Page 64 of Hope's Heartlands

My mom looks all around the room before asking, "Where is Maddox?"

I smile as if he didn’t just break my heart in two. "Oh, he had to go home tonight. I guess he was tired of sleeping on this couch, not that I can blame him. But I wanted to stay up to let you all know that I was going to have to leave early in the morning instead of tomorrow afternoon."

Bull comes over and kisses me on the top of the head. "I'm hitting the hay, kid, but I'll see you in the morning before you leave. I love you."

"I love you too," I tell him.

He walks out of the room and I avoid my mother's gaze. She sits down in the chair opposite of me. I can feel her staring at me. I sigh and blow out a breath. “What is it, Mom?”

"Where's Maddox?"

Obviously I wasn't convincing enough the first time. "He's gone, Mom. We're not together. He's not into me like that."

She rears back in surprise. "He said that?"

I purse my lips and nod. "Yeah, pretty much."

I turn off the television and stand up. I walk toward her and lean down to hug her. "I'll see you in the morning before I leave. I love you, Mama."

Her voice trails after me as I leave. "I love you too."

It's not until I get into my room and the door shut behind me that I let the tears start to flow.

Chapter12

Maddox

Iget over to Emma's house around mid-morning. I no sooner get in the door and figure out that Emma has left. "What do you mean she's gone?" I ask.

Kate seems a little surprised. "She didn't tell you that she was leaving earlier this morning instead of this afternoon?"

I shake my head in frustration. "No, she said she wasn't supposed to leave until later. What happened?"

Kate looks at me almost angrily. She puts her hands on her hips. "Maddox, I want you to be honest with me. How do you feel about my daughter?"

I look at Bull and then back at Kate. There's no way I'm going to lie about this. "I love her. I've loved her since she was 18."

Kate crosses her arms over her chest. "Now, why does she think you don't like her?"

I think back to the night before and how I just left her. I no sooner got out the door and I was regretting it. I know I up fucked up again, but I was on edge last night, and I knew that if I came back, I wouldn't be able to resist touching her.

I thought I could cool down and we could talk about everything today. I point at Bull across the room. “I'm respecting his wishes.

Kate gasps and looks at Bull, "What did you do?"

Bull just shrugs his shoulders, not showing any remorse at all. “I told him to let her graduate before anything happens between them."

Kate throws her hands up in the air. "Are you kidding me right now? Bull, you saw her when she left here. She loves him and she thinks he's playing her."

I put my hands up, "Wait, she loves me?"

Kate shakes her head and looks at me like I'm crazy. "Yes, she loves you. She has for almost four years now.”

I look at Bull with determination. There's no way that I'm just going to let this go.

Kate walks over to Bull and points at me, "Tell him, tell him it's okay. She's a grown up. She doesn't need us butting in."

Bull looks down at his wife. "I know I'm only her stepfather, but she's my daughter in every sense of the word. I just wanted to protect her."

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