It was a hot day in New York City. The sun was positively sweltering as Maddie Hayes cowered underneath her large hat, sticking to the shady spots for some refuge. The heat made people irritable, short tempered and annoying, and she shook her head as she watched some man flip another one off over something as simple standing in line at the local vendor. Well, that was New York for you. People fighting over who was there first. Her eyes drifted towards another man, who had a bemused expression on his face. She looked on as he strode across the street with long strides, the muscles of his legs flexing with each step. He stopped at where the argument between the two men was still going strong, addressing the two hotheads who were still yelling at each other. It seemed like the men wanted to turn their anger onto him, but they quickly refrained when he pointed out the police badge hanging from his neck. Immediately, they backed off and walked away, leaving the road to the vendor clear for the policeman. He ordered a coffee.
Maddie knew that man like the back of her hand. At least, she used to. He seemed very different now. His physique looked very much like that of a policeman; bulked up and strong. The strange thing was that he was wearing a white wifebeater… or what once was a white wifebeater. His clothing was grimy now, as if he had had one hell of a day. Being that he was a cop, that might have been the case. She didn't know.
He also carried himself differently now; his eyes were hard and his jaw was set. He had always had a strong jaw, but now it stood as if he was permanently clenching it. He could definitely evoke fear in someone who didn't know him.
Maddie almost groaned as the policeman moved, walking off. Well, that meant that she had to step out into the sun again. And why on earth had she worn heels for this? Well, it fit her image, along with the pristine white suit and the hat that she had on. Though it wasn't much suited for following someone around. Hadn't she learned that from her days at Blue Moon?
Blue Moon… the very place that had led her here. It seemed like a lifetime ago, when in reality, it had only been six years. Though six years wasn't enough… it would never be enough to forget…
Of course, good ol' Lou LaSalle had made sure that she could never forget. He had her on a short leash. He had taken over the company after she and David screwed up their four-year run. This was bad enough in and of itself, but then Maddie nearly lost her house thanks to the financial issues caused by Ron Sawyer running off with her money. She was forced to look for work and she didn't know anyone who would hire her other than Lou, who had offered to take her in before. It was like selling her soul to the devil, she knew that, but she couldn't lose her house.
The funny thing was that one day a woman came in wanting to hire them to find the one and only David Addison. Lou had immediately turned to her, stating that she knew him best. He wouldn't take no for an answer when she had wanted to decline. If she wanted her job, this was what she had to do. She had no idea who this older woman was who wanted to hire them to find David. She looked harmless and seemed like a long lost relative. Maddie couldn't be sure, though. David had to be informed.
After that, Maddie had tried to contact his family. Richie hadn't talked to David in a few years, due to his own philandering. He now spent his time in Las Vegas and didn't keep tabs on his family that much these days. Afterwards, she had called David's father, who had been delighted to hear from her. He couldn't tell her much more, though. David had moved away from Los Angeles some time ago and mentioned that he wanted to try out for the police academy in New York. After that, he and his dad had had a falling out and hadn't spoken since.
Well, she went with that information; New York and the police academy. She had called several schooling facilities until she had finally found him. He had indeed finished the academy and was now working with the New York City Police Department. It had taken a little more snooping after that until this moment. He was here.. and she was following him. How ironic.
And… it seemed like she had lost him in the crowd. Maddie frowned as she looked around, finding no one that resembled him. Damn. Where did he go? She walked a bit further down the street, hoping that he had merely hopped into a store or a bar when she hadn't been looking. Gosh, it was hot! She wished that she was inside and couldn't blame David if he had wandered off away from the sun as well. A drop of sweat was trickling down between her breasts and Maddie felt uncomfortable, desperately wanting a cool shower.
As she was passing by an alley, a hand suddenly gripped her wrist and pulled her in, leaving her to let out a yelp. The pull made her stumble into a man's broad chest, knocking her hat off her head, and she looked up in semi fear, until she noticed the stained wifebeater.
It was David.
"You know, the next time you decide to follow someone, don't be so obvious about it. And definitely don't dress like that!" he bit out.
His grip on her wrist was still vice like and she tried to break free. He wouldn't let go yet, though.
"What do you mean; don't dress like that?!" she snarled.
"Just saying. Don't be so you. I noticed you the second you were there."
Maddie pulled on her wrist again, but he pulled it closer to his chest, keeping her locked there. There was not a speck of compassion or endearment in his eyes as he assessed her, mocking her outfit without a word being said.
"Yeah well, I'm sorry for being me. Would you let me go now?"
"Not until you tell me why you were following me. How could you be so careless? I'm a cop, Maddie!"
"You weren't a cop when I knew you!"
"Well, you don't know me anymore, do you!"
Maddie fell quiet after that. It made her almost sad. It was true, she didn't know him anymore. Her once partner, lover and the father of her stillborn son was a stranger to her now. She didn't know anything about his life anymore. Did he have a girlfriend? Was he married? Did he have a family now? She hadn't delved into his life too much when she had found him. She had just wanted to… well, what, really? She could have just handed the information about his whereabouts over to the older woman who had hired them and been done with it. Yet, she had to find out for herself if the information was true. If he was indeed here in New York, working for the police. The other thing that had crossed her mind was that he might have come here for Tess, his ex-wife. The idea had sent a shot of jealousy straight through her heart and before she had known it, she had booked a ticket to New York City. She had informed Lou that it was necessary for the case. That she needed to be sure that she had found him. That she needed to take pictures. She had tried every excuse in the book that would make sure that she could get here.
Here she was. Now what?
"Why were you following me, Maddie? Last chance."
"I… I was hired to find you."
A frown marred David's features.
"Hired? By whom?"
"Her name is Delores Wyatt."
"Doesn't ring a bell. Besides, you still working as a detective?" David wanted to know.
"Yes, after you and I… and Lou LaSalle took over… I needed a job. He took me in."
David stared at her incredulously.
"You work for Lou LaSalle?"
"Yes."
"Well fuck, Maddie! That's just cheap."
His vocabulary had sure changed as well. He had always been somewhat… decent around her.
"Okay, now that you're finished insulting me, what I wear and where I work, how about we cut to the chase. There's a woman looking for you. I don't know if she has good intentions or not. Do with the information what you want."
"And you came all this way to tell me? We do have phones at the precinct, Maddie."
"I'm aware."
"Is there another reason why you were following me around, then?"
"I just wanted to make sure that it was you before I approached you with this information."
David seemed to ponder over this.
"So you're telling me that you came all this way to inform me? This reminds me of another time when you flew all the way to New York. You never told me the truth back then either."
Maddie stared up into his angry face and frowned.
"What truth?"
"About why you're really here, Maddie."
"But I just told you!"
"That was the partial truth. The whole truth will never come out with you."
"Are you calling me a liar?"
It dawned on her that David was still holding onto her wrist, albeit somewhat less tight than before. It still lay clutched to his chest and Maddie stared at it.
"You still haven't let go of me," she mumbled.
David looked down at what she was staring at and a slight crack appeared in his hard stance. He immediately released her and took a step back.
"Well, thanks for the information. I'll have the precinct look into who Delores Wyatt is. Don't alert her to my whereabouts just yet."
"Okay, I won't."
David nodded.
"Good. Bye now."
He wanted to walk off, but Maddie stopped him, putting a hand to his chest. David looked down at what she was doing and something ticked in his jaw.
"Maddie, I'm having a rotten day and I'm in the middle of something. Get out of my way!"
"I wasn't done talking yet."
"Well, I sure am done listening. Bye Maddie. Go home."
David left the alley way with Maddie hot on his heels, not ready to leave just yet.
"I could help you, you know. If you want to figure out who this woman is, I'm your detective."
Maddie looked on in annoyance as he threw his head back and laughed.
"I'm sorry. That's just hysterical. I taught you everything you know, lady. Apparently, I didn't do a very good job either. For all I know, this is bad news and you may have led that woman straight to me! You should have just told me over the phone and been done with it. There's no reason for you to be here."
"And miss out on this pleasant conversation? Not a chance."
She followed David into the police station where he worked, thankful for the coolness that the building provided after her long walk in the sun. She had left her hat in the alley way, so she was left with her hands to wave in front of her face for some cool wind.
"Can I get you anything to drink, ma'am?" a policeman asked her when he saw her discomfort.
"The lady was just leaving, Bud."
Maddie glared at David, before looking gratefully at the other policeman named 'Bud'.
"Yes, I would like some water. Thank you."
"For god sake, Maddie! Would you just go? I don't need you here. I will ask you again; why did you come all the way over here?"
"Because I needed to be sure that it was you and I needed to be sure that you were okay."
There was no need to lie about that. She really had wanted to know how he was doing.
"Well, I'm swell," David bit out. "Glad to be out of Los Angeles and glad to be away from you."
Policeman Bud had just returned with her water and handed it to her, while looking at the both of them with clear interest.
"Oh, so you moved all the way across the country to be away from me, huh? I guess I was just the worst."
"Yeah, you were."
"Right back at you!"
"Well, good. Now that that's settled, can we agree that you go home and I go back to work? Bud, escort this lady out of the building, will ya?"
With those words, David disappeared around a corner, leaving her alone with Bud. She just now noticed the scene she and David had created by standing in the middle of a precinct, arguing. There were several policemen eyeing her. She meekly gave them a smile and drank her water.
"Is there anything I can do for you, lady?" Bud asked her.
Maddie shrugged.
"I guess not. I don't think he's coming back. I'll be out of your hair here and let you all get to it."
Bud nodded, before a thought seemed to hit him.
"So, are you like his wife or something?"
Maddie almost choked on her water, holding back a laugh.
"His wife? Ha! Never!"
"Girlfriend, then?"
"No, David and I used to work together, that's all there is to it."
Bud gave her a look like he didn't believe her, but decided to let it go.
"Say, you're not from around here, are you?" he changed the subject.
"No. Well, I did live here for a while, but that's ages ago. I live in California."
"So if you're staying around, how about I show you around the city sometime? I'm sure a lot has changed since you were here last."
A small smile broke out on Maddie's face. Was this guy flirting with her?
"That's a nice offer, Bud, but I don't think that that's a good idea. Besides, you don't even know my name!"
"Well, grumpy over there called you Maddie," Bud winked at her.
Before Maddie had a chance to answer, a pissed off voice interrupted the moment.
"Hey Bud! Off limits!" David bit out at his colleague.
He appeared from around the corner, holding some files. He was giving dear old Bud the death stare.
"I thought you and her weren't a thing," Bud said, clearly confused.
"Bud!" David warned. His glare wouldn't let up and eventually, Bud cowered away, mumbling an apology.
"Marking your territory?" Maddie asked, raising an eyebrow at his behavior.
David threw the files he was holding onto a desk and faced her angrily.
"Yes, I'm marking my territory. These are my grounds; the city, this precinct and my coworkers. You don't get to touch any of that."
"I'm pretty sure that you don't own New York City, Addison," Maddie stated, crossing her arms. "I can be here if I want to be."
"As long as you stay out of my way, you can."
"Fine. You know what? I'll write down where I'm staying and you can get in touch if you need anything about the Delores Wyatt case. Let me know how it goes."
"I'm pretty sure I won't be," she could hear David mumble as she wrote down the address to her hotel. When she was done, she shoved the piece of paper against his chest.
"Here. Do with it what you want."
She straightened her shoulders and raised her chin, determined to walk out of there with a little bit of grace and dignity.
"Petulant child," she mumbled, as she turned on her heel and walked away…
An incessant knocking interrupted Maddie from her sleep and she raised her head from her pillow in confusion. The room was dark around her and for a moment, she had no idea where she was, until her day with David penetrated her sleep-fogged brain. She rolled over to turn on her nightlight and rubbed her eyes.
The knocking only became louder and she grumbled.
"I'm coming!" she snarled. "Give me a moment to wake up!"
Angrily, she stomped out of bed and strode over towards the door. She checked the peephole before opening, not sure about who would be at her hotel room in the dead of night. Her heart missed a beat when she saw that it was David. What was he doing here? Hadn't he been sure that he would not contact her… ever again?
She pulled the door open and took him in. He looked like he had spent the night drinking. His attire was all crooked on his body. His hair was messed up and looked like he had run his hands through them a hundred times tonight. His eyes were not clear as they roamed over her body. The cold look from earlier today was replaced by something dark and hungry. She was in her satin nightgown and he could probably see the tops of her breasts. Her arms shot up to cover her chest and she blushed a bit.
"What are you doing here?"
David seemed to rip his gaze from her chest area, and then he tried to focus his bleary eyes onto her face.
"Thought I'd stop by. Can I come in?"
Maddie looked down at her attire and thought about it for a moment.
"Sure. Just give me a moment to slip into something more decent."
She stood aside to let him in and turned to head towards the bathroom, where her robe was hanging.
"You don't have to do that on my account," David remarked at her retreating form, sounding flirty for the first time since she had first seen him earlier that day. She hated to admit it, but she had missed those jabs of sensual teasing from him.
She looked back at him with a smile.
"I'd feel better. You're still a man somewhere underneath all that grime and bitter attitude."
She heard the chuckle behind her, before quickly finding her robe. She rejoined him in the main room, looking at him expectantly.
"So, what did you come here for? Did you want to throw more Maddie hatred at my feet?" she said, crossing her arms in front of her.
"I don't hate you, Maddie," David mumbled, looking around the room in a suddenly awkward stance.
"You could have fooled me. You wanted to have me banned from New York earlier. The state too if you could have your way about it."
David sent her a wry smile. "I may have overexaggerated a bit. You just surprised me."
"Sorry about that. You were right before; I could have called," Maddie admitted.
"Seeing you again is…"
He didn't finish his sentence; he seemed to be struggling to find the words. Expressing anything other than anger and joy was and would always be difficult for him.
"I know," she therefore finished for him.
"Can I sit down for a moment? The room seems to be having trouble standing still."
"Sure."
Maddie looked on as he sat down on the edge of her bed, trying to compose himself.
"I had some drinks with the guys tonight," he explained.
"I figured. I guess none of you will be working tomorrow, huh?"
"Ha ha," David said sarcastically, sending a glare her way. "Anyway, there was this one thing gnawing at the base of my noggin'. All throughout my night with the guys. Maddie please, just… for once… can we be honest here? Why are you here?"
"Aren't you the one who showed up here in the middle of the night?"
"Maddie!" he growled. "You know what I mean."
Maddie shook her head and sat down next to him on the bed, wringing her hands in her lap.
"I don't know. I guess it was completely unnecessary."
"Which means..?"
"Does it have to mean anything?"
"It does mean something."
"No, it doesn't."
"Yes, it does."
"No, it doesn't."
"Maddie! Come on!"
"Leave it alone, David! All you're getting is that I hate you. I have always hated you. And I hate you for it."
"That's a lot of hate," David chuckled.
Maddie shrugged.
"You're easy to hate."
"So are you, Madolyn. So are you."
There was a moment of silence, before David quickly got up and headed for the door.
"This is a mistake."
"So that's it?" Maddie asked, surprised. "You only came here to learn that I hate you? That's a funny late night visit."
"Did you want me to stay?"
His voice suddenly had that husky tone that had always lured her in. He was gazing at her intently and she suddenly found herself confused. How did emotions go up and down so fast with them?
"I…," she tried to bring out. "That's not…. I asked you why you were here…. in my room in the middle of the night."
David took a few steps towards her.
"The same reason you came to New York and followed me. Shall we leave it at that?"
His hand came up to brush a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and Maddie sucked in a breath so hard, she was sure he had heard it.
"Okay, deal," she whispered, grateful that she wasn't being pressured into saying anything more.
"God, Maddie. Life would have been much easier if you hadn't walked into my office that day, you know that?"
Maddie crossed her arms in front of her.
"Really? You would still be losing a lot of money for my company," she pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "I would have fired you eventually, whether we had met or not. So I'm not sure how much more easy your life would have been."
"You never really could fire me, Maddie, and you know it."
"I fired you that very first day, remember."
David suddenly stepped closer, until they were almost nose to nose.
"That was before you spent more than five minutes alone with me. After that, you were a lost cause."
Maddie let out a chuckle, but it sounded nervous due to his proximity.
"A lost cause?"
"Maddie, I was drunk in your office. I was drunk in my office. I showed up late to business meetings… Do you want me to go on? There isn't a boss in the world who would put up with that."
"Right now, you are drunk again," she pointed out smiling, trying to keep the atmosphere light. "This sounds like a problem."
"You're not my boss right now, are you? There's something exciting about the way we are absolutely nothing to each other in this moment and I can do and say whatever I want without any consequences whatsoever."
He almost sounded like an asshole, but there was something about the way he was saying it that made Maddie's heart miss a beat. Especially when he deliberately moved his hand from her hair towards her neckline. He found that spot in no time and casually brushed it. A shiver ran through her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.
"Not fair," she mumbled.
"Nothing about the way we played each other was fair."
Now, she had to give him that.
"You made sure that I could never walk away from you," he breathed, the sweet smell of alcohol on his breath permeating her nostrils. "You didn't want me, but you didn't allow me to go on either. I've dealt with some bad relationships in the past, Maddie. And yes, you were by far the worst. You almost did me in, you know? Tess left a blow, Jillian actually drew blood, but you… you bulldozed me. There was nothing left. And now, you're here after I've tried to rebuild on new ground. You being here, that new ground is now tainted. You've now been in my city… you've been at my precinct… everything is touched by you again."
Maddie held up her hands in defense, ready to explain her case.
"I was hired to…"
"Yes, but coming here was unnecessary. Staying here now that I have the information is unnecessary. I'm so mad at you for being here, but at the same time, I want to open up that robe and rip that nightgown right off you. Just to prove that it's still there. But you're not going to allow that. You always give me just enough to leave me wanting you again, but you never give any more of yourself."
Maddie swallowed hard, not expecting this confession on his part. He sounded angry, but at the same time, he sounded… aroused. Her skin suddenly felt as if it was on fire. He was never this forward with her. For a fraction of a second, she wanted to play into his confession.
"So why don't you?" she therefore heard herself say.
"Don't what?"
"Prove to me that it's still there."
David's eyes shot up to hers, surprised. Anger and desire were battling each other inside of him, Maddie could see it in his green pools.
"God, you're evil," he breathed. His fingers were still near her neck and he clenched them slightly into her hair. His pull on her hurt a little, but she didn't mind the pain. Then, all bets were off. He surged forward, claiming her lips in an angry passion she hadn't felt in him before. He kissed her in a way that was ordering her to let him in. When she complied, his tongue slid against hers delectably, massaging it.
She heard a low moan, before realizing that it came from her own throat.
She had almost forgotten how good he felt… how his body fit against hers…how naturally they moved with each other… how their mouths breathed each other in…
David released her just as quickly as he had started the kiss. He turned away from her, running his hands through his hair.
"I made some calls about Delores Wyatt today," he said, with his back turned towards her.
"Oh?"
"She turned out to be someone I helped years ago in the City of Angels days. She wanted to give me an update about her son, who the case was about. Yet, she found that City of Angels no longer existed. Instead, she found you and Lou."
He sounded irked when he said the last few words.
"She wanted you to find me, but she refrained from giving you this information, since she wants as few people as possible to know as possible about what happened way back then."
He turned back her way, the passion in his eyes gone… the coldness setting back in.
"So you see, she was harmless. You've done your job, so you can leave now. Go home, Maddie."
With one final stern look, he turned around and left her hotel room….
The bar was packed and the music was loud as Maddie ordered herself another drink. Even with the place being so crowded, she felt rather lonely. What was she doing here? Why had she come to New York? This whole trip had been a mistake. God, had she made a fool of herself! David basically ordering her off his turf had been rather humiliating and she felt depleted. Still, since her plane wasn't leaving until tomorrow morning, she figured that she might have felt less alone in a bar near her hotel. That wasn't the case, though. In the thirty minute timespan that she had been in here, she had shot down three different men. It should have been an ego boost.. a chance to engage and take away the experience as something that could lift her spirits. It didn't.
She felt absolutely ridiculous, not to mention a little tipsy.
"One of those days?" the bartender addressed her.
"Huh?"
The bartender slapped a drying towel over his shoulder and leaned forward so they could hear each other better over the pulsing music.
"Forgive me for saying this, but you look a little lost."
Maddie shrugged.
"Perhaps I am. I don't usually go to these places."
The bartender chuckled.
"Yeah, I figured. You do tend to look a little high end, if I may call it that. No disrespect," he quickly said, holding up his hands in an apology.
"None taken. It does make me wonder how I got here."
"So it definitely is one of those days, then? Well, I'm here if you need replenishing and an ear to listen."
Maddie gave the bartender a grateful look, smiling a little for the first time in hours.
"Yeah well, the thing is that my own behavior sometimes spooks me. Half of the time, I don't even know what I want." Maddie exclaimed, burying her head in her hands.
"We all get to that place sometimes. What you want will come to you. Just give it time. In the meantime, unwind a little. Relax. I got your back over here."
The bartender gave her a wink, before walking off to help a customer.
Well, he was trying to be helpful, but Maddie didn't get the feeling that she was going to find her peace in here. Maybe it was time to head back to the hotel, sleep and get out of here tomorrow. Resolved, she felt around in her purse for some money to leave the bartender, when a commotion to her right caught her attention.
A group of policemen had come in and were laughing rather loudly. They were obviously there to unwind after a long day at work. What drew Maddie in, though, was the man standing with his back towards her. She couldn't see him yet, but she felt her heart miss a beat. Her body already recognized him. Her skin prickled and her stomach clenched. It was David.
He was in his police uniform this time, and she had to admit that he looked good enough to eat. So to speak. The dark slacks hugged his strong thighs perfectly, not to mention his rear. His newly created muscles bulged in his shirt and she unconsciously licked her lips. If he had been goodlooking before, he looked absolutely sinful right now.
Oh God, he was turning around! He was probably going to see her now and raise hell. He would probably accuse her of following him again. She couldn't blame him; hundreds of bars in New York City and she happened to find the one that he loved to come to. Coincidence? Freak accident? Probably not. This was the bar closest to her hotel, yes, but it was also very close to his precinct. He was bound to come here, she had to have known that.
Time seemed to freeze as his eyes landed on hers, and in slow motion, his emotions went from relaxed to dark and angry. Maddie swallowed hard as he strode towards her.
"Get lost!" he snapped when he reached her, and Maddie was almost shocked that he would talk to her such a vulgar way. It was then that she noticed a gentleman quickly making himself scarce behind her. Huh, she hadn't even seen him approach. That was the second time now that David had stopped a man from hitting on her, if she counted his colleague.
"I thought I told you to leave," he told her sternly after the man was gone, cutting to the chase.
He towered over her, his proximity to her rather close. Too close.
"Yeah well, don't worry. My plane takes off early in the morning."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"What? I can't have a drink and relax first?"
To prove her point, Maddie took a sip of the drink that she hadn't finished earlier.
"This is not your scene," David said matter-of-factly.
"Not my scene? And just what is my scene then, Mr. Know-it-all?"
"People come to get trashed here, Maddie."
Maddie raised her glass towards him.
"Hence the alcohol, detective."
David seemed to take it upon himself to sit down on the stool next to her, not showing any signs of leaving.
"That seat's taken," Maddie bit at him. Though, he ignored her.
"You can't tell me that you came here to get trashed. You don't get trashed, Maddie. Not ever. I've seen you touch the occasional wine, but nothing beyond that."
"Sometimes, the occasion calls for it," she mumbled.
"So what's the occasion, then?"
Maddie turned his way and narrowed her eyes at him.
"You are, you jerk! You've been a rather unpleasant experience during my stay here in New York and I needed to unwind from it."
"I haven't been that bad."
"Yes, you have!"
"Okay," David held up his hands in surrender. "If I was being a bit hard on you yesterday, it was because I was having a bad day. If you need me to apologize for it, I will. That being said, I will not stand down on you going home."
"And why are you so adamant about getting me out of your sight?"
David blinked at her.
"You heard nothing of my speech to you last night, did you?"
"What speech? What do you mean?"
"We shouldn't be in a room together, Maddie. Nothing good comes from it. We either fight, or we… "
"Or we what?" Maddie wanted to know.
David's jaw clenched hard and he shook his head.
"We hurt each other. We always do. I'm not ready to go down that road again."
"But it doesn't have to be that way this time. We could be friends and stay in touch," Maddie suggested.
The incredulous look on his face told her everything she needed to know, and she almost wanted to throw the remainder of her drink in his face when he started to laugh.
"I'm sorry, but… friends, Maddie? Are you for real right now? I thought we were over the whole 'pals' speech. Especially when you know just as well as I do that you and I could never be friends. From the get-go, there was never even remotely a chance that you and I were ever going to be friends."
"Why not?"
"Do you want me to give you an example?
"Please do," Maddie told him, before taking another sip of her drink.
David leaned forward and took the glass from her hand, setting it back down on the bar, before touching his thumb to her lower lip, wiping away the wetness from the drink. It was a simple move, but she couldn't help that it set her on fire instantly.
"This right here, Maddie. We will always have this. That's why friendship is off the table."
His eyes were dark with desire, but Maddie pretended not to notice. For some reason, she wanted to be defiant.
"And what does 'this' mean? I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, raising her chin in the air.
His green pools of amber turned darker and he came even closer. So close, that Maddie thought that he was going to kiss her. He didn't. Instead, he placed his lips next to her ear.
"You want me to take it up a notch? All right, then. Right now, I really want to pick you up, throw you over my shoulder and walk out of here… all the way back to your hotel. I want to throw you onto the bed and kiss every square inch of your body until you quiver with desire. Is that enough friendship for you?"
A shiver ran through Maddie at his words. She could feel her blood boiling in her veins and her thighs clenched together on their own accord. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw David's colleagues looking at them with great interest, some of them wearing an amused smile on their faces.
"Your uhm… your fellow police men are missing you over there," she stumbled over her words, wanting out of this situation. They were definitely playing with fire and both of them had no idea where it would end if they would take this further.
"I don't care," David merely said, keeping his gaze focused solely on her. "But I see you backpedaling. It's always been this way. If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen, Maddie. Like I said earlier, you're never going to allow yourself to give in completely. Which is exactly the reason why you need to go. That kind of behavior has caused a major wreckage before. I'm over it."
When she saw him getting up, ready to go back to his colleagues, Maddie panicked a little.
"What does 'give in completely' mean to you, then?" she spoke up.
He was with his back towards her and she could see him stiffen a bit. Obviously, he had thought this conversation was over.
"You already know what that means," he said, turning back her way. "I want you inside out for me. I want you starving with desire so bad that it drives you crazy. I want you lying awake at night over me."
"Oh, is that all?" she chuckled nervously.
"Yes, that's all. I could never see you doing it, though. Which is why this died a long time ago."
"But this hasn't died. You just told me."
"Not if you don't give me the space to let it stay dead, no. You are always the one bringing it back to life. You want me to tell you something? Remember how I said that I noticed you the second you were there yesterday when you were following me? It wasn't your outfit that gave you away. I knew you were there before I even saw you. Whether I see you or not, I feel you, Maddie. Which is why you need to stay away. Give me room to live my life."
"Okay then," Maddie said, swallowing a lump in her throat. "So this is goodbye then. Forever this time?"
"I already said goodbye yesterday. This just prolonged the inevitable."
Maddie nodded. She hugged herself, not knowing what to do with her hands. The lost feeling from before was ten times worse right now.
"Okay then."
She turned and placed some money on the bar for the bartender, before giving David a nod.
"Goodbye.. I… For what it's worth… I feel you too, David. I always have."
With those words, she stalked off…
It had been several weeks since her trip to New York and Maddie still felt a little off. Seeing David again had taken a lot out of her. Days seemed to blend together and she was going through the motions. Nothing could bring her joy. Working for Lou LaSalle… it wasn't the same as working for Blue Moon. Yes, they were both detective agencies. But Lou, he had everything so structured and organized that there was hardly any excitement for her. She missed the crazy cases. The chaos. Everyone here was so serious. It should have been a blessing to her. For someone who hated surprises and who liked things to be structured, this should be pure joy. It wasn't.
Seeing David again had brought that out of her. It made her question what it was that she really wanted out of life. Here she was, in her early forties, and she still hadn't figured that out.
Lou entered her office just then, giving her a courteous nod. She was sure that he wasn't the type to just barge in and jump into the chair that stood across from her desk. Nor would he spin it around as if he were a little boy. That was all David.
"Maddie, are you ready for lunch?"
"Yes, just let me get my bag."
Lou waited for her at the door, no remarks or anything. The silence was deafening.
"All ready," she smiled her fakest smile at him.
Just as they walked out to the reception area, their secretary stopped them.
"Mr. LaSalle, Miss Hayes. I'm sorry to interrupt your plans, but there's a man here to see you."
Lou gave his secretary a cranky look.
"Well, tell them to make an appointment. Nobody shows up here unannounced, Susan. You should know that. Now, if you would excuse me."
"Oh, but I don't need an appointment," a familiar voice spoke up in that moment.
The sound of that voice made the hairs on Maddie's neck stand up. Her heart drummed in her chest. It couldn't be. It could not be him. They had said their goodbye's!
Sure enough, there he was, standing there in all of his policeman glory. There was a smug smirk on his face and Maddie couldn't help but stare at him, her mouth hanging almost open.
"David…," she breathed.
David ignored her, focusing on her boss instead.
"Lou! Love what you've done with the place," he said jovially, slapping a hand on Lou's shoulder.
Lou merely looked at him in disdain, quickly removing the hand again.
"Mr. Addison," he acknowledged. "I don't know why you think that you don't need to make an appointment, but showing up here in a uniform isn't going to change the fact that nobody comes in here to simply take my time uninformed."
"But I am here on police business. I need some files and you're going to give them to me," David said, undeterred.
"You work in New York City, Mr. Addison. You have no jurisdiction here."
"I think this will tell you otherwise."
David reached into his back pocket to pull out a form of some sort. He handed it over to Lou.
"I'm working together with the LAPD in regards to Delores Wyatt. You have files on her. We need them," he told Maddie's boss.
Maddie watched something twitch in Lou's face as he read David's form, secretly enjoying the fact that David was telling her boss off.
"Fine. Maddie, stay behind and give Mr. Addison what he wants, okay? I'm off to lunch."
Just like that, Lou had cancelled her break and ordered her to deal with her ex. Yet again. Maddie sighed and watched her boss take off without another glance back at them, before turning towards David.
"He must be a delight to work with," David threw out there. "He sure sucked the soul right out of this place."
Maddie ignored the jabs at her boss and pointed in the direction of her office.
"Follow me, will you?"
He did just that, and Maddie immediately headed for the file cabinet, rummaging around.
"Your office looks very different," David remarked.
"Yeah well, we're not in the eighties anymore. It needed some updating."
She turned around to face him and was surprised to find him sitting on the edge of her desk. It threw her back in time about six years. It definitely shook her.
"I uhm… I have your files."
When David reached out to take them from her, their fingers touched. The electric current that ran between both of them was instantly palpable.
"I never thought that I would ever see you sitting on my desk again," Maddie told him, giving him a small smile.
"For what it's worth, I never thought that I would ever set foot in this building again, so I guess we're even."
He didn't look up at her when he said it. Instead he was casually flipping through the files.
"Can you tell me what's up with Delores Wyatt? Why are the police are involved?"
"No can do. I can't give away too much. I guess I could inform you on some matters when the case is closed, though," he offered, still not looking up at her.
"I would like that."
The silence that followed was in stark contrast to their many fights years ago. Maddie could almost hear their past raised voices echoing off the walls.
"Well, I guess I should get out of here and head to work," David said, as he hopped off her desk.
"Will you be in Los Angeles for a while?"
"For a few weeks. Why?"
Maddie shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe we could catch up for real, this time. We didn't really talk in New York."
"Maddie…," David began to object.
"Oh, come on, David! Why did you have to be the one to come here? Couldn't someone else on the police force have come to collect them?"
"I'm the one with the connection to Miss Wyatt, Maddie. This case needs to be in my hands."
"And that's the only reason you're here?"
David narrowed his eyes at her, but remained silent.
"Fine," Maddie snapped. "I'll see you out, then."
She stomped over towards the door, but a stern 'Maddie' from him stopped her. She refused to turn around, though.
"We've talked about this. Leave it alone."
"I would merely suggest a lunch somewhere sometime. We don't have to bring anything up."
"Bring anything up? Maddie, by simply being here, it brings everything up. Being in this very building throws me back."
"And yet, you're here. Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black… I can't come to New York. I need to give you space. Where's your space if you show up here?"
"Yeah, obviously, that was a big mistake."
Maddie angrily turned his way.
"Then go. Take the damn files!"
"I will do just that."
David headed for the door, but paused when his hand was on the doorknob.
"You know, I hate that he has my office," he mumbled. "I know that he didn't take anything. We basically handed it to him on a silver platter. We screwed up big time, didn't we?"
"We did," Maddie admitted.
"Yeah well, I still think that he's a dick."
A laugh escaped Maddie's throat. Just as David was getting ready to leave, she called out: "Hey officer…"
He shot her an annoyed look at her title for him, thinking that she was going to mock him.
"You turned out really well, you know. Don't feel sorry about all this. If we hadn't screwed up, New York City wouldn't have had you protecting its citizens. You are an amazing policeman."
He seemed a bit taken back by her compliment.
"Thank you."
For the first time since he had arrived at the office, he shot her a genuine smile.
"I do still hate you for working here for him, though," he told her, though he said it lightly.
Maddie let out a hearty laugh, watching him leave with a somewhat lighter feeling. Again, she didn't think that she was going to see him again. Again, she was wrong…
"Madolyn Hayes," Maddie breathed into the phone. She was highly annoyed that it had been a busy morning and that she couldn't catch a break. Clients wanting to know the status to their cases, paperwork gone wrong, obnoxious employer, you name it, it was happening today. This was the umpteenth phone call of the day… and it was still morning!
"Miss Hayes?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry to bother you at your office. This is Dr. Jones, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. A police officer by the name of David Addison was brought in here with a gunshot wound. I've been trying to track down some relatives and you were listed as his emergency contact."
"I…. What?" she found herself mumbling.
"I'm sorry. This must come as a shock to you. Mr. Addison will be all right, I assure you ma'am. His wound wasn't close to any vital organs and he is bound to recover shortly. We have him under observation, but he will likely be released very soon. He needs someone to take him home."
"Shot?"
There were several things that made Maddie turn pale as a ghost with this phone call. One was that David was in the hospital, obviously with a gunshot wound. The other part was the fact that he had her listed as his emergency contact.
"I…," she stuttered. "Yes, of course I'll come over. Just let me collect my belongings."
"Very well. You can ask for Dr. Jones when you reach the second floor."
Maddie made a beeline for the exit, quickly informing her secretary to tell Lou that she would be out for the day, seeing how a friend was in the hospital. She never mentioned David's name, though.
All the way over towards the hospital, her head was filled with questions.
How did David manage to get himself shot?
Why was she listed as his emergency contact, when he obviously wanted to keep her out of his life?
How did she feel about all of this?
The doctor had said that his gunshot wound wasn't that bad. She still found herself in a bit of a panic, though. In all the years that she had known David, he had never been hurt. She had been in the hospital a few times, but not him. Never him. He didn't get hurt. He survived everything the world threw at him.
The hospital loomed up in front of her, and she quickly parked her car and headed inside.
"I was told to ask for Dr. Jones? I'm here about David Addison," Maddie asked a nurse, once she had reached the right floor.
"Ah yes. I'll call and let him know that you're here."
A few minutes later, Dr. Jones was leading her down a hallway and inside a hospital room. David was sitting up in bed, looking a bit pale, but nothing too bad. His shirt was off and a nurse was busy putting some dressings on his shoulder. He gave Maddie the once-over when she entered.
"I told you that you didn't have to call her, doc. I can get myself home," he said unhappily.
"And I told you, Mr. Addison, that you can only go home if you have someone to look out for you a bit," the doctor chided.
"What happened?" Maddie asked David.
"I'm a cop, Maddie. That's what happened. There was a chase, some shots were fired and I was obviously stupid enough to get myself hurt. This will cost me a few days. Think I will get a sick pay out of this?" he said the last sentence quite cheekily, and Maddie scowled at him.
"Don't joke about this! I was scared to death when that call came."
"Don't be. Like I said; doc here shouldn't have called you. I'm a big boy. I can manage. Now, if the nurse here is done, let me get my things and I'm out of here."
"He's a hardheaded one, isn't he?" the nurse asked Maddie with a smile.
"That he is."
"Well, I'm done. He's all yours."
"And whatever will I do with you?" Maddie asked after the nurse left, crossing her arms and giving him a stern look.
"Nothing. Just drop me off at my motel and let me get on with my business."
"You're staying at a motel?"
"My old place isn't exactly available anymore after six years, now is it?" David scowled.
"You could come with me? I do have a guestroom."
David shot her a pointed look.
"Yeah, no. That's definitely not going to happen. Besides, I think I've already overstayed my welcome here in Los Angeles. Time to head back home."
Maddie stared at the covered up gunshot wound for a moment, when a thought came to mind.
"This gunfight… did it have anything to do with the Wyatt case?"
David didn't even look at her and hopped off the bed, obviously more interested in getting a move on than talking to her.
"Well, this should be interesting," he mumbled, eying his shoes with disdain. He obviously had issues moving his injured arm and tying shoelaces wasn't going to go well for him. "I guess I should pick up a pair of loafers on my way home, huh?"
Ever the jokester, wasn't he?
"You're avoiding the subject, David."
"What subject? You already know that I'm not going to discuss police business with you. Quit prying for information."
"But I can't help but feel at fault here. I'm the one who brought the Wyatt case over to you," Maddie explained.
"Don't feel bad. This case was bound to fall into my lap at some point. Let it go. Now, if you would find me a shirt, I could get out of here."
Maddie studied him for a moment, contemplating. He had definitely changed. He wasn't the happy-go lucky David anymore, was he? She missed his positivity. Not that he was negative, per se, he just seemed to accept that the world was the way it was. It showed up in the lines on his face. She hardly saw him smile and his jaw was tight all the time.
"What happened to you?" she blurted out.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
David was still moving around the hospital room, searching for shoes and clothes. He didn't seem to pay too much attention to what she was saying.
"You're different. You're a tough guy now. You have been a lot of things in your life, David, but a tough guy wasn't one of them. What happened?"
"Do you really want to go down that road, Maddie?" David answered, still not looking at her. "Besides, I'm a cop now. You can't exactly be soft when it comes to that."
"Of course, there's that. But you also seem as if you were hit in the face by life."
That caused him to finally look up.
"I have been hit in the face by life, Maddie. I don't feel sorry for myself, or anything, but yeah… there was stuff that happened that I guess helped shape the new and improved me."
"I wouldn't say improved."
Something ticked in David's jaw at her remark and he suddenly advanced on her, making Maddie back up against the wall behind her. He stopped just a hair's breadth away from her face.
"Playing dirty here, are you?" he bit at her.
"I didn't mean… I look at you now and I guess I miss the old David. Where are the jokes? You're so serious all of the time. So yeah, that leaves me wondering what happened to make that go away."
David leaned forward and placed a hand next to her head, trapping her in place. He seemed livid.
"Well, if you want me to get specific; people keep betraying me. I guess that taught me a thing or two about life."
"Oh, and I betrayed you. Is that it?"
"Hey, if it looks like a duck…"
"And what about what you did?!" Maddie found herself raising her voice. "You slept with someone whom I considered my best friend. My very married best friend, if I may add. You didn't even bat an eyelash about it, so don't come crying to me about betrayal, David Addison!"
"You hardly seemed bent out of shape over that one, Maddie! You're the one who didn't even bat an eyelash."
"Oh, so you did it to get a rise out of me? Is that it? Did you really think that I was going to show you how incredibly hurt I was over that one? I felt physically ill when I found her in your bed! I couldn't breathe! And by the way, because of that whole event, I haven't talked to Annie in over six years! I hate her and I always will. And I also hate you! You drive me crazy! You always have. You wanted me to be inside out for you? Well, you got it, buddy!"
He seemed affected by her outburst, as he was at a loss for words for once. He blinked at her with a stumped look on his face.
"Don't have a quick comeback for that now, do you?" she snapped at him.
"Uhm… Mr. Addison? I have your paperwork ready for you. Fill these forms out and you're good to go," a nurse interrupted them awkwardly.
"Sure," David said, still looking at Maddie. Finally, he removed his hand from the wall and walked away….
The ride back to his place was eerily silent, and Maddie nervously tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. Boy, she had just revealed her true colors, hadn't she? She wondered what David was thinking about her little outburst. Did it matter to him that she had been hurt by him sleeping with Annie? Was that what he had wanted to hear back then?
I want you inside out for me.
Wasn't that what he had said to her back in New York. Well, she had been and she hated to admit it but she still was very much inside out for him. She just never figured that she wanted him to know.
She casually glanced over at him, but he was not giving anything away, staring out of the window with a face void of any emotion. He had gotten good at that; not showing any emotion. Had he perfected it because he was now a policeman or was he doing it to keep her out?
Silence with David always made her nervous. He had been such a talker back in the day and she never had to worry about those awkward moments where nobody knew what to say. He always had something to say.
"We're here," Maddie said, pulling up in front of a beat down motel. "David, you really can't stay here now that you're hurt. Look at that place. Would you please come with me? It really isn't any trouble."
David said nothing. Instead, he got out of the car and walked over towards his motel room. Maddie sighed. God, was he stubborn! She followed him out of the car and into his room, stopping the door from being slammed in her face. The room was a mess, Maddie quickly deduced, with clothes strewn everywhere.
"David," she started. "I'm sorry about insulting your character earlier. I guess I don't really know you anymore and that somehow makes me feel something. I feel sad about it, to be more specific. I sometimes wish… but I guess wishing is useless, right? We have both made our decisions and we have to live with them."
He was still standing with his back towards her, so she couldn't really tell what was going on in his head. When he did turn around and she caught a glimpse of his face, she sucked in a hard breath. Her knees almost buckled with the intense look of lust that radiated from his eyes. He was eying her as if he wanted to pounce on her, right there and then.
"Do you know how hard I was fighting this?" David told her, his voice raspy and thick with emotion. "I'm done with that. I don't care anymore about fighting anything. I really, really want you. And you're going to get it."
He walked over towards where she was standing with a shocked look on her face.
"What?" Maddie breathed. "What do you… David, you just got out of the hospital!"
"So? I may be down one arm, but there's still plenty of things I can do with the other one."
"I don't.. I don't understand."
"Do you need me to spell it out for you? I want to fuck you."
Maddie's heart skipped a beat at his crude language. He had never talked to her like that before.
"Why?" she merely found herself saying.
"Why? Because I caught a glimpse of the Maddie I have always wanted inside that hospital room. One who is honest about her feelings and isn't afraid to show them. That was the most irresistible thing I have ever seen on you."
David leaned his forehead against hers, breathing deep and even.
"I need to hear about those feelings. I need to see what I can do to you, because Maddie, it's what you also do to me. You have no idea how hard it was to be alone in that before. It was hell to watch you marry someone else. It was hell how you so casually tossed me aside. So yeah, I guess I wanted to do to you what you did to me when I approached Annie. It was wrong and I know that now, but back then, I couldn't see straight."
Maddie closed her eyes, taking in the moment.
"All right," she said.
"All right, what?"
"As long as you promise me that you'll leave this place and come with me, we can… explore those feelings. Also.. your shoulder needs to heal a bit first."
David tilted his head up and gave her a pained look.
"Are you making me wait? Really?"
"Your wounds are making you wait, tough guy. I will not take advantage of an injured man."
"You certainly are bigger than me. All though…" David pushed his lower body into her hips. "I beg to reconsider that one."
"Ha ha, very funny," Maddie laughed, though she had to push the feelings of lust away. "So, are you coming home with me?"
"Anywhere with you is home to me," David agreed…
"Oh God!" Maddie moaned, feeling the last remnants of her orgasm ebbing away.
David came up from underneath the covers, his hair sticking up in every direction. A smirk was gracing his features.
"I thought that you didn't believe in God," he chuckled. "You definitely seem to be a believer now, huh?"
Maddie heard his cockiness through the haziness of her own lust and scowled.
"Why do you always have to ruin a good moment with that foul mouth of yours?!"
David flopped down next to her, still smiling.
"Because you love this foul mouth, baby. In fact, you loved it very much mere moments ago."
Maddie felt a blush coming on, so she grabbed a pillow, rolled over and buried her head in it.
"I hate you," she mumbled.
"Yes, I know that. I hate you too, Maddie Hayes. Very, very much."
She could feel him cuddling up next to her and that softened her somewhat. She sighed and raised her head to look at him. His arm was out of the sling now and he was healing up quite nicely. Which also meant that he would have to return to duty soon. The thought left Maddie with a heavy heart. Would they go back to where they started this saga; with him in New York City and her in Los Angeles? Speaking of how they had gotten reacquainted…
"Is there any chance you could tell me about Delores Wyatt now?" she asked.
David sighed and pulled her closer.
"Okay, I'll give you the cliff notes version: Delores came to me all those years ago because her son was walking the wrong side of the tracks. She wanted me to find him and convince him that this wasn't the way to live his life. I eventually did. Cut to years later, where she wanted you to find me. Her son had fallen into some dealings with the bad crowd from back then again, against his will. She needed my help."
"So you were shot over the Wyatt case," Maddie deduced.
"Yes. But those guys are behind bars now. The son will probably go into a witness protection program, since he knows stuff. In return, he will be of help to the police. All's well that ends well."
"Well, that's good."
"As sad as the whole thing is for Delores, she did bring you to me, didn't she," David said with a smile.
"That she did."
Maddie turned over onto her right side and started drawing patterns with her fingers into his chest, trying to relax into the moment. The nagging thought of him having to go back to New York wouldn't let her be.
"David?"
"Hm?"
David had his eyes closed, enjoying the sensations of her stroking him.
"How are we going to do this?"
"Do what?"
"Us. Are we going to see each other again after you go back to your life in New York?"
He cracked an eye open at her.
"I was thinking yes," he stated, very simply.
"But how are we going to do that? Long distance usually doesn't work. You don't work regular shifts. How are we going to plan around that? Flying out to see each other could get very expensive…"
David sighed and rolled onto his back, rubbing his eyes.
"I was wondering when that ole' rationality thing was going to kick in again. Can't we just see what happens?"
Maddie gave him a look and he smiled at her.
"Yeah, that's your favorite line, isn't it; 'Let's see what happens…'"
"I'm sorry. Rational is how I work best."
"If rational was what was best for you, you wouldn't have flown all the way out to New York to come see me. Twice, if I may mention that."
"You will never let that go, will you?"
"Nope," David said, popping the 'p'. "You're nuts about me and I intend to rub that in at every chance I get."
"And what are your feelings regarding me?"
"Do I even have to dignify that with an answer? Lady, I wanted to marry you."
"But that was six years ago. Our lives have changed."
David rolled over on top of her and looked her dead in the eye.
"This hasn't changed. It will never change. I could move all the way to Timbuktu and it would not change a thing. Look at me; I love you. I loved you in 1985, I love you now and I will love you in 2025. Do you hear me?"
Maddie smiled up at him.
"I heard you. So, I guess we'll see what happens then, huh?" she joked teasingly.
David grinned at her, before swooping in to steal a kiss….
"Bud!" Maddie exclaimed with delight, happy to see the good old deputy again. She got up from her bar stool and hugged the man, before sitting back down next to David.
They were back in New York at the bar where she and David had argued all those months ago. The very place where David had expressed that he wanted her inside out for him. Well, that had definitely happened.
"Hello Maddie, nice to see you back in the City. Though not so nice that Addison here has put his dibs on you and I'm shot down for life."
David chuckled, possessively putting his arm around Maddie.
"You never had a shot, Bud. Give it a rest."
"No, you're right. I never did. From the moment I saw you two bickering at the precinct, I knew that there was something going on there. It's nice to see that someone has softened this old, cranky lump," Bud said, playfully jabbing David in the shoulder.
"Addison!" another colleague yelled out as he entered the bar, followed by an entire group of policemen. "Good to see you back where you belong. How was L.A.? Did you seal the deal?"
"Well, I don't know which deal you're talking about, but I definitely sealed this deal," David laughed, before giving Maddie a kiss.
"Oh please, I'm getting nauseous, you guys," the policeman complained. "Besides, I already knew that something would happen here, considering you left a perfectly good evening drinking beer with us to go eyefuck this one at the bar."
Maddie raised her eyebrows at the foul language, but she guessed it was a guy thing between David and his co-workers.
"Eyefuck?" David said, scowling. "Is that a new one? Watch the language around this one, okay? I don't want her running for the nearest exit."
"My bad," the policeman said, holding up his hands in an apology. "Speaking of exits… now that you have this lovely lady right here, are you leaving the New York precinct? I know that she lives in Los Angeles and the department over there would be dying to have you after how you solved the Wyatt case."
"Actually," Maddie piped up. "I'm coming here. I quit my job and I have something in the works regarding a new opportunity here in New York. So, you won't have to say goodbye to your colleague."
"Dude, she's moving across the country for you? Better hold on to that one," Bud said.
"Oh, I will. Six years apart was enough."
Maddie smiled at David, feeling happy for the first time in a while. She was actually glad that Delores Wyatt had approached her about finding David. It had set things in motion. If she hadn't, she would now be leading a completely different life. Where she would have been afraid before, she was now surrendering to this new adventure completely. She was leaving all the ambivalence behind…
Please let me know your thoughts about this one!