Chapter Eighteen Madison

T wo months. It’s been just over two months since Jaxson left. The contracts are almost completed as Mom and I wait on a few last-minute adjustments. The producer was trying to put in things that we weren’t okay with. Like changing up the scenery and adding to the times they were allowed to film, not to mention having to close the bakery all together during filming. Which of course Mom said she wasn’t willing to do, and after much back and forth, they agreed to her changes.

And Jaxson, well… At first, he was amazing, sticking by his word of wanting to talk and stay in touch. Our conversations the first few weeks were more than what I expected.

Long hours talking back and forth. Laughing as we take trips down memory lane. Most of our laughter fell to the memories we shared from when we were between the ages of twelve and fourteen. When our group was known for getting into trouble. Though, we always were backed up by Mrs. Kendall when anyone tried to say anything.

But as much as I loved our conversations, they slowly began to fizzle out. Our long conversations cut shorter and shorter. And instead of nightly, the days between our conversations grew further and further apart. To the point that when it hit month two, I barely got a text back.

Just left on read.

I try not to let it bother me. To pretend that it’s not a big deal and remind myself that we aren’t together, but it still hurts. It hurts in a way that makes my stomach drop, and my heart sink into itself. A feeling that perhaps I’m not good enough to get even a single text back.

So, instead of continuing to look desperate or needy… I stopped.

I stopped texting, and I haven’t looked back.

Thankfully though, Sam and Kylie have kept me busy with plenty of entertainment since Jaxson has been away enjoying his big shot lifestyle. A slight bit of envy fills me over the thought that everyone else is doing something with themselves. Taking risks, owning their own businesses and I’m still here living under my mother’s shadow.

I mean, I love her. And I’ll always be here to help her. I just can’t help but sometimes wonder if I could be doing more if I really set my mind to it.

“So, you’re sure she’s here?” Sam asks, the two of us in my car, head over to Mrs. Kendall’s house after a very concerned conversation with Kylie that seemed a little unnatural for her.

“Yeah,” I reply, shaking my head. “She tried telling me she was fine, but I could hear it in her voice, Sam. Something’s wrong with her.”

I catch her looking at me from the corner of my eye as she nods. “Okay, well… I brought wine in case we need it.”

Shit. I’m probably in more desperate need of the wine than Kylie is.

The moment we pull up, my feet pull me towards the door and straight into the direction of the only place she could end up being if she’s upset. Her makeshift gallery in the garage.

“There you are! We’ve been looking all over for you!” Sam exclaims the moment we walk into the garage. My eyes drift towards the painting in Kylie’s hands, knowing full well it’s the sexy painting of my dream man fucking the life out of a spicy young redhead .

“You know what?” Kylie says, sniffing. “This is a terrible painting.”

I watch as she picks up a container of liquid in an attempt to pour it over her painting. My eyes widen at her action as I dart forward and snatch the painting away from her, shock consuming me at why she would want to ruin something so beautiful.

“Oh no you don't! You’re not destroying my fantasy painting.”

“What’s going on, Kylie?” Sam asks softly, stepping towards her.

I knew she had been in New York and only just had gotten back, but I figured she would have been happy considering the last two weeks she has been doing nothing but sending selfies smiling. And judging by the glow on her face, it was obvious that there was a lot going on with her and Dante.

When she shakes her head, refusing to talk, Sam glances at me as if looking for a suggestion but honestly—I don’t know what to say. Seeing Kylie like this makes me wonder if love or anything for that matter is even worth it. I’d contemplated my standpoint on it recently, after spending time talking with Jaxson since he’s been gone, but even that died off.

First, Sam’s upset because of Asher, though they got together. And now she’s over the moon with everything. But now, Kylie.

I’m not sure I want to feel the pain they have been put through. Even if one of them is smiling now.

“I know what will make you feel better,” Samantha says with a smile as she takes the painting from Kylie’s hand and sets it aside, before pulling her from the garage. My mind is completely lost to what Sam’s doing as I mindlessly follow behind the two of them.

Though the moment we step into the backyard, and I see where Sam’s heading, both Kylie and I began to laugh. Even if Sam is more than serious about our destination. As we climb up and settle into our usual spots from back in the day I can’t help but think back to how this was our ritual when we were kids.

How the three of us would spend hours up here venting about boys and the stupid stuff people said or did. And when one of us was upset, we all met here to talk it through and make each other smile.

Sam barely gives it a minute before she dives right into business. “What happened with Dante? ”

“Kylie loves him,” I say solemnly. “She loves the cold-hearted bastard. Only heartache can make someone cry like this.”

As much as part of me had hoped that Kylie would have been happy with him. That perhaps he would have turned his shit around, I should have known better. Dante has always been a prick. Even when we were kids, he gave everyone shit when he was around.

As far as I’m concerned, he doesn’t deserve her.

Hiccupping, Kylie begins to tell us just what an asshole Dante is, only making me despise him further. That is until the sound of someone coming up the treehouse ladder causes her to stop speaking. All of our eyes drift towards the entrance as we wait to see who is intruding on our girl time.

A couple of moments later, Knox’s head becomes visible through the trap door. He looks around at the three of us, grins, then climbs in the rest of the way.

“I’m so proud of you!” Knox says to Kylie before glancing at Sam and me. “Did Kylie tell you how she stood up for herself, and us, against Dante?”

What the fuck?

“Oh? No, she didn’t,” I gasp faking hurt as I raise a pointed brow in her direction.

“I haven’t had a chance,” Kylie says defensively. “Besides, I didn’t really do that much.”

Knox crawls on his hands and knees over to where Kylie is sitting before taking up his usual spot.

“Is that what you think?” He chuckles, shaking his head and leaving me to wonder what mysterious shit our sweet Kylie had gotten up to in New York. She isn’t someone to put anyone in their place, so for Knox to be acting the way he is, makes me more curious.

“My brother tore up the plans for the condo development,” he continues, nodding his head when he sees Kylie’s surprised expression. “It’s true.”

“Really?” she asks.

He nods again, this time with a wide smile. “And that’s not all. He’s going to put his real estate law knowledge and finesse to good use and put Mrs. Kendall’s house and property into its own holding company. This way,” he explains, “should anything ever happen, no one can sue us personally.”

Fuck me! I knew he was good for something.

“That’s great news!” I exclaim. “I never even thought of that. We’ve been so focused on renovating the house and land for the kids, I don’t know that any of us thought about any legal issues that might happen.”

“Or how we would protect ourselves if they did,” Sam adds.

“I still can’t believe it,” Kylie says, shaking her head. “I saw the plans myself. He had blueprints delivered the day I left and they showed how the forest area was going to be taken out to make room for the condos. There was to be a parking lot, right here where our treehouse is.”

“All that’s changed,” Knox says. “Those survey plans you saw, Kylie, are going to be used to make sure every acre is accounted for and that we get the appropriate insurance for the property. Not for development.”

“I still can’t believe it,” Sam says with a shake of her head. “I never thought I’d see the day when your brother would go out of his way to do something for someone without expecting anything in return.”

Doesn’t mean he isn’t an asshole.

“That still doesn’t excuse him for breaking Kylie’s heart,” I say with a frown. “And I’ve got to wonder if there still isn’t something in it for him.”

“Madi,” Kylie says softly, giving me a look as if to say it’s okay. I know she may want to see the best in him, but can she really blame me for not believing the bullshit. The guy has done nothing but been an asshole for as long as I’ve known him. And since he got here, all he has wanted to do was make money off the property.

Doesn’t really make for a believable story.

“You’ll just have to ask Dante about that,” Knox tells me before turning to Kylie with a grin. “As for you, you need to get cleaned up. You’re all blotchy and snotty from crying. I heard a rumor that Dante is back in town.”

** *

Twenty minutes later—and one cleaned up Kylie—Sam, Knox, and I head out of the house to give Kylie some privacy as she prepares to potentially see Dante. Though the moment the door opens, we run straight into the last person I want to see. Regardless of him trying to do something redeeming, I don’t trust it.

My eyes gaze up and down his body as I curl my lip into a sneer. There are so many things I want to say to him, but Knox beats me to it with a smile on his face.

“Be the man she deserves,” he says quietly. “You got this.”

More like needs a slap to the head for being a dick.

Dante says nothing, but takes a deep breath and nods his head in Knox’s direction before passing us into the house. My eyes dart towards Knox and Sam who are in casual conversation, still walking down the sidewalk towards the driveway.

“Where the fuck are you two going?” I whisper-yell causing them to both turn to face me. “We can’t just leave.”

“Madi, you’re not staying to watch this,” Knox laughs. “Let them have their moment.”

I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Yeah, right. What if something goes wrong?”

“She does have a point…” Sam replies, biting her bottom lip.

“We can literally just peek through the side window of the garage. They won’t even see us because there’s a huge bush in front of it. But it’s far enough from the house that we can slip behind it to watch and see what’s happening.”

“You two are too much,” Knox continues to laugh. “I’m not spying on Kylie and my brother, but you two are more than happy to do as you want. I’ll wait by my truck.”

I don’t waste time in quietly running towards the side of the garage, just in time to see Dante stepping back from Kylie’s embrace and dropping to one knee in front of her. Kylie’s hands fly to her mouth and I know right away that she’s crying as she says something, nodding her head as he slips the ring onto her finger before kissing her deeply. The entire moment is more touching than I could have ever expected it to be.

And as much as I don’t really care for Dante, if he makes her happy, then so be it.

“Come on, Sam,” I say softly. “Let’s go before the clothes start coming off.”

At my words, Sam and I sneak away from the garage back towards the driveway. She, Knox, and I say our goodbyes as Sam gets a ride with Knox and I head back to my apartment. My mind is in complete slow motion as the whirlwind of events from the day rush through me.

How is it that everyone around me has found happiness for themselves, but I can’t?

My two best friends have found it, even if it was a process of getting there. They still found the happiness they were looking for. All while I’m sitting here doing nothing but the same thing every day.

Wake up, bake, eat frozen TV dinners, take a hot bubble bath, watch my reruns, and then go to sleep.

Every day is the same thing. The only excitement I get is from my friends when they are here. But as soon as they leave, I’m once again left to the same old routine with nothing to really show for myself.

I never really considered it lonely before, but now…

An ache in my chest throbs with the thought of Jaxson. Part of me had hoped that maybe things would change between him and I. Hell, I’d sworn him off for years but then after all the time we spent when he was back, I thought maybe there could be something.

And it wasn’t. All it’s been is wasted time. Time I don’t have.

The moment I step into my apartment and kick my shoes off, a feeling of determination and anger washes over me. If I’m ever going to get what my friends have, I have to stop wasting time on people who don’t care about how I feel or what I want.

Pulling out my phone, I flip to the app store, searching through the various dating apps that big market companies have to offer these days. It was never something I considered before, but when in desperation… do as others do.

Because I’ll be damned if I’m the only one who isn’t going to have their happily ever after.

I’m a fucking princess too.