Kissing Madeline (Dearest #3) (28 page)

Laughter booms from the front hall, and a minute later Jax strolls in with his arm wrapped around his fiancée Dani.

“You guys are late,” Clementine says with her hands on her hips. “And you both look like your hair just got run through an electrical socket.”

Dani’s eyes widen as she flattens down her hair, and Jax laughs and hugs his sister. “Don’t give me shit. I just got in last night from Los Angeles. Can you blame me if I miss my Dandelion?”

Clem rolls her eyes and then gives him a reluctant smile. “Fine, loser, but I need you to go make the cheese dip. I love that recipe. I still can’t believe you came up with that all by yourself.”

Dani gasps and turns to Jax, who chuckles and says, “What? You made it for me, so now it’s my recipe.”

“Good thing you’re so cute, because you’re insufferable most of the time,” Dani says with a straight face, but Jax leans down to rub her nose with his, and she gets a hazy look in her eyes and sighs.

Gosh, they’re cute together.

It’s strange to be around all of Daren’s friends without him here, but they’re a fun group.

Gavin sits on the other side of Clem before he pulls her into his chest and kisses her on the forehead.

“Hey, cuteness,” she whispers to him.

“Hey, love bug,” he mumbles back.

They look so content together it makes my chest ache. I wonder if there will ever be a time when Daren and I can be out together in public. I hate that we have to sneak around. I hate that I was constantly looking over my shoulder during our date.

It’s a sick disease, this thing with Daren. He infiltrates my every thought, dances through my dreams at night, and fills my head with flights of fancy. Because when I allow myself to think about my future, I want one with him so badly my heart hurts with longing.

It’s been just over two months since he knocked me on my ass while I was out jogging, and honestly, I don’t think I’ve recovered.

After I swore up and down that I’d never date another pro athlete, here I am, wishing Daren could be here right now, missing him so much it’s hard to breathe.

And that’s when I finally admit it to myself. I’m in love with him.

A smile lifts my lips.

Falling for Daren has only made me realize that I didn’t know what love was before I met him. Because nothing in my life has prepared me to be consumed. To be devoured whole by this emotion. To feel disassembled and somehow reconnected in a bigger, fuller way.

“Whatcha smiling about over there, Maddie?” Jax asks as he strolls up. Before I can answer, he scoops Dani up off the couch and sits back down with her on his lap even though there’s plenty of space. So here I sit between two of the world’s cutest couples.

Jax kisses Dani before he returns his attention to me and waits for my answer.

“Just excited for Daren’s game. You’re going to think I’m ridiculous,” I say, “but I’m a little afraid for him to play and a little terrified for him not to.”

Jax grins. “Don’t worry about Daren. He’s got this covered. Trust me.” He motions toward me. “I see what Daren likes about you. You’re a big step up from his last girlfriend.” He curses under his breath. “Veronica was like that Fenway hot dog stand that looks like it might give you a good case of
E. coli
, and you’re like the fucking Chrysler Building at Christmas, all lit up with twinkly lights.”

My mouth drops open for a second, not sure how to respond to that statement. Did he just compare me to a building?

“Jax, lay off Maddie,” Clem says. “You got Daren’s text.” She shoots him a glare.

I look back and forth between the twins as they have a silent conversation.

“What… what did Daren say in this mysterious text?” I ask.

Jax tilts his head, but when I look back to Clem, she has a smile plastered on her face.

“What?” I sigh. “What, guys? Just tell me.”

Jax laughs with a wink to his sister. “Daren said to take it easy on his girlfriend or he’d have our asses.”

“Jesus, Jackson,” Clem huffs beside me. “Don’t you know how to be discreet?”

“What? You know they’re dating. Get over it.”

“Seriously, shut the fuck up. Are you trying to advertise this information to the whole neighborhood? Because if so, there are a few people in Allston who didn’t hear.”

I start to laugh, resigned that the cat is out of the bag with his friends, and reach for my beer. “You guys are all close, so I trust you won’t rat me out to my boss, but yeah, we’re trying to keep it on the down low.”

Jenna flounces in and jumps on Clem’s lap, making Clem groan underneath her weight. After slinging an arm around her friend and nudging Gavin over a bit, Jenna turns to me with a raised brow. “Do people still say ‘down low’?” Her Southern drawl is so charming, I’m pretty sure she could talk the devil into doing her favors.

“Probably not.” I chuckle to myself that I’m being this lame right now. “By the way, I’m supposed to give you all Daren’s new number.”

“I have his new number,” Jax mumbles as he takes a pull of his beer.

“The one he got two nights ago?”

“What the fuck? He changed it again?”

Nodding, I text it to Clem, and she forwards it to the rest of their friends. “He keeps getting tons of”—how do I say this?—“unsolicited material sent to his phone.”

“In other words, porn.” Jax shrugs. “Not sure why he needs to change his number for that.”

“If you received thirty sexts and fifty-two photos from random women in less than two days, it might get annoying.”

“Holy shit. Fifty-two?” He blows out a breath and stops to think a minute. “Were they hot?” Dani elbows him in the gut, and he laughs. “Just kidding, babe. You know you’re the only porn I need.”

Everyone lets out a collective groan before Clem reaches around me and smacks her brother on the back of his head. “Please do not say shit like that again.”

Dani and Jax laugh, and she drops her head on his shoulder as he nuzzles her hair.

“Speaking of sexts,” Jenna says, “I brought last week’s prize for our Out-Skank winner!”

“Jenna, you’re putting my legs to sleep. Get off.” Clem nudges her off her lap.

“I’m sorry, Out-Skank?” I make a face. “That sounds like an STD I need to avoid.”

Jenna gasps. “Oh, girl. We need to include you in our thread. Give me your number.”

Next thing I know, I’m getting dirty messages from the three girls for their weekly sexting game.

Jenna:
Care to douse my taco in your special sauce?

Dani:
I need to squeeze that beefy brat between my buns.

Clem:
Drizzle your icing on my pouty muffin.

Covering my mouth, I snort-laugh into my hand. “Okay, wow.” I look between the three girls. “I’ll play this with you, but you have to swear you’ll never show my messages to anyone.” Because I can already see the headline:
News Reporter Madeline McDermott Involved in a Sexting Scandal.

“Cross our hearts,” Jenna says, motioning across her body. Clem and Dani nod. The three of them are grinning from ear to ear like getting me to participate is some big feat.

Jenna holds her hands out. “This week, we’re doing a Disney theme. And the prize is something that’s eight inches of fun from my box of sin.”

Before I can ask any questions, their thumbs are in motion. Clementine mumbles, “Bring your A-game, Maddie. We play to win.”

Gavin pulls her back to his chest and says, “My girl can get a little competitive, Maddie. Just warning you.”

“Pshaw.” Clem gives him a quick peck and keeps texting. My phone buzzes with three pings a moment later.

Jenna:
Some day my prince will come, preferably on my tits.

Dani:
Beauty, have you met my Beast?

Clem:
Jump on my magic carpet. I’d like to give you a ride.

I tilt my head, chuckling, while I stare at my screen. “Have you guys ever thought about making an Out-Skank app? I bet it would be all the rage. Like some kind of drinking game.”

Dani snaps. “That’s an awesome idea!”

The announcer gets our attention when they wrap up the preview with a quick mention of the new QB for the Rebels, and they debate whether or not we can expect to see him play. Daren’s college stats flash on the screen next to his gorgeous face.

How does he get better-looking every time I see him?

Which reminds me of our interview three days ago. Because holy hotness, that man strutted out in full gear—those skin-tight white pants, football pads, and jersey, with his helmet tucked under his arm—and my ovaries damn near exploded.

“Aww, look at Maddie,” Jax says. “She’s in love.”

I turn to him, forcing myself to glare, because holy crap, am I that obvious?

His fiancée chides him, and he chuckles.

The front door opens again, and Jenna’s boyfriend Ryan strolls in, holds up a giant case of beer in one hand and a stack of pizza in the other, and yells, “Let the festivities begin!”

As he puts down the food, his eyes land on me, and he waves. We’ve never really met before, but I know he’s the lead singer of a popular local band. Sandy blond hair waves in his eyes, and he has that whole rocker vibe going on with black jeans and a faded Aerosmith t-shirt.

Ryan points to me and says, “You must be Daren’s girlfriend.”

My shoulders sag. Seriously, at this point, I’m pretty sure the postman in the next county over knows we’re dating, because Daren’s friends suck at keeping secrets.

Jenna runs up to Ryan and plants a wet kiss on his mouth. “Hi, cutie pie,” he mumbles against her lips.

She turns back to me and shakes her head. “I swear he’s the last person. No one else knows. Just us.” She motions around the room to the three couples.

I laugh in defeat. “Okay, that’s fine, but you really can’t tell people about us. I could lose my job. It’s a major conflict of interest. That’s why we can’t do anything together in public.”

Gavin clears his throat and smooths back a long strand of hair from Clementine’s face. “Maddie’s serious, guys. She’d get fired for this. You can’t tell anyone.”

He’s a journalist, so I’m sure that’s why he’s backing me up right now. But my stomach falls hearing someone else confirm my worst nightmare.

Clem must sense I want to hurl my breakfast because she nudges my shoulder. “You can trust us. I promise.”

“You really can’t go out together?” Dani asks, a concerned look on her face.

“No. We really can’t. I mean, he took me out last week, but it was all undercover and sneaky.”

“That’s so weird considering you interview him on TV every week. Those segments are great, by the way. I’ve learned so much about football. Like how to call a play and how you need to hold the ball.” She freezes in that iconic Heisman position, a serious expression in her eyes.

Jax chuckles. “You don’t need any help holding balls, babe.”

A wad of paper goes flying and hits him in the face. “Jackson, stop. I just threw up a little in my mouth.” Clementine makes a gagging sound, and everyone laughs.

The camera cuts to the crowd, and even though they’re playing in Atlanta, there are a number of Rebel fans dotting the stadium. Mostly women. Wearing Daren’s jersey. And here’s a random fact. His jersey set a record for sales, selling more this summer than any other professional athlete’s.

A shot of several women decked out in Rebel gear flashes on the TV. Their jerseys have been modified for maximum cleavage, and they’re bouncing up and down in unison, their boobs waving at the camera. They’re screaming for Daren, and one holds up a sign that says, “Marry me. We’d make cute babies.”

Hysterical. If it didn’t make my stomach turn in on itself, I’d be tempted to laugh.

But I try to focus on what’s important. Daren. The game. Wanting him to do well. Because those women don’t mean anything for our relationship, right?

Before I can head down that path of doubt, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I told Daren I trusted him, and I have to believe he won't hurt me.

CHAPTER FORTY

- Daren -

When Coach tells me to warm up after the third quarter, we’re up by six points.

A few weeks ago, he mentioned he wanted to move to a two-quarterback system, switching off between Brentwood and me the way we did in preseason, but I kind of thought he was full of shit. It’s not unheard of at the pro level, but it’s definitely unusual, especially if the starting QB is effective, and Brentwood is, the bastard.

I’ve sensed some unspoken urgency to get me ready, but with Brentwood in his prime, I still don’t understand why. It’s tricky maneuvering into the second QB spot, bumping the guy who had the job last year into a third rotation permanently.

Coach motions for me with eight minutes left in the fourth. “You’ve got this, Sloan. Keep that head of yours calm. And don’t forget to check all your options before you commit.”