Authors: Melissa Johns
Alicia smiled as she sat on her bed. “So, tell me about Hunter. How’s it going?”
Madison started to blush as she walked over to her dresser and started to pack a small bag. She could hear Alicia as she chuckled in the background. “I saw the kiss so I know that big step is in the history books now.”
Madison
smiled from ear to ear. “I never thought it would be that intense. Every time he touched me, I felt like my skin would be set on fire. The way he looked at me, the way he opened the door for me, I’m just amazed how someone could be a gentleman in public but when we are alone, it’s so intense. How could this all happen in a matter of days?”
Alicia smiled at her. “Oh
Madison, you are falling for him already. It’s ok to let that happen but just be careful. It’s your first relationship and you could have blinders on. I just don’t want you to rush into things and regret it later. I love Hunter, you know that but I’m worried about you.”
Madison
sat in the chair and stared at Alicia. “I understand that and I appreciate it but if I don’t put myself out there, how are things going to change for me. I don’t want to be that old lady with fifty cats. I want a boyfriend, I want to be able to share things with someone special and start that next chapter in my life. I wasn’t looking for that when I came here but Hunter is so sweet. I really like him.”
“Just listen to your head, ok? I know that the heart wants to lead the way but your head is smarter. Everything will fall into place when the time comes.”
“Thank you, I like having a sister to talk to about this stuff since I’m clueless.”
Alicia laughed. “I’m always here for you.” She headed out of the room and back downstairs.
Madison finished up packing and got dressed.
As she grabbed her bag, she heard the front doorbell ring. She reached the door before Carter could and opened it. She stood there stunned as her parents were standing on the front porch.
“Hello Madison, where is your brother and what the hell did you do to your hair?” her mother asked as she entered the house.
“I’m right here, Mom. Why are you guys here?” Carter asked.
“Well that’s rude, Son,” their father said as he stepped inside of the house. “We wanted to surprise you before the all star game.”
“Well, you know that we are about to leave, right? Are you going to stay here?”
“No no, we have a room in the city. But, we wanted to make sure that Madison was staying here.”
Carter quickly looked at her and saw the frown appear on her face. “No Mom, she’s coming with us.”
“That’s just silly. She will be in the way. She can stay in your beautiful house and lay out on the beach. We will be back in a couple of days,” her mother said as she looked at Madison’s bag on the floor.
She couldn’t speak and wanted to find a place to disappear. She looked at Carter as he clearly took a deep breath. “Mom, she’s coming with us and that’s final.”
Her parents looked at her in the way that she had grown used to. They clearly disapproved and waited for her to change her mind and stay at Carter’s house. “Mother, I’m sorry but Carter wanted me to go so I will attend the event with him.”
Carter smiled and put his arm around her. “That’s right. She’s staying with Alicia in our apartment.”
Alicia walked into the room and stopped dead in her tracks. “I was going to ask who was at the door but I see now. Wow, I didn’t know you guys were coming down to see us.”
“We wanted to see Carter play at the all star game,” her father quickly replied.
Madison was about to walk away and clear her head when she saw Hunter climb up the front stairs and walk into the house. “Good morning, I didn’t know that your parents were going to be here.” He quickly looked at Madison as she slowly smiled at him.
“Yeah, we didn’t know either but they wanted to come see the game,” Carter explained.
Hunter shook her father’s hand and smiled at his mother. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Thank you, Hunter. Why are you here so early this morning?”
“I was going to drive Madison to the all star game,” Hunter said as he looked toward her. Madison’s smile quickly disappeared as her mother shot her an upsetting look.
“Why would you do that?” her mother asked.
Madison quickly spoke up. “Because Carter and Alicia have so much to take with them and there wasn’t room for me. So, Hunter offered to drive me so I could tag along.”
Her mother looked at her and then at her brother. “Can I speak with you, Carter?” They disappeared into the den and closed the door. Her father headed out onto the deck and shut the door behind him.
Madison realized that she was holding her breath as she let it out and collapsed onto the couch. Alicia rushed over to her and put her arm around her. “It’s ok, Madison. There is nothing that they can do about your relationship with Hunter. You are an adult. They didn’t like me either but they realized that I wasn’t going anywhere and accepted me. We were all blindsided by their arrival. Please don’t let them upset your visit.”
Hunter sat down next to her and took her hand. “I feel like this is my fault. I probably shouldn’t have told them that I was driving you but I didn’t even think I just spoke. I’m sorry,
Madison.”
She smiled at him and realized how happy she was to see him again. “No, it’s my fault. I panicked. I just don’t know how to act around them because they don’t approve of anything that I do. I just wasn’t prepared for them to find out that I was in a relationship right now but I guess I can’t go back now.”
The den door cracked opened as Carter exited in front of their mother. “Madison, can I talk with you for a second?”
She nodded as she stood up and followed Carter into the kitchen. “Why do I feel like I’m about to be yelled at for something I didn’t do?”
Carter sighed. “You know Mom. She’s concerned about you and Hunter.”
“Concerned about what? Nothing is happening?”
“I told her that. I told her that you were just talking and hanging out with him. She wants you to stay here.”
Madison
started to cry as she sat at the breakfast table. “I’m so sick of everyone telling me what I should do and how I should act. She didn’t give a damn about me as a child, what gives her the right to give a damn now? Why would she even care if I wanted to date someone?”
Carter knelt down in front of her and grabbed her hands. “Maddy, I hate to see you like this but I’m afraid if you come with us, she will just keep attacking you.”
“Why do you keep siding with her? You keep telling me that you are on my side but when she shows up you cave just like everyone else around her. I’m sick of people telling me what to do.” Madison stood up and walked back to the living room.
Hunter stood up and grabbed her arm. “Are you ok? What’s going on?”
“Mother, I’m so sick of you pitting me and Carter against each other. I’m sick of you telling me how to live my life when in reality you haven’t cared at all. I know you don’t want to me attend the game but I’m going. I want to have a real life. I want a boyfriend. I want to share my thoughts and life with someone. Hunter is incredible. Was I expecting to have this discussion with you today? No but you chose to show up unannounced and stumbled across it.”
Just then, their Father appeared at the front door and looked at
Madison. “You need to calm down and show your mother some respect.”
“You want me to show her respect?”
Madison asked. “She hasn’t shown me any respect in twenty one years.”
“
Madison, you need to grow up and stop crying. You are way out of line,” her mother said. “Carter has a big event coming up and you are distracting everyone.”
Madison
couldn’t take it anymore as she looked at Carter. “I’m just tired, Carter. I can’t do this anymore. I want you in my life but I can’t deal with the stress of you and her working against me. When she isn’t around, we have a wonderful relationship but having her here now just reminds me of the past and I can’t go back there.”
Alicia stepped in and tried to diffuse the situation. “
Madison, look at me. We love you and I don’t want to lose you as my sister so we need to figure this situation out.” She turned to look at her future mother in law. “You need to respect Carter and myself when you enter our house. Madison is a part of our family even if you don’t want to include her in yours. When you are back home, you can say or do anything that you want but you arrived unannounced and started an unnecessary situation.”
“Alicia, you don’t have to get involved. I don’t want her to resent you,”
Madison pleaded.
Alicia waved in hand in the air. “She already doesn’t like me but dealt with me because Carter loves me.”
Their mother looked at Carter. “Well, we are leaving to head to the hotel. I will call you later. You know how I feel about things and I assume you will make sure the right thing happens.” They headed back to their car and pulled out of the driveway.
Hunter grabbed her hand and led her out to the patio. “Are you ok?”
Madison started to cry as she wrapped her arms around him. “Was I out of line?”
Hunter stepped back and tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. “No. You spoke your mind and that was a beautiful thing.
Madison, I don’t want to be the cause of any of this though. If you need me to step away, I will find the strength to do just that.”
Madison
softly said, “Could you really do that?”
Hunter leaned down so he was inches from her lips. “It would be one of the hardest things I would have to do,
Madison. But, if that was your request, I would try.”
She covered his lips in one swift movement. She sunk her fingers into his hair as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. She kissed him with every ounce of passion that she had inside of her. He parted her lips as their tongues danced together and the world seemed to disappear around her.
When they came up for air, they just looked into each other’s eyes when he finally spoke, “Come to the game with me, you can sit in my family’s suite and stay with me. You can have your own room and just continue to enjoy your vacation. I don’t want you to get any ideas about going home. I can’t let you leave, not yet.”
Madison
nodded. “I would love that.”
As they entered the house, Alicia ran up to her. “I feel so bad. I’ve heard the stories but I never thought it was that bad until I witnessed that.”
Madison nodded. “Yep, that’s my life.”
Carter walked up behind Alicia. “Maddy, please forgive me.”
She just looked at him for a minute. “I can’t keep letting myself get hurt by this family. I thought we finally found a place of equal ground but whenever she shows up, you cave to please her every whim. What did she say to you in the den?”
Carter sat down at the dining room table and placed his head in his hands. “She wanted me to send you back to
Canada immediately. She could tell that you liked Hunter and she doesn’t approve. She said you are too young to date someone like him.”
Hunter gasped. “I thought she liked me!”
“It’s not you. She doesn’t approve of Maddy dating anyone.”
Madison
screamed out loud as everyone looked at her. “Sorry.”
Carter jumped up and hugged her. “I’m so sorry, please forgive me. Look at it this way, I’m didn’t send you back to
Canada.”
Madison
sighed as she looked at Hunter. “Are you ready to leave?”
He nodded. “I’m ready when you are ready.”
“We will see you later tonight,” Madison said she as grabbed her overnight bag and headed to Hunter’s truck.
The drive into the city was quiet. Her thoughts were filled with her family issues. She stood up to all of them and she was proud of herself. But, she couldn’t help but feel bad about the way she treated Carter. He tried to mend their relationship and
Madison understood how difficult it was for anyone to deal with their mother. She would have to talk with him later that evening if her mother wasn’t around.
“Are you doing ok? You have barely said a word since we left the house?” Hunter asked as he reached for her hand.
Madison nodded. “I’m ok. I stood my ground and did what I wanted to do. I’m proud of myself but I feel bad about my conversation with Carter.”
“Don’t worry about him, just sit down and talk with him. I’m sure you can work it all out.”
“Thank you for standing by me. I feel bad though, you barely know me and I’m afraid you will realize how messed up my family is and run screaming for the hills.”
Hunter laughed and winked at her. “I told you, I like you. I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to leave.”
“I don’t see that happening.” Madison smirked.
“Then, we are good,” Hunter said as he kissed her hand.
They talked the rest of the way into the city about her family and the issues she had growing up. She noticed that Hunter didn’t open up about his minor league hockey experience as much as he could have because he knew it would upset her. She smiled at him as he talked about his brother. Madison gathered that they were a very close family but worked hard at it because of Hunter’s career and his brother going to law school.
As they pulled into his parking garage her cell phone rang. “Hey, Jessie!”
“Hey stranger, I haven’t heard a thing from you lately. How’s everything going?”
“It’s been interesting, that’s for sure,”
Madison said as Hunter jumped out the truck and reached for her bag.
“Where are you now?” Jessie asked.
“At the all star game, we just drove into the city.” Madison smiled at Hunter as he leaned against the truck and waited for her phone call to end. She reached up and touched the side of his face.
“How’s Hunter?”
“He’s wonderful. He’s standing with me right now, want to say hi?”
“No, I will wait to meet him in person if you bring him back home,” Jessie laughed.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we just arrived at his apartment, can I call you later?”
“You are at his apartment?” Jessie yelled. “Are you sleeping with him already?”
Madison turned ten shades of red. “God no! I’m just staying here because of some family issues.”
Jessie sighed into the phone. “I’m so afraid that you are going to rush into things, Maddy. Just remember there is no reason to hurry anything and don’t let him pressure you either.”
“Why is everyone worried about me rushing into things? I know I’m new to all of this but I’m adult and can make my own decisions.”
“Of course, you are! I didn’t mean anything by that. I just wish I was there to help you or guide you.”
“I’m doing just fine, Jessie. I swear that Hunter is a total gentleman.”
“I’m coming home shortly, so I hope to see you when you get back.”
“Of course, we will talk later.” Madison shut her phone and put it in her jeans pocket. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m just worried that people are going to talk you out of having a relationship with me.” Hunter explained.
Madison smiled and lightly kissed his lips. “I’m an adult, Hunter. I make my own decisions,” she paused at looked him. “Are we in a relationship?”
Hunter smirked. “I hope we are but if you want to keep it casual for now, that’s fine. But, I warned you. Once I set my mind on something, I normally get my way.”
Madison smiled and looked at the ground. “I would like to be your girlfriend.”
Hunter reached out and lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “I love the sound of that,
Madison.”
She leaned in and covered his lips with hers. He groaned softly as he twirled her around and pushed her back against the side of his truck. They were hidden by the concrete wall so no one could see them. He pressed his body tighter against hers as his hand reached underneath her t-shirt and touched her bare skin.