“You should go pick out a case.” Axel points to the rows of cases hanging along the back wall.
“Oh, um, I figured I’d order one online,” I whisper, feeling bad saying that in front of the employee.
Axel shakes his head, “We can still order you one, but you don’t want your phone unprotected for however many days it’ll take to get a new one delivered.”
I bite my lip.
I don’t want to waste money on an extra case, but he does make a good point. And I did really like the way he saidwe.
Sighing, I push back from the table. “Okay, you’re right.”
Chapter30
Axel
Waitinguntil Maddie’s made it out of earshot, I turn to the guy that’s been helping us and slide my credit card across the table. “Is there a way for you to put this card on the file?”
“Sure,” he slides the plastic rectangle the rest of the way in front of him, but he doesn’t do anything else.
“Now?” I prompt, “Before she gets back.”
“Oh!” understanding dawns and he picks up the card, working on his tablet with his other hand. “You wanna pay before she picks a fight about it.”
I nod.
He taps away on his screen for a moment, “You want to do the caseandphone, or…?”
“Yeah.” Then I think about Maddie all alone in the pretty home of hers and my jaw clenches. “Can you prepay for the rest of the year?”
The guy pulls a face, “I can, but it’d be easier to just put your card down as the main form of payment. It’s already set for autopay and then you can call when you want to change form of payment.”
The angel on my shoulder is torn between approval over my act of doing something nice, and disapproval over the overbearing nature of said act.
And the devil is no help, since he’s reclined back, staring at the way Maddie’s ass looks in that hot little dress.
“Yeah, that works.” I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest.
The guy taps a few more times, entering my info. When he’s done, he slides the card back over to me. “That’s a nice thing to do for your dau-”
My eyes narrow and my jaw tightens as he starts to pronounce the word. It’s halfway out of his mouth when he catches sight of my expression and stops
His eyes widen as they dart over to Maddie and back to me. Then he slightly dips his chin as he finishes, “-girlfriend.”
I relax back in my seat with a nod.
I don’t know if she’s my girlfriend, but she sure as fuck isn’t my daughter.
Chapter31
Maddie
Smiling like an idiot,I grab the “More Coffee Please” phone case off the wall.
Having checked the price tags on a few other ones, I don’t bother flipping the little box over. It’s going to be stupidly expensive, but I really love this one – gold lettering set against a swirling white steam pattern on a dark rose background – and at least I won’t have to buy another one.
Clutching the case in both hands, I make my way back to where Axel and Dan are seated.
They seem to be sitting in some sort of awkward silence, and it immediately makes me feel awkward.