Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game(41)

“Get drunk.”

I expected her to gasp and immediately start praying for me. But she only raised her eyebrows. “Is that right?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm,” she murmured. She gazed out the window and then pointed. “Pull in there.”

It was Baskin Robbins. I whipped it into a parking space and turned to look at her.

Maddie motioned to the building. “Well, you have your way of coping, but this is what I do when I get upset.”

I couldn’t help but grin back at her. “Wow, I don’t if I should get involved in hard stuff like ice cream.”

“Whatever,” she murmured as she hopped out of the jeep.

I followed her up the walkway to the store and held open the door for her. Sugary sweet aromas filled my nose as we strolled up to the counter.

“So what are you getting?” Maddie asked, as we peered up at the menu.

“Probably a chocolate cone.”

Elbowing me playfully, Maddie asked, “Just a cone? Where’s your sense of adventure?”

I grinned. “Like I said. I don’t want to go all hardcore—I hear it’s easy to get addicted. I wanna say outta Ice Cream Rehab if you don’t mind!”

Maddie giggled. “I guess you’re right. Better stay on the safe side with your itty, bitty cone,” she teased.

“Hey now,” I countered as the guy cleared his throat to take our orders. I motioned for Maddie to go first. “I’ll have a build your own sundae with vanilla, chocolate chip, and strawberry ice cream with hot fudge, wet nuts, sprinkles, and whipped cream.”

“Good lord, you’re really going to eat that?” I asked.

“Mmmmm, hmmm,” she answered.

“I’ll be surprised if you don’t go into a sugar-induced coma first.”

“I just might.” She then nudged me. “Wanna try it with me?”

I shot her a skeptical look. “Are you kidding?”

“Nope.”

“All right.”

“Great!” she exclaimed. “Will you give us two spoons please?”

The cashier nodded. Before Maddie could reach into her purse, I thrust a five into the cashier’s hand.

Maddie shook her head maniacally back and forth. “No, Noah, I meant to treat you,” she protested.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“But-”

Maddie continued to argue, but I interrupted her. “It’s a treat just being with you,” I quipped.

“Whatever,” she laughed.

Her laugh, coupled with her expression, sent warmth tingling over me. I don’t know what it was about laugh that got to me. I’d never given former girlfriends laughter much thought. Of course, no girl seemed as amused or entertained by me as Maddie did.

I took our massive sundae over to a table while Maddie got us napkins. I’d barely gotten my spoon raised when she was already devouring her side.

“Hey now, you gotta pace yourself!” I cried.

She grinned sheepishly. “I know. I’m just hungry that’s all.”

“Oh, I interrupted your dinner, right?”

“No, you didn’t,” she said. I could tell she was lying by the way she ducked her head and refused to meet my gaze.

I smiled. “You should have said something. I would’ve taken you to get something to eat.”

“I’m fine.” When I started to protest again, she shook her head. “Wednesday’s dinner is always potluck at the church. It’s nothing exciting, I promise.”

“If you’re sure…I mean, we can still get dinner.”

Maddie gave me a dimpled smile. “We’ll see.”

We enjoyed the sugary goodness in silence for a few seconds. Then Maddie cleared her throat. “So…I was just thinking about what happened earlier and was wondering if wanted to talk about your grandfather?” she tentatively asked.

Once again, she was Miss Pushy with the feelings stuff. I guess I couldn’t blame her. Her dad was a minister, so she was used to problem solving. Even though she had made me feel better earlier, I wasn’t really up for anymore soul searching.

I shook my head. “No, not really.”

She gave a quick bob of her head. “Okay, we don’t have to.”

But I as looked up at her, there was something so accepting in her eyes that I suddenly found myself talking. Seriously, it was like I was purging myself of word vomit. It came spewing out of my mouth, and I couldn’t stop. I told her about him taking me fishing, learning how to play guitar, and even about our last conversation. That’s when I saw the tears glistening in her dark eyes.

“Those are really beautiful memories, Noah,” she said softly.

I shrugged. “Whatever,” I mumbled as we finished off the sundae. “So what about you?”

Maddie raised her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“What’s your story?”

“I don’t really have a story.”

I snorted exasperatedly. “Sure you do. Everyone has a story.”

“I’m kinda boring, I guess,” Maddie said.

“I doubt that.”

“No, really I am.”

“Then tell me what’s boring about you,” I urged.