Forever Love: A Friends to Lovers Collections Read online

  “Cookies?” Macon looked in Maddy’s basket. “Wait. No. Oatmeal raisin? For real?”

  “That was my response.” Colin laughed. “Why not chocolate chip?”

  “Exactly.” Macon looped his thumb in the front pocket of his jeans. The action brought my eyes down in that direction. I quickly glanced back up, but not before he caught me looking.

  “Are there going to be enough cookies for four?” Macon asked Maddy.

  “I thought you didn’t like oatmeal raisin cookies?” She raised an eyebrow.

  “I do, just not as much as chocolate chip. Besides, I can give you a ride home.”

  “I’m staying at Colin’s tonight?” She turned to my brother.

  “Uh, why wouldn’t you stay over? It’s not because of me, is it?” That would be my one way boot from Colin’s house. I sure hoped she didn’t insist on staying at home.

  “I just didn’t know if you guys wanted brother—sister time or something.”

  I jumped in quickly. “Nope. I’d rather hang out with you too.”

  “Ok. Then I don’t need a ride, and if you really want cookies I can bring them by tomorrow.”

  Macon shrugged. “Suit yourself. I should probably head home anyway. I have a six a.m. dive tomorrow.” Then he turned his attention to me. “And nice seeing you again, Carly.”

  “You too.” I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice. Colin would have jumped all over it.

  * * *

  Waking up to waffles cooking always put me in a good mood. As much as Colin pretended he didn’t want me around, he sure had a funny way of showing it. Making me my favorite breakfast on my first morning wasn’t going to make me want to leave. I’d struggled to pull myself from the soft sheets. I’d upgraded to nicer sheets my senior year, but they weren’t like these. I stepped into the in-suite bathroom before heading to the kitchen. I was positive the shower in my room would have a whole lot more water pressure than the one at school.

  “What’s the occasion?” I took a seat at the large island and watched him cook. He seemed to be handling everything just fine on his own.

  “You know, just thought I’d make you guys something.” He played it off as no biggie.

  “Where’s Maddy?” I got up, deciding I couldn’t wait any longer for a cup of coffee. I needed caffeine in the morning.

  “Still sleeping. She’s usually up by now, but I thought I’d let her sleep in.”

  I smiled. “Good decision. Now you can bring her breakfast in bed.”

  He poured batter onto the waffle maker. “Good idea. Could you make her a cup of tea?”

  “Yeah. Definitely.” I rifled through the cabinets until I found the stash of teas Colin kept for her. He never drank them himself.

  After settling on green tea, I walked around Colin to the sink and filled up the kettle. “What time are you going into work?”

  “I’m not.” He finished the first waffle and went to work on another. “It’s Saturday, remember?”

  “Since when did the day of the week dictate whether you went to work or not?” I knew my brother was trying to make more time for Maddy, but taking all of Saturday off seemed like a stretch.

  “Since Paris. Maddy’s working tonight, so I’ll get work done when she’s at the Grille.”

  “Are you okay with her bartending again?” I figured this might be my one chance to ask. I certainly wouldn’t ask in front of Maddy.

  “Sure. It seems to make her happy enough. She’s still trying to figure out what she wants to do.”

  I drank my coffee and put two waffles on my plate before Colin made a tray to bring up to Maddy. I figured I didn’t need to be involved in the delivery.

  “What’s really going on, Carly?” Colin pulled the syrup out of the fridge. It was the real maple kind that cost a fortune.

  “What do you think is going on?” I let some annoyance slip into my voice. Colin new exactly why I’d shown up on his door step.

  “You’re going to have to face her sometime.” He gave me a knowing look.

  “Easy for you to say.” I crossed my arms.

  He leaned on his elbows. “She’s your sister too.”

  “Don’t remind me.” I walked back to my room in a huff. I couldn’t afford to fight with Colin. He was the only one in my family who didn’t hate me.

  Macon

  I’m not a morning person. Dragging myself out of bed at the crack of dawn isn’t my idea of fun, but it’s completely worth it when I’m taking out a dive boat. I don’t know where it came from, but I have a love of water that runs deep. It’s like I come alive as soon as I disappear under the surface. It’s probably why I was still at my job as a dive instructor at a scuba shop nearly two years after arriving in the Outer Banks.

  “What’s up, man?” Ralph, another instructor at the shop, asked. He downed a cup of coffee like a parched man drinks water.

  “Not much. It’s too early, but what’s new?”

  He laughed. “Yeah. I hear you.” He held up his cup in evidence.

  I nodded before heading into the back to pick up some gear.

  “So, how’s Maddy?” Ralph tried to make it sound nonchalant, but I knew it wasn’t. I’d been an idiot to set him up on a date with my best friend and roommate. I’d purposely sabotaged it, and now he blamed that on why she wasn’t interested.

  “She’s fine. Still with Colin.”

  “Oh. Really?”

  “You can’t be surprised. She lived with him in Paris for months.”

  “Yeah, but he seems too uptight for her.”

  “Do you even know Maddy? She’s as type-A as they come.”

  “Really?” His eyes widened. “She doesn’t seem that way.”

  “I’ve known her for years. This whole wandering nomad thing is just a stage.” I’d said the same thing about myself at one point, but I was starting to doubt it.

  “Well, I guess it’s good she’s happy with him at least.”

  I laughed. “Say it like you mean it, man.”

  “Hey, I’ll give you the same treatment when you finally meet a girl you want to do more than fuck. Seriously man, is there really no one?”

  “Not now. What’s the point?” At his reference to sex my thoughts went immediately to Colin’s little sister. Had she really been that cute the first time I met her? Maybe it was that she wasn’t in college anymore. It’s funny how one piece of paper can change someone. A fleeting thought of that reddish brown hair of hers sprawled across my pillow came to mind. I only enjoyed the thought for a second. Bringing that image to reality would lead to trouble with Maddy. I’d learned at an early age that pissing off my best friend was a bad idea. Besides, Maddy seemed happy with Colin, and I wasn’t about to wreck that for her by sleeping with the sister.

  “Suit yourself. Get your crap together though, we’re running late.”

  “Yeah, I’m going.”

  * * *

  “I’ll take my usual.” I sat down on a stool at the outdoor Tikki bar at the Grille. Maddy was working, and I tried to stop by a few times a week to hang out. Otherwise we barely saw each other. Even living in the same condo, if your work hours don’t match, it’s hard to catch up. It also didn’t help that she had started spending almost every night with her boyfriend. I wasn’t sure why she hadn’t just moved in with him already.

  “One Long Island coming right up.” She tried to put some enthusiasm in her voice, but she didn’t sound like herself. I decided to ignore it. She’d tell me if there was something she needed to talk about. I could usually rely on her being open with me. I couldn’t say the same about myself lately. I’d been holding a hell of a lot back. I just didn’t want to put anything more on her plate.

  “Thanks, Sunshine.” I glanced around the crowded patio. Beach music played at a low level from the speakers, but the noise from the other customers mostly drowned it out.

  “Here you go.” She set the glass down in front of me.

  I took a long sip. “Thanks.” Maddy could mix
a mean Long Island iced tea. She was meticulous in her measuring, and she always seemed to get it right.

  “No problem.” She leaned back against the counter for about two seconds before a couple came over.

  “Two Shark Baits.” By the slur in the man’s voice this couldn’t be his first.

  Maddy examined them carefully, undoubtedly noticing the same potentially inebriated state. “Did you guys drive here?”

  “No. We’re staying at the Hampton down the street.”

  “Ok, cool.” She visibly relaxed. “One second.”

  I didn’t get a chance to talk to her much. The bar was hopping. I chatted with Mary, a cute waitress who’d been working at the Grille as long as I’d been in Corolla. She’d cancelled on me the one time I’d asked her out, and I was okay with it. There was no reason to make my visits to the Grille awkward. The first two summers I was at the beach I enjoyed the tourists, but I was bored with them now. It had been close to three years since I’d had any semblance of an actual relationship, and as hard as it was to admit, a part of me was kind of craving it. Maybe it was watching Maddy and Colin. Who knows?

  “Macon, could you watch the bar?” Maddy gripped the bar top and her face drained of color.

  “Sure.” Her request surprised me. She never let me behind the bar.

  “Thanks.” She dashed off. Something was definitely up with her. I just had to find out what it was.

  I walked back behind the bar and talked to my first customers. Thankfully they just wanted beer.

  “Hey,” a soft voice called.

  I glanced up from opening the beer to see Carly.

  “Hey there, how are you?” I couldn’t deny some excitement at seeing her again. She was wearing another one of her little sundresses. They showed off every one of her curves.

  “I’m doing well. I came by to say hi to Maddy. Where is she? She wasn’t at the inside bar either.”

  “She dashed off and asked me to watch the bar, so I am.”

  “How long has she been gone?” Concern crossed Carly’s face, and my suspicion grew.

  “Long enough. Want to check out the restroom? Maybe she’s sick or something.”

  “Ok, sure.” Carly hurried off inside.

  “A Sex on the Beach and a rum and Coke,” A middle aged woman flashed me a smile.

  “I’ll get your rum and Coke, but you’ll have to tell me what’s in a Sex on the Beach.”

  “Oh. I think you know.” She rolled her tongue over her teeth in what I think was supposed to be a suggestive gesture.

  “Uh, I don’t actually know the ingredients. If you don’t mind waiting, Maddy will be back soon.”

  “It’s vodka and peach schnapps with orange and cranberry juice. But, you can make it any way you like.” She raised an eyebrow.

  With perfect timing as always Carly and Maddy returned.

  “Sorry. What can I get you?” Maddy shot the customer a smile.

  The customer didn’t even look at her. “Oh, he’s got me taken care of.”

  “Is that so?” Maddy attempted to keep a straight face.

  “Yes. He seems more than capable.” The woman zeroed her gaze in on my arms.

  “Oh yes, Macon is very capable.” Maddy grinned at me. She was definitely enjoying the show.

  “I was just telling him to put a spin on a Sex on the Beach. I’d love to see his take on it.”

  Carly snickered. “I’d like to see that too.”

  I glanced at her. Was she talking about the drink?

  I bumbled around behind the bar searching for the ingredients before Maddy put me out of my misery. “I’ll take care of it. Is it just the one Sex on the Beach, or did you want anything else?”

  The woman composed herself, probably realizing I wasn’t flirting back. “A rum and Coke, as well.”

  Maddy quickly made the drinks. The woman paid and walked off.

  “Think the rum and Coke was for her husband?” Carly asked.

  “Probably,” Maddy mumbled.

  “Are you doing okay?” I watched Maddy carefully, she wasn’t as pale.

  “Yeah. I’m just feeling under the weather.”

  “Why don’t you see if you can close up early? Max won’t care.” If I were sick the last thing I’d have wanted to do was serve drunk tourists more booze.

  “It’s too busy for that. And obviously I can’t have you cover for me.”

  I glanced at my watch. “It’s getting late anyway.”

  “Late? It’s not even eleven.”

  “I guess I’m getting old. Either that or it’s the fact that I’ve been up since five a.m.” I cracked my knuckles.

  Carly laughed again. She had a cute laugh.

  “Is Colin still working?” Maddy wiped down the counter even though it didn’t need to be cleaned.

  Carly nodded. “Yeah. He’s taking this whole only working when you work on the weekend’s thing seriously, isn’t he?”

  “It’s a nice compromise. Otherwise we don’t get quality time together.”

  “Was Paris amazing?” Carly finally took a seat on the stool next to me. She’d been standing.

  Maddy leaned over on her elbows. “I already told you it was great.”

  “I know, but we haven’t talked without my brother.”

  “We had a really good time. It’s definitely an adjustment to be back though.”

  “Yeah, you don’t have room service anymore.” I gave Carly a knowing look. “This girl can’t cook for anything.”

  “So I’ve heard. But she can bake. Did you try one of her cookies?” Carly twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.

  “No, I forgot about those.” I’d been more concerned with who Maddy was with rather than what she was doing at the store.

  “There’s a whole container of them in the kitchen. I dropped them off this morning.” Maddy leaned back against the counter again. And like magic her moment of relaxation was ruined as four people walked over.

  She sighed and strode over to them. “Hey guys, can I help you?”

  I turned to Carly. Maddy was busy, so I figured it was only polite to entertain her guest. “So, how long are you in town for?”

  She sipped her drink. It was some sort of martini. “I’m not sure. As long as Colin lets me crash at his place I guess.”

  “So, for the whole summer?” That could be a fun change of pace.

  “That’s up to Colin. I don’t think he’s going to love me cramping his style with Maddy for that long though.”

  “It’s not like she lives with him.” Although she might as well have been.

  “True, but that’s the problem. He wants her to.”

  “And she wants to. I’m pretty sure she has commitment issues or something.”

  Carly laughed dryly. “They are nothing compared to Colin’s work issues.”

  “He’s been better about that though.” I had to give the guy some credit. He understood having Maddy was worth changing his ways. She deserved to be treated like the queen she was, not a side item. Don’t get me wrong, my feelings for Maddy were completely platonic, but she was my best friend for a reason. An awesome girl deserves a guy who realizes just how great she is.

  “So I’ve heard.” Carly took another long sip of her drink. The motion brought my attention to her pink glossy lips.

  I decided to go out on a limb despite the fact that it would probably annoy Maddy. “Hey, why don’t I give you my number in case you want to give Maddy and Colin some space sometime?” The line hadn’t sounded quite that lame when I first thought of it.

  “Space?” She eyed me skeptically.

  “Yeah. We can hang out or something.”

  “Oh. Sure.” She smiled. “Colin would love to get me out of his hair for a night. Just let me know when and where.”

  “Can I get your number? That might make it easier.” I pulled out my phone.

  “Sure.” She read it off to me, and I dialed her.

  “Thanks.” She typed something on her phone. I h
oped she was adding me as a contact. I knew things wouldn’t go anywhere with Carly, especially since Maddy would probably get annoyed if they did, but it couldn’t hurt to spend some time hanging out with a pretty girl. Especially one who wasn’t a tourist.

  “What are you thanking him for?” Maddy finally returned. The off season was definitely over. The crowds were back.

  “For giving me his phone number.” Carly gave Maddy this wide eyed look I couldn’t read. I’m sure it was some sort of girl code.

  I understood the look Maddy gave me loud and clear. It was tread carefully. “Oh did he?”

  I pushed my empty glass toward Maddy. “On that note, I’m out of here.” I touched Carly’s shoulder gently. “Great seeing you again. Have a nice night.” I winked at Maddy and left before she could respond.

  I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but I had a good feeling about it. It was time for a change.

  Carly

  “Now that Macon’s gone you can tell me what’s really going on with you.” I’d found Maddy holding onto to the sink in the bathroom like it was a life line. I was pretty sure she’d just been sick. I’d held my tongue until Macon had disappeared from view.

  She didn’t reply at first. I set aside my drink. I wasn’t having another because I had to drive home.

  Maddy understood without me telling her. She was like that, always anticipating someone’s needs. “Want a soda or something?”

  “How about a water?”

  “I think I can manage that.” She filled a glass from a bottle of water and set it down in front of me.

  “Don’t think that getting me water gets you out of talking to me.”

  “No, but they do.” She nodded toward a group of women heading over to the bar. They looked to be in their thirties. It was probably a girls-weekend group.

  “Fine, but you’re telling me eventually.” I didn’t know Maddy that well, but I knew her well enough to care. I also had a feeling whatever was up involved my brother. Considering he was the only member of the family I was on speaking terms with, I needed to do what I could to help.