Page 26

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Seriously, Maddie. I don’t think this is a good idea. The doctors said for you to take it easy.” Maddie was in one of her sleep shirts, covered in giraffes. Standing in the middle of her bedroom, she held a bright blue folded towel against her chest as we discussed the merits of her taking a shower.

“It’s just a shower.”

I winced. I recognized that tone of voice. After three days back at her house, that fake calm tone became very familiar. She was so close to ripping my head off, it wasn’t even funny. Okay, it was a little bit funny.

“Fine, we’ll shower together. How does that sound?” I waggled my eyebrows.

Her eyes widened in alarm. “I want to shower alone,” she said through gritted teeth. So much for calm.

I mentally counted to ten. “At least let me check your bandage. Make sure that it really is watertight.”

“I’ve already checked.”

Yep, calm had left the building.

I changed tactics. “Please, Maddie? For me?” I asked softly. “I know I’m driving you crazy, but I’m still waking up nights covered in sweat, remembering that helicopter ride to the hospital. Won’t you please let me check your bandage?”

She dropped the folded towel, walked to me, and put her hands on my chest. “I should have thought of that. I’m sorry, Beau. I was selfish to just be looking at things from my point of view.”

I covered her hands and kept them tight against my chest, not wanting to lose our connection. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing.”

“How about for being a raging bitch?”

“Damn, Maddie, if that’s what you consider being a raging bitch, I’ve fallen into a bucket of shit and come out smelling like a rose. Seriously, you are one of the kindest, most even-tempered people I know.”

She dropped her head on my chest. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Does that mean I get to shower with you?”

She looked up at me from under her lashes. “Don’t press your luck.”

I laughed. “Lift your shirt so I can check your bandage.”

“Yes, doctor,” she sighed.

I knelt down in front of her, and she lifted her sleep shirt the bare minimum amount to let me see her wound. She was wearing cotton panties with bunny rabbits. Who knew bunnies could be so sexy?

Cool it, Beaumont.

“Is today your animal day?” I teased.

“Huh?”

“Bunnies and giraffes?”

She giggled. “Tomorrow is flowers.”

I checked her bandage and saw that she had applied the watertight covering exactly right. I stood up. “You’re good to go.”

“Told ya,” she said as she quickly dropped the hem of her sleep shirt.

“Just go slow. Lean against the shower walls if you need to. If you need me, I’ll be right outside the door, so don’t think twice about hollering for help. Okay?”

She stroked my chest. “Okay.”

She went into the bathroom and left the door mostly open. I went and leaned against the wall next to the bathroom door. For some reason, she didn’t want me to see her naked, hence not having the door all the way open. I didn’t know why, but I respected it. I’d get to the bottom of it when she was feeling better.

* * *

It was a houseful. Evie and her two boys. Trenda with her daughter Bella and her infant son, then Zoe, were all visiting. I suppose I could have made myself scarce while they visited Maddie, but I was too antsy to leave her alone. She’d only been out of the hospital for five days. So, in order to horn in on this little soirée, I was making food for all of them.

“Me and Zephyr want french fries,” Holden said as he walked into the kitchen.

I looked down at the little boy and smiled. He looked nothing like his mother. He was blonde and blue-eyed and was soon to turn five years old.

“How about a mini hot dog instead?”

“A hot dog?” he asked suspiciously.

“Yeah, but really small. That way you might get two.”

A big smile brightened his face. “Mom never lets me have two. I throwed up the last time I ate two hot dogs.”

“Your mom is a smart woman.”

“That’s what Dad always says. But he says we’re smarter because we know to tell her she’s always right, even if she isn’t.”

I threw back my head and laughed. Something told me I would like Aiden O’Malley.

“When can I have my hot dogs?”

“Soon. I’ll make sure to save you some. But let’s not tell her, okay?” I held out my hand so he could shake it. Instead he held out his fist, and I bumped mine against his.

“Don’t forget Zephyr,” he said, referring to his little brother.

“I won’t.”

He ran out of the kitchen. “Mom, I get two hot dogs! Mr. Beau said so!”

“Little rat,” I muttered, grinning.

I went into the fridge and pulled out the crab dip that I’d made up and took off the plastic wrap. I grabbed some of the cut-up pieces of bread that I had in a bowl and swiped it through the dip for a taste test.

Not bad. Bonus, it shouldn’t poison anyone.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zoe walking in.

“We need more wine. And no, we’re not opening the cheap bottles that Trenda brought. She’s got to get over that. She’s not a single mom anymore.”

“Some habits die hard,” I said. “What did you drink when you were in college?”

“I drank when I was invited to parties and they had a keg. I also ate a lot of ramen noodles. It’s just that we were dirt poor for so long growing up that I don’t want Trenda to be raising Bella to think that she has to squeeze every penny.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked. “Bella is squeezing all of us for every dollar. From what Maddie’s told me, both Trenda and Simon spoil her from time to time, just not every time they go to the store, like some parents do.”

Zoe tilted her head. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I know you’re not an uncle or anything, but are you a godparent or something?”

“A couple of the men on my team have kids. I’ve been around them a lot when we’re on a training cycle. Teams tend to end up being family,” I explained.

“Makes sense,” Zoe nodded.

I went to the fridge and pulled out one bottle of Chardonnay that Evie had brought. I opened it up and handed it to Zoe.

“Thanks.” She smiled and sauntered out of the kitchen. I followed her with the dip and bread. All the women were sitting around the dining room table.

“Whatcha got there?” Evie asked as I set the food down.

“My famous crab dip that I made for the first time.”

The ladies chuckled. I took a good look at Maddie, who was sitting close to Trenda. She was drinking water, since her meds and wine didn’t mix. She looked at ease, surrounded by her sisters. She really belonged here. How the hell was I supposed to ask her to leave this behind for Southern California?

“Rumor has it you’re going to give my kid two hotdogs. Just know that you’re on puke duty,” Evie told me.

“Huh?”

“Two hot dogs? Holden throws up. Sound familiar?” Her eyes twinkled the same way Maddie’s did.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I smiled. “I’ve got a few more things to bring out. Don’t fill up on the crab dip.”

Bella sidled up next to her mom. “Can I have a taste?”

“You don’t like shellfish, honey,” Trenda said.

“But that’s dip. I like dip. Especially with bread.”

I chuckled as I made my way back to the kitchen. I felt someone following me. The kitchen timer went off.

“What’s in the oven?” Evie asked.

“Little smokies, or hot dogs for your son.”

“You’re sneaky.” She opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water. “And don’t think I don’t know why you volunteered to do all the cooking.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked as I used a spatula to put the pastry-wrapped smokies onto a platter.

“You couldn’t stand the idea of leaving Maddie, even with three of her sisters. You’re so tightly wound that you’re going to have an aneurysm.”

“I’m not going to have an aneurysm,” I protested.

“Fine, how about this? You’re wound so tight, I bet you could crack a walnut between your butt cheeks.”

I started laughing. “Did Aiden tell you that one?”

“Hell no, that’d be Drake.” Evie grinned.

“Figures.”

“She’s fine, you know. She might be a little sore. But she’s fine.”

I was done with the smokies, so I turned, leaned back against the stove, and crossed my arms. “I mostly know that. But I’m the one who found her. I’m the one who was with her on the Medevac flight. I just need a little more time to deal. Okay?”

“You’re going to have to speed up the process. You’re driving my sister up the wall.”

“Evie, she’s stronger than you realize. She can handle me hovering, for now…”

Evie looked at me thoughtfully. “Actually, you’re probably right.”

“I know I am.”