005

Madelyn Vance

~•~

The table was always set by seven as long as someone was at home. Even if my parents were rarely home, the staff set the table by the time it was seven so when I came downstairs by seven on Saturday and saw that the table wasn’t set, I knew something was wrong.

“You aren’t dressed yet?” My mother asked as she walked past me.

“What? Dressed for what?”

“Dinner with the Mavericks.” She said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I told you last week.”

“Oh.” She didn’t. If she did, I would have added it to my calendar. I wasn’t in the mood to go out for dinner, no less to Lucas’ house. All they did was talk about our grades, future plans, and their businesses.

“What are you waiting for, Maddie? We have to be there by seven-thirty.”

I expelled a sigh and rushed back upstairs, heading straight to my closet to find something that was both casual and dressy at the same time. I took the quickest shower known to man. It barely lasted five minutes and I hurriedly got dressed, pulled my hair into a ponytail, and went back downstairs fifteen minutes later.

My parents were already waiting by the door for me.

“We almost left without you.” My father said, but that was also a lie. I was the reason they were frequenting the Maverick household. They were making sure to be on good terms with their future in-laws.

I didn’t say anything to that and merely followed them to the car. My father got into the passenger’s seat and my mother and I took the backseat.

“To Porter’s Ranch.” My father told the driver.

If it was up to me, we’d walk since it was only a street away, but no one asked me so I stayed quiet in the backseat and texted Lucas to check if he knew we were having dinner together tonight. He did.

The Maverick house had a gate with a code. I always thought that was a bit much, but, again, nobody asked me. Lucas answered the door before we even knocked, which meant he’d been waiting for us. He was in a button-down with the sleeves rolled up and that smile he kept specifically for adults he wanted to impress. He shook my father’s hand, kissed my mother’s cheek, and then looked at me. “You look great, Mads.”

“Thanks,” I said as I walked inside. “So do you.”

Lucas grinned and led me inside the house to greet his parents, Richard and Diane. I’d been there a few times but the size of the house never failed to keep me in awe every single time.

It was more space than anyone needed, especially for a family of four. Lucas had a stepbrother, which I’d never seen, but he was Diane’s son. Apparently, he was antisocial and never joined them for anything.

The house had several wings, making me wonder if they saw each other except for the times they shared a meal.

When we sat down, the table had already been set for six. Both fathers took the ends of the table, their wives sitting adjacent to them. I sat next to my mother and Lucas happily took the seat next to me. My mother smiled pleasantly at that.

Before we could even start eating, our fathers launched into a business conversation, talking about their next investments and other things that I quickly tuned out.

I focused on the food, but it didn’t take long before I heard my name.

“Madelyn.” Richard looked at me. “Your father tells me you’re looking at medicine?”

My mouth parted.

“She is,” my mother interjected before I could say anything. “She has started working on her applications.”

“Wow,” Diane sighed dreamily. “If only my boys could be as diligent as her.”

“She is,” my mother continued, more than eager to brag. “She’s the cheer captain and vice president of the student council, but somehow still has time to pass all her classes.”

“Really?”

My mother continued to gush about me while I went back to eating. This was what happened during every meal with the Mavericks. Someone asked me a question and one of my parents jumped in to answer and continue the conversation without me.

I didn’t mind. It wasn’t like I was interested in the conversation. I just hated that even the person interrogating me didn’t care for my answer.

The conversation moved from me to Lucas. He talked about his past football games and how he thought this season was promising. I ate my food and contributed when someone looked at me and smiled when it was appropriate. I was very good at dinners like this. I’d had a lot of practice.

We were halfway through the main course when I heard the front door.

Footsteps echoed through the house and they were about to walk past when Diane called out. “Flynn? Is that you?”

My fork froze halfway to my mouth. Twice was a coincidence. Three times was bad luck. Surely, I wasn’t about to run into him a fourth time, right?

I forced my hand to move and dropped my fork back in my plate just as the footsteps started to approach the dining room.

“Do you want to join us for dinner?” Diane asked when the footsteps came to a halt.

I held my breath and looked up.

There was no way the universe wasn’t fucking with me. How did he manage to appear everywhere I was?

Flynn’s eyes moved across the table. They passed over my parents, over Diane, over Richard, and over Lucas. Until they found me.

His expression didn’t change as he looked back at Diane. “Already ate.”

Diane’s smile stayed warm. “Are you sure? There’s—“

“I’m sure.”

“Fucking asshole,” Lucas muttered under his breath beside me.

As if Flynn heard it, his eyes narrowed at Lucas briefly before he turned around. “I’ll be in my room.”

He didn’t wait for anyone to reply before he left. I somehow felt satisfied that I wasn’t the only one he dismissed so easily but another thought chased that one away.

He had a room in a Maverick house. He could go and come as he pleased. Diane was eager to have him at the table. Did that mean he was—

My father cleared his throat, cutting off my thoughts. “Is that your stepson?” He asked Richard.

“Yes. He doesn’t do very well with crowds.”

I almost choked on air. Flynn was Richard’s stepson? Flynn Cahallan, the boy I owed, the one who fixed my car twice, the same one who spoke about bending me over his knee was Lucas Maverick’s stepbrother?

Fuck.