by Leah Atwood
“Yes.” The barely audible answer sounded more like a question.
“Of all nights,” he muttered. “How’d you know where I lived?”
“Roxy.” She saw his chest draw in when he took a rapid intake of air. “Please don’t get mad at her.”
“She had no right.” His arms crossed and his back went rigid.
“I would have found it another way.”
“Say what you have to say.” He didn’t so much as flinch, and his jaw set in a hard line.
She tilted her head to the door. “Can we talk inside?” The graffitied cement walls spooked her. Reminded her of places she’d gone out of her way to avoid. Not to mention the ferocious growl of a dog in the next apartment over.
“It’s late and it’s been a long day.” He finally blinked. “Can we do this tomorrow? How long are you in town?”
“Indefinitely.”
His eyebrows shot straight up. “What’s going on?”
She jutted her thumb, pressed it against the door. “Let’s just go inside please.” Her gaze jumped from spot to spot in the hallway.
“It’s safer than it looks, princess.” A derisive snort echoed against the walls. He shook his head. “The more things change…” An indecipherable expression changed the planes of his face. He uncrossed his arms and unlocked the door, pushing it open. “Come in.”
She didn’t know if she should shout for joy at the small victory or quiver in fear of how he’d react. Her knees made the decision for her, knocking together as her legs trembled. How was she supposed to walk inside?
You can do this, Maisy. Keep your eye on the prize…er…goal.
“Coming?” Dominic shot her a questioning look, though surprisingly not one of impatience.
“Yes.” She clenched her fists as if that would still the pulses vibrating through her legs. One step at a time. It took five until she was far enough inside for Dominic to close the door.
“Have a seat wherever. My roommate moved out last month, so we don’t have to worry about him interrupting.”
There was a small dining table with a well-worn oval wooden top. Straight ahead there was a tattered couch left over from a prior generation. The only good thing to be said about its looks was that its horrendous orange colors had faded to copper. Still, it looked comfortable and she chose a spot on the far left cushion.
“Can I get you a drink or anything?” He rocked on his heels, his hands stuffed in his rear pockets.
“No thanks. I’m good.”
A green recliner that looked several decades newer than the couch sat on the other end of the living room. Dominic sat down in it. “So…”
“I’m moving to Nashville.”
He coughed and sputtered. “Why?”
“To take care of unfinished business.” Despite the many, many times she’d practiced her speech during the eleven-hour drive, none of the rehearsed words came out when she spoke.
“A little presumptuous, don’t you think?” The creases at the corners of his eyes became more defined.
“A lot so, I know.”
He chuckled, a hint of a smile appearing. As though realizing he’d let down his guard, he reigned it in, taking on the stoic expression again. “I don’t get it.”
“Neither do I.” She stared at the solitary wall decoration—a framed photo of the Nashville skyline at night. Afraid of what she’d see if she looked at him, she used the picture as her focal point. “All I know is that four years ago I lost my best friend, and I’ve never stopped missing him.”
“You walked away, not me.” His hoarse words threatened to break what little control she had on her emotions.
“It was complicated.” She squeezed her eyes shut and clamped her lips. Took a deep breath.
The recliner whined when he stood, and Maisy heard him walk away. She opened her eyes and saw him standing at a sliding glass door.
“You told me I wasn’t good enough for you.” He turned to her, his hazel eyes darkened to appear deep brown. “Do you have any idea what that did to me?”
She nodded.
“You could have just left, told me it wasn’t going to work.” His chest rose and fell with each ragged breath. “If that’s what you really wanted, I would have wished you the best and do you know why?”
She shook her head, swallowed, failing to rid her throat of the lump that had lodged there.
“Because I loved you enough to see you happy, even if that meant a life without you.” The vein in his neck bulged, and his fists clenched. “But no, you couldn’t just leave. You took my biggest fear, the one thing I could never accept about myself, and threw it in my face.”
Her tears fell openly. “That’s not how it really was.”
“Then refresh my memory” He threw an arm in the air, giving his fist a brisk shake. “Did you or did you not stand, suitcase in hand, in the foyer of our little apartment and say ‘I’ve realized my father was right. You’ll never amount to anything or anyone who can provide for me in the manner to which I’m accustomed.’ I’m pretty sure those were your exact words.”
“I can’t undo what I did.” She stood and walked to him. “I’ve regretted that moment every single day since I left. All I can do is say that I’m sorry.”
Tension arced between them. Neither said anything, and Maisy wondered if she shouldn’t have taken Roxy’s advice.
“Apology accepted.”
Her heart soared.
“But I think you should leave now. Go home to North Carolina.”
It crashed. “I’m staying.”
“There’s nothing here for you.” His shoulders braced.
“There’s nothing in Dillonton for me.” She straightened her posture, matched his gaze.
“Your job, your family.”
“I’m between jobs.” Their closeness was too much. She couldn’t breathe.
“Your father?”
“He can’t control me anymore.” The words were a poison she hadn’t meant to inject.
Dark embers glowed in Dominic’s eyes. “You can’t waltz in after everything that’s happened and expect things to change.”
“I realize that, but I have to try. If all I can ever regain is our friendship, then I’ll take it.”
“It’s too late.” He pointed toward the door. “Please just leave.”
She wouldn’t push, not tonight. Blinking away more tears, she turned and left. She hoped he’d call after her, tell her to stop, but she knew he wouldn’t. There was too much pain to heal the wounds in one evening. But she’d made her decision and she was in for the long haul.
She’d go to him again and again. Show him the past didn’t have to steal more years from them.
Worst case—Dominic would never forgive her, but she’d start a new life free from her father’s clutches.
Best case—she’d have a relationship with Dominic, and she’d still be free of her father.
Balmy air hit her when she opened the downstairs door. A slow smile spread as she walked to her car. As painful as the last half hour had been, it gave her hope. Dominic had let her in, with coaxing, but still, he hadn’t turned her away immediately. They had to start somewhere.
Maybe you were right, Roxy. Granted, Roxy hadn’t actually said to move to Nashville, but she didn’t balk when Maisy had told her of the updated plans.
The drive, combined with seeing Dominic, left her exhausted. She should have found a hotel first and then she wouldn’t have to take up precious time registering when she could have been sleeping atop a plush, pillow top mattress. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. She rolled her eyes. Story of her life.
She set her purse on top of the basket on the front passenger seat. Boxes, baskets, and bags loaded down her car with her personal belongings. Anything she couldn’t fit remained in her Dillonton apartment, which she’d been fortunate enough to sublet to an acquaintance looking for a fully furnished dwelling.
As she drove, fatigue turned to excitement. This move would be a fresh start in many ways
and she looked forward to it. Tomorrow she’d start looking for a place to live and a job. She had a trust fund left to her from her mom and she’d live frugally on that until she was settled. Mom would have understood and supported her decision.
Maisy’s phone rang and Maureen’s name flashed across the in-dash screen. She ignored the call. Few people knew she’d left town, no one in her family. She drove up and down the streets of Nashville, reacquainting herself with the city. The four years between now and when she’d last been there spanned a lifetime, so it seemed.
She hadn’t told Dominic congratulations on the new job. Next time they spoke, she would. Or should she send him a text? No, she’d wait.
Several hotels came into view. She drove past the five-star choices, unwilling to part with that much money for a single night. A chain she recognized as having high ratings for comfort and cleanliness was not too far ahead on the left. She steered the car into its parking lot, parked and went inside to register. After filling out the necessary paperwork, she handed over her credit card.
The guest services attendant punched in the numbers. He pursed his lips. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I can’t accept this payment. Do you have another card?”
She crinkled her brows. “It must be a mistake. Can your reenter it?”
“Of course.” Several seconds later he shook his head. “I’m sorry, ma’am. It’s still not working.”
Frustrated, she took her card back and handed over the card linked to her bank account. She hated to use it while traveling but knew there were ample funds available. “Try this one.”
Again, the attendant shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
What in the world was going on? “One second.” Unlocking her phone, she hurriedly logged into her bank account app. The money was all there, so why was it declined? She checked her credit card. The only balance was that which she’d spent on gas and food throughout the day, barely touching her available credit. “Can I write a check?”
The man behind the counter looked at her with sympathetic remorse while shaking his head. “We are required to have a card on file to cover any damages or theft of hotel property.”
“I’ll call my bank and be back. I’m sorry for your time.” She left and returned to her car. Her first instinct was to call her dad, but there was no way he could have been involved with this. Tampering with her finances would cross legal boundaries. It had to be an innocent error. From both the bank and your credit card?
She pushed the thought aside and called the number on the back of her bank card. Funny how life kept playing jokes on her. The last time she’d seen Dominic, his card had been declined at the store. Here she was, months later, and the roles were reversed. Thankfully, he wasn’t present to witness her embarrassment.
“Due to the abnormally high call volume, your expected wait time is fifteen minutes.” The automatic message returned to jazz music and she wished her bank had one of those systems that automatically called you when you were next in the queue.
She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. Rummaged through her wallet. Looked in the mirror, applied her makeup.
“Thank you for calling the Bank of Coastal Carolina. My name is Claire. How may I help you tonight?”
“Finally,” she muttered under her breath. “My card was declined, but there is more than enough money in my account. I’m trying to figure out what’s going on.”
“I’ll be happy to assist you, but first I need to verify some information.” Claire proceeded to ask several questions to validate Maisy’s identity.
Maisy listed the answers to all the questions asked. The sound of the computer’s keys clicked faintly in the background and then Maisy heard a short, small gasp.
Claire came back on the line. “I’m sorry ma’am, but it appears your account has been frozen.”
All the air swooshed from Maisy. “What do you mean, frozen?”
“The government has locked your account from further use.”
“There must be some mistake.” Did her father have connections in the government who’d be so corrupt as to do that? It was too drastic even for him.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I truly am, but there’s nothing I can do. There is a number listed that you could try to call.”
“Okay.” She dug in her purse for a pen and paper, then wrote down the number, struggling to dampen her panic.
“Is there anything else I can help you with tonight?” Even Claire couldn’t maintain the chipper voice she’d had at the phone call’s beginning.
“No, thank you.” She hung up and began to dial the number she’d been given. Before she finished, Maureen called again.
This time she answered. “Sorry, I didn’t answer—“
“Where are you?” Maureen interrupted. “I’ve been trying to call you for hours. Finally, I went to your apartment, only to find out you moved and didn’t tell anyone.”
“I’m in Nashville.” She held her breath, bracing for what she knew would come.
“Why?” Her sister drew out the word in one long, skeptical syllable.
“You know why.”
“No, I don’t.” Maureen sighed. “I know how painful leaving Dominic was, but I thought you’d moved on.”
“This is something I have to do. Please trust me.”
“You need to come home, Maisy.”
“I’m not going to.” She curled her fingers around the steering wheel, needing something to latch on to.
“Dad and Levi were arrested.”
“What? When? Why?” The world spun around Maisy. Or maybe she was spinning.
“This afternoon. Money laundering, so the authorities claim.” Maureen’s fragile voice tinkered on the edge of sobs.
“What’s going to happen?” Maisy bit her lip. That would explain her money, but what was she supposed to do now?
“I don’t know. Aaron’s with them now, he promised to help however he can.” A measure of confidence and love broke into Maureen’s tone. She’d rarely spoken of her husband in loving terms. Had something changed? For Maureen’s sake, Maisy hoped so.
“What can I do?”
“Come home.”
“I can’t. All my money’s been frozen. I went to get a room and everything was declined.” Her dire circumstances hit her, making her frantic. “I have sixty dollars in cash, Maureen. That’s it.”
“Do you have somewhere you can go tonight?”
She thought of Dominic. “Yes.” Maureen didn’t need the truth—she had enough to worry about tonight.
“All my assets were frozen as well, even those shared with Aaron, but his individual accounts are safe. He thinks he can get mine unfrozen, but it will take a few days. He should be able to clear yours as well.” Maureen hiccupped. “In the meantime, I can have him wire you money tomorrow.”
“I’ll come home for a few days until this is straightened out.” Headlights of an oncoming car temporarily blinded her before it parked beside her. “But I’m not staying.”
“Don’t do this to yourself.” Sniffles muddled her voice. “I love you, Sis, but I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
“It’s something I have to do. Not only because of Dominic but because I need to be on my own.” She pressed her right hand against her thigh. “Dad had me fired because I wouldn’t come work for him.”
“He didn’t. He wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t he?” If only Maureen knew the truth about why she’d left Dominic. “There are things you don’t know.”
“Obviously.”
The conversation lulled. Questions hung between them that neither asked. Maisy suspected that like her, Maureen didn’t want to touch the subject of their father’s guilt or innocence. Because deep down, even if Maureen couldn’t acknowledge it, they knew their father and his capabilities.
Chapter 7
Two hours of sleep should be good enough.
Yeah, right.
Dominic’s body groaned when he swung his legs over the bed. He was too y
oung to feel so old. Last night must have added a few decades to his age. He’s been hit from all angles. The conversation with Jay, the talk with Maisy…
He dragged his feet into the hallway, headed straight for the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. He tugged the lid off the red canister and dipped the scoop. It hit the plastic. Looking inside, he saw the container was empty. Too late, he remembered he was supposed to pick up some groceries last night, but he’d been distracted after dinner.
Maybe there were some grounds hiding somewhere. He rummaged through the cabinets and found a small tin. Score. Mike had left some behind when he moved out. It was one of those fancy blends that had beans from three different countries, but it would suffice.
While it brewed, he padded back to his room and threw on a pair of gray basketball shorts and a T-shirt. He checked his phone. One voicemail. He sat on the bed’s edge and typed in his code to retrieve the message that was received at five fifty-nine. He must have just fallen asleep when the call came through.
“Hey Dominic, it’s Adam. Sorry to call so early, but I wanted to give you the good news. Ethan Gene Landry made his appearance this morning, a little after four. Mom and baby are doing well, but they had to do a C-section so the recovery time will be longer. Anyway, that translates to Bryce clearing rehearsals for the rest of the week. I’ll call you later today with more information, but if you want to see the baby, they’ll be accepting visitors after two this afternoon.”
Dominic smiled. He was still getting to know the guys, but he would make time to visit Bryce and his new son. Since they’d included him in their lives, he’d do his part in being an active friend. Since his schedule was free now, he’d go apartment searching today. The month-to-month lease gave him the freedom to leave on short notice, and with the hefty signing bonus he’d been given, he could finally afford someplace better. If he found a place, he could be done moving and settled in by Sunday.
The coffee pot gurgled, signaling the brew was ready. He returned to the kitchen, poured a dash of milk into a mug, and then filled it with coffee. The spoon he usually used wasn’t in its place and he grabbed another from the silverware drawer, stirred his drink then went to the living room. He plopped down on the couch, a piece of furniture that would not be moving with him.