Choosing how to love.

You Asked First

"Hello?" Maddy answered the phone with anticipation. "Hi Maddy, it's Craig." "Hi." Maddy already knew who it was, since she saved his number last night, but it was still exciting to answer his call.

"Hi." He seemed nervous. "Ok, I was wondering if you might like to meet me for lunch today? I know it is short notice and all, but I have to call it an early night, so dinner would be out. And I thought maybe if you were free you might like to go" Craig sounded so sweet as his words rushed together.

"I would love to." "Perfect. I could pick you up at say 11? Does that give you enough time?" "Yes, plenty of time." "Great." He seemed relieved and it made her smile. And after giving him the address, she said goodbye and skipped down the hall to find Lacy in the living room, already on the phone.

"I'm going to lunch with Craig." Maddy whispered and Lacy gave her the thumbs up before going right back to her call. Must be a guy, Lacy only ignored her for a hot one.

Maddy found herself pacing the living room while she waited for Craig to show up. It was taking so long! Lacy had disappeared into her room, not being able to take Maddy's nervousness anymore. Which was fine because it was making her more nervous to be watched.

Finally, Craig pulled in the driveway and she met him on the front step. "Maddy, you look great." Craig smiled widely before handing her the small bouquet of flowers. It was a sweet gesture.

"Thank you. Come inside while I put them away." Maddy held open the door for him and he followed her into the simple three-bedroom house that the girls rented together. They had worked really hard to make the place their own, and Maddy always said it looked like a page from a magazine.

Maddy gave Craig a quick tour before they headed out, and she wasn't sure if he was as nervous as she was, but they barely said a word to each other the entire ride. Maddy really wasn't sure what to say, or do, since she barely knew him, so she sat quietly and observed the morning going by out her window.

"You are very quiet today." Craig finally said as they sat down at the restaurant. "Sorry, nervous." "You weren't nervous last night." Craig teased. "No, but last night you were just a guy I met in the bar. Today, this is a real date." "True. Last night was a lot of drunken shenanigans."

"Like the hugging contest." Maddy rolled her eyes. "I should have won that." "You might have if you didn't cheat!" "I was trying to win." "Cheaters never win." She teased him more and it caused him to laugh. 

"True. However, we all knew Holton would win. He always wins everything." "Not everything." She blushed and he gave her a smile. "Well most everything then." Craig chuckled.

"So, how do you all know each other?" Maddy tried to change the subject from that of Holton. She did not want to talk about those sexy hugs.

"The five of us grew up together and have been friends since fifth grade. Dawson and Holton have one year longer than the rest of us, but all of us are close. We have been through some crazy stuff, but Holton has always had it with the ladies. Even in fifth grade, he had the girls lined up."

"I'm sure the rest of you didn't suffer too badly. I mean, you are all hotties." "Some more than others." He gave her a grin. "He didn't win due to his muscles, just so you know. He really did have the best hug." She tired.

"He should, he's practiced enough." Craig groaned. "What's that mean?" "Come on Maddy, he's been around, a few times." "That's not nice." "Well, he has. Probably more than the other four of us combined. Ok, maybe three, Dawson is a pretty big slut himself." Craig was teasing now.

"Dawson seems like it."  "He is. Probably went home with Sara last night." "And you? You don't seem that way." "I'm not. Never have been. Mike isn't either, but Dave can be. I would rather have a nice cozy relationship then run around with different girls each weekend." That was good to know.