Size Matters (Chaos and Carnage MC 1)

He left Beatrice and went back to find Maddie staring at the menu. She looked up at him with a smile as he came back.

“Hello, beautiful,” he said.

“Do you know what you fancy to eat? I can’t pick between the salad or the pasta salad.”

“Salad, seriously?”

“What? Carl does amazing salads, and you know I’m right.”

He snorted. “Babe, get a burger and fries.”

“I don’t want to.” She looked down at the menu.

“That’s what I’m getting because I know it’s all that will satisfy me. Don’t get the salad unless it is all that you want, Maddie.”

She glanced down at her menu and nibbled on her lip.

He waited.

“A burger and fries sound great.”

“Good.”

Chapter Thirteen

“I can’t believe you’ve never even considered decorating your house for Halloween,” Maddie said.

She couldn’t help but keep checking Bull out as he pushed the cart through the local supermarket. She’d been living with him now for nearly three months. Her physical therapy was going great, and there were times she didn’t even need to use the crutches to hobble around as much as she did. Molly was very optimistic about her next appointment with the bone doctor.

Maddie only hoped they removed the cast so she could have full mobility once again. Hellen needed someone to help her run things at the animal shelter. The poor woman was having a hard time trying to cope with the endless calls, demands, and attempting to raise money. George had left the place in a state.

Chancing another glance at Bull, she had to wonder if George had disappeared for good. She never broached the subject with him. There was no point. It wasn’t like he was going to give her the magical answers for everything.

“Halloween is a pointless investment,” Bull said.

They stopped at some pumpkins. “Is that the only way you see the holidays? Investments?”

“I’m a businessman.”

She held up a pumpkin. “You’re right, there’s no real investment in Halloween. It’s not like people go out and buy way more candy than they need. Or pumpkins for that matter.” She put two pumpkins in the cart. “No investment there. You know what else, cupcake cases.” She saw them just across the shelf and she reached out, grabbing a pack. “I mean, who would have a little more fun with these bad boys in your life? I know I sure wouldn’t.”

“You’re mocking me.”

“Oh, no, not at all. I completely agree with you. Halloween is the worst of the worst.” She smiled. “Now I’m mocking you.”

“I’ve never been into the whole Halloween thing.”

“When my parents were alive, and when I was living with them, I wasn’t either. They sucked. They never had a single pumpkin or spare pair of lights. They hated Halloween. Kids would come and knock on the door, and they’d ignore it. No candy. No tricks or treats. It sucked big time. Kids at school hated me just because of my parents.”

“How come your parents never had any more kids?” Bull asked.

“I don’t know. They got lucky with me and they said they didn’t want to push their luck, I guess. They didn’t like to talk about it.”

Maddie put a few groceries into the shopping cart as they were running low on a few things. She hummed to herself as they moved down the aisles, and when they got to the costumes, she couldn’t help but admire them. They never had anything in her size.

“You’ve never dressed up for Halloween?”

“Nope.”

“Grab something,” he said.

“That’s okay. I don’t need to dress up.”

“Maddie, come on. Show me how much fun Halloween can be.”

She put her hand on his arm and leaned in close. “They’re never in my size.”

“Oh,” he said.

“It’s fine. Come on. We can have fun without dressing up.” She showed him some of the props suitable for outside, and then of course for the ones inside. He wasn’t going for it, but he did agree to maybe putting a few in the garage while she worked.

She already had a master plan for making the main reception of the garage spooky. While he loaded up the car, Bull forced her to take a seat, and it was these moments she hated. She sat in the car as he put all the bags into the trunk.

“I’ll be back in a second,” Bull said.

He was gone before she got a chance to stop him.

Pulling the door closed, she reached into the back and grabbed the blanket that was there, only to scream when she saw Grant lying on the back seat.

“Holy crap, you scared me,” she said, putting a hand against her chest.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

“What are you doing?”

“Needed to catch a ride,” he said.

“Why not come in and ask?” She hadn’t been expecting him.

“Didn’t mean to scare the crap out of you, Maddie,” Grant said.

This made her pause. For years, this man had called her many other names, other than her real one. Fats. Chunk. Chubby. Ugly. They were the quick ones that came to mind.