Take Me Home (The Heartbreak Brothers 1)

“I’m Rick Charles from Rock Magazine.” He offered her his hand and Maddie took it. “You might have heard that I’m in town doing an article on Gray Hartson.”

“I might have.”

“Yeah.” He smiled. “I figured word gets around fast here. Who needs the internet, right?”

“People sure like to talk. Can I get you a coffee?”

“That would be good.”

She turned to the pot, taking a deep breath as she lifted it up and filled his mug. He was only interested in Gray. That’s why he was here. It was okay, it really was.

“Cream and sugar?” she asked him, turning back, her face impassive.

“No thanks. Black is good.” He took a deep sip then smiled at her again. “So I guess you know Gray as well as anybody around here, right?”

“Not really.” She shook her head. “We’ve never been close.”

“But you helped him escape from the church a few weeks ago, didn’t you? I heard you caused quite a scene jumping over fences and running through yards.”

“I’d have done it for anybody. Nobody should be chased by teenage girls after church.”

Maddie noticed Rick had pulled a notepad out from his pocket, before he lifted his hand to pull the pen from behind his ear. She felt like she was sitting on the stand of a courtroom, waiting to be questioned.

“You’ve known him for a while, right?” He flipped his note pad, scanning through the scrawled words written there. “He dated your sister during high school. Ashleigh, is it?”

“Yeah.” She managed a smile. “But it was a long time ago. She’s married with children now.”

It felt strange, watching him write her own words down.

“Do you know why they split up?”

“Shouldn’t you ask Gray that?” she said lightly.

“I have. But sisters are close and I’m guessing they confide in each other. I just wondered if she has the same reasons as Gray.”

“I don’t think my sister would like me talking for her.”

“Do you have a number that I can call her at directly?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think she’d like me giving that out either.”

“That’s okay,” he said nonchalantly. “I’m sure I can track her down.”

Maddie’s spine tingled at the thought of him talking to Ashleigh. Would her sister tell him the truth about her and Gray? Maddie didn’t think she would, but she hadn’t seen Ashleigh this angry in a while. She tried to ignore the rising panic in her stomach.

“Can I get you something to eat while you’re here?” she asked. “We have an impressive menu.”

“The coffee is fine. But I’d love a top up,” he said, smiling. “I did have one other question for you while I’m here.”

“Ask away,” she said, turning to grab the coffee pot. It spluttered as she lifted it from the warming plate.

“Somebody I talked to said you’ve been spending a lot of time with Gray over the past few weeks. They mentioned you being there when he was at the hospital for his hand.”

She turned to see Rick staring straight at her.

He tipped his head to the side. “They also said they saw you kissing, which is kind of strange for a girl who doesn’t know him that well.”

Chapter Twenty-Three