Page 15 of Echoes of You

Maddie stepped back. “Of course. All I have is Coke, water, and milk for drink options, though.”

“I already had a beer while waiting for our pizza. Coke’s good.”

“You can put the box on my super awesome picnic table in the dining room.”

I frowned at the space. “When is the rest of the furniture being delivered?” I’d thought for sure it would come today.

She shrugged. “I really just need a couch. I’ve got a bed.”

“Jordan is a piece of work,” I grumbled.

“He’s really not. He told me this place was rough, but I was desperate.”

“You know you can always come stay in my guest room.”

It was a dangerous proposition, but I’d always played with fire when it came to Maddie. The truth was, I’d never felt more at peace than when my body was wrapped around hers. Never slept better. But those days were long gone. And, damn, I missed them.

Maddie grabbed a couple of plates and two Cokes and met me at the picnic table. “It’s not that bad. And I like the idea of making the place mine. It can be whatever I dream up.”

I frowned at her as I slid onto the bench. “You couldn’t do that with your last place?”

If I’d blinked, I would’ve missed the slight hitch in Maddie’s movement as she lowered herself to the spot next to me.

“Adam and I had different tastes.”

Just his name annoyed me. And as I studied my best friend, I had a feeling this was only the tip of the iceberg. “He didn’t let you do what you wanted to your house?”

Maddie flipped open the lid to the pizza box, the scents of cheese and meat filling the air. “It was our home, so we had to compromise. I won’t have to do that here. It’ll be all mine.”

Why did I have a feeling there was little compromise when it came to the douchebag?

“How was SAR training?” she asked, clearly wanting to change the subject.

I didn’t push. I didn’t want to talk about the jerk-off anyway. Grabbing my own slice of pizza, I pulled it to my plate. “Good. We’ve got a solid new crop of recruits. Dan McConnell and Kevin Sellers tried out this year.”

Maddie’s fingers stilled as she moved to pop the top on her soda. “They don’t exactly strike me as team players.”

“Because they’re not. Holt scratched them from the list five minutes in.”

“Probably a good idea. You guys need to work as a unit.”

I nodded, taking a bite of pizza. “Once you’re settled, you should hook up with the K9 handlers. I’m sure they could use your expertise.”

A shadow passed over Maddie’s gaze, and my muscles tensed, bracing. “What?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m just rusty, is all.”

I stared at the woman I’d known for practically my whole life. She’d always had a way with animals, but dogs in particular. I’d lost track of how many strays had found their way to her door. Whether they were timid or aggressive, she could always find a way to reach them. She’d volunteered at our county’s humane society and learned how to work with the creatures from a trainer there. But it was more than that. It was a gift.

The idea that Maddie hadn’t had an outlet that was so much a piece of her soul grated on me. “Why?”

She toyed with a piece of crust. “Just got busy, I guess.”

Her voice was soft now, as if carrying a coating of shame. Everything in me clenched. “Well, you’ll have time now.”

Maddie’s head lifted, a small smile playing on her lips. “I will.”

Just that tiny curve of her mouth had the tension bleeding out of me. “Damn straight.”

---