Post by Addisonsgirl on Aug 30, 2013 8:07:14 GMT -5
bluemoonstranger.wix.com/bluemoonlighting
David sat on the sofa with the empty beer bottle grasped tightly between his hands. He looked at the clock on the wall and realized he had been downstairs for nearly 30 minutes. He shook his head, he was no longer angry; he had swallowed his ire along with the cold beer he had gulped down. He wondered what she was doing upstairs. With a deep sigh David climbed the spiral staircase. He was determined to make up with Maddie and find out what it was that had her set off so easily this time. They were in a committed relationship, for God's sake – they were sure about each other's feelings, they were in love and had admitted it to each other, they were living together, they were expecting a baby and happy about it... how could one lewd joke upset her like that? Of course he had been damn serious about his vow but he thought when he suggested it she would laugh and make him swear never to break his promise. He never expected anger and tears. Maddie had always been a complicated woman but now with the pregnancy hormones racing through her body she was beyond complicated… almost insane in her mood swings and temper tantrums.
When he entered the bedroom, he found it dark and Maddie already asleep, her back turned to him. He sighed and slipped quietly between the sheets, moving close to her, putting his right arm around her waist and pulling her a little closer to him. She stirred a little in her sleep and snuggled her back closely to his front.
"I love you, Blondie," he whispered in the dark. "What am I gonna do with you?"
He placed a kiss on the back of her head and rested his big hand on her still flat belly. The thought that their baby was growing inside her, suddenly hit him like a sledgehammer and filled him with wonder. He remembered that, in spite of the circumstances and the fear of the unknown, he had felt the same way when Tess had been pregnant; the thought of being a father had frightened him, yes, but still... he shook his head in the dark. Nothing though could be compared to the happiness he felt now – not only was he going to be a father, he was also going to share this with the only woman he had ever really loved; and she loved him back. Yes, for a moment the memory of what had happened so long ago, of how badly everything had turned out, had weighed heavy on his heart and mind, but he knew this was different, and he knew this was going to be wonderful. He wasn't afraid at all of being married, or of being a father – which surprised him sometimes.
Suddenly, David felt the urge to wake Maddie up and propose to her right there and then, but as he thought about it lying there in the dark, he rejected that spontaneous idea. She was tired and needed sleep, and he wanted to make this really, really special. She deserved nothing less. The problem was just that he had no idea yet how he wanted to do it. He just knew it had to be done soon – and maybe it would take a little edge off Maddie's hormonal crankiness.
Tomorrow, he swore to himself. Tomorrow he would think of something that would blow her off of her feet.
As if on cue, the next morning they woke up almost simultaneously and found themselves wrapped up in each other's arms, their faces only inches apart. For a few moments, they just scrutinized each other silently, then David smiled. “Hey.”
Maddie couldn't help it, she smiled back, even if it was a little feeble. She had remembered at once how the previous evening had ended. “Hey.”
“You were already asleep when I came back upstairs last night,” he remarked softly and removed a streak of hair that had fallen into her eyes.
As usual, this trademark tender gesture of his touched her deeply. Maybe she had overreacted, she thought ruefully. Okay, it had been pretty crude of David to insinuate she was cranky because of the hormonal havoc caused by her pregnancy, but that was typical him – and maybe, no probably he wasn't totally wrong there. He couldn't know the deeper reasons for her bad mood – but then... he should know what she was expecting from him. He should feel the same, shouldn't he? Probably, he does, she tried to calm herself. He's probably as nervous as I am and trying to think of a good way to propose. Doesn't he know that the how does not matter? Or have I made him think that the actual proposal is more important to me than the commitment itself? Maddie sighed. Patience had never been one of her virtues. Finally, she answered his last unspoken question.
“Well, I passed out almost immediately. I was spent.” She blushed a little, and although he didn't say a word and not even the faintest trace of a smirk crossed his face, not even a deep one behind his eyes, she snapped: “Shut up.” And then she had to smile again.
David smiled too and was wise enough not to comment on her last remark. “I'm sorry, Blondie,” he said instead. “I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just joking.”
She looked away from him but nodded. “Okay.”
He frowned and searched her gaze. “Okay?”
“Yes, I said okay, David.” She kissed him on the lips. “Really.” Then she added, partly because she meant it, partly because she wanted to end the subject: “Maybe you were partly right about me being hormonal. I guess it will get better. And I... I...” she shrugged, struggling for words that would distract him from poking further. “I appreciate your willingness to help out.” She winked at him with what she meant to be a sultry expression, but David recognized the smell of bullshit three miles against the wind.
“Maddie, I...”
“David,” she interrupted, getting a little exasperated. “Let's just forget about it.” Quickly, she slipped out of the bed and headed for the bathroom.
David sighed and crossed his arms behind his head. Something was rotten in Denmark, but he couldn't deal with that now. Only one problem at a time. His absolute priority for now was to find the perfect way to deliver his proposal, nothing more and nothing less.
***
When they arrived at the office, Bert was already waiting for David; they were following another lead on the Anselmo case. Obviously, the hairy little man had made it his mission to solve that case and kept pestering David with new leads every other day. But today, David was happy to be able to get out of Blue Moon, away from Maddie's distracting presence, to set up his plan. Big words, Dave, he thought bitterly. I'd have to have a plan first...
Maddie, on the other hand, wasn't unhappy to see him leave. She knew it wasn't healthy, but she felt the need to just sit behind her desk and brood. Why, why, why hadn't he proposed yet? What took him so long? Did that mean he didn't plan to propose at all? And if so – was it just because he simply didn't think of it or because he didn't want to get married? She absolutely believed that he was deeply in love with her and utterly happy that she was having his baby, also she wasn't afraid anymore that he wasn't serious about their relationship or that he would eventually get tired of her – but if he really dreaded to take that last step, did that mean he didn't love her enough? Or maybe he was soured on marriage after what happened with Tess. Maddie sighed deeply. No, she didn't want to think these thoughts. They were silly. But still...
Maddie sighed deeply again and put her face in her hands.
“Miss Hayes?” Agnes' concerned, questioning voice scared her out of her thoughts, and she almost jumped.
“Agnes.” She drew a deep breath and tried to compose herself. “Can I help you?”
“Your mail,” Agnes just said, scrutinizing her thoroughly, and closed the door behind her. Great.
Maddie nodded and patted on her desk in an inviting gesture. “Put it here, Agnes. I'll look through it.”
Agnes crossed the room and placed the bundle of letters on Maddie's desk, not taking her eyes off of her employer's face for one moment. That was unnerving, and Maddie felt her nerves tense.
“What?” she asked in an irritated tone. Agnes backed off, but only one step.
“Are you all right, Miss Hayes?” Agnes asked bravely.
Maddie plastered her best Blue Moon Shampoo girl smile on her face. “Sure, I'm fine!”
Agnes' shoulders slumped a little. “Uh-oh,” she made.
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Uh-oh what?”
“You're-saying-you're-fine-but-you're-not-uh-oh,” Agnes said unhappily.
“Oh.”
Agnes wasn't going to make any prisoners. “Is it about the baby?” she asked point-blank.
Maddie's eyes almost popped out. “What?!” she gasped. “How do you even... what?!”
Agnes smiled reassuringly. “Oh, don't worry, Miss Hayes,” she soothed. “Nobody knows.”
Maddie sighed and looked down at her hands that were knotted in her lap. She didn't even care to understand how Agnes' knew about her pregnancy; she remembered how Agnes' had acted when she had told her she and David were together: like she had known already everything all along. Sometimes, it was creepy how accurate Agnes' intuition was.
“But a baby isn't uh-oh news, is it?” Agnes asked.
Maddie looked up at her again, and this time she smiled and an inner glow shone from her face; it was the same glow which had had betrayed her a few days ago. “No, of course it's not,” she confirmed. “It's great news.”
“So, you are happy about it?”
“I'm very happy about it,” Maddie nodded.
“And Mr. Addison is happy too, of course.” Agnes wasn't questioning that, and again, Maddie marveled at how profoundly Agnes seemed to look beyond people's outer surface. She slowly nodded again. Then she asked: “Will you invite everybody?”
Maddie frowned. “Invite everybody?” she repeated.
Agnes nodded, her curls bouncing wildly. “To your wedding. Or will it be a family wedding?”
Maddie pressed her lips together. She knew that Agnes wasn't being nosy, she was just innocently asking about the obvious. Obvious to everybody but the main person, she thought angrily. “If there is a wedding, of course our Blue Moon family will be there too.”
“If?” Agnes echoed in a confused tone.
“If,” Maddie repeated grimly.
“Oh.”
“No, not 'Oh', Agnes,” Maddie blurted out in exasperation. “You were right, this isn't just 'Oh', this is indeed 'uh-oh' news.”
“You mean, you haven't...?” Agnes let her voice trail off.
“Yes,” Maddie pressed through clenched teeth.
“And Mr. Addison hasn't...?” Agnes
“No,” Maddie grumbled. Agnes slightly shook her head. Why were these two nincompoops messing it up again? But maybe there was hope they would get it right.
Agnes had to make sure. “But if he...?”
“Of course,” Maddie snapped and looked at her apologetically. Much to her surprise, Agnes beamed.
“Then it's not uh-oh news,” she declared brightly.
Maddie frowned. “It's not?”
Agnes shook her head, still smiling. “Oh, Miss Hayes... you know Mr. Addison.”
“Sometimes I'm not sure,” Maddie replied dryly. “What are you trying to say?”
Agnes shrugged. “He always makes detours, but eventually he always gets home.” And she turned around and walked towards the door as if she was sure now that she had said her piece everything was crystal clear. When she had reached the door, she turned around again and asked: “Anything else you need, Miss Hayes?”
Maddie stared at her secretary with an open-mouthed expression. Slowly, she shook her head. “No, I think that's all...”
***
David was sitting in the passenger seat of Bert’s car thinking of the best way to propose. He wanted it to be perfect and perfect was something he had never been good at when it came to Maddie. He remembered how crazy it had been for both of them to admit their feelings for each other and at times he was shocked at how far they had come as a couple. But now he wanted to go further and he hoped things would continue to work in his favor. David sighed as he stared sightlessly out of the side window.
Bert knew that Mr. Addison wasn’t paying any attention to what he was telling him about the case and he thought he knew why. A huge smile covered Bert’s scruffy face. “You are one lucky man, sir.”
David sat up. “Me?” David ran his hands through his already tousled head. “Lucky?"
Bert nodded his curly head adamantly. “Oh yes. I can’t wait to buy my love button that special ring that will ensure my future happiness once she wears it on her finger.”
David stared at Bert. “What are you saying?”
“Your engagement to Miss Hayes!” Bert was all smiles. “How did you do it, sir? How did you ask your love to be your wife; to share your life; to stick with you for better for worse through…”
David cut him off curtly. “I didn’t.”
“You didn’t?” Bert shook his head as if to clear it. “You didn’t what?”
“Ask Miss Hayes.” David wasn’t usually the type to talk his problems over especially with another man but he was at a loss of what to do and maybe Viola, who was as romantic as they come, could help him out with an idea or two. At least it couldn't do any harm to listen to his ideas which David figured his short sidekick would have more than enough, could it?
“But sir, you bought the ring. Agnes told me you two were going out to dinner last night, so I assumed…”Viola stared at David with wide brown eyes.
“You told Agnes?” David’s voice was sharp, and he threw his trainee an almost menacing glance.
“No, of course not, sir!” Bert assured hastily. “I respected your wishes and left my honey bunny in the dark.” Bert shook his head. “And you know I hate to keep secrets from my love muffin, sir. But I kept my lips locked.” Bert made a motion as if his lips were locked with a key.
“Are you sure?” David’s eyes were green ice. “Cause if Maddie finds out before I ask her your ass is dead.”
Bert put up his two hands as if to ward off David’s threat. “I swear, Mr. Addison. I said not a word about the ring.”
David was mollified.
“So what happened, sir?”
David shook his head and sighed. “I want to do something special.” David nodded. “I want it to be perfect.” He looked over at Bert, and despite his feeling that he might regret it, he asked: “Any ideas?”
Bert had a few.
***
Maddie was happy that David decided to send Simmons on the stake out with Viola the following night. She had barely seen him over the last couple of days and she was tense and annoyed with him and what seemed like an endless avoidance game on his part. She was thrilled when David told her he had made reservations for a romantic dinner at another one of Maddie’s favorite restaurants.
Maddie smiled up at David as he led her into the restaurant with his arm around her waist. “Another dinner at one of my favorite places. You spoil me.”
“Well, I want to enjoy this dinner. The other night didn’t go as I planned.” He winked.
Maddie was hoping he had something wonderful planned in the shape of a diamond.
David sneakily slipped the diamond in the bottom of Maddie’s champagne flute while she was freshening up in the ladies’ room. He figured she would see it when she held her glass up for him to pour her a glass of champagne. Surely, one small glass wouldn't do any harm to the Bean.
When Maddie sat down at the table David held up the bottle of champagne he had ordered. He motioned for her to pick up her glass. David was frustrated when Maddie picked up her glass without looking at it; she had only eyes for him. Under other circumstances, the smitten way she looked at him would have made him beyond happy, but tonight, right at this moment, it wasn't exactly helpful. She held it out to him. He poured a little champagne into her glass. “How does that look?”
“It looks fine.” Maddie giggled without taking her eyes off of his.
“See if you have enough in your glass.” David told her firmly. Why the hell wasn’t she looking where she needed to look?
“I said it's fine.” Maddie held up the glass to take a sip, and without thinking David reached over the table and knocked the glass out of her hand; he couldn’t take the chance she would swallow the diamond.
Maddie felt the wetness before she saw the champagne fall into her lap. “Why did you do that?” she cried in shock, wiping off her skirt with the napkin.
“Do what?” David played dumb. He saw the diamond fall on the side of the table, bent down and quickly pocketed it.
Maddie glared at him. “Knock the glass out of my hand.”
“Did I do that?” David flexed his arm. “Sorry, a reflex. An old elbow injury... sometimes the arm just moves on its own.”
“Really? Since when?” Maddie wasn’t buying it.
“You mean I never mentioned by old elbow injury?” David asked as he poured more champagne into her glass but kept the ring safely in his pocket this time.
The rest of the dinner went well. Maddie was in a good mood. David excused himself and went to have a chat with their waiter. Plan B.
“Sweets for my sweet.” David whispered as he saw the waiter approach their table with a decadent chocolate dessert of mocha and hazelnuts. David had clued the waiter in on his plan; the waiter was supposed to place the ring on the top of the cake – but when the cake was placed before them David frowned because he only saw chocolate and cream. He was unsure what had happened but was more confused when the waiter gave him the OK sign from across the room. Did the waiter place the ring IN the cake instead of on top??
David saw Maddie stick her fork in the cake and take a large chunk of the dessert. He watched the fork heading toward Maddie’s mouth, and again without thinking he pushed the fork out of her hand; cake and cream splayed all over Maddie’s outfit.
“Addison!!” she shrieked and looked up in outrage. “Are you nuts?”
David shrugged and grinned apologetically. “My old elbow injury.” He told her.
Maddie growled at him as she stood up throwing down her napkin and stomping out of the restaurant without a backward glance. David was left alone at the table pawing through the cake and finally locating the ring which the dumb waiter and stuck in the middle. David paid the check and with his heart in his throat then followed his angry blonde out of the restaurant.
He found Maddie fuming in the passenger seat of the car with her arms crossed in front of her. She wouldn’t look at him. Well, if he was honest, he couldn't even blame her for being mad at him – to her, it looked like he had ruined their romantic dinner and, what was even worse, embarrassed her.
David got in the car. He ruffled his hair quickly as he thought of what to say that wouldn’t make him sound like an ass. Maybe he should just give her the ring now. David was just about to fish the ring out of his pocket when Maddie turned on him vehemently. “Do you take delight in embarrassing me?” She spit out between clenched teeth. “I have no clue what game you are playing…”
“Babe, I’m not playing any game,” he hastily tried to defend himself, “I was just …”
“Don’t you call me babe,” she snapped, “and you were just what? Trying to make a fool of me? To make me angry? Well, congratulations!” Her voice had a shrill touch. “Maybe you want out of this so called relationship?”
“Whoa!” David replied sharply, a little angry himself now. “You'd better not mean that!”
Maddie knew that she was wrong to question David’s commitment to her and to their relationship, but the way he was acting and him not asking her to marry him was making her say things she didn’t mean. She was hurt, embarrassed and angry. “I thought that you embarrassed me at the Symphony last year but this clearly takes the cake.”
David burst out laughing, partly from nervousness. “Takes the cake. Ha a good one.”
She clenched her fists in helpless fury. “I hate you, David Addison. Take me home, NOW!”
He growled something unintelligible and sped home. The idea of proposing to her right now had lost its appeal. His romantic mood was gone.
Maddie spent the entire night with her back to David in their bed wrapped up in blankets giving him the cold shoulder. She hadn’t said another word to him since she ordered him to take her home.
David lay awake for a long time before he managed to fall asleep; he knew that he had acted ridiculously in the restaurant, but if she had given him a chance to explain and not flown off the handle then things may have ended differently. As usually, things had gone out of control almost by themselves. He tossed and turned all night, and when he woke up Maddie was gone. She left a note on her pillow claiming she had an appointment with her accountant. David sighed as he read the note and ran his hands through his sleep messed hair. How could he ask her to be his wife when she couldn’t seem to stand the sight of him?
Maddie found herself sipping a cup of coffee in the same little coffee shop she had come to think so many weeks ago. At that time she hadn’t been sure of David’s feelings but now after all this time she was still confused about their future together. She knew that David loved her; she knew he was thrilled about the baby but something was going on behind those dazzling green eyes that she couldn’t figure out. Was it a case of cold feet? Maybe he really didn’t want to marry her? Maybe… maybe... maybe.
Maddie was sick and tired of trying to figure out this crazy relationship between her and David. Why couldn’t things ever be simple and easy between them? Sipping her coffee slowly Maddie was trying to get her bearings before she left for Blue Moon. She didn’t want to fight anymore with David. Things were too tense between them, and she knew it was mostly her fault because David didn't know the reason for her bad moods. Even if he probably should have an inkling, she knew he was no mind reader – weird how many times he seemed to be able to read her like an open book, and on other occasions he was so slow on the uptake that it drove her crazy. Especially in those situations when she simply couldn't tell him what was on her mind. And how could she tell him what bothered her? On the other hand, she knew that they had promised to always be honest and open with each other. She felt guilty but still helpless. She could hardly ask him to marry her, could she? She sighed deeply as she paid the check and headed to work.
Maddie was livid when she reached the agency and was told that David had already left with Bert! She spent the morning in a horrible mood snapping at anyone who crossed her path. At a little after noon Agnes buzzed to tell her Mr. Addison was on the phone. Maddie took a deep breath and picked up the receiver. She wasn’t going to show David how cranky she felt that day which was mostly due to the fact that once again he was out of the office with Bert. The thought crossed her mind that maybe he was keeping out of her way due to her bad mood swings. She forced a smile to her face and voice.
“Maddie, sorry I missed you this morning, babe,” he said brightly. “I had to run out with Bert. We really are close to breaking this case!”
Maddie felt her fingers tighten around the phone receiver until her knuckles were white. “That’s wonderful.” She tried to sound enthused but knew she had failed miserably.
“Sorry again about last night, honey.” David purred into the phone. “I swear I’ll make it up you.”
They spoke a few more minutes. David told Maddie he would meet her at home. Maddie hung up the phone in a worse mood. He didn’t want to be with her anymore. She put her head in her hands and cried bitterly. Finally, Maddie squared her shoulders and set back to work. She knew she needed to focus and keep a clear head. David loved her. It was just her hormones making her crazy, she tried to convince herself. The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze of paperwork and phone calls.
Agnes stuck her curly head in the office cautiously a little after 5. “You feeling okay, Miss Hayes?” Agnes was concerned about Maddie. She knew that she was in a terrible mood and wondered if it had to do with Mr. Addison.
Maddie smiled at her good friend and secretary. “Yes Agnes, I’m fine. Sorry I’ve been so cranky today.”
Agnes nodded, deliberately not refuting what Maddie said. “It’s okay, Miss Hayes. I understand.”
Maddie looked closely at Agnes. “Do you, Agnes? Because sometimes I’m not even sure what’s bothering me. Anyway,” Maddie shook her head, stood up and grabbed her purse. “I guess I’ll be heading home. Have a great night, Agnes.”
Agnes sighed and looked after her. She really hoped Mr. Addison wouldn't screw up again.
***
David hadn’t been out on a case with Bert all day. That morning he decided that that night he was going to cook a romantic meal for Maddie including a flaming dessert which Bert insisted would put that perfect touch to the dinner leading up to his proposal. David got home a little after two and began to set his plan in motion.
***
“What on earth has happened here? Addison!! You set the kitchen on fire!” Maddie looked around the room which looked like a bomb had hit it and grimaced, “what a mess!“
Oh great. David believed in kismet, but these last days had almost made him change his mind. All the bad luck and ridiculous things that had happened to him and thwarted him every time he had been about to pop the question almost made it seem like it wasn't meant to be. But then, of course, he had been so stupid and listened to Bertie-boy's crazy ideas. No wonder that none of it had turned out well. This kitchen fiasco though had been his own fault – he hadn’t realized he shouldn’t add the liquor while the pan was still on the fire – and of course Maddie had to walk in on him in the absolutely worst moment.
“David!” her voice had a shrill edge. “Say something!”
He snapped out of his state of shock and tried to extinguish the flames with a bottle of beer he was holding in his hands; which made the flames leap up higher and caused the fire to intensify. Maddie dropped her purse, ran to the sink and grabbed the spray hose, all the while sending her blue death rays in David’s direction. She aimed the water at the fire; it hissed and steamed and spluttered everywhere; but the flames were extinguished, leaving the kitchen a complete mess.
David turned to Maddie and shrugged a little sheepishly. “What can I say... you should know I have the fire in me.” He threw her his lopsided smile, but this time it failed to have its usual effect. Maddie was downright and over the top furious.
“You...! Aaaah!” she threw her spray hose aside and clenched both hands to fists. “You have no sense of order, no sense of decency, no sense at all!” she yelled.
David raised both hands in a placating gesture. However this would turn out, he was determined not to put off this proposal any longer. He had to calm her down. “Whoa, whoa, whoa... would you just relax, babe...” he tried to soothe, but that was just like fanning the flames.
“Don't you frigging babe me!” she hissed, her voice more venomous than a rattlesnake in a really foul mood. “And don't tell me to relax, that makes me sick! You make me sick!”
David was starting to get annoyed. Okay, the kitchen was a mess, but she was going over the line again. “Listen...” he tried again, but she interrupted him by furiously slamming the kitchen door shut behind her.
“No, you listen to me!” she raged furiously. “I thought we had overcome this, but no – there you go again. Never able to be on time for anything, to keep anything in order, to keep anything clean!”
What the hell was wrong with her?? His messiness was pretty much under control lately, even if he hadn't turned into Mr. Clean overnight. He was really trying to improve, and she knew it. But he figured, for the sake of ending the argument he could just back away and apologize. He could do that for the greater goal, he told himself and said: “Okay, Maddie... I'm really sorry about the kitchen, but...”
“I don't need you to apologize!” she yelled furiously, but her voice had an almost desperate nuance to it when she added: “I need you to – “ suddenly, she bit her lip and fell silent.
“To what?” David inquired, frowning, sensing that there was something bubbling underneath the surface that maybe could explain a few things.
But Maddie drew a deep breath; the moment was over. “I need you to clean up this mess,” she stated pointedly, with a forced calm in her voice. Now David was angry. So, she had something that was bothering her, but she was shutting him out again?
“We're not living in a museum,” he thundered, “for Pete's sake, we are living in a house!” he threw his hands in the air in exasperation.
Maddie raised a sarcastic eyebrow. “Right,” she agreed in her best ice queen voice, “and to be more specific – we are living in my house!” She regretted her words the same moment they were out, and when she saw David's face turn to stone and his jawline tighten she wanted to slap herself.
“Yeah well, thanks for reminding me.” he said quietly and started to walk past her towards the kitchen door.
Maddie cringed at the flatness of his voice and put a pleading hand on his shoulder. “David, I didn't mean it like that, I...”
He rooted to the spot but didn't look at her; he just looked at her hand on his shoulder like it was a creepy insect. “Surely you don't mind if I excuse myself now,” he replied coolly and, when she took away her hand, walked out of the kitchen.
Maddie's shoulders slumped, and she let her head hang down for a moment, burying her face in her hands. Damn, how had this gotten out of control again? She knew she had gone over the line, but she was just so desperately waiting for him to propose to her that the tension was almost unbearable. Sometimes she wished she was carefree like Agnes in these things – La Dolce DiPesto wouldn't have thought twice, wouldn't have let pride, reason or anything get in her way; she remembered how Agnes had pursued poor reluctant Bert from the moment she had laid eyes on him... in some ways, that was so much easier, wasn't it? But that just wasn't her – she had wanted to tell David I need you to tell me you want to marry me but she just couldn't.
But what she couldn't do either was let David run out of the house when he was angry. She ran out of the kitchen after him, hoping he wouldn't have sped off yet with the car, but when she got into the living room she spotted the backdoor leading to the garden and pool open. She drew a deep breath and walked outside.
David was sitting on one of the loungers beside the pool, his elbows resting on his knees, looking at the moonbeams playing on the water of the pool. He heard her steps even on the soft grass, but didn't turn his head. He just said quietly: “Maddie, don't worry, I'm gonna clean it all up.“
“I know,” she replied as quietly, then walked up to him tentatively. He still didn't look at her, but when she was standing in front of him, he slipped a little to the side, and she gladly took the hint and sat down beside him. “David, I'm sorry,” she said, “I didn't want to say that. I didn't mean to say that.”
He looked at her and nodded. The earlier hurt and coldness in his face was gone, she noticed with relief. “I know.” His gaze wandered over the water again, and she waited, having the feeling he wanted to say more. “When my mom died,” he began, “my dad was pretty much taken over by his grief and didn't really care much about the house. And Richie and I...” he shrugged and chuckled softly. “Well, we were Richie and I.” He looked down at his hands that were hanging uselessly between his knees. “Oh, don't get me wrong – we ate three times a day, our sheets were changed once a week and we were always properly clothed.” He shrugged again and added: “Well, more or less.” Maddie smiled fondly in the dark when she imagined David and his brother as boys. “But of course, Casa Addison would never have won the award of South Philly's Neatest Little Nest.”
Maddie reached out and took his hand, happy to see that he didn't pull it away. “I'm sure you all did your best,” she said softly.
“Later,” he went on, “when I moved to New York... well, that was only for a short time. And when I moved in with...” he fell silent, looked down on their joined hands and squeezed hers lightly. “Let's just say I've been living alone most of my life, and I suppose I just never really learned how to make a place... I don't know, feel like home?” Thinking back to his almost empty apartment David shook his head sadly.
Maddie swallowed at a hard lump in her throat. “Oh, but you do,” she said. “So much more than you know.”
He turned his face to her again and a pleased, almost surprised little smile shone on his handsome face. “Really?”
She nodded seriously. “Really.” She blinked when she felt tears sting in her eyes and quickly leaned her head on his shoulder.
“Damn Bananas Foster,” he spat after a moment.
She frowned. “What?”
“I was trying to make Bananas Foster when my fire got a little out of control,” he explained.
“Hey, forget about the kitchen,” Maddie soothed ruefully and added, trying to cheer him up: “You know I love it when your fire gets out of control.”
Much to her surprise he just let out a very small laugh before he said: “And I wanted to make this night so special.”
Maddie raised her head from his shoulder and threw him a questioning glance. “Special?” she echoed, her ears pricked up.
He turned his head to her again, and his green eyes glittered in the dark, taking her breath away. “Special,” he repeated.
Maddie swallowed again and felt her palms dampen with nervousness. Was this it? She had to play it nonchalantly, of course, in case he didn't mean what she hoped he meant. "Oh, did I miss something?” she asked. “Some anniversary? You know I'm not good at that..."
He nodded. "Yes, I know,” he replied and asked as casually: “How 'bout we create a new anniversary you can forget about?"
Her stomach clenched into a tight knot, and every fiber in her body was rigid with tension. "Like what?" she asked feebly.
David drew a deep breath and then simply said: "Wedding day?"
Maddie gasped. "What are you saying?!"
David bent forward and scrutinized her closely, making sure she would understand every word he was going to say: "I'm saying please marry me, I need you, baby." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glittering object which he held up in front of her. It was the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen, and immediately her vision was blurred by tears. “I would be proud to call you my wife.” He winked. “I want to be with you and the Bean for the rest of my life.“
“You do?” Maddie echoed, and David took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger a little clumsily.
“Of course I do!” he replied. “I want to make sure you can't throw me out of your house that easily.” She rolled her eyes, and he added: “And of course I love you, knucklehead.”
She smiled at him through her tears, her voice almost to choked-up to speak. “David...”
He put his left hand to her cheek, and she leaned a little into it, enjoying the warmth of his palm against her skin. “Maddie,” he replied softly and wiped one single tear away with his thumb.
"Yes,” she said, and that simple, beautiful word was like music in his ears. “I need you too.”
He smiled. “Good.”
“And I love you,” she added.
“Even better.”
They both leaned in simultaneously for a very soft, very slow kiss. When their lips finally parted, Maddie whispered: “Just for the record...”
“What?” he smoothed out her hair with his left hand.
She put her hands on his chest. “That other vow you made... is it still valid?”
David threw her his irresistible smirk; he was himself again. Of course, it hadn't gone as he had planned but he had made his move, and she, Maddie Hayes, ice queen, uptown girl, had said yes to him. He felt invincible. He was the king of the world. “You betcha it is,” he purred, and she smiled.
Maddie raised her hands and started to unbutton his shirt. He looked down at her fingers, and he was fascinated, mesmerized by the sight of the diamond ring he had put on her left ring finger, and it all still felt kind of unreal to him. When she had completely unbuttoned his shirt, she opened it, bent forward and kissed the left side of his throat, deeply inhaling his scent. David let his head fall back and his hands go into her hair, getting totally lost in the moment and the sensations her soft lips evoked on his skin. She put her hands on his bare chest, fingers spread, enjoying the warmth of his skin and the tickling of his soft chest hair against her palms, and kissed her way upwards the side of his throat and finally whispered into his ear: “Please make love to me, David.”
She tilted her head back and looked at him, enjoying the happiness on his face. David took her hand and rose from the lounge chair. “Come.”
But Maddie didn't get up; she looked up at him, shook her head slightly and smiled. “No. Here.” His eyes widened in disbelief, and she added: “I want to make love with you in the moonlight.”
David scrutinized her with a little incredulous smile on his face and thought what a long way they both had come; and the best was that their life together had just begun. He shrugged the shirt off, let it fall onto the grass and purred: “At your service.”
She beamed and started to unbutton her blouse, but David was sitting beside her again faster than lightning and caught her wrists with his big hands. “Don't you dare,” he chastised in a low, hoarse voice. “That is my job.” He placed a kiss on the inside of each wrist which sent shivers down her spine. Then he took care of her blouse with his long fingers, button by button, almost painfully slowly, each button accompanied by a kiss on the newly exposed bit of flesh. Maddie leaned back and closed her eyes, reveling in the total bliss of the now so familiar sexual arousal David managed to evoke with even the slightest touch, combined with the deep love she felt for him, the happiness about their baby she was expecting and the golden future that lay before them. She felt grounded and harbored and safe enough to run wild.
Meanwhile, David had her blouse unbuttoned and the front clasp of her bra unhooked, pulled both garments off and continued worshipping her breasts and creamy skin. Maddie felt his lips, his skilled fingers, his hot breath on her skin and was in heaven. Her hands caressed his back, and she enjoyed feeling his hard muscles under the smooth surface, twitching along with his movements. He kissed his way up her body again, paying extra attention to that spot on her neck, and she made soft little moaning sounds in her throat, murmuring words only she could understand, while his hands roamed all over her body, passionately yet tenderly. In a jiffy, her skirt was lying on the soft grass on top of her blouse, and she helped him to get rid of his pants and boxers. She was still wearing her silk panties which were soaked from her arousal by now, and she was getting a little impatient, like she always did – but this time, it was different; she wasn't craving the feeling of David inside her just to sate her physical hunger, because every fiber of her body was screaming for him, but because she was longing for the ultimate connection, for the first time with the promise to share their lives forever.
David kissed his way up from her ankles, but when he had reached her center he didn't tease her this time like he loved to do so often, he just pressed a tender kiss on the damp silk; when Maddie squirmed and softly, pleadingly sighed his name, he pulled the panties down.
“Yes, honey,” he replied, “I'm here. Right here.” He crept up the lounger and kissed his way up to her chest, her throat, her chin.
“David...” she moaned again and enveloped him in her arms. “Please...”
He didn't reply but shut her mouth with a deep kiss, pushing himself deeply into her. Maddie moaned into his mouth and arched her back, welcoming him,pressing her heels onto his butt in an attempt to take him in even deeper. Slowly, very slowly he began to rotate his hips and rock them back and forth at the same moment. Maddie wrapped her arms tightly around his waist so that he barely was able to pull out of her, which slowed his movements even more but touched him very deeply – she wanted him as close as possible, as if she was planning to never let him go.
Only gradually, their rhythm quickened, they were totally in sync. Both were uncharacteristically quiet in comparison to their usually loud and wordy lovemaking. Maddie didn't cry out in ecstasy, and David didn't whisper dirty words in her ear to spur her on – she just sighed and moaned softly, and he watched the expression of bliss spread on her face, and this fueled his own fire almost more than her usual screams. He could read on her face that she was very close to her release, and he was just about to tell her to open her eyes and look at him when she did exactly that.
She opened her eyes, they were very clear, and she gasped breathlessly: “David...”
He slowed his pace down for a moment and took the time to stroke her hair. “Yes, baby,” he answered softly.
“I love you,” she breathed, “so much. I love you.”
He kissed her again and took her face in his hands. His voice was almost too croaky to speak, but he managed. “Me too, babe. Never forget that. I love you too.”
And as if that had been the keyword, they both came together and spiraled into such an intense orgasm that they both felt like it was a dream – intense beyond all passion and wildness and heat, it was so much more than that.
After they had regained their breath, they lay still on the lounger, enveloped in each other's arms, looking up into the moonlight that made the beads of sweat on their bare bodies glitter and glisten.
“David?” Maddie murmured after a while.
“Maddie,” he replied almost sleepily.
“There is no elbow injury, right?” she asked with a smile in her voice.
David chuckled softly. “No, there is no elbow injury,” he admitted. “Just stupid old me trying to create the perfect scenario for the perfect proposal to the perfect woman... and miserably screwing up.”
She buried her face at the side of his neck and kissed him there. “I thought so,” she said and added: “It was perfect.”
David sat on the sofa with the empty beer bottle grasped tightly between his hands. He looked at the clock on the wall and realized he had been downstairs for nearly 30 minutes. He shook his head, he was no longer angry; he had swallowed his ire along with the cold beer he had gulped down. He wondered what she was doing upstairs. With a deep sigh David climbed the spiral staircase. He was determined to make up with Maddie and find out what it was that had her set off so easily this time. They were in a committed relationship, for God's sake – they were sure about each other's feelings, they were in love and had admitted it to each other, they were living together, they were expecting a baby and happy about it... how could one lewd joke upset her like that? Of course he had been damn serious about his vow but he thought when he suggested it she would laugh and make him swear never to break his promise. He never expected anger and tears. Maddie had always been a complicated woman but now with the pregnancy hormones racing through her body she was beyond complicated… almost insane in her mood swings and temper tantrums.
When he entered the bedroom, he found it dark and Maddie already asleep, her back turned to him. He sighed and slipped quietly between the sheets, moving close to her, putting his right arm around her waist and pulling her a little closer to him. She stirred a little in her sleep and snuggled her back closely to his front.
"I love you, Blondie," he whispered in the dark. "What am I gonna do with you?"
He placed a kiss on the back of her head and rested his big hand on her still flat belly. The thought that their baby was growing inside her, suddenly hit him like a sledgehammer and filled him with wonder. He remembered that, in spite of the circumstances and the fear of the unknown, he had felt the same way when Tess had been pregnant; the thought of being a father had frightened him, yes, but still... he shook his head in the dark. Nothing though could be compared to the happiness he felt now – not only was he going to be a father, he was also going to share this with the only woman he had ever really loved; and she loved him back. Yes, for a moment the memory of what had happened so long ago, of how badly everything had turned out, had weighed heavy on his heart and mind, but he knew this was different, and he knew this was going to be wonderful. He wasn't afraid at all of being married, or of being a father – which surprised him sometimes.
Suddenly, David felt the urge to wake Maddie up and propose to her right there and then, but as he thought about it lying there in the dark, he rejected that spontaneous idea. She was tired and needed sleep, and he wanted to make this really, really special. She deserved nothing less. The problem was just that he had no idea yet how he wanted to do it. He just knew it had to be done soon – and maybe it would take a little edge off Maddie's hormonal crankiness.
Tomorrow, he swore to himself. Tomorrow he would think of something that would blow her off of her feet.
As if on cue, the next morning they woke up almost simultaneously and found themselves wrapped up in each other's arms, their faces only inches apart. For a few moments, they just scrutinized each other silently, then David smiled. “Hey.”
Maddie couldn't help it, she smiled back, even if it was a little feeble. She had remembered at once how the previous evening had ended. “Hey.”
“You were already asleep when I came back upstairs last night,” he remarked softly and removed a streak of hair that had fallen into her eyes.
As usual, this trademark tender gesture of his touched her deeply. Maybe she had overreacted, she thought ruefully. Okay, it had been pretty crude of David to insinuate she was cranky because of the hormonal havoc caused by her pregnancy, but that was typical him – and maybe, no probably he wasn't totally wrong there. He couldn't know the deeper reasons for her bad mood – but then... he should know what she was expecting from him. He should feel the same, shouldn't he? Probably, he does, she tried to calm herself. He's probably as nervous as I am and trying to think of a good way to propose. Doesn't he know that the how does not matter? Or have I made him think that the actual proposal is more important to me than the commitment itself? Maddie sighed. Patience had never been one of her virtues. Finally, she answered his last unspoken question.
“Well, I passed out almost immediately. I was spent.” She blushed a little, and although he didn't say a word and not even the faintest trace of a smirk crossed his face, not even a deep one behind his eyes, she snapped: “Shut up.” And then she had to smile again.
David smiled too and was wise enough not to comment on her last remark. “I'm sorry, Blondie,” he said instead. “I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just joking.”
She looked away from him but nodded. “Okay.”
He frowned and searched her gaze. “Okay?”
“Yes, I said okay, David.” She kissed him on the lips. “Really.” Then she added, partly because she meant it, partly because she wanted to end the subject: “Maybe you were partly right about me being hormonal. I guess it will get better. And I... I...” she shrugged, struggling for words that would distract him from poking further. “I appreciate your willingness to help out.” She winked at him with what she meant to be a sultry expression, but David recognized the smell of bullshit three miles against the wind.
“Maddie, I...”
“David,” she interrupted, getting a little exasperated. “Let's just forget about it.” Quickly, she slipped out of the bed and headed for the bathroom.
David sighed and crossed his arms behind his head. Something was rotten in Denmark, but he couldn't deal with that now. Only one problem at a time. His absolute priority for now was to find the perfect way to deliver his proposal, nothing more and nothing less.
***
When they arrived at the office, Bert was already waiting for David; they were following another lead on the Anselmo case. Obviously, the hairy little man had made it his mission to solve that case and kept pestering David with new leads every other day. But today, David was happy to be able to get out of Blue Moon, away from Maddie's distracting presence, to set up his plan. Big words, Dave, he thought bitterly. I'd have to have a plan first...
Maddie, on the other hand, wasn't unhappy to see him leave. She knew it wasn't healthy, but she felt the need to just sit behind her desk and brood. Why, why, why hadn't he proposed yet? What took him so long? Did that mean he didn't plan to propose at all? And if so – was it just because he simply didn't think of it or because he didn't want to get married? She absolutely believed that he was deeply in love with her and utterly happy that she was having his baby, also she wasn't afraid anymore that he wasn't serious about their relationship or that he would eventually get tired of her – but if he really dreaded to take that last step, did that mean he didn't love her enough? Or maybe he was soured on marriage after what happened with Tess. Maddie sighed deeply. No, she didn't want to think these thoughts. They were silly. But still...
Maddie sighed deeply again and put her face in her hands.
“Miss Hayes?” Agnes' concerned, questioning voice scared her out of her thoughts, and she almost jumped.
“Agnes.” She drew a deep breath and tried to compose herself. “Can I help you?”
“Your mail,” Agnes just said, scrutinizing her thoroughly, and closed the door behind her. Great.
Maddie nodded and patted on her desk in an inviting gesture. “Put it here, Agnes. I'll look through it.”
Agnes crossed the room and placed the bundle of letters on Maddie's desk, not taking her eyes off of her employer's face for one moment. That was unnerving, and Maddie felt her nerves tense.
“What?” she asked in an irritated tone. Agnes backed off, but only one step.
“Are you all right, Miss Hayes?” Agnes asked bravely.
Maddie plastered her best Blue Moon Shampoo girl smile on her face. “Sure, I'm fine!”
Agnes' shoulders slumped a little. “Uh-oh,” she made.
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Uh-oh what?”
“You're-saying-you're-fine-but-you're-not-uh-oh,” Agnes said unhappily.
“Oh.”
Agnes wasn't going to make any prisoners. “Is it about the baby?” she asked point-blank.
Maddie's eyes almost popped out. “What?!” she gasped. “How do you even... what?!”
Agnes smiled reassuringly. “Oh, don't worry, Miss Hayes,” she soothed. “Nobody knows.”
Maddie sighed and looked down at her hands that were knotted in her lap. She didn't even care to understand how Agnes' knew about her pregnancy; she remembered how Agnes' had acted when she had told her she and David were together: like she had known already everything all along. Sometimes, it was creepy how accurate Agnes' intuition was.
“But a baby isn't uh-oh news, is it?” Agnes asked.
Maddie looked up at her again, and this time she smiled and an inner glow shone from her face; it was the same glow which had had betrayed her a few days ago. “No, of course it's not,” she confirmed. “It's great news.”
“So, you are happy about it?”
“I'm very happy about it,” Maddie nodded.
“And Mr. Addison is happy too, of course.” Agnes wasn't questioning that, and again, Maddie marveled at how profoundly Agnes seemed to look beyond people's outer surface. She slowly nodded again. Then she asked: “Will you invite everybody?”
Maddie frowned. “Invite everybody?” she repeated.
Agnes nodded, her curls bouncing wildly. “To your wedding. Or will it be a family wedding?”
Maddie pressed her lips together. She knew that Agnes wasn't being nosy, she was just innocently asking about the obvious. Obvious to everybody but the main person, she thought angrily. “If there is a wedding, of course our Blue Moon family will be there too.”
“If?” Agnes echoed in a confused tone.
“If,” Maddie repeated grimly.
“Oh.”
“No, not 'Oh', Agnes,” Maddie blurted out in exasperation. “You were right, this isn't just 'Oh', this is indeed 'uh-oh' news.”
“You mean, you haven't...?” Agnes let her voice trail off.
“Yes,” Maddie pressed through clenched teeth.
“And Mr. Addison hasn't...?” Agnes
“No,” Maddie grumbled. Agnes slightly shook her head. Why were these two nincompoops messing it up again? But maybe there was hope they would get it right.
Agnes had to make sure. “But if he...?”
“Of course,” Maddie snapped and looked at her apologetically. Much to her surprise, Agnes beamed.
“Then it's not uh-oh news,” she declared brightly.
Maddie frowned. “It's not?”
Agnes shook her head, still smiling. “Oh, Miss Hayes... you know Mr. Addison.”
“Sometimes I'm not sure,” Maddie replied dryly. “What are you trying to say?”
Agnes shrugged. “He always makes detours, but eventually he always gets home.” And she turned around and walked towards the door as if she was sure now that she had said her piece everything was crystal clear. When she had reached the door, she turned around again and asked: “Anything else you need, Miss Hayes?”
Maddie stared at her secretary with an open-mouthed expression. Slowly, she shook her head. “No, I think that's all...”
***
David was sitting in the passenger seat of Bert’s car thinking of the best way to propose. He wanted it to be perfect and perfect was something he had never been good at when it came to Maddie. He remembered how crazy it had been for both of them to admit their feelings for each other and at times he was shocked at how far they had come as a couple. But now he wanted to go further and he hoped things would continue to work in his favor. David sighed as he stared sightlessly out of the side window.
Bert knew that Mr. Addison wasn’t paying any attention to what he was telling him about the case and he thought he knew why. A huge smile covered Bert’s scruffy face. “You are one lucky man, sir.”
David sat up. “Me?” David ran his hands through his already tousled head. “Lucky?"
Bert nodded his curly head adamantly. “Oh yes. I can’t wait to buy my love button that special ring that will ensure my future happiness once she wears it on her finger.”
David stared at Bert. “What are you saying?”
“Your engagement to Miss Hayes!” Bert was all smiles. “How did you do it, sir? How did you ask your love to be your wife; to share your life; to stick with you for better for worse through…”
David cut him off curtly. “I didn’t.”
“You didn’t?” Bert shook his head as if to clear it. “You didn’t what?”
“Ask Miss Hayes.” David wasn’t usually the type to talk his problems over especially with another man but he was at a loss of what to do and maybe Viola, who was as romantic as they come, could help him out with an idea or two. At least it couldn't do any harm to listen to his ideas which David figured his short sidekick would have more than enough, could it?
“But sir, you bought the ring. Agnes told me you two were going out to dinner last night, so I assumed…”Viola stared at David with wide brown eyes.
“You told Agnes?” David’s voice was sharp, and he threw his trainee an almost menacing glance.
“No, of course not, sir!” Bert assured hastily. “I respected your wishes and left my honey bunny in the dark.” Bert shook his head. “And you know I hate to keep secrets from my love muffin, sir. But I kept my lips locked.” Bert made a motion as if his lips were locked with a key.
“Are you sure?” David’s eyes were green ice. “Cause if Maddie finds out before I ask her your ass is dead.”
Bert put up his two hands as if to ward off David’s threat. “I swear, Mr. Addison. I said not a word about the ring.”
David was mollified.
“So what happened, sir?”
David shook his head and sighed. “I want to do something special.” David nodded. “I want it to be perfect.” He looked over at Bert, and despite his feeling that he might regret it, he asked: “Any ideas?”
Bert had a few.
***
Maddie was happy that David decided to send Simmons on the stake out with Viola the following night. She had barely seen him over the last couple of days and she was tense and annoyed with him and what seemed like an endless avoidance game on his part. She was thrilled when David told her he had made reservations for a romantic dinner at another one of Maddie’s favorite restaurants.
Maddie smiled up at David as he led her into the restaurant with his arm around her waist. “Another dinner at one of my favorite places. You spoil me.”
“Well, I want to enjoy this dinner. The other night didn’t go as I planned.” He winked.
Maddie was hoping he had something wonderful planned in the shape of a diamond.
David sneakily slipped the diamond in the bottom of Maddie’s champagne flute while she was freshening up in the ladies’ room. He figured she would see it when she held her glass up for him to pour her a glass of champagne. Surely, one small glass wouldn't do any harm to the Bean.
When Maddie sat down at the table David held up the bottle of champagne he had ordered. He motioned for her to pick up her glass. David was frustrated when Maddie picked up her glass without looking at it; she had only eyes for him. Under other circumstances, the smitten way she looked at him would have made him beyond happy, but tonight, right at this moment, it wasn't exactly helpful. She held it out to him. He poured a little champagne into her glass. “How does that look?”
“It looks fine.” Maddie giggled without taking her eyes off of his.
“See if you have enough in your glass.” David told her firmly. Why the hell wasn’t she looking where she needed to look?
“I said it's fine.” Maddie held up the glass to take a sip, and without thinking David reached over the table and knocked the glass out of her hand; he couldn’t take the chance she would swallow the diamond.
Maddie felt the wetness before she saw the champagne fall into her lap. “Why did you do that?” she cried in shock, wiping off her skirt with the napkin.
“Do what?” David played dumb. He saw the diamond fall on the side of the table, bent down and quickly pocketed it.
Maddie glared at him. “Knock the glass out of my hand.”
“Did I do that?” David flexed his arm. “Sorry, a reflex. An old elbow injury... sometimes the arm just moves on its own.”
“Really? Since when?” Maddie wasn’t buying it.
“You mean I never mentioned by old elbow injury?” David asked as he poured more champagne into her glass but kept the ring safely in his pocket this time.
The rest of the dinner went well. Maddie was in a good mood. David excused himself and went to have a chat with their waiter. Plan B.
“Sweets for my sweet.” David whispered as he saw the waiter approach their table with a decadent chocolate dessert of mocha and hazelnuts. David had clued the waiter in on his plan; the waiter was supposed to place the ring on the top of the cake – but when the cake was placed before them David frowned because he only saw chocolate and cream. He was unsure what had happened but was more confused when the waiter gave him the OK sign from across the room. Did the waiter place the ring IN the cake instead of on top??
David saw Maddie stick her fork in the cake and take a large chunk of the dessert. He watched the fork heading toward Maddie’s mouth, and again without thinking he pushed the fork out of her hand; cake and cream splayed all over Maddie’s outfit.
“Addison!!” she shrieked and looked up in outrage. “Are you nuts?”
David shrugged and grinned apologetically. “My old elbow injury.” He told her.
Maddie growled at him as she stood up throwing down her napkin and stomping out of the restaurant without a backward glance. David was left alone at the table pawing through the cake and finally locating the ring which the dumb waiter and stuck in the middle. David paid the check and with his heart in his throat then followed his angry blonde out of the restaurant.
He found Maddie fuming in the passenger seat of the car with her arms crossed in front of her. She wouldn’t look at him. Well, if he was honest, he couldn't even blame her for being mad at him – to her, it looked like he had ruined their romantic dinner and, what was even worse, embarrassed her.
David got in the car. He ruffled his hair quickly as he thought of what to say that wouldn’t make him sound like an ass. Maybe he should just give her the ring now. David was just about to fish the ring out of his pocket when Maddie turned on him vehemently. “Do you take delight in embarrassing me?” She spit out between clenched teeth. “I have no clue what game you are playing…”
“Babe, I’m not playing any game,” he hastily tried to defend himself, “I was just …”
“Don’t you call me babe,” she snapped, “and you were just what? Trying to make a fool of me? To make me angry? Well, congratulations!” Her voice had a shrill touch. “Maybe you want out of this so called relationship?”
“Whoa!” David replied sharply, a little angry himself now. “You'd better not mean that!”
Maddie knew that she was wrong to question David’s commitment to her and to their relationship, but the way he was acting and him not asking her to marry him was making her say things she didn’t mean. She was hurt, embarrassed and angry. “I thought that you embarrassed me at the Symphony last year but this clearly takes the cake.”
David burst out laughing, partly from nervousness. “Takes the cake. Ha a good one.”
She clenched her fists in helpless fury. “I hate you, David Addison. Take me home, NOW!”
He growled something unintelligible and sped home. The idea of proposing to her right now had lost its appeal. His romantic mood was gone.
Maddie spent the entire night with her back to David in their bed wrapped up in blankets giving him the cold shoulder. She hadn’t said another word to him since she ordered him to take her home.
David lay awake for a long time before he managed to fall asleep; he knew that he had acted ridiculously in the restaurant, but if she had given him a chance to explain and not flown off the handle then things may have ended differently. As usually, things had gone out of control almost by themselves. He tossed and turned all night, and when he woke up Maddie was gone. She left a note on her pillow claiming she had an appointment with her accountant. David sighed as he read the note and ran his hands through his sleep messed hair. How could he ask her to be his wife when she couldn’t seem to stand the sight of him?
Maddie found herself sipping a cup of coffee in the same little coffee shop she had come to think so many weeks ago. At that time she hadn’t been sure of David’s feelings but now after all this time she was still confused about their future together. She knew that David loved her; she knew he was thrilled about the baby but something was going on behind those dazzling green eyes that she couldn’t figure out. Was it a case of cold feet? Maybe he really didn’t want to marry her? Maybe… maybe... maybe.
Maddie was sick and tired of trying to figure out this crazy relationship between her and David. Why couldn’t things ever be simple and easy between them? Sipping her coffee slowly Maddie was trying to get her bearings before she left for Blue Moon. She didn’t want to fight anymore with David. Things were too tense between them, and she knew it was mostly her fault because David didn't know the reason for her bad moods. Even if he probably should have an inkling, she knew he was no mind reader – weird how many times he seemed to be able to read her like an open book, and on other occasions he was so slow on the uptake that it drove her crazy. Especially in those situations when she simply couldn't tell him what was on her mind. And how could she tell him what bothered her? On the other hand, she knew that they had promised to always be honest and open with each other. She felt guilty but still helpless. She could hardly ask him to marry her, could she? She sighed deeply as she paid the check and headed to work.
Maddie was livid when she reached the agency and was told that David had already left with Bert! She spent the morning in a horrible mood snapping at anyone who crossed her path. At a little after noon Agnes buzzed to tell her Mr. Addison was on the phone. Maddie took a deep breath and picked up the receiver. She wasn’t going to show David how cranky she felt that day which was mostly due to the fact that once again he was out of the office with Bert. The thought crossed her mind that maybe he was keeping out of her way due to her bad mood swings. She forced a smile to her face and voice.
“Maddie, sorry I missed you this morning, babe,” he said brightly. “I had to run out with Bert. We really are close to breaking this case!”
Maddie felt her fingers tighten around the phone receiver until her knuckles were white. “That’s wonderful.” She tried to sound enthused but knew she had failed miserably.
“Sorry again about last night, honey.” David purred into the phone. “I swear I’ll make it up you.”
They spoke a few more minutes. David told Maddie he would meet her at home. Maddie hung up the phone in a worse mood. He didn’t want to be with her anymore. She put her head in her hands and cried bitterly. Finally, Maddie squared her shoulders and set back to work. She knew she needed to focus and keep a clear head. David loved her. It was just her hormones making her crazy, she tried to convince herself. The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze of paperwork and phone calls.
Agnes stuck her curly head in the office cautiously a little after 5. “You feeling okay, Miss Hayes?” Agnes was concerned about Maddie. She knew that she was in a terrible mood and wondered if it had to do with Mr. Addison.
Maddie smiled at her good friend and secretary. “Yes Agnes, I’m fine. Sorry I’ve been so cranky today.”
Agnes nodded, deliberately not refuting what Maddie said. “It’s okay, Miss Hayes. I understand.”
Maddie looked closely at Agnes. “Do you, Agnes? Because sometimes I’m not even sure what’s bothering me. Anyway,” Maddie shook her head, stood up and grabbed her purse. “I guess I’ll be heading home. Have a great night, Agnes.”
Agnes sighed and looked after her. She really hoped Mr. Addison wouldn't screw up again.
***
David hadn’t been out on a case with Bert all day. That morning he decided that that night he was going to cook a romantic meal for Maddie including a flaming dessert which Bert insisted would put that perfect touch to the dinner leading up to his proposal. David got home a little after two and began to set his plan in motion.
***
“What on earth has happened here? Addison!! You set the kitchen on fire!” Maddie looked around the room which looked like a bomb had hit it and grimaced, “what a mess!“
Oh great. David believed in kismet, but these last days had almost made him change his mind. All the bad luck and ridiculous things that had happened to him and thwarted him every time he had been about to pop the question almost made it seem like it wasn't meant to be. But then, of course, he had been so stupid and listened to Bertie-boy's crazy ideas. No wonder that none of it had turned out well. This kitchen fiasco though had been his own fault – he hadn’t realized he shouldn’t add the liquor while the pan was still on the fire – and of course Maddie had to walk in on him in the absolutely worst moment.
“David!” her voice had a shrill edge. “Say something!”
He snapped out of his state of shock and tried to extinguish the flames with a bottle of beer he was holding in his hands; which made the flames leap up higher and caused the fire to intensify. Maddie dropped her purse, ran to the sink and grabbed the spray hose, all the while sending her blue death rays in David’s direction. She aimed the water at the fire; it hissed and steamed and spluttered everywhere; but the flames were extinguished, leaving the kitchen a complete mess.
David turned to Maddie and shrugged a little sheepishly. “What can I say... you should know I have the fire in me.” He threw her his lopsided smile, but this time it failed to have its usual effect. Maddie was downright and over the top furious.
“You...! Aaaah!” she threw her spray hose aside and clenched both hands to fists. “You have no sense of order, no sense of decency, no sense at all!” she yelled.
David raised both hands in a placating gesture. However this would turn out, he was determined not to put off this proposal any longer. He had to calm her down. “Whoa, whoa, whoa... would you just relax, babe...” he tried to soothe, but that was just like fanning the flames.
“Don't you frigging babe me!” she hissed, her voice more venomous than a rattlesnake in a really foul mood. “And don't tell me to relax, that makes me sick! You make me sick!”
David was starting to get annoyed. Okay, the kitchen was a mess, but she was going over the line again. “Listen...” he tried again, but she interrupted him by furiously slamming the kitchen door shut behind her.
“No, you listen to me!” she raged furiously. “I thought we had overcome this, but no – there you go again. Never able to be on time for anything, to keep anything in order, to keep anything clean!”
What the hell was wrong with her?? His messiness was pretty much under control lately, even if he hadn't turned into Mr. Clean overnight. He was really trying to improve, and she knew it. But he figured, for the sake of ending the argument he could just back away and apologize. He could do that for the greater goal, he told himself and said: “Okay, Maddie... I'm really sorry about the kitchen, but...”
“I don't need you to apologize!” she yelled furiously, but her voice had an almost desperate nuance to it when she added: “I need you to – “ suddenly, she bit her lip and fell silent.
“To what?” David inquired, frowning, sensing that there was something bubbling underneath the surface that maybe could explain a few things.
But Maddie drew a deep breath; the moment was over. “I need you to clean up this mess,” she stated pointedly, with a forced calm in her voice. Now David was angry. So, she had something that was bothering her, but she was shutting him out again?
“We're not living in a museum,” he thundered, “for Pete's sake, we are living in a house!” he threw his hands in the air in exasperation.
Maddie raised a sarcastic eyebrow. “Right,” she agreed in her best ice queen voice, “and to be more specific – we are living in my house!” She regretted her words the same moment they were out, and when she saw David's face turn to stone and his jawline tighten she wanted to slap herself.
“Yeah well, thanks for reminding me.” he said quietly and started to walk past her towards the kitchen door.
Maddie cringed at the flatness of his voice and put a pleading hand on his shoulder. “David, I didn't mean it like that, I...”
He rooted to the spot but didn't look at her; he just looked at her hand on his shoulder like it was a creepy insect. “Surely you don't mind if I excuse myself now,” he replied coolly and, when she took away her hand, walked out of the kitchen.
Maddie's shoulders slumped, and she let her head hang down for a moment, burying her face in her hands. Damn, how had this gotten out of control again? She knew she had gone over the line, but she was just so desperately waiting for him to propose to her that the tension was almost unbearable. Sometimes she wished she was carefree like Agnes in these things – La Dolce DiPesto wouldn't have thought twice, wouldn't have let pride, reason or anything get in her way; she remembered how Agnes had pursued poor reluctant Bert from the moment she had laid eyes on him... in some ways, that was so much easier, wasn't it? But that just wasn't her – she had wanted to tell David I need you to tell me you want to marry me but she just couldn't.
But what she couldn't do either was let David run out of the house when he was angry. She ran out of the kitchen after him, hoping he wouldn't have sped off yet with the car, but when she got into the living room she spotted the backdoor leading to the garden and pool open. She drew a deep breath and walked outside.
David was sitting on one of the loungers beside the pool, his elbows resting on his knees, looking at the moonbeams playing on the water of the pool. He heard her steps even on the soft grass, but didn't turn his head. He just said quietly: “Maddie, don't worry, I'm gonna clean it all up.“
“I know,” she replied as quietly, then walked up to him tentatively. He still didn't look at her, but when she was standing in front of him, he slipped a little to the side, and she gladly took the hint and sat down beside him. “David, I'm sorry,” she said, “I didn't want to say that. I didn't mean to say that.”
He looked at her and nodded. The earlier hurt and coldness in his face was gone, she noticed with relief. “I know.” His gaze wandered over the water again, and she waited, having the feeling he wanted to say more. “When my mom died,” he began, “my dad was pretty much taken over by his grief and didn't really care much about the house. And Richie and I...” he shrugged and chuckled softly. “Well, we were Richie and I.” He looked down at his hands that were hanging uselessly between his knees. “Oh, don't get me wrong – we ate three times a day, our sheets were changed once a week and we were always properly clothed.” He shrugged again and added: “Well, more or less.” Maddie smiled fondly in the dark when she imagined David and his brother as boys. “But of course, Casa Addison would never have won the award of South Philly's Neatest Little Nest.”
Maddie reached out and took his hand, happy to see that he didn't pull it away. “I'm sure you all did your best,” she said softly.
“Later,” he went on, “when I moved to New York... well, that was only for a short time. And when I moved in with...” he fell silent, looked down on their joined hands and squeezed hers lightly. “Let's just say I've been living alone most of my life, and I suppose I just never really learned how to make a place... I don't know, feel like home?” Thinking back to his almost empty apartment David shook his head sadly.
Maddie swallowed at a hard lump in her throat. “Oh, but you do,” she said. “So much more than you know.”
He turned his face to her again and a pleased, almost surprised little smile shone on his handsome face. “Really?”
She nodded seriously. “Really.” She blinked when she felt tears sting in her eyes and quickly leaned her head on his shoulder.
“Damn Bananas Foster,” he spat after a moment.
She frowned. “What?”
“I was trying to make Bananas Foster when my fire got a little out of control,” he explained.
“Hey, forget about the kitchen,” Maddie soothed ruefully and added, trying to cheer him up: “You know I love it when your fire gets out of control.”
Much to her surprise he just let out a very small laugh before he said: “And I wanted to make this night so special.”
Maddie raised her head from his shoulder and threw him a questioning glance. “Special?” she echoed, her ears pricked up.
He turned his head to her again, and his green eyes glittered in the dark, taking her breath away. “Special,” he repeated.
Maddie swallowed again and felt her palms dampen with nervousness. Was this it? She had to play it nonchalantly, of course, in case he didn't mean what she hoped he meant. "Oh, did I miss something?” she asked. “Some anniversary? You know I'm not good at that..."
He nodded. "Yes, I know,” he replied and asked as casually: “How 'bout we create a new anniversary you can forget about?"
Her stomach clenched into a tight knot, and every fiber in her body was rigid with tension. "Like what?" she asked feebly.
David drew a deep breath and then simply said: "Wedding day?"
Maddie gasped. "What are you saying?!"
David bent forward and scrutinized her closely, making sure she would understand every word he was going to say: "I'm saying please marry me, I need you, baby." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glittering object which he held up in front of her. It was the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen, and immediately her vision was blurred by tears. “I would be proud to call you my wife.” He winked. “I want to be with you and the Bean for the rest of my life.“
“You do?” Maddie echoed, and David took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger a little clumsily.
“Of course I do!” he replied. “I want to make sure you can't throw me out of your house that easily.” She rolled her eyes, and he added: “And of course I love you, knucklehead.”
She smiled at him through her tears, her voice almost to choked-up to speak. “David...”
He put his left hand to her cheek, and she leaned a little into it, enjoying the warmth of his palm against her skin. “Maddie,” he replied softly and wiped one single tear away with his thumb.
"Yes,” she said, and that simple, beautiful word was like music in his ears. “I need you too.”
He smiled. “Good.”
“And I love you,” she added.
“Even better.”
They both leaned in simultaneously for a very soft, very slow kiss. When their lips finally parted, Maddie whispered: “Just for the record...”
“What?” he smoothed out her hair with his left hand.
She put her hands on his chest. “That other vow you made... is it still valid?”
David threw her his irresistible smirk; he was himself again. Of course, it hadn't gone as he had planned but he had made his move, and she, Maddie Hayes, ice queen, uptown girl, had said yes to him. He felt invincible. He was the king of the world. “You betcha it is,” he purred, and she smiled.
Maddie raised her hands and started to unbutton his shirt. He looked down at her fingers, and he was fascinated, mesmerized by the sight of the diamond ring he had put on her left ring finger, and it all still felt kind of unreal to him. When she had completely unbuttoned his shirt, she opened it, bent forward and kissed the left side of his throat, deeply inhaling his scent. David let his head fall back and his hands go into her hair, getting totally lost in the moment and the sensations her soft lips evoked on his skin. She put her hands on his bare chest, fingers spread, enjoying the warmth of his skin and the tickling of his soft chest hair against her palms, and kissed her way upwards the side of his throat and finally whispered into his ear: “Please make love to me, David.”
She tilted her head back and looked at him, enjoying the happiness on his face. David took her hand and rose from the lounge chair. “Come.”
But Maddie didn't get up; she looked up at him, shook her head slightly and smiled. “No. Here.” His eyes widened in disbelief, and she added: “I want to make love with you in the moonlight.”
David scrutinized her with a little incredulous smile on his face and thought what a long way they both had come; and the best was that their life together had just begun. He shrugged the shirt off, let it fall onto the grass and purred: “At your service.”
She beamed and started to unbutton her blouse, but David was sitting beside her again faster than lightning and caught her wrists with his big hands. “Don't you dare,” he chastised in a low, hoarse voice. “That is my job.” He placed a kiss on the inside of each wrist which sent shivers down her spine. Then he took care of her blouse with his long fingers, button by button, almost painfully slowly, each button accompanied by a kiss on the newly exposed bit of flesh. Maddie leaned back and closed her eyes, reveling in the total bliss of the now so familiar sexual arousal David managed to evoke with even the slightest touch, combined with the deep love she felt for him, the happiness about their baby she was expecting and the golden future that lay before them. She felt grounded and harbored and safe enough to run wild.
Meanwhile, David had her blouse unbuttoned and the front clasp of her bra unhooked, pulled both garments off and continued worshipping her breasts and creamy skin. Maddie felt his lips, his skilled fingers, his hot breath on her skin and was in heaven. Her hands caressed his back, and she enjoyed feeling his hard muscles under the smooth surface, twitching along with his movements. He kissed his way up her body again, paying extra attention to that spot on her neck, and she made soft little moaning sounds in her throat, murmuring words only she could understand, while his hands roamed all over her body, passionately yet tenderly. In a jiffy, her skirt was lying on the soft grass on top of her blouse, and she helped him to get rid of his pants and boxers. She was still wearing her silk panties which were soaked from her arousal by now, and she was getting a little impatient, like she always did – but this time, it was different; she wasn't craving the feeling of David inside her just to sate her physical hunger, because every fiber of her body was screaming for him, but because she was longing for the ultimate connection, for the first time with the promise to share their lives forever.
David kissed his way up from her ankles, but when he had reached her center he didn't tease her this time like he loved to do so often, he just pressed a tender kiss on the damp silk; when Maddie squirmed and softly, pleadingly sighed his name, he pulled the panties down.
“Yes, honey,” he replied, “I'm here. Right here.” He crept up the lounger and kissed his way up to her chest, her throat, her chin.
“David...” she moaned again and enveloped him in her arms. “Please...”
He didn't reply but shut her mouth with a deep kiss, pushing himself deeply into her. Maddie moaned into his mouth and arched her back, welcoming him,pressing her heels onto his butt in an attempt to take him in even deeper. Slowly, very slowly he began to rotate his hips and rock them back and forth at the same moment. Maddie wrapped her arms tightly around his waist so that he barely was able to pull out of her, which slowed his movements even more but touched him very deeply – she wanted him as close as possible, as if she was planning to never let him go.
Only gradually, their rhythm quickened, they were totally in sync. Both were uncharacteristically quiet in comparison to their usually loud and wordy lovemaking. Maddie didn't cry out in ecstasy, and David didn't whisper dirty words in her ear to spur her on – she just sighed and moaned softly, and he watched the expression of bliss spread on her face, and this fueled his own fire almost more than her usual screams. He could read on her face that she was very close to her release, and he was just about to tell her to open her eyes and look at him when she did exactly that.
She opened her eyes, they were very clear, and she gasped breathlessly: “David...”
He slowed his pace down for a moment and took the time to stroke her hair. “Yes, baby,” he answered softly.
“I love you,” she breathed, “so much. I love you.”
He kissed her again and took her face in his hands. His voice was almost too croaky to speak, but he managed. “Me too, babe. Never forget that. I love you too.”
And as if that had been the keyword, they both came together and spiraled into such an intense orgasm that they both felt like it was a dream – intense beyond all passion and wildness and heat, it was so much more than that.
After they had regained their breath, they lay still on the lounger, enveloped in each other's arms, looking up into the moonlight that made the beads of sweat on their bare bodies glitter and glisten.
“David?” Maddie murmured after a while.
“Maddie,” he replied almost sleepily.
“There is no elbow injury, right?” she asked with a smile in her voice.
David chuckled softly. “No, there is no elbow injury,” he admitted. “Just stupid old me trying to create the perfect scenario for the perfect proposal to the perfect woman... and miserably screwing up.”
She buried her face at the side of his neck and kissed him there. “I thought so,” she said and added: “It was perfect.”