Read Online Christmas in Magnolia Cove by Rachel Hanna - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rachel Hanna
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kitchen.
“Thanks. Getting up is a lot harder than getting down,” she said.
“Ready for lunch?” he asked. Madison sent a quick glance to Wyatt who diverted his eyes down at the counter in an effort to look like he could care less.
“Absolutely. I am so ready to get out of here,” she said with a smile as she reached for her crutches. “I’ll be back later,” she said to no one in particular.
“Thanks for the warning,” Wyatt muttered under his breath.
Chapter 12
Brooks took Madison to the only nice restaurant in Magnolia Cove, Desanti’s. They served the best Italian food she’d had in a while. As she loaded up on salad and bread sticks, Madison enjoyed catching up with Brooks. He talked about the farm and how hard it had been to step into his mother’s place.
“So, let me ask you something, Maddie,” Brooks said between bites of lasagna.
“Okay…”
“What’s the deal with you and that Wyatt guy?”
“There is no deal,” she said rolling her eyes.
“Really? Because I sense a whole lot of tension between the two of you,” Brooks said smirking.
“I can’t stand him, so that’s probably the tension you feel,” she said.
“No. I mean sexual tension,” he said with a chuckle.
“Sexual tension?” she said with a gasp. “Good heavens, no!”
“Keep your voice down, Maddie. You know how people gossip around here,” Brooks said, motioning for her to turn the volume down.
“Look, I can assure you there is nothing going on there. Wyatt and his friends bullied me all through high school, Brooks. It’s one of the reasons I never came home much after graduation.”
For the next few minutes, Madison recounted what had happened to her in high school. She talked about the bullying, Kim Dixon, and how Wyatt had played along. She even told him about the apology Wyatt had tried to give that morning.
“Can I ask you something?” Brooks asked.
Afraid he might ask her out, Madison cut him off. “Listen, Brooks, you are a wonderful friend. And I am sure any woman would want to date you…”
“What?” he asked, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
“Well, weren’t you about to ask me out?” she asked with her head cocked.
“Um. No. Has no one told you… about me?” he stammered.
“Told me what?”
“Maddie, I’m gay.” Madison choked on a sip of her sweet tea. When she finally caught her breath, she looked at Brooks who was patiently waiting for her response.
“You’re gay? Since when?” she whispered across the table.
“No need to whisper. Most people around here know,” he said with a smile. “And, to answer your question, since about eighth grade.”
“But, we went to the dance…”
“I know. My Mom was pushing me to do that. She just wanted me to be normal.”
“I thought you always had a crush on me…” she said embarrassed.
“I did when we first moved here. Then, I started having a crush on Tommy Tucker and realized that I didn’t feel the same way about girls,” he said.
“Wow. This is a lot to take in…”
“Sorry. I thought you knew. Your sister and Mom know,” he remarked with a sly smile.
“Yeah, they just got me good!” she said giggling. “So, what were you going to ask me?”
“Well, I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but you really need to think about poor Wyatt.”
“Poor Wyatt? Are you kidding me?”
“No, I’m not kidding. I don’t want to make you feel bad, but do you remember how horribly you treated me in school? You tried to avoid me, made fun of my headgear and glasses…”
“I remember. I was hoping you didn’t. I am so sorry, Brooks. I really am,” she said reaching out to touch his hand. He jerked it back.
“I don’t forgive you. I only brought you here so I could tell you that you are a total bitch, and you should be ashamed of who you
“Thanks. Getting up is a lot harder than getting down,” she said.
“Ready for lunch?” he asked. Madison sent a quick glance to Wyatt who diverted his eyes down at the counter in an effort to look like he could care less.
“Absolutely. I am so ready to get out of here,” she said with a smile as she reached for her crutches. “I’ll be back later,” she said to no one in particular.
“Thanks for the warning,” Wyatt muttered under his breath.
Chapter 12
Brooks took Madison to the only nice restaurant in Magnolia Cove, Desanti’s. They served the best Italian food she’d had in a while. As she loaded up on salad and bread sticks, Madison enjoyed catching up with Brooks. He talked about the farm and how hard it had been to step into his mother’s place.
“So, let me ask you something, Maddie,” Brooks said between bites of lasagna.
“Okay…”
“What’s the deal with you and that Wyatt guy?”
“There is no deal,” she said rolling her eyes.
“Really? Because I sense a whole lot of tension between the two of you,” Brooks said smirking.
“I can’t stand him, so that’s probably the tension you feel,” she said.
“No. I mean sexual tension,” he said with a chuckle.
“Sexual tension?” she said with a gasp. “Good heavens, no!”
“Keep your voice down, Maddie. You know how people gossip around here,” Brooks said, motioning for her to turn the volume down.
“Look, I can assure you there is nothing going on there. Wyatt and his friends bullied me all through high school, Brooks. It’s one of the reasons I never came home much after graduation.”
For the next few minutes, Madison recounted what had happened to her in high school. She talked about the bullying, Kim Dixon, and how Wyatt had played along. She even told him about the apology Wyatt had tried to give that morning.
“Can I ask you something?” Brooks asked.
Afraid he might ask her out, Madison cut him off. “Listen, Brooks, you are a wonderful friend. And I am sure any woman would want to date you…”
“What?” he asked, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
“Well, weren’t you about to ask me out?” she asked with her head cocked.
“Um. No. Has no one told you… about me?” he stammered.
“Told me what?”
“Maddie, I’m gay.” Madison choked on a sip of her sweet tea. When she finally caught her breath, she looked at Brooks who was patiently waiting for her response.
“You’re gay? Since when?” she whispered across the table.
“No need to whisper. Most people around here know,” he said with a smile. “And, to answer your question, since about eighth grade.”
“But, we went to the dance…”
“I know. My Mom was pushing me to do that. She just wanted me to be normal.”
“I thought you always had a crush on me…” she said embarrassed.
“I did when we first moved here. Then, I started having a crush on Tommy Tucker and realized that I didn’t feel the same way about girls,” he said.
“Wow. This is a lot to take in…”
“Sorry. I thought you knew. Your sister and Mom know,” he remarked with a sly smile.
“Yeah, they just got me good!” she said giggling. “So, what were you going to ask me?”
“Well, I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but you really need to think about poor Wyatt.”
“Poor Wyatt? Are you kidding me?”
“No, I’m not kidding. I don’t want to make you feel bad, but do you remember how horribly you treated me in school? You tried to avoid me, made fun of my headgear and glasses…”
“I remember. I was hoping you didn’t. I am so sorry, Brooks. I really am,” she said reaching out to touch his hand. He jerked it back.
“I don’t forgive you. I only brought you here so I could tell you that you are a total bitch, and you should be ashamed of who you
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