Maddy and I docked at the mansion for my second date with Justin. It was almost a week since I’d gone to his house for spaghetti. I’d been working nonstop. Maddy was going grocery shopping so she tied the boat up and walked with me across the lawn.
Mom was in a unicorn floatie in the pool.
She wore her wide-brimmed hat and giant sunglasses, drinking something with an umbrella in it.
“Hey!” She waved. “On the way to the hospital?” “No,” Maddy called. “Day off.”
“Okay. Well, make good choices girls!” Mom called. “Will do!” Maddy shouted.
When we got to the side of the garage, Maddy’s smile dropped off. “See?” she said. “I told you I would be nice.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate it.”
We’d had a long talk the night I got back from Justin’s. She apologized and promised to give Mom the benefit of the doubt. Then she’d grilled me on Justin for the next hour until I forced her out of my room so I could go to bed.
She was obsessed with the idea of me being obsessed with someone. I wasn’t, but she would will it into existence if she could.
I did like him though. I’d been thinking a lot about the docking station.
Then I’d been thinking about why I was thinking about it.
Maybe it was because I didn’t usually cuddle with anyone? I couldn’t actually remember the last time I did. It was really addictive—and I had a feeling I wouldn’t like it with any man but him.
I definitely wasn’t telling Maddy that. “What time is he coming?” Maddy asked. “Another five minutes.”
“Want to wait on the porch?” “Sure.”
We plopped into the chairs outside the front door. “So where’s he taking you?” Maddy asked. “Stillwater. Want to see the invitation he sent?” “Uh, yeah.”
I pulled it up and handed her my phone.
The invite was placed over an old black-and-white photo of loggers standing on a pile of timber.
Justin cordially invites you to dinner, wine tasting and antique shopping in Stillwater, the birthplace of Minnesota, at 5:00, August 8th.
Please wear walking shoes.
She handed me the phone back. “I swear to God this guy is the epitome of If He Wanted To He Would.”
“He definitely makes curse breaking fun,” I agreed. She looked over at me. “So what’s up with Amber?” I shrugged. “Nothing.”
“You guys making any plans to hang out?”
“I don’t know. She doesn’t really answer my texts.” Her expression changed.
“What?” I said.
“Nothing. That’s just what my face does when I leave it unattended.”
I gave her a look. “She’s busy. She’s having a good time with Neil. I’m happy for her.”
“She didn’t look busy a minute ago…” she mumbled. I didn’t get to reply. Justin pulled up.
We watched him get out and go around the back of the car. He got a
large potted plant from the trunk and started lugging it to the porch. “Is that a rosebush?” Maddy asked, squinting.
He came up the walk and greeted Maddy, then he looked at me. “I brought you flowers,” he said, around the leaves.
I laughed. “You brought me an entire rosebush?”
He set it down. “You said the ones Amber got you were dead. I wanted to get you some that wouldn’t die.”
I smiled at it. “Awww. But this needs to be planted.”
“Then plant it,” he said, grinning. “What’s wrong with putting down roots?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Maddy said from behind me.
He hugged me hello and kissed me on the cheek. My stomach did a flip. “I’ll put it in the pontoon,” he said, letting me go and picking it back up. “Thank you.” I watched him round the corner of the garage.
As soon as he had his back to us, Maddy gave me an Are You Kidding Me look. “If he wanted to he would,” she said the second he was out of earshot. “Also, if Amber wanted to, she would too. I’m just saying.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Where you gonna plant that?” she asked. “I don’t know.”
I’d be leaving it behind. So somewhere it could thrive without me.
