Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,127

had been filled with so much left unspoken...

“Too bad about Maddie,” Cassie said. “She didn’t stay to fill out an evaluation form so I hope she wasn’t too upset about her match having to cancel. Did she still have fun?”

“I don’t know. That one’s hard to read,” he said a little too briskly.

“You okay?” Cassie asked.

He sighed and ran a hand over his beard. “Sorry. I’m sure she did. I’m just tired.”

She studied him. “That’s not tired. That’s emotionally torn. I’d recognize that expression anywhere.”

He avoided her perceptive gaze as he continued putting the fishing gear on the racks.

“Um, Mike...you two hit it off, didn’t you?” She sounded intrigued that she might have created an even more successful event than she’d thought.

There was no point denying it. “Unfortunately.”

Cassie frowned. “What do you mean? Isn’t that a good thing?”

“It would be...if I hadn’t already dated her sister.”

Cassie’s expression was full of sympathetic understanding as she touched his shoulder. “Sorry, Mike.”

“Not as sorry as I am,” he said with a heavy sigh and even heavier heart.

CHAPTER EIGHT

JADE WAS ON HER the moment she returned from the library. Trying to conceal any sign of guilt was taking more strength than Maddie had as she ate ice cream straight from the carton.

“So? How was it?” her sister asked, a glint of excitement in her eyes. She set her backpack down and sat beside Maddie on the sofa, waiting to hear all the juicy gossip.

Maddie avoided looking at her. “It was fine...”

“Just fine?”

“Yeah...fine.”

Jade looked unimpressed. “After all those matchmaking questionnaires and all the promises from SnowTrek that you’d find your perfect match and it was just fine?”

“SnowTrek didn’t promise anything.” Maddie sighed, dropping the spoon into the carton. Even her favorite treat wasn’t cheering her up. She suspected it would take more than chocolate chip cookie dough to heal her conflicted heart. “I’m going to take a shower,” she said, unfolding her legs from their cross-legged position and getting up. She needed some time to process the whirlwind of emotions raging through her and be alone with her memories of Mike before she was forced to move on. And being around Jade—the unblamable source of the situation she was in—was too much right now.

“Hold up,” Jade said as she walked away.

Maddie paused and turned. “I’m really not in the mood, Jade, we can talk in a bit.”

Unfortunately, her sister was relentless. “Just let me get this straight—you didn’t make a connection this weekend?”

“My match canceled at the last minute.” That part was true. She’d focus on the truth and avoid the rest of the details.

“But you stayed anyway?”

“I’d paid to fish.” She shrugged, hoping her sister would drop it.

She didn’t. “Well, who did you fish with?”

Oh God... “Mike.”

Her sister’s face didn’t take on the look of annoyance Maddie had been expecting at the mention of her ex. Instead, she looked impatient as she said, “And?”

“And what?”

“Was there a connection?” Jade asked.

Uh-oh... Why was her sister cornering her into either lying or coming clean and potentially driving a wedge between them? She hesitated. “He’s a nice guy,” she said carefully.

Jade grinned. “So, you did like him?”

More than she’d ever liked anyone in her life. Including her sister right now. “Can I be honest or are we still supposed to hate Mike?” she asked, losing her cool a little. Truth was, her sister had had a great guy and she hadn’t recognized it. Jade couldn’t see how perfect Mike was, but Maddie could. Unfortunately, sister code prevented her from having him. It seemed really unfair.

“You can be honest,” Jade said, getting up from the couch.

“I like him a lot and we did...connect,” she said, still unsure how much to reveal. The sleeping together part she’d definitely keep to herself. “In fact, I’ve never connected so well with any guy before.” She expected her sister to be annoyed or tell her she was crazy for liking Mike.

But Jade’s smile was wide as a Cheshire cat’s as she said, “I knew it would work.”

Maddie narrowed her eyes. “Knew what would work?”

“Okay, don’t get mad but there may not have ever been a Darrel Lovejoy,” Jade said quickly.

“No Darrel Lovejoy?” What the hell was her sister talking about? “Wait, how did you know my match’s name?”

“I may have invented him,” she said sheepishly.

“I’m sorry, what?” Either she was more tired than she’d thought or her sister wasn’t making any sense right now. Invented him? Why?

“Look, I knew you and Mike would really hit it off, but I also knew he