Page 62 of Fought and Freed

“How did we not realize they were related?” Ace shook his head. “They have the same eyes and nose.”

“Being drunk the last time I saw her, I didn’t really look that close.” Jeff chuckled. “But you’re right.”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry.” Greg rubbed his belly.

Maddy pulled her brother to the side. “I need to go to an NA meeting after dinner. They have one right down the street.”

Lucca’s eyes widened. “When I asked you to come, I didn’t even think about your meetings.” He lowered his head. “I’m a horrible brother.”

“Hey, don’t be like that.” She tapped his arm. “You were excited to get here, and you should be. Even I didn’t think about it until Skylar brought it up.”

He pulled her into a side hug. “We’ll make sure you have time to get to a meeting.”

They all went to dinner, and it was a lively affair.

Maddy had forgotten what it was like to laugh so much. They chose an all-you-can-eat buffet, and Kirby and Jeff had an eating contest. She’d never seen someone eat so much in her life.

Maddy smiled as she watched her brother interact with his friends. It made her glad that Lucca had normalcy in his life and that it wasn’t all about being a big, bad gang leader.

Over dinner, they made plans for New Year’s Eve. Since the team couldn’t leave the hotel, they’d get together in their suite to watch the ball drop, and someone mentioned fireworks.

Stuffed with good food, Maddy said goodnight to Lucca and his teammates, while Jace, Cody, and Ryder returned to their suite, where they planned to watch a movie before going to bed.

Once everyone else was gone, Maddy and Skylar headed out of the hotel.

Since it was a nice night, they decided to walk down the street to the NA meeting.

The church was full, and the chairperson welcomed all the new faces who arrived in town to watch the bowl.

His speech began by mentioning that, by coming to the meeting even while on vacation, it meant they were serious about their futures.

After that, the meeting was the same as the one at the Elk Lodge, and Maddy couldn’t help but think of Grant. She hoped he had shown up at the meeting tonight, even without her there.

As Maddy and Skylar walked back toward the hotel hand in hand, enjoying the warm weather, he pulled her close. “That sucks this location won’t be open for the next two days.”

Maddy nodded. There was another meeting two miles farther down the road, but it wouldn’t be as convenient as the one right next to their hotel. “I’m actually feeling good right now. I think it’s safe to miss two meetings, but I’ll let you know if I need to go. And I’d like to go again before we leave.”

He squeezed her hand. “Whatever you need.”

When Maddy and Skylar got back up to their suite, Maddy said she was tired and headed to her room.

Maddy tried texting Grant again.

Maddy: Are you all right?

This time, she got a reply of a thumbs up.

She frowned, but at least, he responded. She understood he was upset that she left, but there was no reason for him to treat her like that.

* * *

The next day, they headed out to explore Pasadena.

Skylar wanted to go see The Fork in the Road.

Maddy wasn’t sure why he wanted to see where a road split, but she went along with it.

When they pulled up, though, she was shocked that, instead of a Y-shaped split in the road, there was an actual, larger-than-life fork.

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