my dating life.”
He turned into our condo lot. “Come on, I
think you’ll like him.”
“What’s his name?”
“Ralph.”
“Seriously? You expect me to go on a date
with a guy named Ralph?” I slammed my door accidently and cringed.
Macon was pretty protective of his car and would normally snap at
me for it.
“You can’t be serious. A girl named Maddy is
going to make fun of someone’s name.”
“Maddy’s just a nickname. Maddison is a fine
name.”
“Yes, if you’re the capital of
Wisconsin.”
“Very funny.” I started upstairs without
waiting for him. I knew he’d follow right behind me. “It’s not even
spelled the same.”
“So what do you say?”
“To what?” I unlocked the door.
“Will you go out with Ralph tomorrow
night?”
I turned to look at Macon. “Why is this so
important to you?”
“Because you’re important, and I want you to
find happiness.”
“Okay, now I’m definitely not going.”
“Did you tell her about the date we lined up
for her?” Brody asked from his place on the beige leather
couch.
“Wait, you’re in on this too? What’s going
on?”
“Nothing, Maddy. We just think you guys would
make a good match.”
“Not a chance.” I took off for my room.
“Please, Maddy. He’s going to be really
disappointed.”
I spun around. “Is he at least cute?”
“Want to see a picture?” Macon whipped out
his phone.
“You have a picture of him on your
phone?”
“Just some dumb ones from work.”
“Fine.” I grabbed the phone.
“Wow, this is Ralph?” A guy straight off my
college roommates’ surfer boy calendar stared back at me.
“Yeah. Not bad, huh?”
“I’ll go out with him.”
They both laughed. “And the truth comes out.
It’s all about the looks.”
“What? Like you guys don’t decide to date, or
in your case, Macon, sleep with, girls because of their
appearance?”
“Of course we do.” Macon didn’t bother to
defend himself.
“I’ll go on one date.”
“Great, Ralph is going to be thrilled.”
“Fantastic.”
***
“I’m glad Macon set this up,” Ralph led the
way down the outdoor stairs.
“Yeah, it was nice of him.” I was still
trying to decide if Ralph’s choice of a red print Hawaiian shirt
was serious, or if it was a joke I was supposed to be commenting
on.
“I brought my bike. I thought it would be
more fun.” He stopped in front of a large chrome motorcycle and my
stomach lurched. I hated motorcycles. Macon knew that more than
anyone. I was surprised he hadn’t warned Ralph to leave it at
home.
“Oh. I guess I’m not dressed right then.” I
glanced down at my emerald green sundress, wanting way more
clothing if I was riding on that thing.
“You’re dressed great. You look amazing.”
“Thanks, but shouldn’t I be in a jacket at
least?” When your father’s an ER doc, you kind of get bombarded
with the dangers of motorcycles. I’d made it twenty-two years
without even being tempted to ride on one.
“You can if you want, but I brought you a
helmet.”
“Yeah, I’m going to get something.” I took
the stairs two at a time, already dialing Macon. He and Brody were
both out. I couldn’t believe they hadn’t warned me that Ralph drove
a bike.
I didn’t own a leather jacket, but Brody did.
I’d noticed it when I was in his room once. I found the
four-sizes-too-big jacket and slipped it on after changing into
jeans and a tank. Satisfied with my new outfit, I walked back down.
I may not have looked as good, but it would at least offer some
protection from road rash.
“Oh, you really changed.” Ralph’s face fell
slightly.
“Yeah, I’m ready now.”
“Great. We’re going to Chilli Peppers over in
Kill Devil Hills.”
“That’s a forty-minute drive from here.”
“So? It’ll give you time to enjoy the
ride.”
I sighed. “All right.” Tons of people enjoyed
riding motorcycles. In theory I could be one of them.
“Just get on behind me and hold on.”
I
He turned into our condo lot. “Come on, I
think you’ll like him.”
“What’s his name?”
“Ralph.”
“Seriously? You expect me to go on a date
with a guy named Ralph?” I slammed my door accidently and cringed.
Macon was pretty protective of his car and would normally snap at
me for it.
“You can’t be serious. A girl named Maddy is
going to make fun of someone’s name.”
“Maddy’s just a nickname. Maddison is a fine
name.”
“Yes, if you’re the capital of
Wisconsin.”
“Very funny.” I started upstairs without
waiting for him. I knew he’d follow right behind me. “It’s not even
spelled the same.”
“So what do you say?”
“To what?” I unlocked the door.
“Will you go out with Ralph tomorrow
night?”
I turned to look at Macon. “Why is this so
important to you?”
“Because you’re important, and I want you to
find happiness.”
“Okay, now I’m definitely not going.”
“Did you tell her about the date we lined up
for her?” Brody asked from his place on the beige leather
couch.
“Wait, you’re in on this too? What’s going
on?”
“Nothing, Maddy. We just think you guys would
make a good match.”
“Not a chance.” I took off for my room.
“Please, Maddy. He’s going to be really
disappointed.”
I spun around. “Is he at least cute?”
“Want to see a picture?” Macon whipped out
his phone.
“You have a picture of him on your
phone?”
“Just some dumb ones from work.”
“Fine.” I grabbed the phone.
“Wow, this is Ralph?” A guy straight off my
college roommates’ surfer boy calendar stared back at me.
“Yeah. Not bad, huh?”
“I’ll go out with him.”
They both laughed. “And the truth comes out.
It’s all about the looks.”
“What? Like you guys don’t decide to date, or
in your case, Macon, sleep with, girls because of their
appearance?”
“Of course we do.” Macon didn’t bother to
defend himself.
“I’ll go on one date.”
“Great, Ralph is going to be thrilled.”
“Fantastic.”
***
“I’m glad Macon set this up,” Ralph led the
way down the outdoor stairs.
“Yeah, it was nice of him.” I was still
trying to decide if Ralph’s choice of a red print Hawaiian shirt
was serious, or if it was a joke I was supposed to be commenting
on.
“I brought my bike. I thought it would be
more fun.” He stopped in front of a large chrome motorcycle and my
stomach lurched. I hated motorcycles. Macon knew that more than
anyone. I was surprised he hadn’t warned Ralph to leave it at
home.
“Oh. I guess I’m not dressed right then.” I
glanced down at my emerald green sundress, wanting way more
clothing if I was riding on that thing.
“You’re dressed great. You look amazing.”
“Thanks, but shouldn’t I be in a jacket at
least?” When your father’s an ER doc, you kind of get bombarded
with the dangers of motorcycles. I’d made it twenty-two years
without even being tempted to ride on one.
“You can if you want, but I brought you a
helmet.”
“Yeah, I’m going to get something.” I took
the stairs two at a time, already dialing Macon. He and Brody were
both out. I couldn’t believe they hadn’t warned me that Ralph drove
a bike.
I didn’t own a leather jacket, but Brody did.
I’d noticed it when I was in his room once. I found the
four-sizes-too-big jacket and slipped it on after changing into
jeans and a tank. Satisfied with my new outfit, I walked back down.
I may not have looked as good, but it would at least offer some
protection from road rash.
“Oh, you really changed.” Ralph’s face fell
slightly.
“Yeah, I’m ready now.”
“Great. We’re going to Chilli Peppers over in
Kill Devil Hills.”
“That’s a forty-minute drive from here.”
“So? It’ll give you time to enjoy the
ride.”
I sighed. “All right.” Tons of people enjoyed
riding motorcycles. In theory I could be one of them.
“Just get on behind me and hold on.”
I
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