6. Ian

She was shutting him out entirely, and it was pissing him off. She'd always internalized her feelings, and it took a lot before she'd confide in him or Cam, so he should have been used to it and even expected it. But this time, it was grinding on his patience.

When she was throwing toilet paper rolls at him, that was the Maddie that he knew and loved. Full of fire. He'd been surprised when he walked in and found her on the toilet, but he was also worried after hearing the loud thump that he now knew had been her jumping off the bed. Little brat. If she were his, she wouldn't be sitting comfortably for several hours.

He found how red and shy she got about her period and bathroom habits adorable. He didn't understand why. There shouldn't be any topic that was off-limits for them. He would want to know everything about her if they were together, including her period schedule.

She's not yours. She can't be yours, so stop perving.

Maddie still hadn't come downstairs to eat anything by noon. She was either avoiding him or still fuming that he'd walked in on her in the bathroom. Either way, she needed to eat. She wasn't taking care of herself. He hadn't heard the shower running at all, which meant she still hadn't bathed.

Ian worried that she was becoming depressed, which would be completely understandable. She'd gone through several bouts of depression after her mother passed away and had gone to a therapist for several months to work through it. He also knew she had severe anxiety as a teen and wondered if she still struggled with it. He needed to keep a closer eye on her so he could help her if needed.

After making up a ham sandwich and cutting up some fruit for her, Ian took it up to her room. She was sitting on her bed in front of her laptop. Her hair looked oily and matted, and she was still in her pajamas. When he walked in, she just glared at him. He set the plate down next to her, put the bottle of water he brought with him on the nightstand, and left the room without saying anything. He got it; she was still pissed.

His phone started ringing as he walked down the stairs. Pulling it from his pocket, Ian answered as soon as he saw who it was.

"Hi, mom."

"Hi, honey. I was just calling to let you know that I sent you some of my homemade jam. I made a whole bunch, and I know how much you love it."

Ian smiled to himself. His mom was always sending him stuff. She seemed to worry that he couldn't survive without her sending him jams and candies and whatever else she thought he might need.

"Thanks. I can't wait to try it. How are you and dad?"

"We're good, honey. You sound down. Is something wrong?"

Running a hand over his face, Ian went to his office and closed the door.

"I have some bad news. About a week ago, Cameron was in a car accident, and he didn't make it."

He heard a sharp intake of breath. His mom had loved Cam, and she also loved Maddie. His parents had moved to Arizona only a few years ago, so they'd gotten to know both of his friends well. They all spent Christmas at his parent's house each year when they had still lived in Seattle.

"Oh, Ian. I'm so sorry."

Swallowing the lump forming in his throat, he nodded silently. He could tell his mom was trying to keep her composure as well.

"How is Madison?" she asked.

"She's not good. She's here. She's been staying with me for the past few days, but she hasn't left her bedroom since she got here. She only eats because I'm taking meals up to her, and she hasn't showered since she's been here. I'm worried about her."

"Poor, dear. She is probably devastated. Cam was the last blood relative that she had."

"I know. But she still has me. She isn't all alone," he said.

"I know that, but maybe you need to reassure her of that. She probably needs a little extra care right now. You can be a bulldozer sometimes, and right now, she might need the soft side that I know is in there somewhere."

Ian nodded. She was right. He'd been taking Maddie her meals, but other than that, he really hadn't been taking care of her. He'd been giving her space and thinking he had been doing the right thing.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Ian gave his mom the funeral details, and she talked with his dad in the background about it before she informed him that they would be flying in for the service.

"Let me know if you need help with anything. Dad and I will stay in a hotel. You need to take care of Maddie, and she probably won't feel up to having company."

"Thanks, mom. I love you guys. See you in a few days."

Leaning back in his chair, Ian thought about what his mom had said. He knew she was right. It was easy for him to bulldoze and lecture her into doing what he wanted, but he needed to handle her with a little more care.

Pulling up his internet, Ian sent off an email to his secretary and his chief operations officer letting them know he needed to step away from work for at least a week, but he could be reached by his phone if there was an emergency. His COO was competent to run the company in his absence.

After finishing his emails, he sent the funeral notice to the Seattle newspaper and posted the same information on his Facebook page. Cam and Ian shared a lot of mutual friends, so it would be the easiest way to let people know. Deciding what he needed to do next, Ian closed his laptop and left his office.

When he made his way upstairs and stood in Maddie's doorway, she was still working on her laptop, totally oblivious to him standing there. Stepping into the room, Ian walked past her bed towards the bathroom.

"Oh, hey. I didn't see you. What are you doing?" she asked, looking up from her computer.

He walked into the bathroom and turned on the taps to the bathtub. When the temperature was right, he plugged the drain and walked back into the bedroom.

"I'm running you a bath."

She looked at him with confusion, her eyebrows drawing together.

"You don't need to run me a bath. I was planning to take a shower tonight."

Ian gave her an incredulous look, "You haven't bathed since you got here, and last night, you said you were going to shower this morning. So, since you seem to be having a hard time making it to the shower, I am running you a bath."

Way to go, not bulldozing her.

Maddie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

"I am capable of taking a shower. I don't want to take a bath."

Crossing his arms over his chest, he glared back at her, "Tough. You are taking a bath. While you're in the tub, I will change out your bedding so you have clean sheets, and after your bath, you are coming downstairs to watch a movie and eat dinner with me."

Simmer down, boss. She needs gentle.

"I can take care of myself. I don't want to come down and watch a movie. Ian, give me a break. I am kind of dealing with a lot."

Uncrossing his arms, he sat on the edge of the bed next to her.

"I know you're going through a lot. But you also can't stay up here and disappear forever. You still have to take care of yourself, and since you don't seem to be able to do that right now, I am going to take care of you."

He got up and went to the bathroom to check the water level in the tub. When he walked back out to the bedroom, Maddie was back to working on her laptop.

"Maddie, come on, get up. Get in the bathroom. I put bubbles in the tub for you. They are peach-scented. Your favorite."

Bribery might work. Keep going.

"We can watch Lilo and Stitch afterward. I haven't watched it in like two years. I might have forgotten some of the lines by now," he said.

Rolling her eyes, she ignored him and typed away on the keyboard. When had she become so defiant? She had usually been pretty easygoing. But maybe it was because Cam could wiggle his fun-loving personality into her heart whenever she felt grumpy, and she would become goo for him. Apparently, that wasn't the same for Ian.

Disappearing into the bathroom, he shut the water off and stood in the doorway between the bathroom and her bedroom. Putting his hands on his hips, he raised his eyebrows.

"Madison Rose. Get your butt out of bed and get in the bathroom before I carry you there and put you in the tub myself."

No wonder she doesn't go all gooey for you, asshole.

Her nostrils flared as she snapped her gaze up to him.

"You are being an overbearing ass. I just lost my brother so excuse me for not feeling up to doing anything."

"I understand you're feeling sad and not feeling up to doing much. I'm sad too, but you can't just stay in bed forever and not shower or eat," he said quietly.

"Don't you get it, Ian? I have no one! I have no other family left. The only two family members I've ever known are both gone. I am left all alone! So, what the hell reason do I have to get out of bed anymore?"

Before he could think to stop himself, Ian stalked towards her and leaned forward, resting his hands on the bed and leaning in until he was only inches from her face. He was on the verge of exploding.