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Chapter 25

“You just can’t get enough of me.” Alec smirked, opening his front door.

I rolled my eyes. “Actually, I am here to see Dan.” I pushed myself past him, inviting myself in. “Are he and Maddison here?”

“Of course they aren’t and you know it.”

I paused at the bottom of the stairs I was about to go up. I turned around. Alec was looking smug like always. “Where are they?”

“Maddison is moving in.” Alec shrugged his shoulders and walked into their dining room. I followed him.

“What? Since when?”

Surely Dan would have mentioned this on the phone when I spoke to him the other night. I knew it would be hard to see him with Maddison. But I knew I always had to be a good friend. After all, he was one of my closest friends and I couldn’t not have him be a part of my life.

“Since Dan asked her to marry him.” Alec’s slumped into a dining chair, and turned his focus to whatever he was doing before I showed up.

“When did he do that?”

“Last night.” Alec glanced up at me. “Why are you so upset about it?”

“Well, he is my best friend. I thought he would at least mention it to me.” I threw my hands up in the air. “Maddison is moving in. He failed to mention that, AND now his marrying her.”

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

“Did you seriously just say the word panties?” I raised an eyebrow at Alec, not hiding the amusement I got from hearing that word come out of his mouth. His eyes narrowed and I noticed the light red touch of embarrassment on his cheeks. He quickly returned his attention to the table.

I took a step forward, interested in what had his attention. Examining it, I couldn’t stop sniggering. “Is that a puzzle? Are you working on a puzzle? What in earth’s name made you want to wake up this morning and start a puzzle?”

“Yeah, laugh it up.” Alec rolled his eyes.

“Oh, I plan to.” I pulled up a chair across from him. Now scenes were flashing through my mind regarding what made Alec start a puzzle. “So, care to explain your sudden liking for pieces of cardboard that a two-year-old attacked with a cookie cutter?”

Alec huffed, giving me a dry expression. “Dan told me I never finish anything.”

“Well, you don’t.” I pointed out. “Remember the car you were going to restore. That’s still in the shed and then there was that motorbike. Oh, and the pool table you were going to make. And how could we forget—”

“Ok, enough,” Alec cut me off, shooting me a drop dead look. He always got touchy when it came to his ‘projects.’ I smiled and leaned over the table, watching him try to find a matching piece.

“So, you’re going to put this awfully large puzzle together to prove you can finish something?”

“Yep.” Alec matched up two pieces, and gave me a smug look. “And then Dan can’t say that anymore.”

I nodded my head. It was a good plan. Though I knew Alec was already bored by the whole thing and itching to do something else.

“That piece doesn’t go with that one.” I flicked him a piece that looked like the one he should be looking for.

“So, are you going to help?” Alec picked up the piece I flicked.

Glancing at the millions of little pieces that covered the table and the few Alec had put together, I said, “I suppose until Dan comes home.” I got comfortable in the chair.

Alec gave me a wide grin. “Awesome.”

“What’s the puzzle of anyway?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” Alec picked up the cover of the box, examining it. “It’s like an abstract thing.”

I reached out and took the lid from his grasp and turned it around. “You mean, it’s a collage of birds.” I giggled, as realization crossed his face and he nodded his head.