“Aren’tyou?”
He pushed past her and climbed down the ladder. When he reached the bottom, he scowled up at her and opened his mouth as if to say something. He shook his head, pressed his lips together, andstompedoff.
The pit of her stomach dropped. She’d acted like a crazy bitch, and for what? Mack didn’t deserve to be pulled into her mess. She shouldn’t have taken her frustration out on him. She’d be lucky if he didn’t send her home tonight. And why not? Who would want an unstable crazy person running theirbusiness?
* * *
Mack avoided lookingat Madison through the first half of dinner. He didn’t comment on the dried-out mashed potatoes or the tough-as-hell steak. He ignored the mushy carrots and burnt dinner rolls. But he couldn’t ignore the anger and confusion swirling in his belly. He wasn’t one to misread a woman’s signals, and he never would have had sex with her if she’d given him any indication that she wasn’t completely into it. So why the hell had she pushedhimaway?
“Please pass the butter,”Madisonsaid.
Mack picked up the small tray and handed it to her. As she grasped it, their fingers brushed. Their gazes met for a second before shelookeddown.
Logan said, “Steak’sprettygood.”
“I burned it.” Madison’s dejected tone was so unlike her usual bubbliness that Drew and Loganlookedup.
“Hey, don’t worry. We’ve had our fair share of steak that could double as charcoal,”Logansaid.
Mack shot him a withering look. Logan shrugged hisshoulders.
Drew asked, “How did everything gotoday?”
“Fine,”shesaid.
Drew threw Mack a questioning look. Mack shook his head as if to say,Dropit.
Madison pushed back from the table and picked up her half-eaten plate of food. “I’ll be back later tocleanup.”
“Are you feeling okay?” Mackasked.
“I just need toliedown.”
After she left the room Logan asked, “What’s upwithher?”
“I don’t know,” Mackanswered.
“Well, somethinghappened.”
Mack balled up his napkin and stood. “I’ll go checkonher.”
“I bet you will,” Logan mumbled under hisbreath.
Mack ignored him. He’d deal with his brother later. Right now, his concern for Madison outweighedeverythingelse.
He took the stairs, then followed the hall until he reached her room. As he knocked softly he asked, “Can Icomein?”
“Notnow,Mack.”
“I know something’s wrong,”hesaid.
Through the door, he heard her sniff. His restless bear’s desire to protect her overwhelmed his desire to respect herspace.
With a sigh, he turned the doorknob and peeked in. “I’m comingin,okay?”
When she didn’t answer, he stepped into the room. He found her standing near the window looking outside. Moonlight streamed to cast soft shadows across the floor. He assessed her stance. Shoulders slumped, head hanging, she looked like she could hardlystand.
“Hey,” he whispered as he crossedtheroom.
