Page 155 of Messy Strokes (Wrecked Roommates)

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Maddie

“You comin’ to work, sweetheart?” Jos asks as soon as I answer my phone. Lying on the bed with Peanut hanging out in tummy time beside me, I rub my swollen eyes.

“You noticed I wasn’t there yesterday, huh?”

“The whole shop noticed. You gotta come in today. Everyone’s wondering where you are. And my books? They’re missing the spreadsheet girl.”

I roll my eyes. “Your spreadsheets are fine without me.”

“Bullshit. Come to the shop. Get out of the house.”

“I can’t leave Penny––”

“Bring her.”

My gaze shifts to my baby girl, her dimples on full display as she kicks her little legs and lifts her head, twisting so she can see me.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she looks exactly like her daddy.

I clear my throat and sit up, resting my back against the headboard and pulling my knees to my chest. It sucks. Not knowing what Jos knows. Not knowing what I can say or if I’m breaching Milo’s trust any more than I already have by talking to his boss.

What the hell am I supposed to do?

“Maddie? You still there?” Jos asks.

“I’m not sure coming in is a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not sure Milo would want me there in the first place.”

“It’s not his shop––”

“Yes, it is,” I counter, my voice laced with amusement. “You already gave him the papers, remember?”

“Hmph,” he grunts, clearly unsatisfied by the little tidbit.

I pat Penny’s diaper as she arches her back a little more. She’s getting so big. I feel like I blinked, and I already missed the newborn stage. Meaning Milo’s missing it too. Right now. He’s missing this. And I hate that he’s missing this.

“Did he fire you?” Jos asks.

I blink slowly, forcing myself to stay in the present instead of slipping back down the rabbit hole ofwhat-ifsas they’ve been drowning me for days.

“Well, no, but––”

“Then you should come to work. He isn’t here, anyway.”

“What?” I shift the phone to my other ear. “Where is he?”

“Took the week off, sweetheart.”

“Have you, uh, have you seen him at your place? In the shed?”

“Not once. Probably ‘cause he knows I’d hit him upside the head for hurting you. Come help me hold down the fort, will ya?”

Dropping my head to my knees, I rub the ache in my chest, but it does nothing to soothe it. “Do you think he took the week off so he wouldn't have to see me?”

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