Fling

I giggle as Maddox lifts me in a bridal hold and carries me to the door. “What are you doing?”
He stops and stares at me. His smile is as big as his heart.
“I’m taking you home.”
I’ve never heard four more beautiful words in my life.

“I’ve been yours since I cut the gum out of your hair. Will you be mine forever?” He opens a small box. “Please be my legal wife?”
I laugh through the tears. “Are you just wanting another honeymoon?”
“Every day will be a honeymoon with you, Birdie.”

“Are you being a smart-ass?”
“Smart, yes. An ass? Maybe also yes.”

“This is about Ashley. We’re on a break,” I say.
“That’s very Friends of you, Ross.”
What?
“Never mind,” she says.

“I didn’t call you at home yesterday to talk about it. But now you’re here, so talk.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Did I pose that as a question? Weird. I don’t remember doing that.”

Mom sits stoically in front of me, proof that situations don’t break people. People break people.

“Ashley Thompson is your girl. You can do something about that or not. But if not, prepare to eternally torture yourself and watch her wind up with some other guy who won’t treat her nearly as nice as you but does have the balls to say she’s his.”

“Okay, seriously,” he says. “I know you had a great time because she’s awesome and you’re acceptable. I mean, you’re not me, but you’re not Jess either. You’re a good middle ground.”
I look at him and laugh again. He’s a nut.

She’s why I’ve never settled down. She’s why I’ve never felt anything with anyone else. She’s why I could never see myself married or with kids because it was never with her.

“Fine. But you promise me that you won’t drift away from me like you do everyone else because you don’t want to put the work in to building something real.”
I flinch. “I don’t do that.”
“No, you do. You’ve had so many women who would’ve loved to try something with you, and you just keep it so loose so they don’t get too close.”
I swallow. That’s not what I do. I keep them loose because they aren’t you.