Maxi collapsed onto the bench a few steps down. It was true. James was cheating with Sandee. Apparently a little part of her had hoped that she was just making something out of nothing, but this was proof.
That little lying cheat! Well, he couldn’t hide from her for long. Tonight she was going to muster all her anger and courage and confront him. The universe must have been looking out for her when the opportunity for Henry’s cottage dropped in her lap. At least she’d have somewhere to go.
She wasn’t going to let James derail her plans. She pushed up from the bench and marched into the animal rescue.
There was no one behind the desk, so she rang the bell. After a few seconds, a middle-aged woman—Marie, her name tag said—came out of a door. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, I was in the other day and saw two kittens. I’d like to adopt them.”
“Excellent. We have some paperwork...” Marie went to a filing cabinet and pulled out some papers. “Let’s go see exactly which ones you are talking about. We have quite a few cats available.”
Marie led Maxi through the glass doors and along the cages. Maxi liked it here. It was clean, and the animals looked well cared for. Maybe she’d volunteer now that she was free. She stopped midway down the row at a cage where a fluffy black kitten was curled into a ball. “This is one... and the white one in the next cage.”
Maxi stepped to the next cage. It was empty. She turned around, glancing in all the cages. “Where is the white kitten? It was right here the other day.”
“I’m not sure. One of the other volunteers might have moved him to another cage, or maybe he got adopted. I've been in the stockroom all morning.” Marie frowned and flipped through papers on a clipboard that hung from the bottom of the cage. “Looks like that one got adopted.”
“Oh no.” Darn! She really wanted the pair. Maxi looked around at the other cages. There were plenty of cats but no other kittens.
“Probably for the best. We feel it’s better to just adopt one at a time,” Marie said.
“Oh, okay.” Maxi supposed that advice was wise. She’d be living alone for the first time, and maybe it was smart to take things slow. “I’ll just take this one, then.”
“Let’s fill out the paperwork, and I’ll have someone get him ready.” Marie led her back out front. “Now, do you have all the accessories? Litter box, cat food, carrier?”
“No, actually. I guess I can get those and come back.”
“Good idea. That will give us time to get him brushed and ready.” Marie handed her the paperwork. “Just make the check out to the Lobster Bay Animal Rescue.”
Maxi stewed about James the whole time she shopped for cat supplies and all the way to Tides.
Of course she should confront him, but was it possible he’d been somewhere else? Was she jumping to conclusions? There were a dozen shops on that street. He could have been in any of them. But that didn’t explain why he’d pretended not to see her.
When she got to Tides, Jane was busy with the food delivery and sent her to meet Andie on the back porch. As Maxi made her way through the historic old home, she noticed that things were taking shape. Broken spindles in the turned mahogany railing had been repaired. The crown molding above the vintage floral wallpaper had a crisp coat of paint. The hardwood floor gleamed a golden oak.
The back porch was perhaps the most amazing feature of Tides. It was wide enough for tables to be set up and wrapped around to the side of the house. A row of white rockers sat at the railing, facing the magnificent ocean view.
Andie was seated at one of the tables. Candles, ribbon, flowers, and glass containers were spread in front of her.
Cooper bounded up to meet Maxi, and her heart lightened as she bent down to pet him. A bubble of excitement pierced her sour mood as she thought about the black kitten who she’d already named Rembrandt. Soon she’d have a pet of her own.
“Hey, thanks for coming.” Andie’s smile was genuine.
“No problem. This will be fun.” Maxi sat down at the table, and Andie slid a fabric swatch and piece of ribbon over to her.
“Do you think these match? The swatch is from the bridesmaids’ dresses.”
Maxi held them up and turned to inspect them in the light. She’d seen the swatch earlier, but holding the items together provided the best way to compare. “They’re pretty close. Maybe a hair off, but I don’t think anyone will notice.”
“Okay. Good.” Andie proceeded to show her how they were thinking about arranging the centerpieces, but Maxi had a hard time focusing. Her mind was on her confrontation with James. Should she confront him as soon as he got home? What if he stayed out late, as he had so often these past months? Should she call and demand he come home on time? Or should she bide her time so she could move her favorite things out of the house before he knew that she’d discovered his affair?
“Maxi?”
Maxi looked up to see Andie looking at her with concern. “Sorry, what were you saying?”
“I was asking about painting the candles. The bride wants stripes, sort of like a lighthouse. Is there a special paint for candles?”
“Ummm. Yeah, you can buy special acrylic candle paint.”
Andie put the candle down and looked at Maxi over the rim of her aqua reading glasses. “Is something wrong? You seem a little distracted.”
Maxi sighed. She was bursting to confide in someone, but she felt like such a failure. She’d wanted to say more to Jane and Claire that morning, but admitting it to her best friends was hard. Somehow it seemed easier to talk to Andie. She was practically a stranger, yet they’d bonded when they’d worked on the bathrooms together, and Maxi sensed Andie had experience that might help her.
“Things aren’t going great with my husband.”
“I’ve noticed over the past weeks you mentioned a few things. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Sort of.” As if sensing Maxi’s distress, Cooper came to her side, and she buried her hands in the soft fur between his shoulders. “I think he might be cheating.”
Andie’s gaze narrowed. “Are you sure?”
Maxi thought about it. All the signs pointed at it, and she didn’t want to be the sucker of a wife who buried her head in the sand and waited around.
“I’m fairly sure.” She told Andie about the card, the late nights, and how James had avoided eye contact when she’d seen him in the car earlier.
“Ouch, that sounds bad. I’m so sorry, Maxi.”
“I haven’t mentioned the specifics to Jane or Claire yet. I guess I was hoping that I was making too much of things, but when I saw him parked in front of her office...” Maxi felt guilty for not telling Jane and Claire first, but she’d just sort of blurted things out to Andie.
“Don’t worry. I won’t mention it to either of them,” Andie said. “So what are you going to do?”
Maxi gazed out at the ocean. “I’m not sure. Confront him, I guess. Luckily I rented a cottage... it was going to be an artist studio, but now I might just live there until I figure out more about what I want.”
“You’re doing the right thing.”
Maxi turned back to Andie. The confidence in her tone made Maxi feel like she was on the right track. “You sound pretty sure of that.”
“I was in a similar situation but maybe reverse.” Andie looked away. “I’m embarrassed to admit that I was the other woman. He’d said he and his wife were separated. Turned out it wasn’t actually true.”
“On no. Is that why you’ve stayed here longer than usual?”
“Partly. The other part is that Jane needs help here. I want to see it through and make sure Tides gets back on its feet before I run off.” Andie glanced into the house through the French doors, a soft smile flitting across her lips. “And to tell the truth, I’m getting really fond of it here. Suddenly it feels like home in a way it never has before.”
“So what happened with the guy?”
Andie shook her head. “Once I started asking about taking our relation
ship to the next level, he became less interested. Turns out he was still with his wife. Then he just pushed me aside, and last I heard, had taken up with someone else. Still not separated from his wife.”
“That’s terrible. I’m sorry.” Once a cheater, always a cheater, Maxi thought. Even if she and James worked things out, he’d probably do it again.
“Don’t be. Turns out it was the best thing that could have happened. Now I can live my best life without him treating me as an afterthought.”
Afterthought? Was she just an afterthought now for James? After twenty-seven years of marriage and raising three kids?
Well, she wasn’t going to stand for that. She had a cottage on the beach, a new kitten, and a new plan for her art career. Middle-aged or not, she still had plenty of time to live her best life.
Chapter Three
Maxi was waiting for James with her bags packed when he came home. Her car was full of things she wanted to take with her, including all her art supplies. The suitcase at her side held her favorite outfits. She could get everything else later. She’d picked up the kitten at the Lobster Bay Animal Rescue and set him up in her cottage. At least that was something to look forward to after she confronted James.
When his key finally turned in the lock, she almost chickened out. Almost rushed back upstairs with her bags... but she didn’t.
James was in a good mood. He came through the door whistling—smiling, even. Probably just coming from Sandee’s place.
His smile faded when he saw Maxi’s face. His gaze drifted to the bags beside her. He stopped mid-whistle.
“Maxi? What’s going on?” He was a good actor because he seemed genuinely confused, as if he couldn’t think of a reason why Maxi would have her bags packed. Then again, maybe his confusion stemmed from the fact that he thought Maxi was too naive to figure it out. That thought ratcheted up her anger another notch.
Maxi willed herself to keep calm. “I think you know what’s going on.”
“Are you going on a trip?”
“No. I expect you’re probably relieved and happy that I’m leaving.”
“Leaving? But where? For how long?” James still seemed confused, and now he looked appropriately upset, which only made Maxi angrier.
“You don’t have to play dumb. I know all about what you’ve been up to.”
“You do?”
Ha! See, he isn’t even denying it! “I’m not stupid. All the late nights. The way you don’t want to take up any of the things I’ve suggested...”
“Huh? I’ve been working at the bank on a project. I figure it would give you time to—”
Maxi cut him off. “Enough! At least give me the dignity of admitting it.”
“Admitting what? I still have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Seriously? I suppose you’re going to deny that was you downtown pretending like you didn’t see me as you drove past?”
James’s face turned red, a sure sign he was lying. He sputtered, “No. I didn’t s-see you downtown. I was at the bank. Well, I went out for a—”
Maxi grabbed the handle of her suitcase, the action cutting off his words. She started toward the door. He grabbed her arm as she walked past.
“Maxi, it’s not what you think. Let me explain.”
The pleading look in his eye might have stopped her if she hadn’t been so angry. But she was on a roll now and didn’t want to lose her nerve.
It was now or never.
She jerked her arm away. “I’m sorry, James, but I can’t listen to any of your excuses now. Don’t try to contact me. I’ll contact you when I’m ready.”
Maxi opened the door and fled before he could say another word.
James stared at the front door, his brain trying to process what had just happened. Maxi was leaving?
“Wait!” He rushed to the door and flung it open, only to see the taillights of Maxi’s car as she peeled out of the driveway.
What in the world was going on?
Maxi had been acting a little strange lately, but he’d never expected something like this. He’d thought she was just bored. He’d tried to encourage her to take up one of her old hobbies, but she’d seemed reluctant. And yes, their relationship had been off, but he put it down to all the turmoil with their last child moving out and the house being empty. It was a big change for Maxi. He’d tried to support her, but truth be told, he had no idea how to do that.
He collapsed on the couch, the sinking feeling growing. Was she really gone? Maybe she just needed some time to think. That was probably it.
But she’d said some odd things. It was almost as if she were mad at him for something. Maybe he shouldn’t have worked late so much, but the project he was on could be a big one for the bank, and getting it done early meant he could surprise Maxi with that trip to Europe she’d been hinting about.
But now... would he ever go on a trip with her again?
If only she’d let him get a word in edgewise, he would have told her that. Dammit! He’d never been good at thinking quickly on his feet. That was why he’d pretended not to see her downtown. He’d gotten flustered. And tonight she’d caught him off guard, and he didn’t know what to say to her because he didn’t want to spoil the surprise.
Speaking of which…
James pushed to his feet and ran down to his car in the garage. He opened the door to the back seat and poked his head in.
“Hey there, little guy. Are you okay?”
Two blue eyes surrounded by snow-white fur blinked out from the mesh front of the cat carrier.
“Sorry. I got waylaid. Come on, we’ll get you inside.” James reached for the handle of the carrier.
Hiss!
Yikes! He jumped back. The cat sounded angry, probably from being left in the car. He looked back in at it.
“Sorry about leaving you in here so long, but I have good news. This is your new home, Picasso.” He’d tentatively named the cat after one of Maxi’s favorite artists, but if she wanted another name, that was fine with him. If she ever came home to see the cat.
He grabbed the carrier and the bag of cat supplies and brought them into the house. He set the carrier on the floor and looked in the bag, realizing he had no idea what to do with the supplies the lady at the animal rescue place had suggested he buy. He’d expected that Maxi would set everything up.
“Hmmm... litter box. Okay. I guess I need to put the litter in and put it... somewhere.” He glanced at the carrier where the cat was crouched down, staring at him as if ready to attack. “Better do that first before I let you out, eh?”
Where would Maxi put the litter box? The bathroom? Probably. The bathroom on the main floor was large, and he set the box up in the corner and poured litter in.
Back out in the living room, Picasso was moving around in the carrier.
Meow!
“Guess I better let you out now.” James opened the door and stood back.
Picasso poked his head out, his eyes wide as he looked around the room. He tentatively ventured from the carrier. His body low to the ground, he slinked around the carrier’s edges and finally came to the bag with his supplies. He stuck his head in and sniffed the cat food bag then turned an accusing glare on James.
Merooow!
Oh right. Poor guy was probably hungry. James filled one of the new stainless-steel bowls with water, the other with food. Picasso didn’t waste any time tucking in.
James watched the cat, wondering what Maxi would think of him. She’d been hinting at getting a pet for months now. James had pretended to dismiss the idea, acting like he didn't want a pet, because he’d wanted to surprise her and see the smile light up her face. He wasn’t a big animal person, and all that hair did make a mess on his suits. He was very particular about his appearance, but he’d purchased several sticky rollers that he hoped would help remove any hair. A little cat hair on his suits was worth it if the cat made Maxi happy.
Mew. Picasso had finished eating and trotted over to James. He rubbed ag
ainst James’s leg, leaving a clump of white fur on the bottom of his dark-gray Brooks Brothers suit. James grimaced, but when the cat looked up at him with his wide blue eyes, his heart pinged. The small kitten was pretty cute.
He picked Picasso up, holding him away from his body so he didn't get more hair on his suit. “Don’t worry, little guy. We’ll get her back.”
Maxi put the last of her clothes away in the small pine bureau in the bedroom and shoved the drawer shut. The cottage was a bit more dilapidated than she remembered it being when she'd looked at it earlier, but she’d brought a cheery yellow comforter and sheet set and a few pieces of wall art to spruce up the bedroom.
Mew! Rembrandt jumped up on the bed and looked at her with his eager grayish-blue eyes.
When she’d returned home from her confrontation with James, she’d found him asleep on top of a pillow on the sofa, already seeking out the most comfortable spot in the cottage. He’d used his litter box and eaten the food she’d put out, too, so apparently he was settling in just fine. Maxi wished she could say the same for herself. It felt weird to be moving into a place of her own after living with James for her entire adult life.
She picked the cat up and tucked him under her chin. His purrs were comforting as she stroked his soft fur and walked to the main room. The kitchen was open to the living room, where she’d placed more pillows and artwork. It was starting to look like home.
Her phone pinged. It was James.
Are you okay? I’m worried.
A surge of regret and uncertainty bubbled up. Had she done the right thing? Could she make it on her own? But then she remembered James driving past her and pretending not to see her, and she became angry.
She didn’t want to answer him, but she also didn’t want him to keep texting, or worse, calling. She put Rembrandt down and picked up her phone.
Making Waves (Lobster Bay Book 3) Page 3