Chimney couldn't deny it. Buck's sister was beautiful, the kind of pretty you didn't see all the time. He knew she'd had a rocky past (he also knew that that was an understatement but he wasn't entirely sure how much of one) but he was amazed at how genuine her smile was. She was moving onwards and upwards, as best she knew how.
He admired that. It had taken him so long to get over his accident, and he'd only recently come to terms with it. He knew that realistically Maddie probably had a long way to go still, but he was oddly relieved to see that she could still smile. Was making a joke with her brother, beaming up at him.
Buck had asked Diaz and Chimney on Wednesday if they could come over and help his sister finish moving. Chimney had caught a glimpse of Maddie the other day, but they'd been in such a hurry, he hadn't really fully noticed her.
Buck's sister was incredible. She was so much more than Chimney had been expecting, and the warmness of her smile made his chest tighten a little. He'd expected someone more like Buck himself; he hadn't been wrong. Buck was friendly and open, warmhearted and a jokester. As Chimney watched the siblings interact, he could tell that Maddie was mostly the same. She teased her brother and had no reservations about making him suffer. Her smile was for nearly everyone, and she was very welcoming.
But Chimney could tell that Maddie wasn't this way with everyone. She'd balked at traditional movers, hadn't wanted strange guys touching her stuff, and had said thank you so many times to Chimney and Diaz that it was too much. She was so grateful, so almost surprised that they'd help her without asking for anything in return but a beer.
Speaking of beer, Chimney took another sip of his, gazing at Maddie over it.
She was sitting cross legged on the couch; after pizza, they'd adjourned to the living room and were sitting around chatting for a bit while Buck and Diaz got up the energy for round two of heavy lifting.
"Did you two meet Abby?" Maddie wondered.
"I did," Chimney replied, and her gaze shot to him. Their eyes met and Chimney felt the room slow for the briefest moment.
"I'm as new as you," Diaz replied, and the moment was gone. "Never met her but Buck won't stop talking about her."
"She was a good egg," Chimney said, wondering where the words had come from. Such an odd way to say it. He mentally slapped himself. Was he trying to sound like his grandpa? "Good at her job."
Maddie smiled. "I wish I could meet her," she admitted. "I'm liking my coworkers but she sounds like she was beyond good at her job. I need to meet someone that confident, but still so empathetic."
"She works with a lot of assholes," Buck interpreted. "But she's too nice to say it."
"Evan," Maddie reprimanded, flushing a little. "I am not afraid to say things as they are if the situation merits it."
"She got a lady fired for hanging up on people," Buck bragged. "That's my sister. Stands up for herself and the underdog."
"Shush," Maddie warned."Or I'm going to show everyone your prom photo."
"Too far," Buck protested, and the banter continued.
Chimney, usually someone who always had something to say, found that he was more than content to just sit back and watch. Observe.
He wanted to get to know Maddie better. He wanted to make sure she was safe, and had friends, and support. Everyone needed their own village, their people, especially ones that had gone through what Maddie had.
Maddie being isolated was the last thing anyone needed right now, and he quietly assured himself that that wasn't going to happen.
Chimney left soon after; Diaz and Buck were almost done and Chimney's main job had been to set up her security system. He was glad it had been his task; he knew it was done right.
Three motion detectors. They better catch her asshole ex if he ever came back.
Chimney tensed thinking about it, and turned around, realizing that Maddie had followed him out. He'd made his goodbyes generally, and it was a big surprise that she'd followed.
But a very, very welcome one.
"Maddie," he said.
"I just wanted to say thank you, again," she said, twisting her hands together for a brief second before realizing what she was doing and moving her hands to her sides. "What I need most right now is to feel safe...well, to be safe." She was echoing his earlier words, and he folded his arms, watching her. "And you helped with that. That means so much, Chimney."
"Again, no worries," he said. "If it ever acts up, and I mean ever. Let me know. I will come over as soon as my shift is done to fix it."
She flushed. "Thank you," she said.
"You have my cell, right?" He wondered.
"Buck gave it to me," she said. "I'll let you know if anything comes up."
"Perfect," he said. "I will see you later."
"Alligator," she finished.
His mouth quirked. "Crocodile," he replied. "Bye, Maddie."
He got into his car, and Maddie remained watching him until she was too small to be seen in his rearview mirror.
He wasn't sure what prompted it, but he found himself at Target, a store he tended to avoid, and Mission:Impossible was right there. Blu-Ray edition even.
He stared at the DVD for a moment, considering. Would she...Did he dare…
He picked it up without another moment's thought, turning off his brain, the thoughts that whispered negative things, the derisive laughter at him daring to hope again.
He had leftover wrapping paper from Bobby's birthday earlier that year. It was just a housewarming gift. No big deal.
No. Big. Deal.
Big deal.
Chimney rang her doorbell, waved up at the camera, and then Maddie was there, smile on her face, eagerly opening the door.
She was beautiful. Dressed to be home, in jeans with ripped legs, and another blue shirt.
He liked it.
"Hi," she greeted, stepping out of the way. "Come on in."
"Hello," he said, walking past her, screwing up his courage, breathing deep. Make it simple. This is not a date. It doesn't have to be a date. A romantic relationship is not endgame. Being her friend is endgame.
"So. I was just out, and I saw this, and I thought of you," he said, turning back to face her. God. She was beautiful.
He held out the package and Maddie took it, her face lighting and then falling. "What? No," she said, pushing it back at him.
"It's just a housewarming gift," he said, shoving sweaty hands into his pockets.
Why was he so nervous?
She shook it, smiling at him, accepting it. "Oh," she said, hearing the rattle. "Not a book."
"DVD. Mission:Impossible," he said. Now he'd blown the whole surprise. Great going. He smiled, as she laughed.
"Uh, you do have a DVD player, right?" He wondered, wondering just how far off course he was right now.
But her next words assured him he was on the right track.
"Yeah, and a popcorn maker. Would you like to hang out and watch a movie?" Her smile. He could barely breathe.
"Yeah," he exhaled. "Yeah, I'd love to."
Popcorn was made, and Chimney carefully prepped his own bowl, using a light amount of salt and butter.
Maddie saw his, smiled, and then upended the cheese onto hers. "Cheese is good," she said.
He was glad there were two separate bowls. He didn't want her to think he was just trying to 'accidentally' touch her hand.
Beer in their other hands, they walked back in. Chimney settled onto one end of the couch and Maddie gingerly settled onto the other end.
One tiny moment of awkwardness, which was erased when she pressed play. He'd prepped the player while she made popcorn and it was all ready to go.
The movie started and Chimney was into it. Maddie was laughing at appropriate parts, definitely into it, and then she was placing her popcorn bowl aside.
Chimney left to use the restroom, and when he came back, she was asleep.
Good.
He'd seen the dark circles, and she'd mentioned to Buck on Saturday that sleep had been difficult.
He settled back onto his side, careful to not wake her. The movie finished, and she was still fast asleep.
He looked around him now, hoping to spy a blanket. There was a laundry basket at the other end of the couch but Maddie was blocking it; that was out.
He'd have to go upstairs.
Hoping he wasn't crossing a line, he quietly walked to the stairs, grabbed the throw from her bed, and came back down, refusing to linger in her room.
He draped it over her, and she woke up.
Sleeping beauty for sure.
And she was so embarrassed, but Chimney, honestly, couldn't be more pleased. She trusted him enough to fall asleep with him there.
That was good enough for him.