Maddox

by Lisa Helen Gray

  But if that was the case, I wouldn’t have let Maddox into my life; someone who is intimidating, strong, powerful. And I wouldn’t be attracted to him.

  Pulling open the door, my lips part at the sight in front of me. Loaded with bags on each arm and carrying two large boxes, Maddox forces a smile. “I got you some things.”

  “W-what?”

  “Can I come in? I’m strong but these are heavy.”

  On shaky legs, I push away from the door, opening it wider to let him through. He walks straight into the living room, giving a quick ‘hello’ to Asher before stepping into the kitchen.

  “What is all this?” I ask, even though I can already see what he has.

  It’s a breast pump kit with a steriliser and even a bottle warmer. What is in the bags is a mystery, but I can only guess it’s more baby stuff.

  He drops the last bag to the table, stepping back. “I got you a breast pump,” he declares.

  “That is more than a breast pump,” I murmur.

  “Did I get the wrong one?” he asks, swallowing hard.

  I glance up at him, struggling to find the right words without sounding rude or ungrateful. “Maddox, this was generous of you, but I can’t accept all of this.”

  “Why?” he asks, his brows pulling together.

  “Because I didn’t pay for them,” I tell him. “And you shouldn’t have got them. I know we’re friends now but this is too much.”

  “Don’t worry. I didn’t get it all,” he tells me, grinning now. “My mum and dad bought some too.”

  “What?” I ask, my lips parting.

  He nods, rummaging through one of the larger bags. “Yeah. Mum helped me pick this stuff out. I chose this though,” he reveals, holding out the most adorable outfit ever.

  Grey bottom dungarees with a white shirt. There’s even a matching little cap.

  “Maddox,” I whisper, choked up by his kindness and generosity.

  “And this one,” he continues, pulling out another outfit. This one has ‘mama’s boy’ written on the T-shirt, and dark grey bottoms. The woolly hat is gorgeous. “It says, ‘mama’s boy’. Can you believe they don’t do a T-shirt that says, ‘my mum’s best friend is awesome’?”

  I stop him from getting anything else out, my heart racing. “Stop.”

  His brows pull together. “Did I get the wrong sizes?”

  “Why are you doing this? You come over all the time for dinner. You got my son to sleep last night, and let’s not forget you stayed over. You took my daughter to school this morning and now you’re buying all this,” I tell him, gesturing to all the bags. “Stuff I would never have been able to afford and will never be able to pay you back for. You aren’t their dad.”

  When his expression drops, I feel like shit. “I, um—”

  I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong.”

  “I thought we were friends,” he murmurs. “Friends do this kind of thing.”

  “We are. We are,” I rush out to assure him. “But this… it’s a lot. We haven’t known each other long. I don’t expect you to do all of this.”

  “I wanted to,” he states. “If you don’t want to be mates, say so now. I’ll fix it.”

  I chuckle at his blunt honesty. I’ve never met anyone so determined before. “I’m not good at this friend thing. I had one before who did all these things. She took Jasmine to school sometimes, bought her toys and played games with her.”

  “Yeah, but I bet she didn’t rock a school run like I did, or give her burnt toast in the morning, or get her into football,” he states.

  I chuckle. I can’t help it. He is so damn adorable. “No, she didn’t. She was fucking my ex for years behind my back.”

  He waves at me dismissively. “Well, you won’t have to worry about me doing that, will you.”

  “No, I won’t,” I whisper, amazed at how indifferent he can be. He is truly a breath of fresh air. He doesn’t judge. He doesn’t pity me. Half the time I worry he doesn’t hold any logic or sense.

  “And good riddance, if you ask me,” he tells me, rummaging through another bag. “You shouldn’t have bitches around Jaz.”

  I giggle, stepping closer. “But, Maddox, it still doesn’t make this okay. It’s not your responsibility.”

  He turns to me, his bottom lip trembling. When his eyes begin to water, I start to think I’ve truly upset him. “I knew you wouldn’t like them.”

  “I do. I do,” I assure him. “I just know how much these things cost.”

  “But I spent so much money, and I don’t have the receipts. Please, let me do this.”

  When his chin begins to wobble, my shoulders sag. “Alright.”

  He grins, his facial features straightening. “Good, because you are going to love what I got Jasmine.”

  My eyes narrow into slits, and I have this overwhelming sense I’ve just been tricked. I feel cheated. “You played me.”

  He winks, pulling out a remote-control sledge with ‘Frozen’ written on the box. “I always get what I want. I got two so we can race.”

  “You mean you wanted to play?” I muse.

  He shrugs, not caring. “Yeah.”

  “Thank you. For all of it. I don’t know how I’m going to repay you.”

  “Just keep feeding me,” he declares seriously.

  “Maddox,” I warn, because there is no way I’m letting him buy me all of this. I’m not sure how I’m going to afford to pay him back, but I’ll do it.

  He leans against the kitchen chair, his easy-going expression gone. “I don’t want anything in return. I didn’t do it for that. I don’t do anything I don’t want to. I’m not sure what happened to make you refuse help when it’s given to you, but I’ll fix that in time.”

  I throw my hands up in the air. “Because everything comes at a price. Everything. I don’t have it in me to be played with, Maddox. I just don’t. You keep giving and giving, and as normal as this is to you, it’s new to me. You have to admit, it’s strange you’re doing this for a person you haven’t known long. I mean, the longest interaction we’ve had was you screaming at my vagina.”

  “There was a lot going on,” he yells, but there is no heat to his tone; it was more in embarrassment.

  Laughing, I grip the chair to stand upright. “You are such a complicated man, Maddox Carter.”

  He shrugs. “It runs in the family. Which reminds me,” he starts, grimacing. “My mum has invited you three to dinner tonight. She really wants to meet you.”

  How can I say no? These people have done so much for me, and I haven’t gotten the chance to thank them.

  And I know I’ll be safe with him, no matter what.

  “Okay,” I agree.

  “Do you want to check the pump out?” he asks, his gaze going to my chest.

  I slap his shoulder, chuckling. “I’ll look later.”

  “Good, because I was hoping you’d help me get these signed,” he declares, pulling out a clipboard with forms on.

  *** *** ***

  I rock Asher in his pushchair with one hand, my attention on Maddox banging the hell out of his neighbour’s door.

  He bet me the last slice of chocolate truffle cake that he could get the mum to sign the form. I didn’t think they would answer the door. But he isn’t giving up.

  The mum, who I heard someone call Cassie, opens her door. Her hair is frizzy and sticking up all over the place, and her makeup is smudged down her face.

  “What the fuck do you want?” she snaps.

  “I was wondering if you could sign this petition. It’s to give everyone a say on what they do on the street.”

  “No,” she barks, going to slam the door.

  Maddox sticks his foot in the doorway, blocking her from shutting it. “Please. Whatever street gets the most signatures wins ten grand.”

  She pulls open the door, her eyes widening. “Ten grand?”

  Maddox nods. “Yeah. Per person,” he lies.

  He holds out the pen and s
he takes it, signing her name and putting in her details. “Now fuck off.” When she spots me at the end of the pavement, her lip curls. “And make sure that brat stays quiet.”

  She slams the door, and Maddox grits his teeth as he walks back to me. “Bitch.”

  I laugh, glancing down at the paper. “I can’t believe she actually signed it.”

  He grins, winking down at me. “Told you I could get her to,” he gloats, before looking at the house in thought. “Wait here. I have something I need to do.”

  I nod, watching him run to his truck. He grabs something out of it before he lets himself into his house. Moments later, Let It Go is blasting through the windows, and I chuckle.

  It’s Jasmine’s CD.

  When he rushes back out, grinning, I can’t help but shake my head. “You’re so bad.”

  “It’s on repeat too,” he states, rubbing his hands. “Let’s go.”

  I laugh at his pun as we move down to the next house, and this time, we go to the door together. Just as the old man opens the door, next door’s window opens and the kid, Kayne, shoves his head out. “Shut that fucking up,” he roars.

  Maddox and I share a look before bursting into laughter.

  The guy, who must be in his eighties, chuckles with us. “My great-granddaughters love that movie.”

  “My daughter too,” I admit.

  “The song gets annoying after a bit though,” he states.

  It really does.

  Maddox chuckles. “Which is why I have it on repeat and at top volume.”

  “I’m glad I have hearing aids, son. I’ve heard the commotion when I’ve gotten up during the night to get a drink. I’m glad I have a choice to take them out and not have to listen to that awful racket,” he tells us.

  I pout in envy. “I wish I could do that.”

  He chuckles at my expression. “I bet,” he says, before turning to Maddox. “What can I do for you today?”

  “I’ve started a petition to get them evicted. I know you’ve had trouble before, so I can understand if you don’t want to—”

  He snatches the pen from Maddox. “Happy to.”

  Maddox grins. “If the music from mine becomes a bother, just let me know and I’ll turn it off. I’ll be at the house across the road.”

  “Will do,” he answers, before something occurs to him. “You should do the street at the back of us. I know the bloke whose garden meets the back of theirs, and he’s had enough of the parties too.”

  “They can hear it from there?” I ask, open-mouthed.

  He nods. “Terrible. No respect these days. It was a nice quiet street before they moved in.”

  “Well, you take care,” Maddox pipes in.

  “You too, boy.”

  I wave goodbye before pushing Asher down the path. Maddox turns to me at the end, tapping the tip of the pen against his chin. “I think we should walk the other street first. You up for it?”

  “I am. He’s not due for a feed for another hour.”

  “Good. Hopefully we can get everyone to sign. I might have to catch some people tomorrow evening after they’ve finished work though.”

  “You’ll do it,” I tell him.

  “There’s something I want to ask you, but I’m not sure if it’s appropriate.”

  His comment takes me off guard. “You? Appropriate?” I tease, but then my smile falls when I see he’s serious. “What did you want to ask?”

  “Jasmine, on the way to school… She said something, and I guess I’m a nosey fucker because I want to know if it’s true.”

  I jerk a little, wondering what she said to him. With my mouth now dry, I force myself to reply. “What do you mean?”

  “She said her dad hurt you. That you were both in hospital,” he states, and I look away, gritting my teeth. I didn’t want anyone to know. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me anything. I just want to know if everything is okay.”

  I exhale, and nod my head. “It’s something I don’t like talking about,” I whisper.

  “But you’re both safe, right?”

  His kindness has my heart melting. “Yeah,” I whisper.

  “You okay?”

  “Remember when I told you my friend was sleeping with my ex?”

  His expression tightens. “I do.”

  “I walked in on them. That was the night he put me in hospital. Jasmine nearly died; her appendix ruptured,” I explain.

  It was rare Jasmine talked about it, but there were times when little things slipped out, things I didn’t know she remembered or saw. I know there will be another time she’ll say something, so it’s best to get it out in the open.

  “Fuck, I’m so sorry.”

  I shrug. “I don’t like talking about it. My relationship wasn’t the best, and I hate being reminded of what a failure I was.”

  “That’s not true.”

  I force out a laugh. “You don’t know anything about it.”

  He grabs the pushchair, pulling it to a stop. “But I’ve seen you with Jasmine. You’re a good mum. What he did is on him, not you. I hope he got what he fucking deserved.”

  I snort. “He got off lightly. His prison sentence wasn’t nearly long enough.”

  “And those women who came to the house the day you went into labour?”

  “His mum and aunt. They haven’t bothered with him his entire life, but they love causing drama.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

  “I do. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

  “It’s fine,” I assure him.

  He gives me a sharp nod before saying, “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

  I smirk. “Because it’s what friends do?”

  He bumps his shoulder against mine. “Yeah. And I’m the bestest friend you’ll ever have.”

  I smile to myself. He doesn’t know how true that statement is. I cherished my friendship with Scarlett. Trusted and shared my secrets with her. But with Maddox, it’s different. He seems like the sort of person who would keep your secrets even if revealing one would save his life. Scarlett, I knew, had always been the kind of person to put herself first. And I didn’t begrudge her for it. It was just who she was. I just hadn’t imagined I’d be the person she ended up betraying.

  I’m not sure if I’m ready to bare my secrets with another person like I did her. I trust Maddox as much as I can.

  But to trust him completely… I’m not sure if I could be vulnerable like that ever again.

  I guess time will tell.

  Just as we reach the end of the street, a loud scream echoes from down the road.

  “Turn that fucking off!”

  Maddox and I share a look before bursting into laughter.

  Yeah, time will really tell.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  AMELIA

  Maddox drums his fingers over the steering wheel of my car, bobbing his head to Jasmine’s Disney CD.

  “You do know I can drive,” I tell him, although I already said this to him when he snatched the keys off me.

  “I like driving,” he replies. “And I wouldn’t have fitted everyone in my truck.”

  I tap my foot on the floor of the car, glancing out of the window. We have been driving for ten minutes, and he said it only took ten-to-fifteen minutes to get to his parents’ house. We’re close.

  I smooth the palm of my hands over my thighs. It wasn’t until ten minutes before leaving that it occurred to me that I didn’t know why his parents wanted to meet me. Do they think we’re together? Did he tell them we’re a thing?

  I want to ask but I don’t know how. My anxiety is going through the roof. I deal with strangers every day at work. This won’t be any different. And yet, I’m nervous about meeting them. And then it hits me. I want to make a good impression.

  I just don’t know why. It’s bizarre, since we’re only friends.

  “Why are you nervous?” Maddox asks, turning the music down.

  I grin at
the sound of Jasmine’s groan. “I’m not.”

  “You are,” he states, not taking his eyes off the road.

  I link my fingers together, placing them in my lap. I have to pull on my big girl knickers and just come out and ask.

  Shifting in my seat, I face him a little. “They don’t think we’re an item, do they?”

  My shoulders hunch when he begins to laugh. “They wish. Don’t take it personally though. They’ve been trying to get me to settle down for years.”

  “You don’t want to?” I blurt out.

  He gives me a quick glance, shrugging his shoulders. “Not really. I like my life how it is. I’ll never have time for a girlfriend anyway.”

  I twist my lips together. “You don’t have a problem seeing us,” I point out.

  He grins. “Yeah, but you aren’t my girlfriend. You’re my friend.” Ouch. “And you’re fun to be around. You don’t boss me around. You try to, but it doesn’t work.”

  I shake my head at his logic. “You don’t listen, that’s why.”

  “Are we having a domestic?” he asks, his lips twitching as he pulls into the next street.

  “No, because you’d have to be my boyfriend for that, and that would never happen,” I declare, hoping he doesn’t hear the bitterness in my voice.

  I’m not even sure why I’m so hurt that he laughed. But I am. At least I know he’s around for friendship and nothing more. Because honestly… as attracted as I am to him, I don’t think I’m ready for another relationship. Of any kind.

  I just wish he would stop doing all of the things a boyfriend—or at least someone interested—would do. It’s making my crush on him even worse.

  Damn, he’s frustrating.

  “Why? I’d make a good boyfriend,” he cries in outrage.

  I chuckle under my breath as I lean over and pat his arm. “Sure. If you say so.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  I shrug, glancing out the window as he slows down, finding a spot to park. “You’re more friend material than boyfriend. I dunno.”

  He puts the car into park, turning to me sharply. “I’d make a brilliant boyfriend.”

  “You are a bit silly,” Jasmine puts in. “Maybe you like boys.”