Thunder - Willow Summers Page 0,25

want to be. And you know the other person is there because they want to be. In my jaded opinion, it’s sweeter. It’s real love. I want that.”

“And with Frank?”

She shrugged again. “I’m glad I didn’t say yes.”

“He asked you to marry him?”

“He did. But I didn’t see the point. We were living together—why add more paperwork?”

“Ouch. That probably hurt his pride a bit.”

“After the huge fight we had about me keeping my apartment, I think he knew I wouldn’t bend no matter how much crap he threw at me. And he threw quite a lot.”

“The apartment you’re living in now, you mean?” he asked, another piece of the puzzle clicking into place. She nodded. “Why not give it up?”

“Janie. She’s…one of a kind. A bit wild, really. She has a learning disability that makes things hard for her. Don’t get me wrong; she’s wicked smart. I asked her SAT questions and her score was always better than mine. But have her sit and read it herself…she can’t. It breaks my heart. And she had no help for her learning problems when she was younger. Her mom wasn’t really the mothering type. But ask her to break a bat over the face of a man who hurt you? Or pull out the hair of a chick who stole your lunch money?”

“Stole your lunch money? When was that, last week?”

Madison laughed. “Might as well have been. She’s my rock. She’s awesome. She’d lie down in traffic for me. Help me bury a body, no questions asked. Which is ironic, because she won’t accept any help. It hurts her pride. Makes her admit she has it harder than someone like me. She hates that.” Madison shook her head. “If you could only see her paintings. Even her doodles. She’s magic with a paint brush—magic—but she won’t let me set up a gallery for her. She has all this beautiful work that just lies around.”

“Meaning…no income.”

“Very little. There are a few people who come to her every once in a while asking for work, but other than that, she’s floating facedown half the time. Hating it, but unable to see a way out.”

“But she doesn’t stay at your place all the time?”

“No. She stays with her long-term lover off and on.” Madison rolled her eyes. “He’s another artist with a quarter of the talent. Also an asshole. He kicks her out constantly. She has a key to my place and comes and goes as she pleases. She thinks it’s because I need someone to watch the place when I’m not there. If not for me, she’d have to go to her mom’s house, and they don’t get along now any better than they did when Janie was a kid. So…”

“Did you explain all that to Frank?” Colton gestured at the bartender and waved his finger above their drinks. The bartender nodded and got to it, clearly remembering the order.

“No. I couldn’t. He was spiteful, and I couldn’t risk him giving Janie a guilt trip for taking my handouts, as he called it. She would never have set foot in that apartment again. I wouldn’t do that to her. I made up something about my contract. So yeah, my relationship with Frank suffered, but he has never stuck up for me the way Janie always does. He wouldn’t march into the trenches with me, saw off my gangrene-ridden arm, and then carry me back out if I needed it.”

“And you stayed with him why?”

“At first because I thought we needed more time to feel the passion. Then because it was comfortable. Then because I needed a date to this wedding.”

“Wow.” Colton threw a twenty on the bar as the drinks showed up. A cheer went up, and a harassed-looking bride entered the bar area, her smile fake and eyes tight, probably because the reception was behind schedule.

The groom sauntered in a moment later, a large smile on his face and a beer in his hand. A stocky guy patted the groom on the back, laughing loudly. The rest of the wedding party trailed in behind them, the guys having a good time, the girls smiling and shooting glances at the bride marching ahead.

“Things aren’t going well in paradise,” Colton murmured, pulling Madison closer.

“Should we head to our seats?” Madison stared at the groom, a chubby dude, about five foot ten, with a broad face, eyes pinched together, and a large nose. Madison was so out of his league that Colton wanted to break down