The Sweetest Heart

by Catherine Lanigan

  “Mica tried to stand up to them once, but he got blasted back so fast I don’t know if he’s ever had the guts to face them down again. I’m not sure what it was all about, because he won’t talk about it even now. But there’s some kind of fire in his belly and it has nothing to do with the Barzonni millions, I can tell you.”

  “And you? You told me you dreamed of becoming a doctor.”

  “That’s just it, Maddie. I never told anyone else. Nobody. Not the school’s guidance counselor. Not my brothers. Definitely not my parents. No one. You were the only one who knew. And then, my senior year, life as I knew it was coming to an end. Once I graduated, I was going to have to go to Purdue and learn even more about tomatoes. I knew I was capable of more than that. I wanted so much more. I did want to see the world. I wanted to go places and learn things. I wanted to be a doctor. And I wanted to do it all on my own without owing my parents for my education.”

  Maddie folded her hands around her untouched cappuccino. She looked at the coffee with her foam artwork still floating on top. Unattended. Unappreciated. “And I was part of the problem. I was keeping you from your dream. Or was proposing to me part of your escape plan?”

  “Honestly, it was both. But you were never the problem.”

  Maddie hated the fact that a tear fell from her eye and onto the table before she lifted her face to his. She’d always thought tears were weak, used to manipulate men into bending to the female will. All her life, she’d been able to bat them away, deny them, swallow them.

  “When I look back on our relationship, I can see how I would have been a problem. A big problem. Especially if I’d have gotten pregnant.”

  “You were right then, and I thank you for it now. You were smarter than me.”

  Maddie snorted. “I doubt that.”

  “Think about it. Us. Back then. I was ready to grab you and drive all night to Kentucky. I would have given up all my dreams just to have you, Maddie. Everything. That’s how badly I wanted you. But when you refused my proposal, that was the dousing of ice water I needed. You told me we had to think about our careers. You knew what I really wanted. You knew how many years it would take to go to college, then med school, internship and residency. You had the guts to do what I couldn’t do.”

  “But Nate, I didn’t realize what I was saying. I just didn’t want us to sleep together. That’s all. I thought I would see you the next day and the day after that. I didn’t know I was pushing you away forever. That’s not so brave, if you ask me.”

  “Your soul was brave. Your heart was brave, and you listened to your heart.”

  She shook her head vehemently. “You don’t understand. Please don’t be so nice to me. For eleven years I’ve hated you for ditching me that night. I told all my friends what a low-life creep you were. I’ve based this entire portion of my life on my hatred for you. I strove to succeed in my business so I could show you up. The thing is, I can almost understand why you might have wanted to break up after that night, but to just leave with no explanation? There was no way to get ahold of you. None of us knew where you went.”

  “I know. And I’m sorry. That was wrong of me. All I wanted was to escape and hide for as long as possible.”

  “Well, you sure did that.” Maddie felt the old anger gnaw at her belly. She grimaced. “Did you tell your parents where you were going?”

  “No way. They would have talked me out of it.”

  “When did you let them know?”

  “I left them a letter telling them that I was fine—not kidnapped or anything—but that I had to go away for a while. I told them I would contact them after the summer was over. I knew that would give me time to get through boot camp.”

  “And?”

  “I called them the night before graduation at Great Lakes. I figured that they and my brothers would never forgive me if they weren’t there for the Review.”

  “Did they come?”

  “Yes.”

  “So, your family has known your whereabouts for over a decade.”

  “Yes. Part of the reason they never said anything to anyone was that they were embarrassed. Well, my father was. He thought I’d brought shame on the family, not following the family tradition and all that. My brothers were happy for me, but they never said that to Mom or Dad.”

  “And how are they now?”

  “My mother’s resentment is totally gone. My father is another issue altogether. I think he’s angry because I defied him. I proved that he didn’t have control.”

  “So, you don’t owe them any money. They still have three sons to run the farm and business. Yeah, I guess they would probably think they’d be pretty foolish not to let you back in the house. Better to have some relationship with their son than none at all.”

  “I guess that’s what they figure,” Nate said.

  Nate finished the last of his coffee. “Maddie, I think you should know that I came back to Indian Lake to take a position with the Indian Lake Hospital.”

  Maddie blinked. She thought she’d heard him wrong. “You’re moving back here?”

  “Yes.”

  “When?”

  “Right away. I just signed the contract today. This is a major opportunity for me. If I can excel here, I’ve got a real shot at my dream.”

  Maddie swallowed hard, feeling as if she was at the top of a roller coaster, about to plunge to the very bottom. “Your dream?”

  “I want to go back to the Indian reservation where I worked for a year. They desperately need doctors.”

  “Where is that?”

  “Arizona,” he replied.

  “That’s...a long way from Indian Lake,” she mused. So, he will be leaving again.

  “Yeah. It is.” He paused for a long moment. “It’s a special place for me, Maddie. When I was there, I felt like for the first time in my life, I fit in. I can help so many—”

  “That’s a very big dream,” she whispered. “Mine pales in comparison.”

  He looked around. “Your café?” Then he stared into her eyes. Slowly, he shook his head. “This isn’t the end of the dream train for you, is it?”

  “Not by a long shot. Let’s just say I have some irons in the fire,” she said proudly.

  “That’s cool,” he replied, disappointment shadowing his eyes. He had hoped she would confide in him the way he had with her.

  “I can’t talk about it yet.”

  “I understand. Well, good luck, Maddie. You deserve it all, whatever it is.”

  “Thanks, Nate.” She replied and paused for a moment looking at him quite seriously. “I’m sorry about hitting you.”

  Nate tried to hide his grin. “Uh, huh. In front of my family. And half the town.”

  “I shouldn’t have done that,” she said sheepishly. “I’m really sorry.”

  “But at the time you felt I had it coming, right? I bet you felt better afterward,” he offered.

  She looked up at him. “But that’s just it. After I calmed down, I felt terrible. Really bad.”

  He touched her cheek. “It’s okay, Maddie, girl. I’ve had worse. And to be honest, it hurt me to realize how much pain I’d caused you all these years. I’d been selfishly going about my career and my life and I never tried to contact you.” He peered deeply into her eyes. “You deserved better from me. I’m sorry, too.”

  Maddie felt her breath catch in her lungs as something inside her wanted this moment to stretch on for eternity. It was just like it had been when they were kids. Their hearts had barely been used, they were shiny and new and untouched by betrayal. Back then, Maddie thought she could see forever in Nate’s eyes and at this moment, she felt exactly that. She couldn’t imagine her world without Nate in it. But Nate had just said he wasn’t back here to stay.

  “Can I ask you a question?” She scanned his face, searching for the truth.

 
“Sure.”

  “Just when did you decide to sign the contract at the hospital?”

  “I knew the job was mine, and like I said, it’s a stepping stone...”

  “Nate...when? Exactly?”

  “Today. Shortly after I saw you this morning.”

  Pleasure lifted the corners of Maddie’s mouth. “You mean, after I kissed you.”

  He snickered. “I thought I was kissing you.”

  She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth to keep her glee from filling the room. If she’d ever wanted revenge, this, whatever this was, was better.

  “It’s a one-year contract with a renewal every year if I want it.”

  “What will you be doing?”

  “Cardiac surgery.”

  Maddie’s eyes widened. “A heart surgeon? Open-heart surgery and all that? You can do that?”

  “Yeah.” He grinned.

  “I just didn’t think...”

  “What kind of doctor did you think I’d be?”

  She flipped her hands in the air, trying to knock away all her preconceived visions of Nate. This was not the boy who’d left her on the Fourth of July. This was a new Nate, a person she didn’t know whose depths appeared to be vast. He’d spent his time away from her growing, improving himself, making things happen in his career. He’d defied his parents, served his country and now he was helping to save people. How many ways could she spell “hero”?

  She tilted her head and shot him an assessing gaze. “I don’t know, exactly. When you used to talk about being a doctor, I was thinking the normal stuff—coughs and colds and writing prescriptions for gout.”

  He shook his head. “You should know I would never do anything that was ordinary, Maddie.”

  “How would I know that?”

  “I fell in love with you once, didn’t I?”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  MISS MILSE, SARAH’S middle-aged German housekeeper, carried a hot dish of potato, cauliflower and cheese casserole to the dining room table. Sarah was setting out an impromptu buffet supper for her girlfriends so that Maddie could share the exciting news about her upcoming meeting in Chicago. Aunt Emily was in the kitchen spreading a third coat of brown-sugar glaze on a baked ham. Charmaine Chalmers had brought several bottles of wine and champagne to celebrate. Sarah and Charmaine had pitched in to do the elevations, drawings and interiors of the proposed cafés, but Maddie had kept the news about her investor to herself. So anytime there was cause for celebration, Sarah and Maddie jumped at the chance to throw a party.

  Luke, Annie and Timmy helped Maddie bring in four dozen cupcakes for their dessert. The kids were the first to notice the new pineapple upside-down-cupcake recipe Maddie would be testing on their guests that evening.

  Mrs. Beabots tossed a green salad with red onion, strawberries, almonds, crisp, apple-smoked bacon and her own homemade hot-bacon dressing. Mrs. Beabots always made it a point to offer to make the salad herself, so no one ever really knew all the ingredients she put in the salad or the dressing.

  Miss Milse’s oxford shoes clomped against the kitchen floor as she walked up to Sarah. “You want your mudder’s china plates or the kitchen plates?”

  “Oh, that’s a lovely idea, Miss Milse. This is a once-in-a-lifetime night.”

  “It is?” Miss Milse looked at Maddie, who was stacking cupcakes on a special, multitiered display tree.

  “Very,” Sarah whispered. “Maddie’s store is going to become famous.”

  Miss Milse’s small blue eyes brightened. “Famous? Like Justin Bieber?”

  Sarah’s jaw dropped. “You can’t possibly know who Justin Bieber is.”

  “Yeah. I do. I like him. I hear his songs on the bus. The driver plays Justin Bieber. I ask him. He tells me that Justin Bieber famous.”

  “Well, Maddie won’t be that kind of famous, but I suppose for Indian Lake, it might be a little bit like that.”

  “I understand,” Miss Milse said as she hoisted the ham and carried it to the dining room table.

  Maddie turned to Sarah. “I think I hear car doors slamming,” she said.

  “Why don’t you get the door with Beau and the kids. Luke and I will get things done in here.”

  Maddie looked at Sarah. “Make sure Mrs. Beabots sits in that nice aqua French chair your mother always liked. I want her to be comfortable.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Come on, Annie. Timmy,” Maddie called. “Let’s go see who’s here.”

  Beau jumped from his sleeping bed and raced across the room with them.

  Charmaine was setting up wineglasses and placing the wine in a special silver bucket that had been Ann Marie’s. “Maddie, this is so exciting,” Charmaine said as they passed through on their way to the door. “I’m just like everyone else. I can’t wait to hear the details.”

  “I still can’t believe it,” Maddie said.

  Charmaine cast an affectionate smile on Maddie. “Anytime you need my help, you just ask. I’m so honored to be even a small part of your dream.”

  “Thank you for offering,” Maddie replied.

  Maddie continued to the door, where Olivia and Isabelle were waiting. They were quickly followed by Cate Sullivan, Chloe Knowland and Liz Crenshaw. They all began chatting happily on the porch steps.

  Maddie and Sarah urged everyone to start the buffet, and Charmaine served the wine. Once they’d all filled their plates, Sarah asked everyone to gather in the living room, where Maddie would make her announcement.

  Maddie stood at the fireplace and looked at the faces of all her dear friends beaming up at her with pride. Annie and Timmy sat on the floor at her feet, petting Beau. She noticed that Timmy was allowing Beau to lick the icing off his cupcake.

  “As you all know, I wouldn’t have gotten as far as going to Uncle George with my idea if Sarah and Mrs. Beabots hadn’t pushed me so much over the past year to put my ideas down on paper, trademark my company and protect my recipes, and then finally put together a business plan.”

  “That took a lot of work!” Sarah interjected.

  Maddie smiled. “Prodding me to do it or the paperwork and filing?”

  “Both!” Sarah laughed, and everyone joined her.

  “So true,” Maddie admitted. “Once George came into the picture, things really started rolling. He told me how to improve the business plan since there were a few details missing from the research I did online. Anyway, George made some phone calls to his friends in Chicago, who steered him to Ashton and Marsh, and so now, here we are.”

  Cate Sullivan, always the businesswoman and always expecting specifics, asked, “So, is this truly a national franchise they are talking about?”

  “Yes and no. My first and only investor at this point is from Chicago. He intends to open two locations. If they go well, he’ll buy four to six more.”

  “And is it going to be just like your place here?” Liz Crenshaw asked.

  “Somewhat. Sarah, Charmaine and I worked on some ideas that would be easy to incorporate into any space the new owner wants to try. We do have several signature pieces, such as the Italian theme, a real cappuccino machine, the blend of coffee beans I put together myself. Believe it or not, the stainless-steel rack I hang my icing bags on is a signature piece, as well as the display counters. And I want a yellow-and-white-striped awning to hang over the entrance.”

  “You need to get one for Indian Lake first!” Cate laughed.

  “You’re right. It’s been something I’ve wanted all along, but I’ve been so busy, I never got it done.”

  “We forgive you.” Cate laughed merrily again.

  George stepped up to Maddie and put his coffee cup and saucer on the mantel. “May I add something here?”

  “Of course.” Maddie stepped aside.

  “I’ve only glanced over the documents Maddie brought back fro
m Chicago. Everything seems to be in order, but I want to study them. The details shouldn’t be shared with anyone until after everything is finalized. But I think it’s safe to say that Maddie’s Cupcakes and Coffee Café is in the beginning stages of becoming a franchise.” George turned to Maddie. “You have another meeting with these people on Tuesday, is that right?”

  Maddie nodded. “Yes. I’m meeting with Alex Perkins and the investor himself in downtown Chicago. They’re sending a car for me.”

  Olivia gaped at her friend. “A car? You mean a limo? All the way from Chicago?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t ask. I was too stunned. Alex had a Lincoln Town Car that drove us to the restaurant last time.”

  “You had lunch? Where?” Isabelle asked.

  “Bandera, I think. It was really nice. It was on the second floor so you could watch all the shoppers.”

  “Cool,” Olivia muttered.

  George cast a sideways glance at Emily, who caught his gesture. She rose from her chair. “Maddie brought cupcakes for us all and I have fresh coffee that was just brewed,” she announced, then she turned to Maddie. “Let us all say, congratulations, Maddie! You deserve this success!”

  “Yea, Maddie!” The cheer went up from the group.

  Then the flurry toward the desserts began.

  Maddie noticed that Annie and Timmy remained on the floor petting Beau and did not scurry quite as quickly as she would have expected. “Hey, guys. What’s up? You don’t want dessert?”

  Timmy was sitting cross-legged with his little hand on Beau’s head, stroking the golden retriever lovingly. “I don’t want to disturb Beau. I don’t get to see him as much as I’d like.”

  “And how much would that be?”

  “Every day,” Timmy replied.

  “All day,” Annie added as she looked up at Maddie. “Besides, we already snuck our cupcakes, and my dad would be mad if we ate more than one.”

  “Yeah, especially since it’s nearly our bedtime,” Timmy added sadly. “I wish our bedtime was at ten o’clock so I could pet Beau for a couple more hours. See how much he likes it?”