People could call him a lot of names. Liar wasn’t one of them. Maddie knew that. Or at least she should after all the time they’d spent together as first coworkers and now lovers.
“Talk to Alex yourself.” Pissed, he didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he handed Alex the phone.
“Hey, Maddie,” Alex said as she slipped out of the booth.
Across from him, Spike rested his forearms on the table and leaned forward. “Let me see if I’ve got this right. One of Maddie’s friends took a picture of you with another woman and then sent it to her.”
Nodding, Keith drained the last of his beer and glanced around for their server.
“And you don’t know who she was?”
“You were sitting right here when I said that. Maybe you need to get your hearing checked,” Keith answered as he caught Junior’s eye and gestured for him to come over.
“Yeah, I know what you told Maddie. But I thought maybe the woman was someone you’d gone out with in the past looking to get back together, and you modified the story a little.”
“Tonight was the first time I ever saw the damn woman.” And he hoped never to see her again.
“What can I get for you?” Junior asked, stopping by the table and putting a temporary halt to their conversation. Spike’s expression promised that he’d go back to interrogating Keith the moment the guy left, though.
I should’ve gone the fuck home tonight.
“Another beer.”
“Why don’t you bring us all another round,” Spike said before Junior could ask if he wanted anything.
As Keith expected, Spike didn’t waste any time once the employee left. “Did Maddie tell you who sent her the pictures?”
He had seen none of her friends while on the phone with Maddie and didn’t expect to see any now. Still, he looked toward the crowded bar. “No.”
Alex slid into the booth next to him and handed him his phone. “I think you’re good.”
You think?
He’d done nothing other than be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Maddie.”
“Hey, I, uh, I’m sorry. I should’ve believed you. Those pictures, well, they got to me.”
He didn’t like it, but his first reaction would’ve been similar if a buddy had sent him photos of Maddie with another guy. Initially anyway. Common sense would’ve moved in once the shock wore off, because he trusted Maddie. At least, that was the story he planned to tell himself. He didn’t want to find out what his actual reaction would’ve been.
“I get it. Let’s forget it happened.” As much as he wanted to know which of her friends was to blame, he wouldn’t ask Maddie again.
“Yeah. Let’s do that. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ending the call, Keith set the device down next to his beer and nudged Alex in the ribs. “Did she tell you who sent the pictures?”
Even though it wouldn’t change anything, Keith wanted to know who’d stuck their nose where it didn’t belong.
Alex shook her head and popped a fry into her mouth. “But I didn’t ask either. Does it matter?”
“Maybe.” Spike didn’t wait for Keith to ask what he meant by that comment. “It seems too convenient that someone Maddie knows was here at just the right time to see a woman you’ve never met join you.”
“It’s called a coincidence.” Or plain old bad luck.
“I’m not sure I buy that,” Spike replied.
Keith wasn’t sure he wanted to know, but he’d ask. “Oh, wise one, what’s your theory?”