Page 23 of Haven

“So, Chloe Ryan?” Maddie asks as she sits down next to me.

I force my eyes from Ashlyn and the tool she’s dancing with, who can’t keep his hands off her, and glare at my sister. Yeah ... I’m not in the mood for a lecture. “What about her?”

“Nothing... I’m just surprised.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. We’re just friends. I bumped into her in the lobby, and we came up here together.” I nod over toward the other side of the room, where she’s talking with Lenny and Bash.

“Whatever... Chloe’s awesome. Why don’t you ask her out on an actual date?”

“Sunshine...” Hudson hands Maddie a glass of water, then sits down next to us. “Leave the man alone.”

She leans her head on her husband’s shoulder and yawns. “I can’t help that I worry about you. I just want you to be happy, big brother.”

“Who says I’m not happy?” My little sister is so deliriously in love that she thinks everyone else needs to be too. “And it’s not your job to worry about me, remember?”

“Brandon...”

“Leave him alone, Mads,” Hudson chides.

“Yeah. Leave me alone, Mads.” I push back from the table and put my tux coat back on. “I think I’m about done for the night, guys.”

Maddie stands up, clearly upset, and follows me into the hall as I wait for the elevator. “Brandon, I wasn’t trying to piss you off. I just hate seeing you alone.”

I push the down button again, already getting impatient. “I’m not mad. Just tired. It’s been a long week, and I’ve got a lot on my mind. Okay?”

“Come on...” she pushes, and hallelujah, the elevator door dings. I reach in and grip it, holding it open.

There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell I’m going to stand here longer than I have to. Maddie’s scrappy. Give her too long, and she’ll have me agreeing to anything just to be a pain in my ass. “Give it a rest, Mads. I smiled for the cameras and made the rounds. I’m done. I want to go home and get the hell out of this tux. I want to sleep for the next twenty-four hours. Kiss my nieces for me. I’ll see you guys soon.” I drop a kiss on the top of her head and step onto the gilded elevator car.

This hotel is ancient, with classic old architecture and golden accents.

It’s something I’d have loved to design had football not worked out for me.

Maddie plants her hands on her hips, glaring. “One of these days, you’re going to have to be an active participant in your life instead of watching from the sidelines, Brandon. You should try it. Who knows... maybe you’d actually like it.”

“Good night, Madison.” The doors begin to slide closed as a soft voice catches my attention.

“Hold the elevator...”

My hand jolts out, stopping the doors just before they meet, and pushes them back open as Ashlyn Kingston rushes in. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” I mumble because that’s what this woman reduces me to.Mumbling.

I wasn’t lying when I said I wasn’t interested in finding anyone.

Butthis woman... well , let’s just say she makes me wish I was.

Every step she takes is as delicate and graceful today as it was a lifetime ago.

She moves to the back of the elevator and closes her eyes, while I just stand there like a fucking idiot, watching her as the elevator moves from the fifty-ninth floor. Her fingers wrap around her purse, white knuckling it as her breathing hitches in her throat.

“Not a fan of elevators?”

Fucking genius observation, asshole.

Her eyes flutter open and meet mine. “Not the biggest fan of small spaces.” She forces a laugh as the car jerks to a stop three floors down, and a younger couple steps on. They can’t be much older than nineteen, from the looks of it. And the way this dude kisses his girl as soon as the doors close makes me feel bad for her.

Is he trying to swallow her entire face?

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