Thunder - Willow Summers Page 0,52
asked.
“I get the feeling she wouldn’t like it if anyone besides Colton called her Maddie,” Noah said.
“You’ve been watching too many daytime soaps.”
“God you’re dumb sometimes,” Noah muttered, squinting at the screen.
“You know as much as I do, and suddenly I’m not getting it? Suddenly I’m dumb?” Dave turned toward him fully.
Noah straightened up and threw his hand toward the spot where Madison had been standing. “She introduced herself as Madison. He called her Maddie, and she melted right in front of our eyes. How long have you been doing this, and you can’t tell when a woman melts all over the floor?”
Dave shook his head. “You’re watching another man’s girl too closely. That’s all I’m hearing.”
Noah took a deep breath, shook his head, and lowered his hand back down. “Clown.”
“Yeah, sure, Days of Our Lives.”
“Can I go on, please?” Dick demanded.
Colton was already smiling down at his phone, reading the email. “I got it,” he said to Dick.
“I want to hear more about this PG date,” Dave said. “We’re witnessing the magic unfold—right, Noah, the magic?—so we need to hear the conclusion. Or should I say happy ending? Noah?”
“Keep going, bro. See what happens,” Noah said.
“He’ll kick your ass again, that’s what’ll happen,” Dick said. He half turned toward Dave and pointed. “Your ass. Just in case that wasn’t clear. Like last time.”
“That was an off day. I hadn’t boxed in a while.” Dave’s lopsided grin worked up his face. “I’m good to try again.”
“Not wise.” Dick turned back. “Under description, she wrote, ‘Watch a movie. My name is Indigo Monta, you killed my father. Prrrepare to die.’ She got his name way wrong.”
“Is that from The Princess Bride?” Colton asked.
All three guys looked up, Noah and Dave with disbelief, and Dick with annoyance.
“Tell me you’ve seen that movie,” Dave said.
“I don’t blame you for canceling if that’s the movie she wants you to watch.” Dick shook his head. “In the comments section at the bottom, she says, ‘Really? You’re going to make my girl pay? Because that shit is degrading to you and her, yo ho. Get it?’ I do not get it.”
“She is essentially using pirate slang to call him a ho,” Dave said. “Which probably wouldn’t be good if it was actually Madison who wrote that and not her friend. Madison, right? Or is it Maddie? Because despite Noah’s crystal-clear understanding from all the mysterious clues, I’m still not sure.”
“Is it too late to confirm that?” Colton asked. It was for the weekend, he noticed, and there was no way he wanted to wait that long. “Or send an email asking to reschedule for a sooner date? Like tonight?”
“Going the anxious route, huh?” Noah straightened up and checked his phone.
He was going the anxious route, which was usually the kiss of death with a girl, but he had to know if she was in, and if she was, he wanted her now. Immediately.
“And tell her I want to change the location to my house. Dinner and a movie. I’ll cook. Tell her she can choose the time, just let me know.”
“Whoa. My man is trying to make an impression,” Dave said, leaning over the counter to see the screen. “If she doesn’t tell him where to shove it, she hasn’t got a chance.”
Dick’s fingers pounded the keyboard, the amount of movement assuring Colton that he was indeed emailing her. A moment later he was done, the message probably short and to the point, as was Dick’s way. “Now you have to see if she’ll forgive you for being a putz this morning.”
All he could do was wait.
Fifteen
Madison sat in her car, gripping the wheel. That had gone well. And it hadn’t. It had and it hadn’t.
On the plus side, his sentiment about no contracts was sweet and great and had hit her right in the ticker. She’d immediately felt all warm and tingly. But then, he knew all the right things to say and do. Experience had taught him well.
On the negative side, that was possibly the most awkward situation she’d ever experienced. What had possessed her to hunt them down and march in there was beyond her. She’d been out of her mind. Asking a gym attendant if his establishment also served as the headquarters of Big Dick Escort Service?
“What the actual fuck?” she asked aloud.
She didn’t know, but that could hardly have impressed Colton. He’d walked out of the back, all sweaty and dreamy and muscly, only to see her in his home base