Page 29 of Beyond Oblivion

She shook her head. “Good. Because we’re never going to talk about this again.”

I nodded. “Right. Okay, done.”

She put her hand on mine. “Drive safe.”

I drove home with my head against the headrest, a dozen emotions swirling inside me. Abby was right, she was supernaturally observant, and she would’ve caught on quickly that I had suspicions. If I hadn’t told her, she would’ve tried to calculate who else I’d mentioned my theory to without being able to ask. Ironically, that total calamity of a half-assed discussion had been the best way.

I pulled into the drive, seeing Trenton standing at the door waiting for me.

“Yes, I was careful driving home,” I said with a smile.

“How was Abby?” he asked, kissing my cheek.

“Annoyingly beautiful for wearing seven layers of skin care and being swallowed by a raggedy robe.”

I peeled off my jacket and put down my purse and keys, immediately noticing Trenton hovering.

“What’s up with you?”

Trenton watched me for a moment, and then he laced his fingers on top of his head. “I need to tell you something, and you’re gonna be pissed.”

I arched one brow. “Well, you’re not the cheating kind. Did you commit a felony between the shop and home?”

“No,” he said, insulted.

I wrapped my arms around his middle, but he didn’t hug me back. “You caught me on a good night. I’ve realized even the hardest discussions are worth having. So, tell me why you smell like someone else’s perfume.”

He hugged me then. “I didn’t cheat on you.”

“I know,” I said, looking up at him.

“And Lachlan can back me up. He was there.”

I frowned. “Okay, now I’m confused.”

He let me go and began pacing. “I’ve been trying to think of how to tell you, and in every scenario, you hate me.”

I sat down on the sofa. “Spit it out, Maddox.”

“Madison.”

I rolled my eyes.

Trenton held out his hands, stepping toward me. “No, don’t do that. It is nothing like what you’re thinking, I swear.”

“Did she come up with some excuse to get you to come to her apartment and then get close enough to rub her perfume on you so I’d smell it whether or not she manipulated you into her bed?”

He stood up taller, looking up at the ceiling as he considered my words. “Holy shit, I hadn’t even thought about that part.”

“Just give me the quick n’ dirty, baby. I’m tired.”

He breathed out a laugh, unable to hide the utter shock from his expression. “I fuckin’ love you.”

I grinned. “I know.”

“Okay, well, there’s no dirty, but the quick is that Maddie showed up at the shop as I was leaving. She said her ex was stalking her, that he was at her apartment and wouldn’t leave. I followed her home, had words with the dude—who ended up being some skinny kid named Aaron, not the Dayton guy—and realized pretty quick she’d set it all up. She… tried to kiss me. I told her it was never gonna happen and to not come by the shop or contact me again.”

“So, why was Lachlan there?”

---