
“Yeah, I did. Did you get my text?”
Kacey nodded. “I did.”
“Okay,” Madison said, unsure of what was going on with her. She was being uncharacteristically aloof. “Call me later if you’re feeling better and you want to do something. We can go for dinner or stay in and watch a movie?”
“Yeah. I’ll see what I feel up for,” Kacey said, lifting her knee into her chest as she went through her stretching routine.
“Okay then... I’ll let you get to it.”
Madison turned to walk away, her mind replaying last night, searching for a moment when she’d been a complete asshole, and other than abandoning her conversation with Elizabeth, she couldn’t think of one.
Unless she’s just mad that I left early?
Madison tried to shake off the feeling that something was wrong. She just feels awful, and Madison knew that an hour or two ago, she wouldn’t have been interested in talking either. Her head had been too sore to even think straight, never mind carry on a conversation.
That’s all it is...
Madison stretched out on the towel, on her back this time, holding her book in front of her face to shield her eyes from the sun. Things would be back to normal tonight, she reassured herself as she let herself get lost in the pages of her book.
Chapter 41
Kacey unlocked the door to her apartment and left her bag inside the door as she went into the living room and flopped down onto the couch. She couldn’t remember the last time she was this tired, emotionally and physically. She shouldn’t have gone for a run this morning, but that’s what she did when she was restless.
She needed space and time to process what Ashley had said to her last night. She couldn’t believe she’d run into Madison at the park. That was exactly why she was there instead of calling her to meet up. She wanted some time to herself and that’s why she’d volunteered to work today. Most of the staff were at the party last night and one or two had called in sick, but Kacey was happy to fill in. It gave her something to do today and an excuse to not see Madison again.
Kacey knew she should ask her about it, ask her why she lied, but she hated the idea of getting into a fight with her. It had taken them so long to end up together. Those weeks dragged on, when Kacey thought Madison wasn’t going to give her another chance.
Madison couldn’t understand how Kacey lied to her, yet Madison had been lying to her since the night of the wedding.
Unbelievable..
.
Kacey wasn’t as pissed off as Madison had been when she found out that Kacey was her student, but it was the principle. Kacey had felt guilty when she was kissing Madison, because she thought she was dating a friend and a co-worker, but it was all for show. Kacey just couldn’t get her head around it, and if she talked to Madison about it before she was ready, she knew she’d get angry and blow things out of proportion.
I’ll call her tomorrow...
Kacey needed a night to herself. She’d catch up on the series she’d started last week on Netflix, and tomorrow she’d deal with this. The thing that killed her was that this wasn’t just a fib from the night her mom got married. Kacey had asked about Ashley since then, and Madison had a story for her. There had been plenty of opportunities to tell her what had happened, that Ashley had asked her for a favor, and she’d agreed.
Kacey got up to get changed into her pajama shorts and a tank top. If she was going to relax tonight, she needed to get comfortable.
Chapter 42
Madison knocked firmly on Kacey’s door, wondering if she was doing the right thing by showing up unannounced like this, but she had to know if she’d done something wrong. She thought she’d hear from Kacey today after she saw her at the park, but all she got was a quick text saying that she had to work. That was hours ago.
“Hey,” Madison said softly as Kacey opened the door, leaning on the frame for a second before stepping aside to let her pass.
“Hi.”
Madison once again couldn’t quite gauge her mood. “You must be exhausted, so I won’t stay long.”
“I’m okay,” Kacey said, leading them into the living room. She was wearing gray cotton shorts and a white tank top that made it extremely difficult for Madison to keep her eyes up.
“I don’t know how you went into work today. I just about made it to the park and back. I even had to have a nap...” Madison sat down beside her. She definitely wasn’t imagining this frostiness. Something was up. “So... The reason why I’m here is... I feel like I may have said something stupid last night. I know I drank a ridiculous amount of alcohol yesterday, but I’m sorry for whatever it is I did, because you’re clearly upset with me over something I must have said.”
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