Page 53 of Half Baked

“It’s not that bad,” I grumbled, taking another long pull from my beer.

“Trust me, it is. What are you going to do about your mother?”

“She obviously can’t stay,” I said with a sigh. “So I’ll head home in the morning and tell her it’s time for her to go back to Memphis.”

He burst out laughing. “If I tried something like that with my mother, she’d kick my ass into next week.”

I lifted a brow. “Well, Laura Langley is a completely different woman than Matilda Forrester.”

“Thank God for that. There can only be one Matilda Forrester.”

I held up my nearly empty beer bottle. “Amen.”

We sat in silence for several long seconds before Lance broke the silence. “What are you going to do about Maddie?”

I almost told him he was out of line asking me that question, but I decided to be forthright. “Well, first I’m going to beg her forgiveness for putting her through that nightmare and pray to God that she forgives me.”

“She will,” he said confidently. “But what about after that?”

“I’ve already copped to being an asshole over the past few weeks. She’s the one who wants to put our relationship on the back burner while we investigate her mother’s murder. She may decide to keep it that way…except…”

He sat up straighter. “Except what?”

“She kissed me when she left.”

Excitement filled his eyes. “She did?”

“Yeah…” I relived the moment in my head. “It was just a peck, but it was on the mouth. I offered to leave with her, but she told me to reassure my mom because she was scared. Then she kissed me and walked out of the tavern.”

“She hasn’t written you off yet.”

“Maybe after she stews on it with Mallory, she’ll realized she’s a hell of a lot better off without me.” I drew in a deep breath. “Can’t say I’d blame her. She may not think I’m a good bet.”

Lance seemed to ponder my statement as he sipped his beer. “There are no guarantees in this life, my friend. You, of all people, should know that. Take happiness when and where you can. And give Maddie happiness while you’re getting it. Make sure she knows you’re all in. No backpedaling. That’s what she wants, Noah. A man who will be there for her, no matter what.”

I mulled over his advice for a few moments. There was no denying I hadn’t been that man, but I wanted to be. I just needed her to show her. “Thanks. That’s actually good advice.”

“Of course it is,” he said with a shit-eating grin. “People underestimate me all the time.”

“And still just as humble as this morning,” I said with a grin.

“What are you talking about? I’m ten times more humble than I was this morning.” Lance burst out laughing, then sobered. “So what’s your plan?”

“I need to apologize for my mother—and for not handling that situation better.” I glanced at the nearly empty second beer bottle. “But I’m in no shape to drive, and I doubt she wants to see me in person.”

“There’s this new-fangled thing called a cell phone,” he said, his brows lifted playfully.

“You’re a dick.”

“But you love me anyway.”

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. “I don’t know what to say to her. There’s nothing I can say that will make what happened right.”

“Then tell her that. Reiterate that you’re sorry she had to go through it. Tell her you’ll never let your mother treat her like that again. Tell her you love her.”

I gave him a hard stare. “We’re not at that stage. We’re not even really dating right now.” But I knew I did love her, I’d just smothered it with my fear.

“So tell her how much she means to you, you dick.”

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