Crazy Beautiful Love (The Martelli Brothers #1)(48)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“Sure, one moment please.” I heard her put the phone down. “Maddison, there’s a call for you.”

“Who is it?” I heard Maddie’s voice in the background and my heart skipped a beat.

“A guy, maybe Joey?” her mom answered and I froze, pissed. Why would Joey be calling her?

“Hello.” Her voice wasn’t its usual vibrant self, and I was immediately worried that something had happened.

“Maddie, it’s Logan.”

“Logan?” Her voice changed slightly, and I grinned as I realized she was happy to hear from me.

“Yeah, how are you?”

“I’m okay, you?” Her tone changed back to one of nonchalance, but I didn’t let it bother me. I had heard the initial happiness in her voice.

“I’ve been better.”

“What’s wrong?” Her tone immediately changed to one of concern. “Is everything, okay?”

“You didn’t call me.”

“I was waiting on you to call me.”

“I thought you would call me.”

“I’m the girl, Logan. I don’t want to be chasing you.”

“You weren’t chasing me.” I shook my head and laughed. “I wasn’t running anywhere.”

“I didn’t want to keep coming after you if you weren’t interested.”

“What are you talking about?” My jaw dropped. “Why would you think I wasn’t interested?”

“Are you joking, Logan Martelli?” Her voice sounded shocked. “You have never come after me; it’s always me coming after you.”

“I told you that I liked you. That we were dating.”

“You also don’t want me to get to know your brothers better, and you won’t tell me why you hate my dad. You don’t call me. I haven’t seen you in a week, you never initiate hanging out. You always seem like you’re angry with me half the time.”

“I’m not angry with you at all.”

“Then why are you so mean to me?” Her voice cracked. “A girl can only take so much. I know Jared and Joey said to expect you might not be very nice to me at first because that was your personality, but it’s hard.”

“I’m sorry, Maddie. I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t realize that you were that upset.”

“You didn’t realize I was upset?” She laughed gently. “Are you joking?”

“I mean, I realized you were being emotional, but you know, I just thought that was your personality.” My voice trailed off. I didn’t think it was a good idea to tell her that I thought that was just how girls were, up and down all the time.

“Oh, Logan. What am I going to do with you?” She giggled.

“Come over for dinner tonight and hang out with my brothers and me.”

“Are you sure?” She gasped. “I don’t want you do to something you’re not comfortable with.”

“I’m sure.” I laughed. “I’ve been waiting to ask you all week.”

“So why didn’t you?”

“Because you haven’t called me,” I admitted, realizing how weak that sounded now. “I know, I’m a bit of a doofus. I’ve never really been in a relationship before. I’m a bit of a mess.”

“I thought you said you’d had girlfriends before?”

“Well, I mean, I use the term ‘girlfriend’ loosely.” I laughed. “Have I dated girls and had some fun? Yes. Have I been in a real relationship, per se? Maybe not. At least not with someone I like so much.”

“You like me.” She giggled.

“Don’t you like me?” I needed to be reassured that she still cared for me. I wasn’t sure why it was so important but I needed for her to tell me. I needed to know that the feelings that were building up were there for both of us.

“Of course I like you, Logan.” Her voice was soft and sweet, and all I wanted was to have her there with me so I could hold her close to me.

“How much do you like me?”

“How much do you like me?” she questioned me back.

“I like you a lot,” I whispered into the phone. “A whole lot.”

“I like you a whole lot, as well.” She laughed. “So what time should I come over tonight and what should I bring?”

“There’s my eager beaver.” I grinned into the phone. “Just bring yourself. Come over as soon as you can.”

“I have to get ready.”

“Come as you are. You always look beautiful.”

“What should I bring?”

“Yourself.” I laughed. “And maybe you can spend the night as well?”

“You’re asking me to spend the night?” She sounded surprised.

“If you want to.”

“Well, duh.” She laughed, and I could hear her running up the stairs.

“How long will you be?”

“A few hours.”

“That long?” I frowned. “I want to see you now.”

“I’ll try and be as quick as possible.”

“Good, hurry.” I hung up and jumped off the bed. “Jared, Vincent, where you guys at?” I shouted as I ran down the stairs.

“What’s up?” Vincent called out to me from the kitchen where he was eating some carrots.

“Maddie’s coming over tonight.”

“No way.” Vincent grinned at me and Jared looked up with a surprised expression. I knew he had thought it was over between us.

“Yeah, and she’s staying the night, so don’t be wise guys, okay?”

“Okay.” Vincent laughed. “Whatever you say.”

“What do you expect from us?” Jared cracked open a beer and stared at me as he drank slowly. “Shall we line up like some sort of welcome committee meeting the queen?”

“You’re such an ass, Jared.” I glared at him. “You’re the one who told her where to meet me in the first place. Don’t go getting upset because it didn’t go as you planned.”

“You better not tell her about the plan.” Jared leaned forward. “No talk about the Bugatti tonight.”

“Of course not.” I didn’t tell him that my reasons for not wanting to tell her were different. I was worried that she would look at me differently if she knew I was planning on breaking into a house to steal a car.

“So what are we going to do?” Vincent stood up and walked over to us quickly. I knew he was scared that Jared and I would get into another argument and possibly start fighting.