smile as big as I can, wondering how long it will take Aiden to realize I’m a total fraud and a liar, liar, pants on fire.
Chapter Thirteen
Aiden
Maddie needed me on the gondola, and I was there for her. Now that we’re on the top of the mountain and she’s no longer so scared she can’t see straight, I’ve gone back to being invisible. I could whip off my jacket and pants and run around butt naked in the snow and I doubt she’d bat an eyelash.
I find it interesting that we’re playing this game. I figured she’d bring me back into the fold as soon as we were reunited and Brent would get kicked to the curb.
I was wrong.
They pose together for a picture in front of the snowy mountain backdrop, and Jolie insists they scoot in closer together. Brent wraps his arm around Maddie’s waist and tugs her toward him. She laughs, and I roll my eyes.
This is getting out of hand. I need information. They can’t be serious or I would have heard about them through the grapevine. My brother would have let something slip about Maddie being in a relationship, so that means this is new. New is good. New is easily destructible. One flick of the finger and they’ll topple over like a house of cards.
Huh. I had no clue I was such a diabolical villain.
After they’re done posing, I scoot in next to Brent as we head inside, toward the restaurant.
“Where did you say you and Maddie met?”
His eyes shift over to her as if looking for backup, but she’s busy with Ford. He’s on his own with me.
“Oh, through friends.”
“Romantic.”
He laughs awkwardly.
“And you two hit it off pretty quick?”
He starts to fiddle with his gloves, tugging them up higher. They’re just fine where they are. He’s nervous. He doesn’t like me examining their relationship too closely.
Why?
“Yeah, I mean it was pretty quick. She’s exactly my type.”
“How so?”
He frowns, obviously taken aback by my hard line of questioning.
I laugh and clap him on the back, hard. “I’ve known Maddie a while—you’ll forgive me for wanting to cover all the bases. She doesn’t have a big brother, so I doubt anyone’s really looked you over with a fine-tooth comb.”
He noticeably gulps.
“You and Maddie are close?” he asks, his voice a little wobblier now.
“Very. Now tell me, what is it about her that you find attractive?”
“Well…her. I mean, she’s gorgeous.”
“Beauty’s only skin deep, Brent. Are you only with Maddie because of her looks?” I sound deeply disappointed in him.
His eyes widen in fear. “No. That’s not what I was saying. I just—”
“Just what?”
“I also think she’s really funny.”
“And?”
“Kind.”
“Funny and kind.” I nod. “Tell me about your first date.”
“First date?” He laughs. “God…that was…”
“Was?” I prod him.
“A good time,” he says with a tight smile.
He hates me and is trying to make that clear, but I couldn’t care less.
Up ahead is the entrance to the restaurant. Soon we’ll be at a table with everyone and I’ll have to mind my manners. Unfortunately.
“Where’d you take her?”
“To the, umm…”
He has to think about it for a while.
Does this guy have a shit memory, or does he just go on so many dates he can’t keep them straight?
“Bowling,” he says, sounding as if he’s settling on the idea.
“Bowling. Really? Who won?”
His cheeks are bright red now, and it’s not just from the chill. “Maddie.”
I think he’s lying. One, because he keeps fidgeting with those damn gloves, and two, because Maddie is absolutely shit at bowling. She once let a ball fly off her hand too early and it landed back in our plate of nachos.
“Remember the scores?”
“No.” He chuckles. “Why would I remember—”
“What are you two talking about?” Maddie asks, finally rushing to catch up to us. She shoots me an accusing glare as if I’m doing something wrong by talking to Brent.
I respond with an easygoing smile. “Brent was telling me about bowling.”
Her face contorts into a mask of confusion.
“You know…your first date,” I remind her.
Her confusion disappears at the snap of a finger and she quickly nods. “Yeah, that was so fun! Brent kicked my butt though.”
Brent’s eyes widen, trying to alert her to something.
I know we’re up on a snowy mountain, but I smell something fishy.
“No, baby. Remember, you won,” Brent says teasingly.
Maddie thunks her forehead with her hand as if to say, Duh. “That’s right. Now I remember. I was on fire that night.”
“How long ago was this?”
Neither of them answers. Instead, Maddie grabs Brent’s arm and