She seemed to walk forever through empty fields and alleys between old buildings. It had been twenty minutes, and she still hadn’t reached Indigo Bay.
How far had she run before finally stopping?
Finally, about five minutes later she came to an area she recognized. It would still be another fifteen minutes or so to Aunt Lucille’s house, depending on how quickly she could get could her feet to move. Her legs ached something fierce, and each step was harder than the last. It didn’t help that sun was growing hotter and shade was hard to come by on the side of the road she was on.
After what felt like forever, the house finally came into view. Maggie nearly collapsed with relief right where she stood. But she pressed on, and finally made it to the front door.
She fumbled with her keys, and the door opened before she actually slid the key into the hole.
“Maggie!” Aunt Lucille stood in front of her in yesterday’s dress with messy hair and smeared makeup. She pulled Maggie in and closed the door. “Where have you been?”
Dan appeared behind her.
Maggie’s heart sank. “What’s he doing here?”
Auntie’s face reddened. “You don’t get to ask the questions. Where were you?”
Maggie glared at Dan. “I needed some space.”
“Didn’t you think to call anyone? Everyone has been looking for you! We’ve all called you, not that it did any good.”
“I needed space after he showed up. Why is he here?”
“I’ve invited him to stay in one of the guest rooms as long as he needs to. Enough about him. Why didn’t you at least let anyone know you were safe?”
Maggie frowned. “You’re right. I should have, but I was too upset to think. I’m sorry you were worried, Auntie.”
Aunt Lucille opened her mouth, but then closed it and pulled Maggie into a hug. “Don’t do that ever again. I’ve never been so worried in all my life.”
Maggie nodded and wrapped her arms around her aunt. Once they parted, Maggie made eye contact. “Can you please send Dan on his way?”
“He was as worried as I was.”
“All of this was his fault!”
Aunt Lucille put her hand on Maggie’s shoulder. “Let’s all get showered, then we can talk over breakfast.”
“But—”
“No arguments. We all need to freshen up.”
Maggie narrowed her eyes as she passed Dan.
He reached out for her. “Maggie—”
“No!” She ran up the stairs and locked herself in her room, never more relieved to have her own bathroom. She would avoid Dan as long as she could, until her aunt insisted she come down for food.
Her stomach rumbled at the thought.
It would have to wait. Maggie was going to take the longest, hottest shower in the history of the world before she even thought about eating since Dan was staying in the same house.
What made her aunt think that was a good idea? Was she so desperate to set Maggie up with someone other than Canyon, that her next effort was the one person who had hurt Maggie more than anyone else ever had?
Yes, they definitely needed to have a talk—a long one where Maggie explained everything, including how Dan had treated her after finding out about the mistaken medical report. Surely, that would convince Aunt Lucille to send him back to Georgia.
Twenty-Eight
Canyon stopped hammering the moment his phone buzzed in his pocket. It had to be news on Maggie.
Isabella was calling.
“Did you find her?” Canyon answered.
“Lucille just called and said she’s home. Looks like a wreck, but is otherwise fine.”
He breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the newly refinished kitchen counter. “Where was she?”
“Lucille doesn’t know, and I haven’t actually talked to Maggie myself. Just wanted to let you know.”
“Thank you, Isabella.”
“Sure. Talk to you later.” The call ended.
Harry walked into the room and wiped sweat from his brow. “Everything okay in here?”
“Maggie’s back. Can I take my break early and go see her for myself? Either that, or I’ll work late. Or this weekend. I just have to go and see her now.”
The older man gave him a sympathetic glance. “Scram.”
“Thank you!” Canyon stuffed his phone back into his pants’ pocket and bolted out of the house and into his car. He made record time getting to Lucille’s.
He brushed dust from his clothes and ran his fingers through his hair before walking up the walkway, trying not to think about the previous night with the cops. The only thing that mattered was that Maggie was okay.
Canyon knocked loudly, not wanting to ring the doorbell so early.
The door opened a crack. Dan appeared.
Dan. In the same home Maggie was staying in.
Canyon clenched his jaw as the two men stared each other down.
“Maggie’s home and safe.” Dan narrowed his eyes. “You can leave now.”
“I want to see her.”
He shook his head. “She’s in the shower. I’ll tell her you stopped by.”
“Right. Let me in.”
“No. Lucille doesn’t want you in her house. Go away.”
“You can’t keep me from seeing Maggie.”
Dan inched the door closer to the frame. “No, but she can. We’re working through things now that she’s confirmed the truth of the test results.”
“You’re lying.”
“Actually, I’m not. We’re going to discuss wedding plans over breakfast. Leave before we have to file a restraining order. Buh-bye.” Dan slammed the door shut. Locks clicked into place.
Canyon stared at the door as anger pulsated through him.
“Go away!” Dan’s muffled voice came from the other side.
“You might be able to keep me away from Lucille’s house, but you can’t keep me from Maggie!”
“I’m calling Officer Moore right now.”
Canyon spun around and stormed back to his car. There was no way Maggie was actually planning on getting back together with that man. Not after everything she’d told Canyon about him.
No. If Dan was telling the truth, he’d have let Canyon in to hear it from Maggie. The fact that he wouldn’t even let Canyon see inside meant that he was lying through his teeth.
He sent Maggie a quick text before heading back to work. Driving nails into the wall would be the perfect way to get his frustration out.
“Is she okay?” Harry asked when Canyon returned.
Canyon only nodded before heading back to the kitchen and picking up his hammer.
The hours flew by, and before he knew it, Harry announced that it was time for lunch. Though Canyon’s stomach rumbled, he didn’t feel hungry. The only thing he wanted was to talk with Maggie.
Once in his car again, he called Maggie but it went straight to voicemail. He hit the steering wheel.
What was going on? Had Dan hidden her phone from her? Turned it off? Or was Maggie sleeping the day away?
Canyon just wanted answers, but he couldn’t get them at Lucille’s house. He headed for home, not wanting to see anyone, and forced himself to eat, knowing he needed the fuel to get through the rest of the day.
No calls or texts from Maggie.
It was as though she was being held prisoner. Or was it him? Lucille and Dan were keeping her from him like he was some kind of criminal. They were making him pay for having feelings for Maggie.
He sent her a quick text offering to meet her anywhere, anytime.
For all he knew, Dan or Lucille were screening her calls and texts.
That was the only thing that made any sense. Why else wouldn’t Maggie contact him?
Canyon cleaned his dishes, then paced the house, his mind racing. He had to do something, but what?
The only thing he could think of was to return to their spot on the beach after work and wait. All on the off chance that she might return there since
it was the one place they’d secretly met more times than any other place.
Twenty-Nine
Maggie’s stomach growled. She’d barely had two bites of food before leaving the table at breakfast. It had been obvious that Dan had won over Aunt Lucille, and neither of them wanted to hear a single thing she had to say.
It made sense. Dan was a smooth talker. He knew how to say whatever people wanted to hear and make them believe he meant every word. That was why Maggie’s eyes hadn’t been opened to his true nature until the mixed-up test result came in.
In a way, the bad news had been the best news. It had freed her from him, though it had crushed her at the time. Losing the ability to bear children was hard enough without losing her fiancé, too.
She almost wanted to find the employee who had messed up the test results and kiss him.
Maggie stared at her door, wanting to leave the room but not wanting to run into either Dan or her aunt.
Dan had already let her know that he was in his room, waiting for her to emerge.
Her stomach twisted at the thought. It was enough to leave her considering the window as her only escape, but she was two stories up and there was nothing underneath. If she was one room over, she’d be able to use one of the sprawling decks.
More than anything, she wanted to talk to Canyon but it was the middle of his work day. Maybe she should send him a quick text. That way he would at least know she was thinking of him.
She went over to the desk, where she’d set her phone after arriving.
It wasn’t there.
Maggie had locked the door when she’d come in—she was sure of it. She’d come inside, twisted the lock, and put the phone down on the desk before pulling off the dirty clothes.
Yet the phone was gone. Both Lucille and Dan had been waiting for her when she stepped into the hallway after her shower, and neither had left her side until she’d bolted from the dining room table.
That could only mean that one of them had unlocked her bedroom door and taken the phone while she was in the shower.
Had they gotten into any of her other things? She looked around, her pulse racing, but didn’t notice anything out of place.
Was that Dan’s scheme to get her out of the bedroom? Or was he doing something else with it? She had a passcode set, so he couldn’t do anything other than make an emergency call.
Maggie flung open the door and only took a few steps before Dan stepped in front of her.
“How are you feeling, Magnolia?”
“Where’s my phone?” she demanded.
“It’s charging downstairs.”
She stepped around him and raced down the stairs.
“Where are you going? We still need to talk.”
Maggie ignored him and glanced around for her phone, not seeing it. Maybe it was in the kitchen.
It wasn’t.
Dan caught up to her. “Why do you keep avoiding me?”
She spun around and glared at him. “And why can’t you take a clue? We’re through. You’re the one who ended things, remember?”
“But now we can be together again. Everything’s good.”
“You didn’t want me when you thought I couldn’t have kids! That was all it took for you to throw me away like a bag of trash. You don’t get a second chance after that. Where’s my phone?”
Aunt Lucille walked into the room. “Is that true?”
Dan’s face paled.
Anger pulsated through Maggie. Now that she finally had her aunt’s attention, she filled her in on everything Dan had done and said after finding out she couldn’t have kids.
Aunt Lucille’s face turned redder than it had been when Maggie arrived earlier. She narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to Dan. “Get out of my house now, and never return!”
“But I—”
“Now!”
Dan turned around and scrambled up the stairs.
“Where did you put my phone?” Maggie called.
He didn’t respond.
Aunt Lucille pulled Maggie into a second embrace. “Why didn’t you tell me any of that? You really thought you were barren all this time?”
Maggie nodded. “It was too painful to talk about, especially after the way Dan broke up with me.”
“You poor thing. If I’d had any idea, I wouldn’t have kept trying to set you up with all the respectable men in town.”
“I know you just wanted me to be happy. I didn’t have the heart to tell you nobody would want me.”
Lucille stepped back but kept her hands on Maggie’s shoulders. “Not want you? Are you mad, child? Any man would be lucky to have you for a wife, barren or not.”
Maggie looked away, embarrassed.
“I’m sorry for interfering. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”
She turned to Aunt Lucille. “There is one thing.”
“What, dear?”
“Give Canyon a chance.”
Auntie’s expression tightened. “Do you know how he treats women?”
Maggie stood taller. “Canyon treats me with nothing but respect. He’s changed his ways and regrets his past actions. And more importantly, he cares about me whether I can have kids or not.”
Aunt Lucille took a deep breath. “I’ll give him a chance for your sake.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
Dan raced down the stairs, a single bag over his shoulder, and hurried to the front door without looking at either of them.
“Where’s my phone?” Maggie demanded again.
He didn’t respond, other than slamming the door on his way out.
Maggie threw her arms into the air and turned back to her aunt. “Do you know where it is?”
“I saw a phone charging in Dan’s room.”
Maggie rushed up the stairs, skipping every other step, and stopped in the room Dan had been staying in. Sure enough, her phone sat on the dresser, charging.
She unlocked it with the passcode and went to her texting conversation with Canyon.
It wasn’t there.
Maggie went to her contacts. His name and number were also missing. She checked the call log. Nothing from Canyon.
Dan had cleared everything from Canyon from her phone. Not only that, but he’d unblocked his number and left her several text messages, declaring his love for her.
She shook, feeling violated.
Had he figured out her code or found another way into the phone?
Maggie deleted his texts and re-blocked his number.
Now to find Canyon since she couldn’t call or text him.
She raced outside to her car, calling a quick goodbye to her aunt on the way out.
When she got to the little house, Canyon’s car wasn’t outside. Maybe he’d walked to work that day.
Maggie ran inside and found Harry in the kitchen. “Where’s Canyon?”
“It’s good to see you, Maggie. I’m not sure where he is. He hasn’t returned from lunch. Didn’t say anything about a long lunch.”
Maggie frowned. Where would he have gone?
Thirty
Canyon stared at the water lapping up to the shore. As much as pounding nails had sounded like a good stress reliever, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to go back to work.
Not after the text she’d sent him.
Though it was a bright and beautiful day, it felt like dark clouds were descending on him. Maggie had been back at Lucille’s since the morning, and that was all the time it had taken her to change her mind about everything.
Not that he could blame her, really. Dan could give Maggie so much that he couldn’t with his fancy job and big house. From what Canyon knew about him, his family had even more money than Lucille’s.
Maggie could live in the lap of luxury, like she was used to. All Canyon could offer her was love. He couldn’t afford the nice clothes or expensive jewelry Maggie always wore.
If he was being honest with himself, he’d been pretty dumb to think they could make things work. She was use
d to one way of life, and he lived another.
And maybe with the new medical report, Dan would treat her well. That was all he could ask—that she would be happy. If Dan would do that much, Canyon could live with them being together.
He took a deep breath, grabbed some stones, then strolled to the water’s edge. After studying the surface, he threw the first one. It skipped four times before sinking.
The next one also skipped four times. Why could he never get one to go five?
“Do you have an extra rock?”
Canyon’s heart broke at the sound of Maggie’s voice. He turned around and forced a smile as he held out the remaining stones. “Sure.”
She smiled sweetly and took one.
It was all he could do to hold himself together. He nodded and turned back to the water. It hurt too much to look at her when she’d agreed to give her heart to another.
Maggie flung the stone out into the bay.
It bounced five times.
He dropped the rest of them.
She turned to him, but he couldn’t do the same.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Sure.”
A beat of silence rested between them.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you.”
Canyon shrugged. “It’s fine.”
More silence.
“Why won’t you look at me? I thought you’d be happy to see me. Or are you mad?”
He cleared his throat. “I could never be mad at you, Maggie.”
“Then look at me.”
Canyon turned, but he stared at her nose as he couldn’t look her in the eyes, and her lips only reminded him that he would never be able to kiss them again.
“I’m sorry I ran off like that. It was just that the news shook me up so bad I couldn’t think.”
“It’s understandable.”
“I didn’t mean to worry you.” She took his hand in hers. “But I called the doctor’s office and found out it’s true. The test results were mixed up. I can have kids.”
“I’m really happy for you.” His flat tone probably told her how he really felt—miserable for himself.
Sweet Reunion (Indigo Bay Sweet Romance Series Book 11) Page 11