Read Online Leo Maddox by Sarah Darlington - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah Darlington
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“Mr. Maddox, sir, I have a phone call for you.”
“What?” I blinked several times, the vast lobby of the hotel coming back in focus. I’d zoned out there for a moment.
“Yes. It’s a women on the line,” one of the hotel managers explained. His voice shook as he spoke. I think this was the first time he’d ever spoken to me. Was I that intimidating? “She says her name is Detective Agent Ryder from the NYPD, but I’m positive she isn’t a real police agent.”
“Oh,” I said, an involuntary smile spreading across my lips. It was Clara. “Maybe she was afraid you wouldn’t put me on the line unless she lied. I’ll take the phone. It’s my friend.”
He handed the phone my way. And then suddenly it occurred to me. Why the hell hadn’t she just called my cell?
“Hello? Clara?” I said, my voice desperate, but I hardly cared. “What are you doing calling this line? Is something wrong?”
“Yes!” shouted back a voice. But it wasn’t Clara’s naturally calm and steady voice. It was a slightly higher pitched voice. “And this is Maggie, not Clara. Why would you automatically assume Clara was calling?”
“Because who else would come up with Detective Agent Ryder?” I joked, disappointed and relived that it wasn’t Clara calling.
Maggie laughed then grew serious again. “How come you haven't been answering my phone calls? And what's going on with you and Clara? I know she ran you over with a golf cart.”
I sighed. Here we go. I guess everyone now knew about Clara being here with me in New York. “I'm fine,” I said. “I just have a bruise the size of Texas on my ass.”
“Maybe you deserved it. I also just found out you're both in New York. How do you explain that?”
“Wow, Detective Agent Ryder, impressive skills of deduction,” I groaned, hating how she was questioning me. I never questioned all her stupid life decisions—like dating Andrew Asshole Wellington for four years of her life. That’s nearly a quarter of her existence wasted away on that fool. “Did you figure all that out on your own?”
“Leo,” she urged, softly. “Stop, please.”
“I’m not trying to be mean,” I explained. “I haven't been answering your phone calls because this is exactly what I was afraid of—the voice of reason. Yes, Clara is in New York. I invited her and she came. For the first time in my life, she doesn't completely hate me.” I stopped speaking for a moment and took a deep breath. No use hiding anymore. “This is probably going to come as a shock, but I have a thing for Clara. I have for a long time now. I've been afraid to talk to you about it because I know you'll bring me back down to reality and tell me how stupid I'm being for getting my hopes up over this. I'm scared shitless, but I don't want to come back down to reality, Maggie.”
I swear to God, a good five minutes ticked by. Me waiting to hear Maggie’s response. And Maggie saying absolutely nothing. Finally I had to say, “Maggie? Are you still there?”
“I'm here,” she answered. “This is good, Leo. Really good.”
What? Maybe I should have confided in her years ago. “You mean that?”
“Yes,” she rushed to answer. “I think it's very good. All I want is for you to be happy. This...this is good. Clara still sucks as a sister and I can't stand all the dumb stuff she's constantly doing. I mean, really, who dyes their hair lavender?”
“It's pretty damn sexy,” I muttered. “You'll hate it, but I love it.”
“Ew, la, la, la,” Maggie groaned. “We better set some ground rules before this goes any further.” I laughed and then Maggie actually thought up some rules on the spot. “Rule number one, no talking about anything physical because I don't ever want to hear about that. Rule number two, you have to keep our friendship one hundred and ten percent separate from anything that happens between you and her. No matter what. Number three, if Clara and I get in fights—like you know
“Mr. Maddox, sir, I have a phone call for you.”
“What?” I blinked several times, the vast lobby of the hotel coming back in focus. I’d zoned out there for a moment.
“Yes. It’s a women on the line,” one of the hotel managers explained. His voice shook as he spoke. I think this was the first time he’d ever spoken to me. Was I that intimidating? “She says her name is Detective Agent Ryder from the NYPD, but I’m positive she isn’t a real police agent.”
“Oh,” I said, an involuntary smile spreading across my lips. It was Clara. “Maybe she was afraid you wouldn’t put me on the line unless she lied. I’ll take the phone. It’s my friend.”
He handed the phone my way. And then suddenly it occurred to me. Why the hell hadn’t she just called my cell?
“Hello? Clara?” I said, my voice desperate, but I hardly cared. “What are you doing calling this line? Is something wrong?”
“Yes!” shouted back a voice. But it wasn’t Clara’s naturally calm and steady voice. It was a slightly higher pitched voice. “And this is Maggie, not Clara. Why would you automatically assume Clara was calling?”
“Because who else would come up with Detective Agent Ryder?” I joked, disappointed and relived that it wasn’t Clara calling.
Maggie laughed then grew serious again. “How come you haven't been answering my phone calls? And what's going on with you and Clara? I know she ran you over with a golf cart.”
I sighed. Here we go. I guess everyone now knew about Clara being here with me in New York. “I'm fine,” I said. “I just have a bruise the size of Texas on my ass.”
“Maybe you deserved it. I also just found out you're both in New York. How do you explain that?”
“Wow, Detective Agent Ryder, impressive skills of deduction,” I groaned, hating how she was questioning me. I never questioned all her stupid life decisions—like dating Andrew Asshole Wellington for four years of her life. That’s nearly a quarter of her existence wasted away on that fool. “Did you figure all that out on your own?”
“Leo,” she urged, softly. “Stop, please.”
“I’m not trying to be mean,” I explained. “I haven't been answering your phone calls because this is exactly what I was afraid of—the voice of reason. Yes, Clara is in New York. I invited her and she came. For the first time in my life, she doesn't completely hate me.” I stopped speaking for a moment and took a deep breath. No use hiding anymore. “This is probably going to come as a shock, but I have a thing for Clara. I have for a long time now. I've been afraid to talk to you about it because I know you'll bring me back down to reality and tell me how stupid I'm being for getting my hopes up over this. I'm scared shitless, but I don't want to come back down to reality, Maggie.”
I swear to God, a good five minutes ticked by. Me waiting to hear Maggie’s response. And Maggie saying absolutely nothing. Finally I had to say, “Maggie? Are you still there?”
“I'm here,” she answered. “This is good, Leo. Really good.”
What? Maybe I should have confided in her years ago. “You mean that?”
“Yes,” she rushed to answer. “I think it's very good. All I want is for you to be happy. This...this is good. Clara still sucks as a sister and I can't stand all the dumb stuff she's constantly doing. I mean, really, who dyes their hair lavender?”
“It's pretty damn sexy,” I muttered. “You'll hate it, but I love it.”
“Ew, la, la, la,” Maggie groaned. “We better set some ground rules before this goes any further.” I laughed and then Maggie actually thought up some rules on the spot. “Rule number one, no talking about anything physical because I don't ever want to hear about that. Rule number two, you have to keep our friendship one hundred and ten percent separate from anything that happens between you and her. No matter what. Number three, if Clara and I get in fights—like you know
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