Light in the Shadows (Find You in the Dark #2)(69)
Author: A. Meredith Walters

“Hi, baby,” I said in genuine happiness to see her. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her on the mouth, loving the taste of her cherry lip gloss. The sound of Maria clearing her throat made Maggie pull back, looking slightly mortified by our overt public display of affection.

The moment she saw Maria and her street walker get up, I knew I’d hear about it later. Her eyes widened slightly and she gave Maria the quick girl once over. Not something I had ever seen Maggie do before, but I could see how insecure she was about Maria’s presence in my house.

“Hi, I’m Maggie,” she said politely, holding out her hand for Maria to take. Maria laughed.

“What are we, fifty? Who shakes hands anymore?” Maria said snidely. Maggie stiffened and dropped her hand.

“People who have enough sense not to be rude to someone they just met?” Maggie stated, cocking her head to the side and giving Maria a smile that was both sickeningly sweet and full of bitch slapping condescension.

Maria snorted and turned on her heel and walked back into the living room. Maggie narrowed her eyes at me. “What the hell is that?” she whispered angrily.

“I have no freaking clue! She was nothing like that while we were at Grayson’s. But she has a history of…sexual issues. So, I don’t know,” I answered weakly. Maggie stood there fuming.

“And Miss Fuck Me Please is staying overnight under the same roof as you? Yeah, I feel really great about that, Clay!” Maggie hissed, trying to keep her voice low.

I ushered her into the house and closed the door behind her. “You have nothing to worry about,” I told her, grabbing her hand.

Maggie sighed. “It’s not you I worry about. That bitch has her claws out and she’s ready to sink them into your flesh. So you’d better watch out,” she warned, stomping off into the living room, where Maria was flipping through channels on the television.

We had around twenty minutes before we had to meet Rachel and Daniel for dinner. And they proved to be the longest twenty minutes in the history of awkwardness.

Maggie tried to talk to Maria but the other girl was having none of it. Maria directed all of her attention my way and I felt like a bone being fought over by two dogs. I know this is probably every other guys’ dream come true, to have good looking chicks fighting over him. But I didn’t feel lucky. I just wished I could kick Maria’s ass out of my house and pretend this crappy night had never happened.

But I couldn’t. Even if I wanted to, I wasn’t that much of a dick.

When Maggie excused herself to go to the bathroom I turned on Maria. “What the f**k is your problem?” I asked her angrily.

Maria could tell I was pissed and she made an attempt to dial down the witchiness. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be a brat. I guess I was just so used to having your attention all to myself when we were at Grayson’s, I just don’t like to share.” Her response threw me off balance. And if I hadn’t been sure before, I sure as well knew now, that Maria had developed an unhealthy attachment to me.

“Look, Maria, I’ll remind you of what I said to you at Grayson’s, we are friends. Only friends. Maggie is who I love. If you can’t be in my house and be respectful to my girlfriend, then I’m sorry, I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” I told her firmly.

And just like that, the vampy sex kitten cracked and I could start to see Maria, my friend, underneath. “I’m sorry, Clay. I’ll stop it. You’re right, I’m being rude,” she said.

When Maggie returned from the bathroom, Maria made an effort to talk to her. Maggie looked surprised, but she went with it and I felt I could let out a sigh of relief that maybe it was a crisis averted. Let’s just put a tick by delusions on my list of crazy.

***

“How much time do we have until it’s time to leave?” Maria asked. I looked at the time on my phone.

“Ten minutes or so,” I said.

“I’m going to go change,” Maria said, looking suddenly self-conscious.

“The guest room is upstairs, the first door on the right. The bathroom is at the end of the hall,” I told her. Maria picked up her bag and gave Maggie and me a small smile before heading up the stairs.

“She’s…something,” Maggie said in feigned politeness. I sighed deeply and sat down on the couch.

“Sorry about earlier. I don’t know what her deal is,” I replied tiredly, already wishing the night was over.

Maggie snorted and sat down beside me, laying her head against my shoulder. “She likes you, Clay. It’s not that hard to figure out. Between the outfit from Tramps‘R’Us and the I-hate-you glare I’ve been getting since I showed up, I’d think that was pretty obvious,” Maggie said. I didn’t say anything. No point really. I didn’t want to try to explain Maria’s brand of f**ked uptness just now.

Maria reappeared a few minutes later, this time dressed in a simple pair of jeans and red blouse. She had scrubbed off most of the makeup and I was relieved to see her looking more like herself.

“Okay, ladies. Let’s get this show on the road,” I said, grabbing my keys. Maria and Maggie followed me out to my car.

“You can take the front, Maria,” Maggie offered magnanimously. Maria thanked her and climbed up front with me. I gave Maggie an appreciative kiss on the lips and got into the driver’s seat.

“Do you mind?” Maria asked, messing with the radio. I shrugged and almost took back my agreement when Maria picked a rap station and turned it up. I caught Maggie’s eye in the rearview mirror and she stuck her tongue out at me.

I grinned and turned onto Davidson’s main street. “Wow, it’s so small,” Maria commented, looking out her window as we drove past the string of shops that lined the center of town. “How do you guys not lose your mind?” she joked.

“Cow tipping and making moon shinefills the free time,” Maggie replied blandly and Maria blinked in confusion, as though she were trying to figure out whether Maggie was being serious or not. Maggie’s sarcasm took some getting used to, that’s for sure.

We pulled into the local diner and I noticed Daniel’s truck was already parked. “Places like this make me gain ten pounds. Just super,” Maria complained and I tried not get irritated by her whining. How had I never noticed this less than appealing side of my friend during all the months we had spent together?

“That’s okay; the average American is ten to fifteen pounds overweight anyway. You’ll just be fitting in with the general population,” Maggie quipped sliding out of the car after I opened the door for her. I shot her a look and she returned my stare with wide-eyed innocence. Maggie clearly hadn’t forgotten Maria’s earlier bitchiness. This night had awesome written all over it. Obviously I was sporting my own level of sarcasm this evening.