Chapter Two

Madison froze like a deer in the crosshairs. What the hell was Ryder doing here? And what sort of messed up karma was the world dishing out that she had to wait on him? I hate my life. Not that she was complaining about having to look at him again, but he reminded her too much of her father and Will and the life they felt she needed to live—a life she’d been running from for three years. Ryder was everything she vowed to avoid: rich, handsome, charming. Too bad her lady parts didn’t get the memo, though. Her body was throbbing in a way it never had before, and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

“Um, do you guys know what you want?” she asked. Her voice was weak and hoarse. She cleared her throat, letting her gaze settle on anyone but Ryder. Seriously, what kind of name was Ryder anyway? A dead sexy one that would be fun to cry out during sex. Her face and neck flamed with warmth. She needed to get away from this table and Ryder as fast as possible. Maybe she could convince Erica to switch sections with her.

“We’ll have two large pizzas with extra cheese, mushrooms, and pepperoni,” said the guy to her right. “And another pitcher of beer.”

Madison jotted down their order on her notepad, then nodded. “Anything else?”

“I hope you’re more graceful with hot food than you are with books,” Ryder said, humor lacing his words.

Her head jerked toward him. He sat sideways in the chair, his arm draped over the back, completely relaxed with an easy smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Despite her best efforts not to, her gaze lowered to his chest and torso, lingering much too long on his muscles. She swallowed hard, unsure how to respond in a way that wouldn’t cost her this job. Tucking her notepad into her apron, she gave him the sweetest smile she could muster.

“It’s not the food you have to worry about. But those pitchers of beer…they can get awful heavy.” She winked, then turned on her heel and walked away. Behind her, she heard the guys laughing and asking what that was all about.

Her heart was firmly lodged in her throat by the time she got back to the kitchen. She entered their order into the computer. Her damn hands were shaking. It wasn’t fair how a guy she’d only seen twice could have such an impact on her, especially a guy who was the epitome of everything she hated. Christ, his designer clothes cost more than she’d earn all semester working at both of her jobs.

“Hey, you okay?” Erica tilted her head. “Your face is red.”

“Yeah, I think I just need some air. Care if I take five?” Madison was already untying her apron. It was a Thursday night, and although all the college kids had returned, the pizzeria wasn’t busy.

“Sure. Are your tables waiting on anything?”

“Yeah, table six needs another basket of wings and a pitcher of beer.”

Erica rose up on her tiptoes to look through the small window that separated the kitchen and dining area. “Oh, that table full of hotties?”

“That’s the one.”

“I’ll take care of ‘em.” She laughed and patted Madison’s arm. “Go take a breather.”

“Thanks.” Madison took off her apron, tossing it under the counter, and rushed out the back door. She leaned against the building, taking several deep breaths until her heartrate slowed, and her face no longer felt like a furnace.

Pull it together, girl. She rubbed her hands over her face then down her hair, smoothing it back. She’d only had this job for two weeks, and she couldn’t afford to get fired because she was having a weird reaction to some guy she’d just met. Her cell phone vibrated in her back pocket, startling her from her thoughts. She’d rushed here from the bookstore and had forgotten to put her phone with her personal belongings in the back room. Good thing her boss hadn’t noticed.

She pulled her phone out and dialed her voicemail. “Hey, Maddie. It’s me, Heather.” Madison’s stomach clenched. Growing up, she and Heather had been closer than sisters, but she hadn’t heard from her cousin in months. “I have something super important to tell you. Please call me as soon as you get this.”

The second message began to play… “Madison, it’s your mother. It’s imperative that we speak.”

You’re not my mother. The unbidden words whispered through her thoughts. Madison draped her free arm across her stomach and doubled over. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on edge, and her heart raced even faster. First Heather and now her stepmother? What was going on? She hadn’t spoken to her stepmother since the day she walked out of her father’s house, and the very sound of her voice now made Madison’s insides burn.

Straightening, she glanced toward the back door. She’d already been out here for three minutes, and she didn’t have much time left, but there was no way she’d be able to concentrate on work without knowing what was up. But talking to her stepmother would be worse than not knowing. She dialed Heather’s number, and she answered on the first ring.

“Thank you so much for calling me back. I was worried you wouldn’t.” Heather laughed nervously.

“You said you had something important to tell me. What’s going on?” She didn’t have time for idle chitchat, and she really didn’t want to risk getting sucked into the last argument they’d had. She glanced toward the back door again, expecting to find Erica standing there, tapping her foot impatiently, demanding Madison get back inside.

“I’m getting married!”

Her eyes widened. “What? When?” Madison sighed heavily. Well, that would explain why her stepmother had called, too. Although, she hadn’t realized Heather was dating anyone seriously. Then again, Madison hadn’t exactly stayed in touch, either. “I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “That’s great news, Heather. Congratulations!”

“Thanks. I know we’re not as close as we used to be, but I’d really like you to be my maid of honor.”

She rubbed her forehead, praying the ache she felt wouldn’t turn into a migraine. It was on the tip of her tongue to say, “thanks but no thanks,” because being maid of honor came with a laundry list of responsibilities, and how could Madison fulfill those duties when she was in a completely different state? “I don’t know, Heather…” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I mean, I’m flattered you asked, I really am, but—”

“The wedding is in three weeks.”

“Three weeks?” she shouted, her voice cutting through the quiet air, momentarily startling herself. “And you’re just now calling me?”

“I know. I’m sorry. It all sorta happened so fast… Please, Madison? It would mean a lot to me.”

Yeah. Right. Madison snorted, then cupped her hand over her mouth. The last time they’d spoken, she recalled Heather telling her to “fuck off” and “stop acting like she was a big shot for getting out of town and going to a fancy college.” Maybe this was Heather’s way of making amends without having to actually apologize.

“You can stay with me, if you want, and you don’t have to stay that long. The bachelorette party will be Friday, and the wedding is Saturday. Besides, I know your parents will be happy to see you.”

She doubted that. The day she’d walked out of her parents’ house neither of them had made any effort to stop her. In fact, it was her dad who’d shouted that if Madison left, she’d be disowned. As far as she was concerned, she no longer had any family.

“Are you still there?” Heather asked.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“I miss you,” she said softly. “We used to be best friends.”

Madison missed Heather, too, but she did not want to go home. Or rather, she didn’t want to face her parents, but she couldn’t, in good conscience, miss Heather’s wedding. “Okay. Let me talk to my boss and see if I can get a few days off, but I’ll only be able to stay the weekend. I can’t miss classes.” Getting home to Vegas was a completely different problem, but she’d deal with that later.

Heather let out an excited squeal. “Thank you!”

“Look, I gotta get back to work. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay. Mad love, Maddie.”

She laughed at their childhood endearment. “And you’ll always be my special feather, Heather.” Ending the call, she forced all thoughts of her parents and returning home to the back of her mind. Shit. She never did find out who Heather was marrying. That would have to wait until she called her back.

Taking a deep breath, she went inside. The place was loud and packed. She groaned, knowing it was going to be a long night.

“Table six’s order is up,” Erica said as she rushed by with a tray full of food.

Madison quickly retied her apron around her waist, grabbed the two pizzas, and headed toward her customers. She set the steaming hot food in the middle of the table and noticed Ryder wasn’t there. A brief moment of relief settled over her, but then she was hit with a wave of disappointment. Had he left?

“How’re you doing on drinks? Can I get you something else?” She reached for the empty beer pitcher. The pizzeria had a strict three-limit rule for alcohol, and she couldn’t serve them another. Hopefully, they wouldn’t make a big deal out of it like some of the other college kids did.

“We’ll take a round of soda. Whatever you have,” said the guy sitting near the window.

“Coming right up.” She turned to leave. With how busy the place now was, she was going to have to move fast. At least the tips would be decent. Not that college kids tipped very well, but there were a lot of families here tonight, and they always left larger tips. And with a trip to Vegas in her very near future, she needed every spare dime she could get.

“Tables ten and eleven are yours if you want them,” Erica said as she made another pass by the front counter. “They just came in, so they need menus and drinks.”

“I’ll take them.” Madison grabbed four glasses and filled them to the top with ice and soda. Collecting a stack of napkins, she placed everything on the tray, prepared to deliver them to the table.

“Guess who got a phone number tonight?” Erica pulled a folded piece of paper from her bra and grinned.

Madison shook her head. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

Erica titled her head in the direction of Ryder’s table. “The uber hot one with the dark hair sitting by the window.”

Ryder had dark hair. And was sitting by the window. Madison’s chest seized, and she had a hard time breathing, forming words, swallowing. Was the room spinning?

“His name’s Liam.” Erica sighed. “Sounds so boy-next-door, doesn’t it? But one look at him and you know he knows how to please a woman.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Liam. Not Ryder. That knowledge loosened the pain in her chest, and she sucked in a lungful of air. Madison laughed. “I’m sure you’ll be able to show him a thing or two yourself.”

“Either way, we’re going to have a lot of fun together.” She walked away to greet a group of customers, a noticeable bounce in her step.

That girl was boy crazy unlike anyone Madison had ever known. At least she had a social life outside of work—unlike Madison, who had two jobs and a full class schedule. She barely found time to sleep let alone socialize. Or date. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. She surveyed the items on her tray, worried she was forgetting something.

“Excuse me?”

That voice stopped her cold. Her ears rang, and everything around her dulled to white noise. Slowly, she turned to face Ryder. “Sorry it’s taking so long to get your drinks. I have them right here.” She pointed toward the tray.

He smiled, and she instinctively clutched the counter to steady herself. He’d smiled at her in the bookstore, but she’d been so mortified about dropping a book on his head she hadn’t noticed how sexy he really was. Strong, angular jaw. Dark, brooding eyes. Naturally wavy dark brown hair. Dimples. Her knees threatened to buckle under her weight. She had a serious weakness for a guy with dimples. But that smile? That was a deadly weapon.

“Actually, I was hoping you could help me with something else.” He eased onto one of the stools and rested his arms on the counter.

“What can I do for you?” Her voice sounded like a squeaky mouse, and she wanted to kick herself for how ridiculous she was acting. He was just a guy. A very physically attractive guy that she wanted to do some really nasty things with.

“Give me your phone number.”

She let out a surprised laugh. “No.”

He raised a brow, that damn smile firmly in place. “No?”

“Yeah, no.” She shook her head. She really did want to give him her number, but she didn’t trust herself not to fall victim to his charms. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man, and she wasn’t going to break her dry spell with a guy like him. He was too dangerous to her sensibilities. Not to mention, being with him would go against every single promise and boundary she’d put in place for herself.

“Okay, then how about your Facebook profile? Twitter handle? Instagram name?”

Madison stepped closer and mimicked the way he leaned on the counter. “You’re more likely to win Miss America than you are to get my number.” She straightened, satisfied with her firm resolve.

“Hmm.” He pursed his lips thoughtfully, and she had to fight not to stare at his mouth. But damn, those lips. So full and tempting. “Guess it’s a good thing I know where you work then.” He stood.

She picked up the tray. As much as she’d love to stand there and banter with him, she had a job to do. “Stalker doesn’t look good on you.”

“We’ll see about that.” He winked, then sauntered back to his table.

She refused to admit, even to herself, that she was excited about the thought of him showing up again during one of her shifts. And now, there was a bounce in her step, too. Unfortunately, by the end of her shift, that bounce had turned into a shuffle. Every step was like walking on tacks. Even her toes ached. She stretched her arms over her head and twisted side to side, but the stiffness in her back didn’t subside.

“Tonight was crazy.” Erica plopped down on a stool and groaned. “But I made some killer tips.”

“Me, too.” Madison moved to sit beside Erica, then stopped. Once she sat, she wouldn’t want to get back up, and she still needed to walk home. “I hope it’s slower than this tomorrow night.”

“You and me both.” Erica yawned.

Justin, the cook, came out from the kitchen. “Everything’s cleaned up. We’re good to go.” He flicked off the lights and pulled his keys from his pocket.

“Thank God,” Madison said. She gathered her bag and put the strap over her shoulder. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” She headed for the door.

“Wait, are you walking home?” Erica hopped off the stool.

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s late. And super dark. How far do you live?”

Madison shrugged. “A couple of blocks.”

“You shouldn’t be walking. It’s not safe,” Justin said. He ushered them outside, then closed and locked the door.

“Yeah, I agree. I can give you a ride,” Erica offered.

“It’s really okay. I walk everywhere.” She grew up in Vegas, and she would walk the strip all the time. Walking two blocks home was no big deal.

“No.” Erica shook her head. “I’m not letting you walk.” She took Madison’s arm and turned her toward the parking lot, then waved over her head. “See you later, Justin.”

Any other night and she would’ve declined Erica’s offer, but it was late, and exhaustion hung heavy on her limbs. The drive took all of two minutes; walking would have taken ten or fifteen. “Thanks, Erica. See you tomorrow,” she said with a wave as she got out of the car.

“No problem. Good night.” Erica smiled.

Madison dragged herself up the front steps and into the house. Her roommate, Lilian, was on the couch, textbooks sprawled out around her and on the coffee table. “Oh, hey, Madison.”

“It’s almost midnight. Why are you studying?” She dropped her bag to the floor and kicked off her sneakers.

“Oh, I’m not. I’m organizing my notebooks and binders.”

Madison laughed. She swore Lil was obsessed with organization. Not that she was complaining—living with her was a dream, and she could always find what she needed. She flopped down in the chair and let out a long sigh as she wiggled her toes.

“Busy night at work?” Lil snapped a binder shut and set it aside before grabbing the next one.

“Today has been one of the longest days of my life. I was late for my shift at the bookstore, and my boss chewed my ass for a good twenty minutes, lecturing me about how it’s the start of the semester and the busiest time for them and if I can’t be on top of things, he’d find someone who could.” She paused to take a deep breath. “He made me stock shelves.” She scrunched up her face in disgust. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to stock shelves when the place is so damn full you can’t sneeze without spraying someone?”

Lil laughed.

“I dropped a book on this guy’s head.”

At that, Lil looked up, eyes wide. “For real?”

Madison nodded. “And to make it worse, he was gorgeous. On a scale of one to ten, this guy was a perfect one hundred.” A shiver wiggled up her spine at the thought of Ryder.

“Oh, no!” She cupped her hand over her mouth and shook her head. “What did he do?”

“He checked me out. Full on staring at the girls.” Madison stuck out her chest and gave a little shimmy.

“Shut up!” Lil giggled so hard her face turned beet red.

“I swear. It was the craziest thing. He was super nice about the whole thing, which was great. If he’d complained, I’m sure I would’ve been fired on the spot.” She fell back in the chair and sighed. “Then, of course, he and his friends show up at the pizzeria.”

“Wow.” Lil filled a binder with loose-leaf paper. “So, did you get his number?”

“No.” She yawned, then stood. “I’m so tired.”

Lil eyed her suspiciously. “Tired? Or avoiding this conversation because you know I’m going to tell you to stop working so much and actually go have some fun?”

It was way too late to have that conversation again. Madison stuck out her tongue, then turned to head to her room. “Good night, Lil!”