She lifted the can in a silent toast. “Right again.”
Not that she bought the heat in his eyes, the interest. He was playing with her, much like he played hockey. Strategizing. Sizing her up, trying to find her weakness, to figure out how to get past her defenses. The man had affairs with models, actresses and pop stars. Did he really think she was so naive that she’d buy his lame attempt at a come-on? That she’d melt in a puddle at his feet?
Idiot.
He lightly touched the petals of the tulips she had in a vase on her table. For a moment, one stupid, weak moment, Maddie imagined his fingertips tracing her skin. Maybe he wasn’t the only idiot in the room.
“Gerry mentioned that Bree hasn’t been spending much time with them lately.”
Maddie shrugged. “She’s been busy.”
“Are you sure that’s all there is to it?”
In the act of reaching for a glass on the top shelf, Maddie froze and looked over at him. “What do you mean?”
Neil’s gaze was hot on her bare legs. She set the glass on the counter with a sharp slap then pointed two fingers at her face. “Eyes up here, buddy.”
When he dragged his gaze slowly up her body, as real and heated as a touch, she wished she’d kept her damn mouth shut.
“Are you keeping Bree away from my family as a way to get back at me?” he asked.
He used that calm, complacent tone just to bug her. Too bad it worked. “I can’t believe you’d even ask me that.”
Worse, she couldn’t believe how much it hurt that he’d think that of her.
“If there’s a problem between you and my family—”
“There’s not.” She tossed ice into the glass then opened the can and poured the soda. “Like I said, Bree’s been busy. I’m sure she’ll spend plenty of time with your parents over the summer. If that’s all, I’m going to check on my daughter. You can see yourself out.”
“Gerry’s worried about Bree,” he said, easily blocking her way. “About her weight.”
Heat engulfed her but she pushed back the spike of temper. “Bree’s fine. She’s a preteen going through adolescence. Her body is changing and, as you mentioned, her hormones are spiking—”
“She’s overweight.” He glanced pointedly at the soda. “And giving her all that sugar isn’t helping her.”
Maddie’s fingers tightened on the can, denting it. “You’ve got some nerve, I’ll give you that. Coming here after not seeing your daughter for six months—”
“I told you—”
“Six. Months.” She shook her head. “God, you are unbelievable. Bree is healthy and happy and that’s all that matters. Once she hits puberty, she’ll grow taller and that baby fat will melt away.”
“I’m concerned about her,” he said, sounding stiff and angry. Good. Why should she be the only one who was mad? “I just want what’s best for her.”
“What’s best for her is to have a father who loves her for who she is.” Her voice shook, her hands trembled and she set the soda and can down. “Not for what she looks like.”
“That has nothing to do with it,” he said through barely moving lips.
“You can’t even say it, can you?” she asked quietly, her heart breaking for her daughter. Knowing Bree was paying for Maddie’s mistakes. “You can’t even say you love her.”
“Of course I do.”
But he hadn’t said the words. And Maddie had had enough.
“I want you to leave,” she said, surprised she could push words out past the tightness in her throat.
He looked as if he wanted to say something but then just nodded. Walking away once again. “I’ll stop by tomorrow to see how Bree’s feeling.”
“Don’t bother,” she told him as he stepped onto her porch. She followed him, held on to the doorjamb on both sides, her fingers gripping the wood so tightly, her hands ached.
He stopped, his back rigid, and slowly faced her. “I take care of my responsibilities, Maddie. You know that.”
She did. God help her, it was part of the reason why she’d fallen so hard for him all those years ago. Why she’d done what she did.
“Bree doesn’t want you to think of her as a responsibility. All she wants, all she’s ever wanted, was for you to spend time with her. Pay attention to her. To want to be with her.”
The same things Maddie had wanted from him. Like her daughter, she’d only wanted Neil to love her back, to say the words.