Maddox:Hey! I miss you. Can I come over?
I stare down at the screen. Do I want him to come over tonight? Do I want to deal with this right now, when my mind is still confused and lost? My fingers hover over the screen as if awaiting my decision to reply. I set the phone down without typing.
Ten minutes later, my phone rings. Maddox. After a few rings, I decide to answer.
“Hello?”
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“Just lying down,” I say. The sound of his voice is almost enough to send me into anothercrying fit.
“Are you feeling all right?”
“Just really tired.”
“Oh, okay. I just got off work and wanted to see you.” He leaves it hanging wide open, waiting for me to either invite him over or turn him away. I pause for a few moments before I answer.
“Probably not a good idea tonight. I’m just not feeling the best.”
“You sure? I can come over and take care of you, maybe a back rub or hot tea?”
“No, I’m sure. I’m heading to bed now. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Okay. Take care, babe. Sleep tight.”
“Bye.” And then I hang up before I can say anymore or hear his goodbye.
I decide to sleep on the couch for the rest of the night, my bed not looking as appealing as it normally does without Maddox sleeping next to me.
I feel the silence of the house consume me, taking me back to that dark place I was trapped in for so long after Drake left. I close my tear-filled eyes and pray for sleep to take me.
*****
I’m startled awake by pounding on my front door. As I try to get my bearings, I glance at the clock and see it’s after midnight. When I look through the peephole, I see Maddox standing there and my breath catches. What is he doing here?
“Avery, I can hear you. It’s Maddox, open up.” I disengage the lock and turn the knob. Maddox is standing there in sweatpants and a sweatshirt, hair sticking up all crazy like as if he was sleeping.
“Can I come in?” he asks with a questioning look on his face. I don’t answer, just step back and pull open the door for him. He steps inside and looks at me, his face full of concern.
“What are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t sleep. I missed having you snuggled up against me. I couldn’t sleep without you next to me.” He pulls me into his warm, strong embrace. I go willingly but refrain from putting my arms around him.
“What’s the matter? You’re not acting right.”
I steel my nerves, lift my chin, and square my shoulders. It’s now or never. “I met Vanessatoday.”
His face takes on a pained look. I can’t tell if it’s pained because he wasn’t expecting me to say that or pained because he realizes he’s busted.
“Vanessa? How in the hell did you meet her?”
I step back out of his arms. If I’m going to talk to him, I can’t have his arms around me, or I’ll never be able to focus. “I ran into her today at the mall. She had quite a bit of interesting information to share with me.”
“What kind of information?” His eyebrows both shooting straight up.
“Information about you and her, and the fact that you are still in a relationship with her while you are sleeping with me.”
His face takes on a look of pure confusion. “What? Avery, I’m not in a relationship with her. How can you even think that?”
