Loving Lies

Chapter 1

Present Day

Madison's POV

"You can't be so selfish Madison!" My brother hisses at me not caring that we were outside our father's hospital room he could probably hear us arguing.

"Alex we have different dreams I'm not being selfish if I want something different to you" I wouldn't call it selfish to actually want a career of my own that wasn't chosen for me.

"Get these stupid dreams of leaving this town out of your head, Dad's laying in a hospital bed a few metres away the more time he spends here the less time he's at the farm and you know what that means?" He was talking to me like I was an idiot, like I hadn't been living in the house since I graduated. I know the farm isn't doing well.

"We'll lose the farm" I mutter begrudgingly.

"Even Summer is making an effort she's bringing in money all you're doing is whining about wanting to leave do you think that'll help Dad's health? Help us keep the farm?!" What our sister was doing wasn't something I'd ever want to do with my life, satisfying all those men wouldn't satisfy me.

"I need some air" I tell him calmly, I don't want to cause a scene

"You can't keep walking away from this Madison!" He calls after me.

I hurry down the corridor and up the stairs till I'm on the roof. I thought I could get some peace and quiet up here but someone's sitting on a lawn chair looking at the sunset already.

"Just get out of here" the man growls without turning round, well that's just plain rude.

"Excuse me? I don't think you own the hospital roof it's a free country dumbass" I walk towards him and he looks familiar but then again when you live in such a small town like Havelock you're familiar with almost everyone, unless they're from the rich side of town.

"Do you know who I am?" He asks arrogantly, still not looking at me, like I actually care who he is.

"Hey! you're the douchebag that took my lunch!" I accuse thinking out loud when I walk closer towards him that must be where I recognised him from.

"Excuse me?" He asks turning to me suddenly looking amused, he's attractive and I'm sure he has women drooling over him. He had a caramel like complexion, maybe he's Latino or something, hazel eyes, dark brown hair, sharp jawline and a killer smile

"I was waiting in the hospital cafeteria line for ages to get a chicken and stuffing sandwich with coconut water when you cut in line just before me and took the last one and walked away before I can even react!"

"What did you have instead?" He asks seriously looking slightly amused

"A lousy cheese sandwich which was terrible and sparkling water, jerk"

"I was in a rush this morning to see Mum, I haven't even opened it yet I'll give you half" I take a seat beside him as he hands me half of the sandwich

"So I'm assuming you got bad news if you retreated up here and didn't eat the sandwich"

"Yes Mum's getting worse, I thought you were Fleur her nurse coming to look for me, she's been guilt tripping me about not making Mum as happy as I could so I retreated up here to cool down"

"I can relate to that my brother's being a jerk cause I want to move out of Havelock and make something for myself not settle down in this town and work on the farm for the rest of my life" I can't help but babble to the handsome stranger

"Then leave town and make something of yourself he can't make you stay here and be miserable" he states as if it were obvious

"My Dad's recovering from a heart attack and our farm isn't doing so well so he figures I get married so one less mouth to feed or I become a permanent farmer which is what I've had to do anyway" surely there had to be more to life than just picking apples, selling them and milking cows.