Page 39 of Forever Home

The moment I come around the silver metal island she’s working on, her eyes connect with mine, widening with surprise as she continues to speak with the client. The extra time allows me to fully take her in. Black and pink apron, leggings, and a pink bakery t-shirt with her hair thrown on top of her head covered by a hair net.

Regardless of how she’s dressed, she’s gorgeous. No wonder she’s been haunting my dreams. And now that she’s completely covered in flour from head to toe…fuck me.

“What are you doing here?” she asks the moment she hangs up the phone. “Did you come to see me… or for my mother’s cooking?”

“Hmm…” I take a moment to consider, a mischievous smile crossing my lips. “Well, I mean your mom’s cooking is the best I’ve ever had, after mine…”

The sound of a phone ringing disrupts our conversation as Madi groans softly and glances down at the screen. “Give me a min, it’s Sam.”

She walks away, talking casually on the phone as I finally take in the rest of Allison’s kitchen. It’s far from the kitchens I have back in New York, but it’s still something. I haven’t been back here since high school, but I can instantly tell it’s been remodeled since then. Stainless steel appliances, large ovens, and multiple cooling racks. Everything is pristine, though currently covered in flour. And stacks of cupcakes sit cooling on the side table where Madison was working.

By the time Madison comes back, her brows are narrowed and she’s shoving her phone angrily into her pocket. Whatever Sam had called her about obviously has ticked her off. “Everything okay?”

“Mhm.” She nods. “Shit just went down with Asher and Sam.”

The confusion and worry in her eyes makes my forehead crease with concern. We’d only seen them last night and everything was fine as far as I could tell.

“What happened since last night?”

She shrugs, leaning against the steel table before running her hand over her face. “Sam called me freaking out. I guess the reporters caught wind of things with Asher, and now she and her company are plastered all over the news. Claims that she is using him to bring her company up, and that he is cheating on some girl back in Chicago with her. He denies it and I guess he is flying back to Chicago to play damage control, but she doesn’t know what to do.”

Madison wasn’t lying when she said shit was going down. I know all too well how bad the paparazzi can be when it comes to being famous. I’d dealt with them after the entire situation with Caitlin spiraled out of control. Though, it was never as bad as what Madison was just explaining.

And knowing Asher, he’s losing his shit over it.

“Does she need anything?”

“I don’t know,” she mutters under her breath before her eyes look up and cast towards the back door. “I told her that she could stay with mefor a day or two if she wanted, but she didn’t seem to want to go that route.”

“Well, if she doesn’t… you shouldn’t be stressing yourself out over it.” While Madison is a very forward person and the first to usually tell you what’s on her mind, she also takes everything to heart and worries about everyone around her. The last thing she needs to do is take on the burden of someone else’s problems. We’re not in high school anymore. “Sam’s a big girl. She will figure things out for herself.”

She sighs heavily, nodding before she turns around to the mixing bowl in front of her and the cupcakes to the side. “You’re right… I shouldn’t.”

“I am always right.” The comment is laced with sarcasm that causes Madison to give me a sideward glance with a smile.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Now, does the famous Chef Jaxson Rivers want to put his skills to the test by helping me frost these cupcakes?”

I can’t help but cringe at her question. Desserts are the bane of my existence and the reason why I always delegate those tasks out to other people in my kitchens. No matter how good I am at cooking, baking and desserts never turn out well if I get my hands on them.

“No, no,” I laugh, shaking my head with my hands up in front of me. “I don’t do desserts. And you won’t want me to touch them… unless I’m eating them of course.”

The laughter that erupts from her is infectious and brings a smile to my face every time I hear it. It’s like there is a light that shines from her, enveloping everyone around. “Don’t feel bad. I can’t cook anything that isn’t a cake, cookie, cupcake, brownie, or other baked goods.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true.”

I hear Allison laugh before she walks towards where we are giving me a side glance. “Ask her what happened to her Ramen the other day.”

“Ramen?” I question, turning to Madison who grimaces as she looks at her mother.

“It wasn’t my fault… Well, not entirely. I pushed the wrong button on the microwave.”

“No,” Allison replies, turning to face her. “You putstyrofoamin the microwave and then you hit the wrong button. Hence why I had to buy a new microwave.”

The banter between Allison and Madison is a wonderful sight to behold. Though I can’t help but feel the small pit of envy filling me at how I wish I had the same relationship with my mother. Before I can even make a comment on Madison’s ramen noodle fiasco, my phone rings and I pull it out to see my agent’s name across the screen. “Hello?”

“Jaxson!” he says enthusiastically from the other side. “I’m glad I caught you. It’s important!”

“What is it?” I reply, the frantic sound of his voice making my brows furrow.

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