Page 57 of Half Baked

Mallory snatched it before I could reach it and answered, putting the call on speaker. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, asshole.”

He hesitated for less than a second. “Mallory, I deserve that. I should have taken Maddie and left the moment my mother started in. I stayed because Maddie insisted, but I now realize she was trying to please my mother. I should have just left, and I hate that Maddie went through that for me.” He paused. “Is she there? Can I apologize to her?”

“I’m here,” I said, fresh tears stinging my eyes as I held Mallory’s gaze.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice tight. “You have no idea how sorry I am.”

I closed my eyes, fighting tears. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Noah.”

“I disagree with that.”

I turned off the speaker phone and picked up the cell, sliding off the bed and going into the bathroom. I shut the door and pressed my back against it. “Noah, I don’t blame you for any of it.Iwanted to stay and try to change her mind about me.”

“I dropped her off at my house and came over to Lance’s. I’m spending the night here because I can’t stomach the idea of sleeping in the same house as her.”

“Noah,” I breathed out. “She’s your mom. Don’t let me come between you two.”

“This isn’t about you, Maddie. I know it came across that way, and she’s got a lot of apologizing to do to you, but this is about…”

“She wants you to come back to Memphis,” I finished.

“Yeah, but it’s more than that.”

“Your dad.”

He was quiet for several long seconds. “Yeah. And what happened over Christmas.” He let out a ragged breath. “I can’t control my family, but they are part of me. I’m sorry for that. I won’t stand for them to treat you like shit, and next time something this happens we’ll leave. But they’ll still be there, festering in the background.”

An image of the impeccably dressed Laura Langley came to mind. “I wouldn’t say your mother was festering,” I teased half-heartedly.

“We’ll agree to disagree,” he said, and I was relieved to hear the smile in his voice.

“I don’t hold your mother’s behavior against you, Noah.”

“Maddie, you’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long, long time. Nothing’s going to dissuade me from that.”

My stomach felt like I’d just plunged down a hill in a roller coaster. “We’re supposed to be just friends right now,” I said breathlessly.

“And I will be that for you, if that’s you want,” he said. “I’ll take you any way I can get you.” His voice lowered. “And for the record, I still have some major groveling to do for not preparing you for that ambush.” He paused. “I shouldn’t have let you walk out the door alone. I should have gone with you out of solidarity.”

“I needed a moment or twenty to calm down,” I said, “and honestly, I needed to do it without you.” I paused. “I hope that doesn’t hurt your feelings.”

“No, I understand. I should have come over after I dropped my mother at my house, but I came to Lance’s to decompress first, and now I’ve had three beers and can’t drive. I’m sorry about that too.”

“No apology needed. I just finished my second glass of wine.” I smiled softly to myself. “You need your space, and I need mine.”

“I miss you,” he said, the words barely a whisper.

“You spent all day with me,” I said with a laugh. “And tonight too.”

“I mean like we were before I left for Christmas.”

His statement caught me by surprise. I hesitated, scared I’d send him running again, but I was going to be honest. And if he went running, so be it. “I miss the way we were too. But we can’t be together if you’re going to only stick around for a few weeks, then disappear for nearly a month.”

He was silent for several seconds, and his voice was husky when he spoke. “I’m not going anywhere, Maddie. I swear. I’m done running.”

“Don’t make any hasty decisions because you feel guilty about the way your mother treated me.”

“I’m not, I swear. I’ve felt like this all day, but I know I’ve hurt you and I know I have to prove I’m worthy of your trust. I know I’m not there yet, Maddie, but I want another chance with you.”

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