“I’m not going with you to Malibu.”
“Okay. Then how about a restaurant in Stanhope?”
“And end up trending on Instagram? No thanks.”
“You don’t like people knowing your business, do you?” he asked, tipping his head and scrutinizing her. “Why is that?”
“Because I don’t like being talked about.” She looked up at him. “Do you?”
He shrugged. “Okay. No Malibu and no restaurant. I’ll think of another plan.” He cupped her face with his palm and leaned down to brush his lips against hers. “But still wear those shoes. Just in case.”
Chapter Sixteen
Maddie saw the silver Mercedes as soon as she turned the corner into her street. It was parked in the driveway, its shine looking completely out of place next to her rusty Honda Accord.
She looked inside the back seat when she walked past and smiled when she saw the car seats firmly fixed in. Ashleigh only ever put their car seats in when the kids were with her. She didn’t like the way they dented her soft leather seats.
“Are there any monsters in here?” Maddie called out when she opened the front door. She barely had time to take a breath before Carter came barreling down the hallway, yelling loudly with his three-year-old sister toddling behind him, screeching out with delight.
He flung himself into Maddie’s arms and she lifted him into a bear hug. Grace clung to her legs, jumping up and down with delight.
“Can we play the piano?” Carter asked her.
“Yeah. Wanna play the peeno.” Grace nodded, her blonde locks catching the hall light. Her face was so serious Maddie had to bite down a smile.
“Give your aunt some space,” Ashleigh said, walking out of the kitchen. “She’s just come home from work. And you were both in the middle of drawing, remember? Come back and finish what you were doing.”
“I don’t want to!” Carter stuck his bottom lip out.
“Excuse me?” Ashleigh said tartly, pressing her lips together. Maddie immediately sensed the change in her nephew. His head drooped and he nodded, grabbing his sister’s hand and pulling her back into the kitchen.
“Mom, can you watch the kids for a minute?” Ashleigh called out. “I want to talk to Maddie.”
“Sure.” Their mom’s voice was warm. “Come on, Carter. Show me your picture.”
“Is everything okay?” Maddie asked as Ashleigh walked into the living room.
“Of course.” Ashleigh smiled, though it didn?
??t quite reach her perfectly made-up eyes. “We were just passing and I thought I’d come say hi.”
“Passing from where?” Maddie leaned against the wall, folding her arms across her chest.
“It doesn’t matter,” Ashleigh said quickly, closing the door behind them. She turned to the fireplace, and picked up an old photograph of her and Maddie, turning it to examine it further. “So what’s this I’ve been hearing about karaoke at the Moonlight Bar?”
So that’s why she was here. Ashleigh never could stand being out of the loop. Growing up, she was always the one people were talking to – and about. Though she’d always proclaimed she hated the way Hartson’s Creek ran on gossip, maybe her old habits died hard.
“It was nothing.” Maddie slumped in a rose patterned high back chair in the corner. “Just something Becca dragged me into.”
“Becca Hartson?” Ashleigh replaced the photograph, dragging her finger across the glass then turning it to check for dust. “How was she involved?”
“Why does this feel like you’re the mom and I’m the kid?” Maddie asked her. “Have I done something wrong? It was a bit of singing and some fun. I’ve no idea why you’d be interested in that.”
“I’m always interested in you,” Ashleigh said softly. “You know that.”
That was true. Ashleigh had always taken her big sister role seriously, from the time they were as young as Carter and Grace. “Well, you don’t need to worry about this one. I sang a song with Becca, we won the competition, and I came home and got up the next morning for work. That’s all there is to the story.” The lie tasted strange on her tongue. Almost dirty.
Ashleigh picked up another photograph. This time one of her in her prom dress. Maddie could still remember that night so well. How beautiful her sister had looked. Their mom took photograph after photograph, Ash’s blonde hair pinned up in curls, her neck slender, her shoulders bare, leading to the silver dress she’d saved up for months to buy. Maddie could remember staring at her, wondering how it must feel to be that beautiful. Knowing she could never ever look that way.