Read Grave Insight (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 2) for Free Online

have to coordinate for that.”
    Cassidy ignored the comment. “And now that Maddie is perfectly fine, she won’t need you hovering every day.”
    Nick swallowed. “I haven’t been hovering.”
    “You slept in a chair next to her bed in the hospital, even though I was waiting in the lobby all night,” she pointed out. “You spent the first two nights after she returned sleeping on her couch.” The unspoken accusation left hanging in the air was that Nick had slept elsewhere – like Maddie’s bed. He didn’t bother to acknowledge it.
    “She almost died,” Nick said.
    “And I’m sure she used that to her advantage,” Cassidy mumbled.
    Nick frowned. “That’s not who Maddie is.”
    “Oh, right,” Cassidy said. “Maddie is too sweet to use her near-death experience to tug at your heartstrings. I forgot.”
    The more she talked, the more Nick wanted to choke her with a hard dose of reality. He refrained, though. He knew she was going to freak out, and he didn’t want it to happen in a busy restaurant. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t say nasty things about Maddie.”
    “What was nasty? It was the truth.”
    “Your truth,” Nick said. “Your truth is different from my truth.”
    “And what’s your truth?” Cassidy challenged.
    “My truth is that Maddie was stalked through the woods and almost killed. My truth is that Maddie almost drowned. My truth is not that she needed me, but that I needed to be there for her. That’s my truth.”
    Cassidy shrank in the shadow of Nick’s harsh words. “I … I didn’t mean to say anything bad about your precious Maddie.”
    “Good,” Nick said, focusing back on the hostess stand. “Good grief. How hard is it to find out if a table is open?”
    The sound of familiar bickering assailed his ears as the front door of the restaurant opened behind him.
    “I’m not saying I’m embarrassed,” Maddie said. “I’m saying that the boy who helped us load those air conditioners into the truck didn’t look happy when you told him he had a nice butt.”
    Nick couldn’t help but smile, an expression that wasn’t lost on Cassidy as her gaze bounced between her boyfriend and his best friend.
    “He did have a nice butt,” Maude said. “It was one of those round ones you just want to squeeze.” Maude mimed the movement for everyone’s benefit.
    “I … .” Maddie pulled up short when she caught sight of Nick and Cassidy. “Nicky.”
    “Mad,” Nick said. “Maude.”
    “Tell her that a young man is flattered when a woman comments on his butt,” Maude ordered.
    “I’ve always liked it,” Nick said.
    Maude patted Nick’s rear end for emphasis. “See. Nick knows how important self-esteem is. That’s nice, by the way.”
    Nick’s cheeks colored. “I … thank you.”
    “You’ve embarrassed him,” Maddie said. “Look at his poor face.”
    Maude clapped his cheek. “He has a handsome face. He always did. Even as a child he was beautiful.”
    Maddie rolled her eyes. “Oh, whatever.” She shifted uncomfortably when she met Cassidy’s hostile gaze. “So, um, are you guys on a date?”
    “I told you this afternoon we had a romantic date,” Cassidy said.
    “You’re at Ruby Tuesday’s,” Maude snorted. “That’s not romantic. It’s filling and delicious, but it’s not romantic.”
    “Granny,” Maddie scolded. “I’m sorry. She … .”
    “It’s fine,” Nick said, waving off Maddie’s apology. “Maude is always going to be Maude. That’s why I love her.”
    “You’re a sweet talker,” Maude said. “So, should we all get a table together?”
    Maddie was immediately shaking her head. “That’s probably a bad idea.”
    “No, it’s a great idea,” Cassidy said, straightening her shoulders. “I would love to hear about Nick’s great rescue, and I still haven’t heard all of the stories from your childhood. I want to know everything about Nick.”
    Nick swallowed hard. “Cassidy … I … that wasn’t what I had in