Page 17 of The Puck Secret

“Your sister is right, the Thorne’s are a good family, she needs to lock him down before it’s too late and he finds someone better.” My mother’s words are as tactless as always, and I have to catch myself before I roll my eyes.

“She is barely even twenty,” Josh spits out in disgust, and I watch as the truth starts settling in his mind, as he stares between our parents before shifting his gaze back to mine.

My smile is weak, but when he slumps back in his chair in defeat, I know he realizes there is something deeper going on here. I know I will have to come clean to him at some point, but this ridiculous forced dinner isn't the time or place.

Of course my mom doesn’t notice him backing down and just responds to his statement. “I was already engaged to your father at that age,” she purrs, and I fight the urge to say yeah and look where that got you. “Madeline needs to get a move on and lock the Thorne boy down.”

This time instead of refuting her, it’s my grandma that chuckles as she tops off yet another glass of wine. “Are you that impatient with your husband? Because if so, it’s no wonder he fucked his secretary.”

“That’s enough!” My father’s voice booms down from the head of the table, and I put down my fork and use my napkin to dab the side of my mouth. “Madeline and I have discussed this matter in private and it has been decided, we will announce the engagement at Christmas.”

His words settle over the table and push us all into silence for the rest of the meal. I can feel Josh’s stare on me repeatedly, but I make a point of not looking at him until we have eaten dessert and the plates are being cleared. My mother excuses herself first, grabbing a bottle of liquor on the way out as my father sighs. He is the next to leave, quoting business phone calls as he storms away to his office. Grandma is already sleeping in her chair, so I slip out without a word, Josh right on my heels.

If I thought I would get away without his interrogation I was wrong, because as soon as we make it outside, he is grabbing my arm and pushing me towards the garage where our cars are. When we reach it, he spins me around and demands, “Explain.”

I sigh, “It’s fine, Josh, I swear.”

“Fine?” he repeats with a huff, “Nothing is fine about you agreeing to marry Bradley fucking Thorne, the guy is a fucking creep, Madeline.”

I can’t even disagree with him on that one, not with memories of him fucking the waitress and grabbing my arm still so fresh in my mind. Josh is staring at me like he can see right through me, and he is one of the only people I can trust in this world. I can’t lie to him anymore. “If I don’t marry him, dad is going to cut me off.”

Shock flares in his eyes, and he stumbles back a step as the reality of the situation drops between us. He knows as well as I do what that would mean. I’m not the only one in this family being pressed on to receive our father’s approval. Josh gets a little more freedom thanks to his skill at hockey, but he is under just as much pressure as I am. He knows if I don’t do this, that I wouldn’t be able to afford FU. I wouldn’t have anywhere to live, my car would be gone. I’d be forced to drop out of college and find a job to support myself, and given that our dad has an in with most businesses in town, I expect that would be a hard thing to find.

He sighs, stepping forward and pulling me in for a bone crushing hug, that I can’t help but sink into. “It will be fine, Mads, we will think of something, I promise.”

His words don’t bring me any comfort, yet still when he pulls away I force a small smile to my lips and nod. “I have to go, Hallie is waiting for me,” I lie, just because I know I need to get away from here before I fall apart. “Call you later?” I add, so he doesn’t feel like I am just blowing him off, and he nods.

I fight back my tears and move around my car to get inside, smiling more and offering him a little wave of my hand as I pull out of the long driveway. When he finally disappears from my rearview mirror I let myself break. The drive back to my house is silent, as tears fall down my cheeks and I feel myself spiraling out of control, as countless thoughts assault my mind.

What if I just drove out of town and left?

What if I crashed the car and hurt myself?

What if I used the car to run Brad over?

All viable options, and when I pull up back in front of my own house I wonder if I should let any of them win, especially the one that involves Brad getting acquainted with my fender. Shaking the image from my head, I grab my purse and climb out of the car and head inside, nodding my head to Julian who has just pulled up behind me. He’s ex-military. Maybe I can hire him to take out Brad for me, that would be fun.

When I get inside I notice the house is quiet, and I am a little disappointed that Hallie isn’t here. But when I pull out my phone I find a message from her that I missed during dinner, that said she is heading to the library to study. She loves the library, so I reply with a couple of heart emojis so I don’t distract her into coming home because of my family drama, and then I head upstairs and throw myself onto my bed.

I’m not sure how long I lay there, but it’s long enough to make me feel like my life is falling apart, and instead of reaching for my journal and writing about my day like my therapist tells me to, I reach for my phone instead.

Maddie: Do you think your dick is good enough to erase a dinner from hell?

To my delight his reply is almost instant, and as soon as I read it I feel the pressure on my chest releasing.

The Lonely Charm: I’ll conduct a survey and get back to you. Bad day?

Maddie: You have no idea.

The Lonely Charm: Wanna tell me about it?

Maddie: Not really

The Lonely Charm: Fair enough, how about a distraction instead?

Maddie: Sure why not

The Lonely Charm: Are you alone?

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