Tommy Sallow is onto better and brighter things. After working a small hometown beat in upstate New York, he's finally in sunny California. As expected, it's the same shit in a different town. Except, you know, now he's near the ocean and miserable...
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Stella snatches the treat out of my hand, chewing away happily as the busty blonde waitress returns with a coffee pot in hand. She was just here and she knows it. But I'm not complaining. She's got a pleasant demeanor and has been extra accommodating. She even dropped a bowl of snacks at the table to keep my crazy dog distracted. All Stella's done since we got here is try to jump through the gate of this outdoor bistro and slobber on innocent passersby.
"She's so cute," the coffee wielding waitress coos, bending over to pet Stella before her eyes come back up to meet mine with a beaming smile. "Can I get you a refill?"
"No, I'm alright," I tell her, throwing a hand over my mug and giving her a friendly grin in return. "Just enjoying the breeze while I wait for someone. Thanks though."
"Anytime. Call me over if you need anything," she says with a wink as she walks away.
I lean back in my chair and keep an eye out for Madison, feeling a little uneasy about what's on her mind today. Her text declaring that we needed to meet wasn't shocking. I'm used to those. It was the location that got me, that second text saying to meet her at this café on Main Street. Since our arrangement began, we've never met up anywhere so... public. Not alone anyway. We only ever go out in a group.
She also hasn't texted me as often or come over at all since that day I talked to Broman about my dad's parole, so that's a little suspect. I heard from Trevor that they finally sent their clinical trial off so, with the extra free time and all, I had expected to see her at least a couple times. Even if I didn't really care to but that's something different. I still don't know what was going on with me that day.
When Madi shows up at the café, she sidesteps around Stella just slightly, giving her head a quick rub of acknowledgement before sitting down. She doesn't hate dogs, at least I don't think so. She's just never been enthusiastic about pets in general, which I don't understand but whatever. I guess they're not for everyone. Stella is less than impressed though.
Somehow, the expression in her cute, little dog eyes as she stares up at Madi seems to ask really? as though she's insulted by the half-assed greeting.
I toss her another treat as Madi settles into her chair and we exchange some awkward pleasantries. She doesn't bother flagging down the waitress to order her own drink and since I definitely know Madison to be the order a drink type, that small and curious discrepancy has me reeling, only adding to the oddity of being here with her in the first place.
I cut right to it. "What's going on, Madi?"
Her eyes bore into mine and she gives me a little smile. "You want me to dive right in?"
"I would prefer that, yes."
"Okay," she sighs. "I'm out."
And I'm confused. "You're what?"
"Out, Tommy. I'm bowing out."
"Bowing out of what?" I ask her, my eyebrows certainly hitting the sky at this point.
