“Good…night…” Mila was out almost before she hit the pillow.
Later that morning, Juliet called to make plans to talk, and Mila met her at their house after lunch.
“Here’s what I managed to work out,” Juliet told her at the dining room table. “I’ll warn you it’s not what I expected, and you don’t have to agree. Maddox is willing to cancel some previous deal with you he wouldn’t tell me about on one rather big condition.”
Mila sat up straighter. “What is it?” The fact that Maddox would agree to drop the assistant deal for anything was a miracle.
Juliet hesitated then placed her hands on the table. “I want to say that I did object, but it was the sole condition he would accept.”
Mila shrugged. “Just tell me.” It might have something to do with Danny but maybe not. “I won’t freak out.”
Juliet met her eyes squarely. “He wants to date you.” She sounded puzzled. “I assumed he meant in his usual fashion, and I shut it down. But he insists that’s not why. When I ran it by Jalen, he believes Maddox is sincere this time.”
Mila stared at her.
After a second, Juliet added, “I didn’t think you’d–”
“I’m not turning it down.” Mila swallowed, knowing this was crazy. “I just need time to consider.”
“Okay.” Juliet’s eyes widened. “There’s no rush. Or pressure.”
Mila could only imagine what Juliet might be thinking. Probably that Maddox had something big on her. And that was still a concern. But she wasn’t sure why she wasn’t turning it down flat like she did before.
His recent behavior came to mind. Maybe he was just trying a different tactic?
But that didn’t make sense to her. Maddox had been clear about this arrangement.
Was she willing to risk it? What if he didn’t mean it and told everyone about Jackson anyway?
Mila went home and sat in her room in a daze. She stared at the phone and Maddox’s number. She had no clue where he was or what time it was there, but she pressed the call button before she could stop herself.
As it rang and she waited for the voicemail, suddenly a voice said, “Mila?”
Mila froze. It was Maddox and it was not voicemail.
“Mila? Hello? Can you hear me?” His voice sounded sleepy but alert at the same time.
Mila swallowed. “Hi…”
“Is something wrong?” he said in alarm.
“Oh, no.” This was probably a terrible idea.
“What’s going on? You sound funny.”
It was probably because she’d had a minor heart attack when he answered. “I…I talked to Juliet today.”
He paused, then said, “You did?”
“Yes, but I need you to answer a question first before I make my decision.” She hoped he couldn’t detect that she was one hundred percent winging it and did not have a single question lined up for this.
“Shoot.” He sounded less confident than in the past.
This was a bizarre question but the only one that came to mind. “What’s your ideal woman?” Mila blurted out.
After a pause, Maddox said, “That’s your question?”
“Yes.” She squeezed her eyes shut. What on earth made her come up with that?
Maddox hesitated but finally started speaking. “The truth is I don’t have one. Women were never on the docket. Not seriously as you’ve pointed out. And I never thought about it in a legitimate light.”
Mila’s stomach knotted. So maybe he wasn’t as sincere as he wanted her to believe. “Why now?” Mila added. “Why didn’t you name dating you as the condition before?”
Maddox didn’t wait to answer this time. “Because…because I didn’t want to then.”
“And you want to now?” Mila wished she could see him to know how he was reacting. Though it probably wouldn’t help.
“Yes,” he said without hesitating again. “Look, I don’t have an ideal in mind, but it doesn’t mean I’m not interested in finding her.”
Mila’s heart started to race. Well, continued to race, but now for a whole other reason.
“All I ask is that you don’t turn me down flat,” he told her in an almost pleading voice.
“I’m not,” Mila said more quickly than she meant to. “I mean, I still need to think about it though.”
“Of course.” He sounded more hopeful. “You can tell me when I get back.”
That was great but even as they talked, she thought she’d made up her mind. And the answer was not what she expected.