Echoes of Summer (17 page)

Madison’s anger deflated just a touch, but he knew he would have to tread carefully. She didn’t speak again but looked back at the computer.

“You can do this job with your eyes closed, Madison. Don’t fret, just do what you’ve been doing, and you’ll be fine.”

“I didn’t want this job,” Madison said. “I was happy where I was.”

Stephen didn’t believe that. At least not much. He knew she’d bristled at the thought he had been training her on something she was doing well at anyway.

“And now I’ve got to get this done to pass it over to Carrie and then take care of all this new stuff on my own.”

She pressed her lips together, and Stephen wondered what kind of comment she was biting back. He’d gotten familiar enough with her to know she stopped herself from saying things she shouldn’t. It was a good quality, but it was frustrating as well.

“Then I’ll let you get to it. But before I go, I wondered if you’d let me take you to dinner. Just the two of us.”

Madison looked up once more briefly then shook her head and looked back at the computer. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ll be working through the weekend getting this ready so I can transition into the new position.” She paused for a moment then glanced at him. “Maybe next week sometime.” The way she said it sounded like she was trying to mollify him.

Stephen frowned. “I’ll be gone on Monday. Heading to Oregon for a new job.”

Madison’s body froze for a second, then she nodded curtly. “Got it.”

“I’ll be back on the weekends,” Stephen said. “I’d like to keep seeing Milo as often as possible, but I’m not sure how long this job will be, or where I’ll go next.” He could work from home on some accounts, but the ones he went to in person always brought in a higher fee.

Madison nodded. “Of course. He’d be disappointed if you left for long, but he’s a tough kid.”

Stephen wished she would miss him as well, but he knew it was probably too much to ask. At least with Milo, he’d be able to work on her a little bit at a time.

“Great. I’ll call him during the week too.”

Madison sighed. “Look, I appreciate you being there for Milo, but I really need to get this done.” She looked at the door, her expression clear that she didn’t want to see him anymore.

“Right. Good luck, Madison.”

She didn’t respond, and he left feeling like he’d just messed up but afraid to make things worse by going back while she was so angry. He didn’t know what to do, so he headed to his office to finish packing his things.

***

As Stephen left her office, Madison closed her heart for good. She should have known he would have left again. At least this time, he would still be there for Milo. But it was obvious he didn’t want to be a part of her life except through him. And he’d left her with so much on her plate, she didn’t have time to cry for him. Besides, she’d cried all the tears she ever wanted to on the man. He didn’t deserve any more of them.

Later that night, Madison headed toward her front door as Milo shouted that he would answer it. She always checked to make sure who it was, even though Milo knew to check the peephole before answering.

“It’s Dad,” Milo said, and Madison froze in the hallway. He hadn’t told her he was coming, and it was too late to take Milo anywhere.

“Hi, Milo,” Stephen said when the door opened to reveal him. He stood there filling her doorway but didn’t enter. He caught her eye then looked back at Milo. “I needed to come talk to you in person before I left. I have to leave earlier than planned and wanted to see if we could reschedule our trip to the zoo for next week.”

Milo’s shoulders sagged, and it hurt Madison’s heart to see his disappointment. So this is how it would go.

“Yeah, I guess,” Milo said.

As Stephen pulled out a box from against the side of the door, Milo straightened, and Madison’s eyes narrowed.

“I know it’s not the same as the zoo, but maybe this Lego zoo set would hold you over for a bit.” Stephen smiled wide at Milo’s enthusiastic response.

“Awesome. Thanks, Dad.”

Stephen didn’t look at her, and it was a good thing, because Madison wasn’t sure if she could maintain her cool in front of Milo. The idiot man knew she didn’t want him bribing her son, but apparently it didn’t matter what she said or thought. He would do whatever he wanted, no thought of how anyone else felt.

“I have to run soon, got to catch my flight. I’ll talk to you later, kiddo. Okay?” Stephen said, bending down to Milo’s level. He opened his arms for a hug, and Milo hugged him quickly then picked up the Lego box again. “Go take that to your room so I can talk to your mom a second.”

Milo nodded and rushed past Madison, slowing down long enough to lift the box and say, “Look, Mom. This is so cool.”

Madison nodded but didn’t need to respond since the boy was off again, running toward his room. She looked up to see Stephen watching her.

“I’m sorry to rush off like this, but I’ve already talked to Mr. Carlson, and he’s good with it. This offer is too good to pass up. I’ll be back for a follow-up consultation in a few weeks. I’m not worried about you. You’ve got these pitches down.”

Madison watched him, waiting for something personal, an apology to her for leaving without closure to their relationship, but it was all about work and Milo. At least she knew where she stood with him. She didn’t speak, and he didn’t either. He shifted his weight onto another foot, then an alarm beeped, and he looked down at his watch.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll keep in touch.”

Madison nodded numbly. She didn’t want to expect anything from him. The less emotion she put into their strange relationship, the better she’d be.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Madison didn’t have much time to miss Stephen that next week. They’d scheduled two pitches that week, and she was left to do them all on her own, with Mr. Carlson watching as if waiting to see her fail. Carrie had called in sick for the first two days of the week, and Madison had taken care of the accounts and the pitches on her own, as well as reporting her ideas for the new clients to Mr. Carlson.

She’d gone home exhausted each night and fielded questions from Milo as to whether she’d heard from Stephen or not. He’d only called twice so far, and the first time Milo had been asleep since it was past his bedtime. The second night, Milo was still at Karen’s while Madison had worked late finishing up a proposal for the executives meeting with her the next day.

She’d texted him a list of good times to call, and he’d only replied with a thank you and nothing more.

On Thursday, her phone rang, and when she recognized the number as Stephen’s, she handed the phone to Milo to answer, too tired and bitter to deal with the man. Milo talked to him for a few minutes then asked her if Saturday would be a good day for the zoo.

She nodded sleepily, and Milo spoke into the phone. “She said yes.” He listened for a moment then turned to her. “He wants to know if you want to come.”

Madison debated for a moment, but the idea of walking around a zoo on the only day she had off didn’t sound appealing. “No, buddy, I don’t think so.”

“She said, no. So it’s just us.” Milo seemed eager, and Madison wondered how Stephen had reacted to the news. Milo hung up the phone and passed it back to her then left for his room, mumbling something about needing to find his book on lions so he could read up about them before he saw them again.

Madison stared at the phone in her hand, contemplating on calling him back. She wanted to hear his voice, to know what he was up to, but he hadn’t asked to speak with her, and she would leave it at that. She could see him Saturday if she wanted. Or avoid him all together.

If only she knew which she wanted more. She set the phone on the dresser and went to take a long shower.

***

Stephen set the phone down, disappointed he hadn’t been able to talk to Madison. He’d been surprised to hear Milo answer the phone, but it was good to talk to the kid. He missed him and couldn’t wait to get this job done so he could return to California. But the consulting fee on this account would make it possible for him to take some time off once it was completed, so he could pursue Madison full-time.

He’d had her back in his life for just a short time, but she’d worked her way into his heart so deep he knew he couldn’t let her go again. And with Milo cementing them together in a way he didn’t know was possible, he longed to make them a family. Milo would be all for it, but Madison would take some tender care. He had his past to overcome.

He stared at the phone, realizing he’d just done the same thing. Left her during a time of stress and upheaval in her life. He pressed the button to call her, needing to speak with her, to assure her he wanted to stay in touch, that he wouldn’t be gone forever and would return if she’d have him. But the phone just rang until it went to voicemail.

He didn’t dare leave a message, not knowing what to say without coming off as a rambling idiot. He turned it off then sent a text instead.

I miss you.

He hoped to see a response, but nothing came.

He leaned his head against the back of the hotel chair. He’d screwed up good this time and hoped she wouldn’t take him leaving for a job as an indication he didn’t care about her.

He worked long hours each day, hoping to get things wrapped up as soon as possible so he could return and see her in person. She’d obviously avoided his phone calls, either by letting them go to voicemail during the workday or by passing the phone to Milo in the evenings when he called. At least she let him speak to the boy.

He sent texts daily, asking about work, asking about Milo, asking about how the weather was, trying to get some kind of response from her, but they were never answered. The silent treatment was eating at him, but he persevered. He even ordered an exotic blend of tropical flowers to be delivered to her at work and hoped they would help when he returned.

Saturday morning, Stephen headed to the airport, and when he reached the on-ramp for the freeway, he groaned and turned on the local news radio. A multi-car accident had the freeway backed up for hours, and it would be almost impossible to make it to the airport in time to make his flight, given all the traffic overflowing onto the side streets.

He called the airline and checked on his flight to see if he could change to a later one, but they had no openings until later in the afternoon, which would put him too late to take Milo to the zoo today.

“Would you like me to transfer your seat?” the woman on the phone asked.

“How many seats do you have?”

“One moment.” Stephen could hear sounds on the other end of the phone, then she came back on. “I’m sorry, sir, but it seems like that flight has just been booked full. We do have openings for tomorrow.”

Stephen heaved a breath of frustration. “I’ll look into it and call you back. Thank you for your help.” He hung up the phone and called Madison’s number. It rang a few times, then her groggy voice came on. Crap, he’d woken her up.

“Hello?”

“Madison, hi. Sorry to wake you. I’ve got bad news. I can’t make my flight today and will need to reschedule with Milo. Can you tell him?”

“What?” Her voice sounded a little more alert.

“I can’t make my flight back to California. I will need to reschedule the zoo with Milo.” He inched the rental car forward on the freeway, trying to merge onto the road so he could get to the next off-ramp and get out of the traffic mess. “I hate to do this, but it really isn’t my fault.”

Madison’s voice was flat. “It never is. Look, don’t bother letting your son get in the way of your life. He’s done fine without you so far. I’m sure he can manage without you again.”

“That’s not fair,” Stephen said.

“Life isn’t fair, Stephen,” Madison replied. “Get over it and move on. We did.”

She hung up the phone, and Stephen swore. He hit the redial button, but she wouldn’t answer him.

“Fine, be that way. But you won’t keep me from seeing Milo.”

He called the airline back and scheduled a flight for Sunday morning then sent a message to his client that he would need to take a couple personal days at the beginning of the week but would keep in touch through emails and Skype. He wouldn’t let this setback keep him down long.

He needed to do some planning and figure out a way to get back into her good graces, at least for Milo’s sake, even if she really didn’t want anything to do with him. He would not abandon his son.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Stephen knocked on the door to Madison’s house Sunday mid-morning. Her car was not in her driveway, so maybe she was gone. He texted her, hoping at least it would go through.

We need to talk. I’m at your house.

He watched the little bubble on his phone indicating she was responding. Finally. When the answer came through, he scowled.

Lucky for me, I’m not.

Her words stung, and he struggled with what to say. He couldn’t antagonize her, but he wanted to tell her off. He breathed slowly for a bit, staring at his car against the curb. He sat down on her steps, ready to wait for her.