by Noelle Adams
Three
THE FOLLOWING EVENING, Matthew glanced into the mirror over the dresser in Madeline’s old bedroom as he tightened his tie.
He wore a dark gray suit, a pale gray shirt, and a plum-and-silver-patterned tie. He’d gotten his hair cut a week ago, so it was past the schoolboy-on-the-first-day-of-school look but not yet at the rumpled-in-every-direction phase. He’d shaved before he took a shower just now. He looked pretty decent. Ready for the reunion.
He couldn’t help but wonder what had changed about him in the past couple of months to make Skye decide she didn’t want him anymore.
Yesterday, she’d pushed him away with nothing more than a “nope” when he’d been on the verge of kissing her. His body still ached at the loss of her. She was definitely over him now, and he had no idea why.
He wished it didn’t bother him so much.
Grabbing his keys, phone, and wallet, he headed toward the main door of the apartment. He’d just opened it when a text came in. Madeline, confirming that he was actually going to show up tonight.
He texted back that he was on his way and then glanced around to verify the position of the dog. All day, the animal had been on his heels, insisting he come with him everywhere. He couldn’t come to the reunion, however, so Matthew wanted to make sure the poor thing was all right.
He wasn’t in sight. He must be sleeping again on the pillow Matthew had tossed onto the floor yesterday and never picked up. The dog had decided it was the perfect napping spot. Pleased at getting away so easily, Matthew locked the door behind him and went downstairs and out to where he’d parked his SUV.
The high school was a few miles out from downtown, so he’d need to drive.
As soon as he opened the driver’s side door, a streak of fur, legs, and ears zoomed into the SUV. From nowhere. Absolutely nowhere. The dog hadn’t been in sight. Matthew had never seen him leave the apartment. But there he was now, sitting in a happy, good-boy pose in the passenger seat of Matthew’s car.
“Damn it,” Matthew muttered, sliding behind the steering wheel. “Where the hell did you come from?”
The dog panted eagerly, all sloppy tongue and innocent eyes.
“You’re a little sneak. You know that, right?”
The only answer was a shift in positions so the dog could see better out the window.
Shaking his head, Matthew gave up and turned on the car. “You can’t go into the reunion with me. You wouldn’t be allowed. You’ll have to sit in the car, and it will be a couple of hours. Get ready for a long wait.”
Unfazed by this warning, the dog gave a short, victorious yap at a grackle who landed in the parking lot to snag a stray piece of bread. The dog must have recognized a kindred spirit in the bird since they were both stealth hunters of available food.
Matthew headed for the school.
He’d given the dog a bath this morning, so at least he was no longer dirty and smelly. Despite his devious ways and penchant for grabbing food, even if it wasn’t intended for him, he was generally an okay animal with a resiliently good nature. He hadn’t growled or snarled at Matthew even once, not even when he put him in the dreaded bathtub.
Matthew wouldn’t have minded keeping him if his landlord would let him have a pet. As it was, he fully intended to do a search this weekend for a good rescue center or no-kill shelter that would take him.
There was already a decent crowd milling around the entrance when Matthew arrived and parked. He did his best to slip out of the car without the company of the dog, but the animal was faster than lightning. Matthew barely managed to grab at the collar he’d bought today before the dog made an escape.
He was trying to haul him back into the car when a voice came from behind him. “You need some help there?”
Matthew glanced back to see Fitz strolling over. “This dog here is a master escape artist.”
“Decided to keep him, huh?”
“No. I can’t keep him. He just won’t leave. And now he wants to come into the reunion with me. What are you doing here anyway?”
Fitz was probably around forty—much older than Matthew or any of his friends. And he definitely hadn’t gone to their high school. “I brought some flower arrangements over for Ria. Was on my way out. Gonna be kind of warm in the car for the poor mongrel.”
“I’ll leave the windows cracked.”
“Might rain.”
Matthew groaned, still trying to hold the dog back from making a mad dash through the halls of the high school, which was clearly his goal.
“Here. I know.” Fitz walked over to an ancient sedan that he’d had since Matthew had known him and pulled a three-foot bungee cord from the back seat. He secured it on the dog’s collar, which allowed Matthew to finally release him. “I’ll watch him while you’re in there.”
“Why would you do that? Won’t it be kind of boring just hanging around here?”
“All I ever do is hang around. It’ll be fine. Lots of people to talk to here tonight.” Fitz’s teasing, intelligent eyes were focused over Matthew’s shoulders at the entrance of the school.
Matthew turned to look and saw a mingling of alums waiting to pick up their name tags at a table manned by Ria’s sister, Belinda Phillips. “You sure?”
“Absolutely. The dog and I can lurk about and maybe get on some folks’ nerves. Just bring out some snacks for the two of us, and we’ll be good.” Fitz wrapped the end of the cord around his wrist and started toward the entrance.
Matthew hurried to fall into step with him. “Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.”
“No problem.”
Matthew was about to say something else when he was distracted by a couple approaching the entrance from the opposite direction of him and Fitz.
It was Skye—gorgeous in a little green dress and very high heels. Her hair was piled up on her head, exposing the lush curve of her neck. He gulped, his whole body surging with appreciation and desire and something far deeper.
Something like need.
“Looks pretty good tonight, doesn’t she?” Fitz murmured casually, obviously following the line of his gaze.
Matthew made a wordless sound of response.
“That’s her new boyfriend with her. She tell you about him?” There was an edge of ironic amusement in Fitz’s voice, as if he knew Matthew wouldn’t like this piece of information.
He didn’t. An intense slice of resentful jealousy pierced through the swell of lust and ownership. He made another soft grunt.
Fitz chuckled. “She seems to really like him. Nice to see her with a guy who appreciates her.”
Matthew could barely see through the blur of feeling, but he blinked a few times until he could focus on the man whose arm Skye was clinging to. He wasn’t a particularly big man. Wasn’t impressive in any way. But he looked normal. Decent. Happy to be with Skye.
And why wouldn’t he be? She was gazing up at him, radiating with all her warm, vivid brightness.
This was worse than realizing she wasn’t into him anymore. Much, much worse. Because it made it clear she’d never be his.
She was with that guy now. She seemed to really like him. She was probably on her way to being in love with him. She’d date him for a while. Then the guy—not being stupid—would propose and she’d say yes. They’d get married. Have children. Live a whole happy life together.
One Matthew would never have.
He hated it. Hated it so much his fists clenched at his side.
“Hey there, you okay, man?” Fitz asked, giving him a soft punch on the arm that brought him back to his senses. “Looks like you want to tear the guy limb from limb. You know something bad about him?” For the first time, there was a serious note in his voice, as if Skye’s well-being mattered to him, despite the constant pose of leisurely nonchalance Fitz always wore.
“No,” Matthew admitted, wishing his answer were different. “Never seen him before.”
“Ah. Well. Didn’t think she’d hang around waiting for you to get your h
ead out of your ass forever, did you?”
“No. I didn’t.” He couldn’t help the rough edge of his voice.
They’d neared the entrance by now, so Matthew was saved from further conversation. In an attempt to distract himself from Skye giggling at something her date had said, Matthew focused on the front table with the name tags.
Belinda was several years older than her sister, Ria. She was a brusque, no-nonsense brunette who always seemed to be busy working. Tonight was no exception. She passed out name tags with impressive efficiency and only paused when her eyes happened to land on him and Fitz.
She frowned at them. Or rather at Fitz. “You have a dog now? Really?”
“Not mine,” Fitz drawled in a smug tone that was sure to annoy anyone—particularly someone as uptight as Belinda. “His. I’m just dog-sitting for the evening.”
“Well you can’t take it inside. Some people might be allergic.”
“Wasn’t gonna take it inside. I’m planning to hang out here.”
Belinda’s dark eyes narrowed. “Here?”
“Why not?”
“At the entrance? With me?”
“Got a problem with that?”
Matthew was fascinated with this bit of interaction, but Belinda shut it down prematurely. Her eyes narrowed, she turned away from Fitz and gave an exaggerated smile to Skye and her date.
“She doesn’t like me,” Fitz explained.
“I can see that. What did you do to her, other than get on her nerves?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all. I’ve been a perfect example of kindness and civility. But some people don’t recognize a good thing.”
“Oh. Well, thanks for watching the dog. I’m not planning to stay for a really long time, and I’ll bring you both out something to eat in a while.”
“Appreciate it.”
Matthew walked in behind Skye and her companion. He wished he had a date. Skye hadn’t even seemed to notice him at all.
The whole world felt different than it had before. And not in a good way. Fitz was right. Some people didn’t recognize a good thing. Matthew was one of them. He’d had a good thing in Skye—a better thing than he’d ever deserve—and he’d let it get away from him by his own clueless stupidity.
All of it was his own fault, so he’d have to get over it.
SKYE WAS TRYING VERY hard to focus on Jon, who was nice and cute and deliciously normal and genuinely seemed to be interested in her. But she was uncomfortably conscious of Matthew, who’d come to the reunion by himself.
She’d seen him in the parking lot as soon as she’d gotten out of Jon’s car. He’d been walking with Fitz, who was evidently taking care of that cute dog who’d attached himself to Matthew yesterday. Then he’d entered the school behind her. She’d been able to feel his eyes on her back.
It went on like that all evening. Whenever she was dancing with Jon, chatting with her friends, eating cheese puffs or cake bites, she was always aware of where Matthew was and what he was doing.
He seemed to be watching her a lot, but she could have been imagining that.
About an hour into the proceedings, right after the brief speeches and gift-giving ceremony for the retiring theater teacher, she saw Matthew put a lot of food onto two plates and disappear.
What the hell was he doing?
She tried not to think about it since it wasn’t her business, but when Jon got a work call he said was important, she used that opportunity to find out what Matthew was doing.
She discovered him outside near the entrance. He’d given one of the plates to Fitz and the other he’d placed on the ground for the dog.
It was an endearing sight. Matthew leaning over to give the dog meatballs on a little plastic plate, idly scratching behind its ears as the animal gobbled up its bounty.
The pressure in her chest was so intense it threatened to suffocate Skye. She wasn’t sure how long she would have stood there, one hand raised to her throat, if Fitz hadn’t glanced back and seen her. “Hey there. Leaving already?”
“No,” she said, recovering herself quickly when Matthew straightened up with a jerk. “Just getting some fresh air. What’s going on here?” She looked between the dog and Matthew. “So you decided to keep him after all?”
“No. I can’t. I can’t have pets at my place.”
She frowned. “So you’re just giving him a good weekend before you turn him back out into the cold?”
“Of course not. I’m going to look for a good rescue place for him. Someone will want to adopt him. He’s a good fella.”
Skye was disappointed. The pressure of emotion in her chest had faded already. She’d thought Matthew was making a real gesture of commitment, but he was instead planning to take the easy way out. “Oh. He’s going to be sad. He obviously loves you already.”
Matthew’s handsome features twisted with what looked like guilt and discomfort. “Shit, I don’t know what I can do. I can’t have a dog. He’s just attached himself to me.”
“Maybe you should find a new place to live,” Fitz offered blithely. “One that allows pets.” Before Matthew could respond, Fitz added, “I’ll be back in a minute. Gotta find a bathroom.”
Skye and Matthew watched as Fitz disappeared into the school. Then they looked at each other. Neither said anything. Skye’s stomach churned nervously.
Matthew looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t.
They might well have stood there in silence until Fitz returned, but Skye told herself to stop acting like an insecure teenager and instead say what she knew she needed to say. “Hey,” she said. “I’m glad to talk to you.”
Blinking, he asked, “You are?”
“Yeah. The truth is I was bringing that meatloaf over yesterday so I could talk to you then, but we got distracted. So anyway...” She cleared her throat and stared at the dog, who was licking every trace of food from the plate. “I feel bad about what I said a few weeks ago. About your folks. I mean, I didn’t mean it to... If I went too far, I’m really sorry about it.”
Matthew reached out and tilted up her chin so he could see her face. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about. You were right.”
“Maybe a little, but not the way I made it sound. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I thought you were a bad son. You’re not.”
“I hope not.” His voice was soft. Strangely thick. “But the truth is I might not be a bad son, but I’m not sure I’ve been a great son. I could be better. I could be better at a lot of things. So you don’t have anything to apologize for.”
“Okay.” She gulped, touched by the earnestness of his voice. He wasn’t normally this open. “I still feel bad if I... if I hurt your feelings.”
“You didn’t. Not really. Just made me think.” He let out a long breath and shifted his stance, as if what came next was hard for him. “I am like that. I do push things away. Even my parents. Even... I push away anything that makes me...”
“Makes you feel,” she finished in almost a whisper.
His gray eyes held hers in the low light of the evening. “Yeah. Exactly.”
“Do you...?” She’d always been the kind of person who said exactly what she was thinking, who didn’t hold anything back. Which was why it was strange she was so hesitant now. She pushed through the block to ask, “Do you know why you’re like that?”
He shook his head. “Not really. I guess I just don’t like to be...”
“Vulnerable.”
His eyes shot up to meet hers. “Yes. Exactly. How did you know that?”
She shrugged. Something was shuddering in the air between them now. Shuddering in her chest, making her whole body tremble. “I don’t know. Just a guess. Am I wrong?”
“No. You’re not wrong.” He reached out and took one of her hands. It was shaking helplessly now, and he wrapped it in both his big warm ones. “I want the world to see me as invulnerable. Completely in control. I don’t know why I’m like that.”
“Madeline’s a little like
that too.” She was torn between wanting to grab her hand away and wanting to throw her whole body against his big strong one. “It’s probably partly genetics and partly the way you were raised. Not being real close to your parents or something. They did kind of leave you two on your own to take care of yourselves. Remember when you broke your wrist and they wouldn’t take you to the hospital?”
He gave an exhale of dry amusement. “Yeah. I remember that. Although it wasn’t as bad as you make it sound. They didn’t know how badly I was hurt.”
“I know. But you and Madeline were still kind of left to take care of yourselves in a lot of ways. Maybe you two felt like you only had yourselves to depend on?”
His face softened. His eyes never left hers. “Maybe.” He was still holding her hand, and he squeezed it now gently. “But I did want you to know that I’m trying to do better. To be better. I’ve been calling my folks more frequently and talking more with Madeline. I don’t want to be... I don’t want to be a stranger to the people I love.”
She nodded, so touched by this admission that her eyes were actually burning. “I’m glad.” She cleared her throat when her voice cracked. “I’m trying to be better too. About the things I’m working on, I mean.”
“I can see that. You’ve changed.” He lifted a hand and brushed a stray piece of hair away from her cheek. His fingers against her face burned deliciously. “You’re... amazing.”
She gulped, trying to remember that she had a date tonight and that date wasn’t Matthew. “You think so?”
“I always have.”
Before she knew to expect it, he was leaning down toward her. She stretched up to meet him. She couldn’t help it. He was everything she’d always wanted, and she wanted to be swallowed up in the deep feeling she could see in his eyes.
His lips found hers, and her whole body and heart came alive. She made a squeaking sound of pleasure and wrapped both arms around his neck eagerly. He put a hand in the middle of her back and pressed her body against his. She was much smaller than him, but it didn’t seem to matter. They fit perfectly. Every nerve ending in her being was buzzing deliciously, and her heart was about to explode in her chest.
