I was surprised to hear Madison’s phone ringing; he generally had it on his person at all times. But he’d wandered off to take a shower a few minutes ago, so after listening to his ring tone for several seconds, I picked up the phone and glanced at the caller ID. Julia. He’d made it very clear when she called last week that he didn’t want me answering the phone… and if that wasn’t an invitation to answer it, I didn’t know what was.

I grinned a little as I clicked on the phone. “Hello?”

“Hello… is this Madison’s phone?” She didn’t sound upset, only like she wanted to verify the information…that intrigued me.

“Yes, but he’s not available right now. This is Casey.” I’d been about to say I was his roommate, but on a sudden, mischievous whim, I changed my mind. “His lover.”

“Oh, so you’re the reason he doesn’t want to see me. Interesting…” The woman still didn’t sound upset, and I wasn’t quite certain what to make of her comments. Before I could decide, she went on talking. “Well, you tell him that Julia called, and that if he can tear himself away from you for one night, I require his services, and I’ll see that he’s more than adequately compensated.” There was a suggestive tone to her voice, but I couldn’t figure out just what it was suggesting.

“Okay… I’ll tell him.”

“Thank you, darling,” she replied, and I could hear the smile in her voice. “Goodbye.”

“Bye,” I said, then shrugged and hung up the phone. That had been weird. Still, I didn’t see why Madison had been so desperate to keep me from talking to her. She didn’t sound at all jealous, even though I’d claimed to be Madison’s lover… apparently she wasn’t interested. She’d sounded a bit older, anyway.

So why hadn’t he wanted us talking? All she’d asked was that I tell him she required his services, whatever that meant. And he’d said last week she wanted a favor. What was the big deal? Was he afraid I’d talk him into doing whatever it was she wanted? And what did she want, that she needed him for, specifically? Did she want him to move furniture? Cut down a tree? Watch her cat? Hell, date her daughter? What was so bad about any of those? He was usually willing to help out around here… why was it so much trouble for him to go help out an old friend? Particularly an older friend, like she seemed to be? Not elderly, but maybe not young and spry anymore.

And she’d offered to pay him, too. Or compensate him somehow. Maybe with cookies… I loved when old ladies made me cookies. Damn him! I’d just have to tell him to suck it up and go help the woman, and to share the fruits of his labor with me. Hell, I’d come along, too.... I was still young and limber, and I appreciated getting paid as much as the next person. Apparently more than Madison did… and I could probably do whatever she wanted done just as well as he could. Except dating her daughter… but really, how likely was it that that was what she wanted?

I was toying with the idea of calling Julia back and offering my services in lieu of Madison’s when he reentered the room, shirtless, his hair still damp from the shower. I only paused for a second to admire the sight before I sent him a fierce glare and held up his phone in accusation.

“Julia called,” I informed him, and his eyes widened in alarm.

“Did you answer it?”

I nodded defiantly. “Yeah, we talked.” I paused for a moment to let him sweat, then delivered my judgment. “You are such a bastard.”

He rushed forward and knelt in front of my bed. “Casey, listen, just let me explain…”

“No!” I rose from the bed and stalked across the room, then turned back to frown at him. “There is no explanation you can offer me that will make this okay. So why don’t you just go over there and do whatever the hell is it she wants you to do!”

He got slowly to his feet and searched my eyes anxiously. “You’re sure? That’s really what you want?”

“Yes,” I insisted, then abruptly ran out of steam. I wasn’t really as upset as he seemed to think…I just thought going over there was the right thing to do. “And…”

His eyes urged me to go on, though there was a sort of fearful resignation in them that I didn’t understand. “Yes?”

I bit my lip. “And share with me,” I requested softly.

This clearly confused him. “I’m sorry, what?”

I shrugged self-consciously. “You know, if she makes you cookies or something…you could share.” I saw the condescending amusement start to flit across his face, and frowned. “Or if she gives you money…after all, I’m the one who told you to go do it…”

He approached me cautiously, as if afraid of what mood I’d demonstrate next. “Casey, what exactly did she say to you?”

I narrowed my eyes, affronted by his manner. “Just that she ‘requires your services,’ if you can be spared for a night,” –I neglected to mention that I’d told her I was his lover- “and that she’ll make sure you’re ‘more than adequately compensated,’ whatever that means.” I exaggerated the phrase, and he allowed himself a small smirk while still regarding me anxiously.

“And that’s all she said?”

“Well, yeah,” I admitted, then frowned at him again. “But clearly she needs you to do something for her… what is it, anyway? Moving a desk, cutting down a tree? And clearly you don’t have the time for an old friend, which is just wrong. And it is also wrong to deprive me of the possibility of cookies!” I didn’t care to explain my reference to cookies, and he apparently didn’t care to ask. He did seem greatly relieved by my other explanation, however.

“And that’s all?” he repeated.

“Yes, that’s all,” I said irritably. “Just a little favor from you. Would it really be so terrible to help her out?”

He didn’t respond; instead, he put his hands on my upper arms and leaned in to jubilantly kiss me on the cheek. “You…” He seemed unable to come up with adequate words for the situation, and contented himself with beaming at me for a moment. “You… are adorable.” That said, he grabbed a shirt and threw it on, then picked up his phone and left the room, leaving me staring after him.

What the hell had just happened?