Playing for Keeps (25 page)

Jason Craig and a gorgeous brunette sat in a booth with their heads bent together. Madison stood there for a good minute, but he was so engrossed with what the woman was telling him that he didn’t even notice her! Madison’s first inclination was to stomp over and present her sorry self, but she was so stunned by the sight of Jason with another woman that she whirled around and all but flew out the door.

Madison stood outside for a moment and then suddenly felt angry with herself for not having the moxie to march back in there and confront him. But seeing Jason with someone else felt like a sucker punch to her gut, and she simply couldn’t do it. Still, she fisted her hands and contemplated heading right back in and tossing a drink in his face—or whatever dramatic scene she could muster up. But the past few days had already been so stressful that she just kept on putting one foot in front of the other until she reached the high-rise where she lived.

Madison tugged the heavy front door open with a whoosh and then stomped her foot when she remembered that she had driven to the community center earlier. “Grrr!” she grumbled, but she didn’t want to walk all the way back into town. Instead she punched the elevator button way too hard and then stood there tapping her foot while the numbers seemed to descend in slow motion and then stop. After another minute she pressed the button again.

“That won’t make the elevator come any sooner.”

“Eeek!” Madison whirled around to see Noah Falcon standing behind her. “No-ah!”

“Before you say anything, I did not sneak up on you. You were lost in your own little world of pissed-off-ness.”

Madison blinked hard at him. She wasn’t one to give in to tears easily, but when she did it was noisy. “You scared me!” She was precariously close to some serious bawling.

Noah’s expression softened. “You want a drink?”

“Martini?” she asked in a small but hopeful voice.

“My bar has an extensive selection.”

“So the answer is yes?”

“Yes.”

“Dirty?”

“I showered.”

Madison attempted to laugh but hiccuped instead. “This was one sucky day.”

“Tell me about it.” Noah stood back and allowed her to enter the elevator first and then with a long sigh leaned against the mirrored wall.

Madison thought that he appeared exhausted and put a hand on his forearm. “Am I pushing everyone too hard this week?”

Noah shifted his gaze to her in surprise. “Why do you ask that?”

“Because Olivia is one of the most levelheaded people I know and you have pitched in the World Series, for goodness’ sakes!”

“And?”

“And you both seem ready to crack. Look, I realize that this play is mostly you two onstage with very few supporting characters and that the pressure is on, so what else am I to think?”

Noah shrugged and took his gaze away from the changing numbers. “I have no idea what I did to upset Olivia. I’ve tried to talk to her and she pretends like everything is okay.” He sighed and when the elevator stopped on the eleventh floor, he held the door for her to step out. “I might be a dumb jock, but I’m not that stupid.”

“If you ever call yourself that again, I’m going to kick your ass, Noah.” She jutted her chin out and dared him.

His laughter seemed a bit forced. “I’ll remember that. Hey, drop your stuff off in your condo and I’ll have a very cold, very dirty martini waiting for you. I’ll be on the balcony, but I’ll leave the door open.”

“Sounds heavenly. I’ll be there in just a few minutes.”

She unlocked her door and dumped her purse and leather satchel on the kitchen island with a sad clunk. “Well, this day has really been a winner.” She looked around and then sighed. The condo was small, but the open floor plan made it seem bigger. What she really loved was the long sliding glass doors that opened to a double balcony overlooking the river. She walked over and gazed out. The sunrises and sunsets were amazing, and the sight of the winding river usually calmed her nerves.

But not today.

She opted to change into sweats and flip-flops. She grabbed some sliced Cheddar from the fridge and a sleeve of crackers from her top cabinet. In her experience bachelors had an extensive liquor cabinet but were usually lacking in the snacks and chocolate department. She might not be a great cook like her aunt and mother, but she excelled in all things munchy and crunchy. Writers tended to graze rather than take the time for actual meals, and Madison was no exception.

Her flip-flops slapped against the bottoms of her feet as she made her way down the marble-tiled hallway. An antique-looking cherry table with a lovely floral arrangement made the space elegant, and Madison once again thought it a crying shame that the building was mostly vacant. When she reached Noah’s condo, his door was unlocked as promised and she entered. “Hello?”

“Out here,” Noah called from the balcony. The sliding doors were open, allowing the evening breeze to cool the space, which was larger than Madison’s more modest quarters. Used as a model unit, Noah’s condo had furnishings that were a gorgeous mix of deep chocolate leather and mahogany with splashes of crimson accents here and there.

Noah had changed to cargo shorts and a University of Kentucky T-shirt that read UK2K.

“What does that mean?” She pointed to his shirt.

He angled his head at her. “Two thousand wins,” he boasted with a nod.

She shook her head. “With all of the baseball talk I had forgotten how crazy this town was for basketball.”

“Wildcat basketball,” he corrected with a chuckle. “Yeah, I bought this shirt at the mall last week.” He lounged in a cushioned chair and pointed to the one next to his. A round table held a tray of mixed fruit, a wedge of Brie, and some water crackers. “Have a seat,” he offered and then handed her a martini glass.

“Wow, I’m impressed,” she admitted as she took the wide glass from him and cradled it in her hand. “I brought Cheddar and Ritz crackers, thinking that as a bachelor you’d probably have some stick pretzels.”

“You’d be right. This feast was left over from when Olivia was here, before she decided to hate me.”

Madison sat down and shook her head at Noah. “What’s up with you and Olivia? Everything seemed so great between you two at the baseball game.”

“Tell me about it.” Noah shrugged his wide shoulders. “You got me.”

“Something has to have happened, Noah.” Madison took a sip of her martini and looked at him expectantly. “Can you think of anything that might have upset her?”

Noah took a swig of his beer and then eased back in the chair and crossed his long legs in front of him. “Damned if I know.” He let the longneck dangle from his fingertips and stared out at the river below. “Has she said anything to you, Madison?” He turned and looked at her with such pain and confusion in his eyes that she reached over and patted his arm.

“No, only that grading exams and lack of sleep have gotten the best of her. She promised me that she would get her act together for the play, if you’ll pardon the pun.”

“And do you believe that?”

Madison looked at him for a long, measuring moment. “She might be able to muster a good performance, but I’m not buying her excuses for one minute,” she answered quietly.

“Me neither.” He tilted his beer bottle up to his mouth.

“Have you asked her what’s wrong, Noah?”

He swallowed and then nodded slowly. “Sure. I got the same sort of noncommittal response from her as you did. I don’t get it.”

“That makes two of us,” she said with a long, shaky sigh and another sip of the cold martini. “Any of it.”

“Hey.” Noah sat up straighter. “What else is wrong?” he asked gently, and when he gave her his full attention Madison realized that Noah Falcon might be a big strong athlete but he had a soft and tender side that most people didn’t know. Her newly acquired and highly enjoyed matchmaking radar went on full alert. They might be on the outs for whatever reason, but Noah and Olivia were meant to be together and she was going to do everything in her power to make it happen. “Madison? You can talk to me and it won’t go anywhere.”

“Thank you.” Madison nodded when his voice brought her back to her own romantic issues. She took a bigger sip of her drink and then bristled. “Well, I was walking into Sully’s for a drink and guess who I saw.”

“Myra and Owen singing again? Apparently they’ve made karaoke so popular that Pete bought a real sound system.”

“No,” Madison replied and stuck her bottom lip out. “I saw Jason and some hot brunette getting all cozy in a corner booth.” She sucked her bottom lip back in and bit down.

“Did you check the situation out?”

She shook her head back and forth with quick jerky movements.

“Madison, why the hell not? It might have been perfectly innocent.”

“They were, like,
intense
.” Her eyes widened.

“But—”

“And he
smiled
at her.”

“But—”

“And it wasn’t a little ol’ polite smile. It was a big one.” She pointed both index fingers to her mouth and demonstrated.

“Stop—that smile was creepy.”

Madison laughed, but her lips suddenly trembled. “Oh, Noah.” She set her glass down, flopped back in the chair, and stared up at the sky. The sun was setting in a burst of orange and pink, and normally she would stop to admire the beauty, but tonight she barely noticed. “I thought he was different, you know? Small town, big heart. Sincere! But I guess dudes are all the same no matter where you live.” She tilted her head down and looked up at him. “Sorry, no offense—I know you’re a dude. But still . . . dudes royally suck.”

Noah laughed. “Judging from that statement, no one would ever think you were an award-winning playwright.”

“Pffft.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m just a girl, Noah.”

The scrape of the screen door opening caught their attention. “Not hardly,” said a deep voice edged with a sexy Southern drawl.

Madison looked around to see Jason coming out onto the balcony.

“An uppity, nerdy . . . idiot girl, maybe.” He walked over pretty as you please and leaned against the railing.

Madison gasped and then whirled on Noah. “Did you call him?”

Noah raised his hands in the air. “No, I swear.”

“Yeah, well . . .” Madison narrowed her eyes at Jason. “You’re a small-town, redneck, stupid boy!” She crossed her arms over her chest. “And that hat is ridiculous.”

Jason tilted his head and adjusted his vintage-style John Deere cap sideways. “Yes, yes . . . mmm”—he scratched his chin—“
yes
, and no, it is not!”

“At least you admit that you’re stooo-pid.” She leaned forward as she drew out the word and then felt pretty childish, but she could not stop herself. “So, if Noah didn’t call you, why are you here?”

He leaned his back against the railing and said, “I’m beginning to ponder that very question. Madison, I didn’t intend to come to Noah’s condo. I was coming to see you and heard your voice all the way down in the parking lot.”

“Really?”

Jason rolled his eyes. “You’re my girlfriend, not Noah.”

“Thank God for small favors,” Noah commented.

“You get loud when you get riled up.”

Madison frowned. “Then why . . .” She swallowed but couldn’t quite get it out.

“Why what?” Jason waited for her to continue.

Madison raised her chin a notch. “Why were you in Sully’s with that . . . that woman?”

“You were in Sully’s?”

“Yes, and I caught your hand in the cookie jar,” she sputtered, but judging by the smug look on his face she was about to be put in her place. She swallowed. “Didn’t I?” she asked in a small voice.

“I’m not so big on cookies. I’m more partial to cupcakes.”

“Are you calling me a cupcake?”

“No, I’m calling you crazy.” Jason flicked a glance at Noah. “Could you give us a moment?”

Noah looked at Madison in question, but she nodded. “It’s okay, Noah.” She thought it was sweet that he was looking out for her and thought once again that she was right about him. Noah Falcon was a good guy and Olivia ought to come to her senses and realize it. But first things first. She needed to get back to the task at hand. “Give us a minute.”

N
oah headed to the fridge to snag another beer, but before he opened it he heard Madison shout, so he hurried back to the balcony. He was ready to kick some Jason ass but stopped in his tracks when he spotted him on bended knee with a velvet ring box extended upward. Madison had her hand over her mouth and didn’t even realize Noah was standing there in the doorway. Noah didn’t really think of himself as a romantic sort of guy, but the tiny patio lights on the balcony twinkled in the waning light and the indigo sky was still streaked with deep red, burnt orange, and purple. His forgotten beer dangled from his fingers and a lump formed in his throat. He wanted to turn around and give them their privacy, but he just couldn’t look away, so he stood there quietly and waited for the scene to unfold.

“Madison, will you marry me?”

“Are you crazy?”

Her answer made Noah’s heard plummet, but Jason didn’t bat an eye.

“Hell, yes, or why else would I be doing this? You’re bossy and you always have your nose in the air at the diner telling me how to do my own job.”

“I have an eye for color and detail,” she argued.

“And I had an eye for your cute little ass that you chose to give an extra wiggle to whenever you walked by me.”

Madison gasped. “I did not!”

When Jason rolled his eyes, Noah wasn’t sure where this was going, but he was riveted.

“Oh, like you didn’t flex those muscles of yours to impress me?” Madison countered.

He grinned. “So were you impressed?”

“Yes, you’ve got some guns, Jason Craig. Now, what were you saying?” She glanced at the ring and then looked at him expectantly.