Free Three's a Crowd (From the Files of Madison Finn, 16) by Laura Dower Page B

her house … with a bouquet … with Drew and Egg standing right there to witness it all?
    No way.
    “Thanks, Hart,” Madison said softly. “I mean …”
    NO WAY.
    “No one ever gets ME flowers,” Egg teased.
    “This was really nice of you….” Madison stammered. “I mean …”
    “Oh,” Hart looked away. “No biggie. They were just sitting there on the porch step.”
    “Sitting there?” Madison repeated, taking the vase. “Where?”
    “Look at the card,” Drew suggested. Madison felt for a teeny card attached to the bottom of the vase. She ripped open the envelope.
    FOR MY SWEET GIRL, NO MORE GETTING SICK! LOVE, DAD.
    Madison sighed. “The flowers are from my dad,” she said.
    “Duh. Who else would send you flowers?” Egg said.
    Madison nodded. “Duh, of course,” she said, looking right at Hart, even though he wasn’t looking at her.
    “Hey, Drew!” an unfamiliar voice rang out from the sidewalk in front of Madison’s house. Everyone turned to see who was speaking.
    Josh Turner?
    Madison froze. She’d never seen him up close.
    “Yo! Josh!” Drew said.
    He strode onto Madison’s porch.
    “What’s up?” Josh said, smiling at everyone, especially Madison. He turned to Drew. “You going to the hockey match today?”
    “Nah,” Drew said. “My team isn’t playing. How about you?”
    Josh nodded. “Oh, yeah, I have a game today and tomorrow. Big-league.”
    He looked way better up close than he did long distance, through his window. It was enough to make Madison dizzy all over again.
    “You play hockey?” Madison blurted out.
    The boys all turned and stared at Madison.
    “Maddie, what is your problem?” Egg asked. “You know we all play hockey.”
    “I meant … does Josh play?” Madison asked.
    “Hello? He’s only the biggest scorer in our district,” Drew said, giving Josh another high five.
    “Well,” Josh said, humbly. “Sometimes I lead the practice for Drew’s group. So, I was just heading out and saw you all standing here….”
    “Yeah, we were headed to our friend’s house. We stopped to drop off a book for Madison,” Drew explained.
    “So, I’ll see you around the rink, I guess,” Josh said to the group.
    “Maddie, you should come to a hockey game,” Hart said.
    “Huh?” Madison asked. “Game?”
    Hart looked confused. “I said, you should come to a hockey game.”
    “Uh-huh,” Madison answered Hart, but continued to stare at Josh. Madison thought about their secret sign conversations and smiled to herself.
    “Well, I have to go,” Josh said. “See you later, neighbor.”
    Madison blushed. “Later,” she said.
    As soon as Josh disappeared down the porch steps, Egg turned to Madison. “So, we have to get going,” he said. Madison was grateful that Egg didn’t mention anything about their having discussed Josh on Wednesday.
    “That is so cool that you live next door to Josh Turner,” Drew said. “He’s such a good player.”
    “I bet,” Madison said, dreamily.
    “You never met him before just now?” Hart asked.
    Madison shook her head. “Nope. Maybe I should go to a hockey game….”
    “You can come watch us play. We have practices this week,” Hart suggested.
    “When does Josh have his next game? Do you know?” Madison asked.
    Hart frowned, but that didn’t really register on Madison’s radar. She was still recovering from the up-close-and-personal Josh encounter. Hart shoved his hands in his pockets.
    “Let’s go,” Hart said to Egg and Drew.
    Madison said good-bye to her friends and walked back into the house. Her head felt lighter. She couldn’t stop smiling.
    Then she passed a hall mirror.
    “Oh, no!” Madison cried.
    Gramma came running, still wearing her gloves and apron. “What’s wrong?” she said.
    “Look at my shirt, Gramma!” Madison shrieked.
    In the center of Madison’s T-shirt was a spot she hadn’t noticed when she changed outfits.
    And her hair looked greasier than greasy. Half of it was sticking out