Page 96 of Watch Me

“Use my car,” Maddie suggested. “I won’t need it while you’re here.”

“Are you sure?” Ethanasked.

She nodded. “I can walk to all of my classes.”

“Okay,” Ethanreplied.

“I’ll text you when we’re on our way,” Isaid.

Maddison wrapped her arms around my neck. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

Ethan and I left and walked back toward the parking lot. “So, Sophie?” heasked.

I smiled. “That’s Maddie’s girlfriend. I was going to tell you, but she didn’t tell me she was dating a girl until she showed up on Wednesday, and then a lot happened.”

“Understandable.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “What do you say about going somewhere at the start of next year, just you and me?”

“I’d say that I can’t wait.”

“Good. As long as there’s no trial scheduled, I’ll put in for time off.”

“Do you think I’ll be working by then?”

“You mean in the crime scene unit?”

“Yeah.” Inodded.

“Maybe. I haven’t heard anything.”

“It’s okay. The right job will come along at some point.”

“That it will.”

We got to Maddie’s car, and Ethan started it up while I looked for the nearest hotel. Thankfully, we didn’t have to drive far because there was a hotel within a four-minute drive. We got a room for three nights, and while I freshened up for dinner, Ethan worked. When he was done, I texted Maddison that we were on ourway.

We went to a burger place not far from campus for dinner. Maddie was smiling and laughing, and it put me at ease to know that shewouldbe fine. Even though her relationship with Sophie was new, I could tell they were in love. The way they touched, the way they looked at each other, it was the same way I looked at Ethan. Even if they weren’t meant to last forever, I knew that it was what Maddison needed to get through this roughtime.

Since the girls had class in the morning, we made it an early night. “Want to meet for coffee after your first class?” I askedMaddie.

“I’d like that. We can finally have coffee together instead of over the phone,” shereplied.

“You’re more than welcome to come too, Sophie.”

“I have classes until 11:45. Then Maddie has class.”

“Yeah,” Maddison agreed. “We usually don’t see each other until dinner.”

“Then we’ll do dinner again,” Ethan cutin.

“Perfect,” Maddisonreplied.

We said our goodbyes, and as we started to walk away, a thought occurred to me. “Hey, Mads,” Icalled.

“Yeah, Mom?”

“Are you going to tell your father?” I didn’t need toelaborate.