Jess is the best. She can always make me laugh, no matter the circumstances. “Honestly, you’re going to think I’m lying.”
“Try me.”
I swallow, and then I proceed to tell her everything.
I start with the revelation that Maxton is Smolder and then explain about him coming over. I tell her what we did, leaving out the steamy details, and move on to the video chat and dad’s interruption.
“And now he wants to meet tomorrow night,” I say. “He wants to take me out so we can talk about all of it.”
“This is insane.” I can practically hear her shaking her head, or maybe she’s fiddling with one of her bracelets like she does when she’s thinking. “I mean that literally. Like I’m starting to wonder if this call is really happening. That sort of insane.”
“I’m telling the truth.”
“Hey, I know you are. It’s not that. But…”
She lets out a breath.
“Yeah, I know. That’s exactly how I feel. So what should I do?”
Jess has always been my go-to girl, the one who’d give me advice no matter what the problem was. But I sense this is beyond even her advice-giving powers.
“So you and Maxton. You’re, what, in love?”
I bite down on my reflexive answer.
Yes.
It’s the silliest thing I could possibly say.
And yet, is it?
Maybe we don't know who the other person is, but he and I have shared so many good times over the past few months. Sure, they were all in the game, and he never told me anything about who he really was. But we’ve gone to war, traveled the stars, shared laughter for hours and hours at a time.
“We want the same thing.” I go for the safe option. “He wants a future with me, and I want a future with him.”
“Do you, really?”
“Yes,” I say, without hesitation. “It isn’t just a crush, Jess. It’s the way he makes me feel… you believe in destiny, right?”
“I do.”
“That’s the only way I can think to describe it. We’re destined to be together. Whenever I think about my future, I see Max in it. I see us having children together.”
“And he says he wants the same thing.”
“He does want the same thing,” I say defensively. “I completely believe him.”
“Okay. I didn’t mean to offend.”
“It’s fine, honestly.”
Jess pauses, leaving me to squirm as I wonder what’s going through her head. Finally, she speaks.
“Listen. This is way above my head. I’ve never felt anything even close to what you’re describing. But I know you. I trust you. If you’re saying you feel this way, I believe you.”
“Why do I feel like there’s a but coming?”
She laughs. “Because you know me too well.”
“So what is it?” I ask.
“You need to be careful,” she says softly. “The last thing I want is for you to rush into something and get hurt. I mean, I’m so glad you’ve found someone you’re attracted to, and who appreciates how beautiful you are. And even if you won’t give me the gory details, I could tell how much fun you had from the way you described it.”
Fun seems like an understatement, but she’s right. I was giddy as I related tonight’s events, despite the difficulties.
“I think you should agree to meet with him. But make it clear you don’t want to do anything until you’ve decided what to do about your dad. You won’t be able to forgive yourself if you hurt him.”
I let my head fall back, a strange deflated feeling taking hold of me. Maybe part of me wanted Jess to say I should have sex with Maxton and deal with the consequences later because that would mean I don’t have to face dad.
“And,” Jess adds, “you’ll be able to tell if this is real when you spend more time together in person. I know it’s hard, Maddie, but I think it’s time to step into the real world.”
“I know.” Sighing, I squeeze my hand into a fist. “But it scares the heck out of me, going on a real grownup date with Maxton.”
“You’re going to have to do a lot more than date if you want the future you’re talking about. You have to start somewhere.”
“Okay, you’re right. Will you help me choose what to wear?”
“What time’s the date?”
“He’s picking me up at seven.”
“I can come by before six if you like,” she says.
“Yes, please.” My belly swirls. “You can hold back my hair if I’m sick with nerves.”
After the phone call, I quickly text Maxton back, before I have a chance to overthink it.
Sounds like a plan, Smolder. See you then.
Chapter Fourteen
Maxton
It’s difficult to focus the next day, as I take calls and move in and out of meetings. No matter what business-related task I’m focused on, there’s always a part of my mind that strays to Maddie.
It was like this when she was just Genevieve to me, but my imagination has so much more fuel now. Instead of vaguely wondering who she might be, I can bring up vivid images of how she looked on the couch, orgasm coursing through her, or how her thighs felt clamped around my head and my mouth pressed against her sex.