As he crossed back to her, he held his hands up in surrender. “It’s okay, Janie. You’ve got nothing to worry about. I promise.” He crossed an X over his chest, and held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a Scout,” Jane scoffed, rolling her eyes with a smile. She reached up, and her hands clasped his strong arms. She stared at him, imploring eyes still rife with fear, despite her smile. “You need to look after yourself.” She steadied him with a serious look, one full of pleading as her grip on his arms tightened to the point that her nails almost pinched his skin. “Promise me?”
He nodded. “Okay, I will. I promise.”
“I love you.” Her voice cracked with emotion, tears shimmering in her eyes, reflecting the fluorescent overhead lights.
Evan pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her, but he said no more. He simply kissed the top of her head and embraced her. It was the only thing he knew to do, and it was what she needed.
***
Evan removed his ball cap to run his fingers through his hair. His head was killing him after one too many beers the night before. The Saturday morning sun was like needles in his eyes, the dark tint of his sunglasses doing nothing to help his cause. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die for a few hours. But little league was important to his boys and his boys were important to him. His hangover could wait.
This afternoon he was headed up to White Lake for an old high school friend’s birthday camping trip. He didn’t want to back up his efforts of last night, but it was a birthday; he couldn’t really say no. Well, he could. He just didn’t want to. Who wouldn’t want to sit around a campfire drinking beer and talking shit like they did when they were nineteen and home from freshman year in college?
Taking a big drink from his thermos of water, he looked up in time to see Cindy walking toward him, her sky-high wedge shoes unsteady over the divots in the grass. She almost lost her balance twice, but she was quick to brush it off with a casual fluff of her pouffed hair. He inwardly cringed. He still hated himself for going there with her, and on more than one infuriating occasion. She was like a dog with a damn bone; she wouldn’t leave him alone. Cindy’s kid wasn’t even on Evan’s team. She was five and played T-ball, two fields over.
“Good morning, handsome,” Cindy said with a purring lilt.
“Mornin’.” Evan stepped away to grab his clipboard in an effort to put as much distance as possible between the two of them without being too obvious.
“I missed you at the pub last night.” Her lashes fluttered as she looked up at him with doe eyes, pouting her glossy lips.
“I was working,” he muttered, going over the roster in his hands.
“Care for a drink tonight?” Cindy asked with a shrug of her shoulder.
“Can’t.” He looked up this time, thankful he had an honest excuse. “Camping trip.”
She stuck her bottom lip out and sulked. And he took the opportunity to look down at her through the shield of his tinted sunglasses.
He couldn’t deny she was sexy, and she sure knew how to show off that sex appeal. But now things were different. The other night was a poorly timed mistake. Now, he had Maggie taking up permanent residence in his mind—Maggie and the memory of their almost-kiss. He didn’t know what that meant, but he couldn’t let his history with Cindy and every other woman he’s been with in this town get in the way. Despite her curves, the cleavage spilling out of her tight top, and her long legs reaching up high into those short jean cut-offs, she no longer stood a chance with Maggie in the ranks. Neither did the women who sat in the stands every Saturday morning, obviously gawping at him. Only one woman had managed to occupy every one of his waking thoughts.
Speak of the devil.
“Hey, Coach!”
TJ ran around Cindy, dressed head to toe in a brand-spanking-new Badgers uniform.
“Hey, man.” Evan held up his hand for the boy to high-five. When his gaze lifted to see her walk through the gates, he felt his shoulders involuntarily square, felt his chest puff out of its own accord, felt a somewhat familiar tug in his chest.
He smiled down at TJ. “Why don’t you head over to the other guys and get warmed up. You’re starting.”
TJ cheered, punching the air before sprinting over to the dugout to join the few other boys who had arrived early.
Evan cleared his throat, looking at Maggie as she stopped in front of him. He lifted the peak of his cap in greeting, adding a small smile. “Morning, Maggie.” He didn’t want to give too much away, not with Cindy hanging around.
“Hi.” Maggie smiled, despite the slight furrow between her brows.
He couldn’t see her eyes through the tint of her sunglasses but he was almost certain she’d just cast a derisive glance in Cindy’s direction.
God, she looked good. Cindy was an attractive woman, but Maggie was effortlessly beautiful. Dressed in skinny jeans, a black tank top and flip flops, her long hair was tied up in a twisted knot on top of her head and her tanned skin seemed to glow beneath the morning sun. The two women were in stark contrast to one another; there really was no competition Evan could kick his own ass for missing out on the chance to kiss her.
“Well …” Maggie finally broke the awkward silence, shrugging her shoulders before tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. “Have fun.” And with that she turned and walked back toward the stands, taking a seat on the bottom bench at the very end, as far away from Evan’s unofficial cheer squad as she could.
“Aw, Ev,” Cindy cooed, a wry smile tugging at her glossed lips.
Evan’s brows knitted together at her use of the nickname she’d given him. He glanced down at her hand gripping his arm, her long nails digging into his skin.
“I think she has a little crush on you.” Cindy giggled softly.
He looked at her from over the top of his sunglasses, meeting her eyes and steadying her with a stern glare that caused her smug smile to fade and her hand fall from his arm as he said, “Goodbye, Cindy.”
Cindy huffed and turned on her wedges, strutting out of the field and through the gate.
Evan shook his head and turned to join his team, but his mind sure as hell wasn’t on any baseball game, that was for damn sure.
Chapter 24
Maggie was nervous. She assumed it was just first-day jitters. Everyone got nerves on their first day of work, but Maggie’s jitters were more than butterflies. They were like rabid dogs gnawing at her insides. The boys had wished her good luck when she’d dropped them off at school, but their well wishes had worn off by the time she walked into the café.
She looked around, taking it all in. She knew this place, but it suddenly looked different. She wasn’t there to pull up a chair at the counter and enjoy a coffee, she was there to work, and with that came the potential to make a fool of herself or worse, destroy Jane’s business with one wrong order. What if she served something with peanuts or eggs to a customer with an allergy?
“Oh, hey!” Jane held a hand up in a wave as she stepped through the swinging doors that led from the kitchen. She held a big container of what looked like cupcakes and, with a huff, she placed it onto the counter.
“Come on in,” she said with a smile which seemed a little forced and wavered ever so slightly at the corners.
Maggie hesitated. Memories of the other day when Jane had warned her to be careful of Evan, came flashing back through her mind. And since then she’d almost kissed the guy. She’d gone over Jane’s words at least a hundred times. And yet she was still unable to make any sense of them. Jane hadn’t been mean or stern with her warning; it was as if she’d been afraid, and the look of sheer trepidation in her eyes had stuck with Maggie ever since, especially after her and Evan’s moment together in the kitchen.
After their almost-kiss, she’d seen Evan at little league, but they’d stayed away from one another until after the game when he’d pulled her aside, much to the shock and disdain of his fan girls watching on like hawks. He’d just want
ed to tell her that he was heading away with a few of his old high school friends on a camping trip, and that he would stop by the house in a few days to take a look at the floating dock that had a few loose planks.
Maggie had begged Evan to take at least a little money in return for all the work he’d done, but he flat out refused. She thought if she could pay him, maybe it would make the awkwardness that had settled between them after their almost-kiss disappear. But he was stubborn, that much was certain.
“Okay, I have your apron,” Jane said, pulling out a floral apron from under the service counter. It was identical to the one she was wearing, and when Maggie unfolded it she noticed her name embroidered over the side pocket. She couldn’t help but beam. She’d never had anything so official before. Her very first uniform.
“All right.” Jane clapped her hands together excitedly. “I’ll show you where you can hang your handbag out the back, and then we can get started.”
Maggie nodded, quickly tying the apron around her waist before following Jane through the kitchen doors with a deep, fortifying breath. She was unable to shake the unease that lingered obviously and heavily in the air between them, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. But this was her first day, and she desperately wanted to make a good impression.
***
By the time the lunch rush had ended, Maggie was an old hand at the café, moving fluidly behind the counter as if she’d been doing the job her whole life. Throughout the day, Jane had been quiet. Not rude. Just quiet, like her mind was off elsewhere. So, Maggie struck up a newfound friendship with Harold, the cook. He and Joe, the other cook, alternated their shifts in the kitchen.
Harold was six foot six, at least. Stoic and stocky. But he was a gentle giant of few words, smiling thankfully with every new order Maggie gave him, as if cooking food for other people was the sole reason he’d been put on this earth. He’d even surprised Maggie with one of his famous BLT sandwiches at lunch. Apparently, the secret was in the bread and toasting it after a light layer of mayonnaise. Whatever his secret, it had been delicious. She knew she was at risk of stacking on a few pounds while working at the café, but she didn’t care. And after the last few months, she could afford to put on a little weight.
“Okay. I’m off.” Jane stopped by the counter where Maggie was refilling the sugar dispensers between a break in customers.
Untying her apron, Jane offered a hopeful once-over. “You sure you’re going to be okay until Cathy gets here for the afternoon shift?”
Maggie smiled. “I’ll be fine.”
“Call me if you need anything. And Harold knows his way around the point-of-sale terminal if you get stuck.” She placed her things into her handbag, doing a double take of the countertops as if to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind. She sighed with the first real genuine smile that had touched her lips all day. “God, this is my first full afternoon off in forever!”
“Go. Get a manicure or something. Everything will be fine.” Maggie assured her with a casual brush of her hand.
“Ugh. You’re a godsend, Maggie. Honestly.” With a wave, Jane turned and headed for the door.
Watching her leave, Maggie could feel the question climbing up the back of her throat, on the tip of her tongue like word vomit. She wished she could swallow it, but she couldn’t, and it was out of her mouth before she even had a chance to consider it, “Actually, Jane, can I ask you something?”
Jane paused, turning with a quirked brow and a curious smile. “Of course, honey. Go ahead.”
Glancing down at the sugar bag in her hand, Maggie chewed nervously on the inside of her cheek. Unsure how to approach the topic and fully aware that she didn’t really have a choice with Jane waiting, she looked up and saw the woman’s kind yet tentative gaze fixed on her, and she released the breath she’d been holding.
“The other day when you told me to be careful with Ev … your brother,” she began, her words cautious and quiet. “What did you mean?”
Jane looked at her for a long moment. She glanced over her shoulder, looking at the lone man seated at one of the booths reading a book and, with a heavy exhalation, she walked back, closing the distance and stopping at the counter. She averted her eyes, looking anywhere but at Maggie as she seemed to contemplate her words.
“Nothing’s happening between us,” Maggie felt the need to say, adding a light laugh to ease the tension. “If that’s what you’re worried about? Evan’s just helping me around the house.” She gave a casual shrug and an innocent smile, but the smile fell when she saw the seriousness in Jane’s eyes.
“Look, Maggie. My brother, he …” She trailed off, as if she didn’t quite know how to continue, looking around again to make sure no one was listening even though there was no one there who would care to listen. And her secretiveness only caused Maggie’s concern to intensify.
Jane continued, “He’s going through some stuff. I just … I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The way he … the way he wants to help you. In any other situation I’d say the two of you would be perfect for one another. Hell, I’d be the one doing the matchmaking!” She shook her head at herself. “But he’s not … he’s not himself. He hasn’t been for quite a while. And I don’t want either of you getting hurt.”
“But we’re not …” Maggie laughed incredulously, searching for the words. She threw her hands in the air in frustration. “We’re not doing anything!”
Jane cocked her head to the side, gauging her with a conspiratorial once-over. “So, you mean to tell me the two of you didn’t almost kiss on Friday at your house?”
Maggie blinked at her, shocked by the question. She’d thought that moment with Evan had all been in her head. Now he was telling his sister about it? She didn’t quite know what to think.
Jane softened. “I’m sorry, Maggie.” She reached out, touching her arm. “I’m just, I’m really protective of him. He’s my little brother.” She smiled sadly. “I can’t see him get hurt again. And I’m not saying you’ll hurt him, but … well, Evan has this—this tendency to go all in and it often means he loses himself. His past is … well, he’s been broken. And I don’t want to see him break again. I can’t.”
Maggie witnessed a sadness in Jane’s eyes, something which felt painfully familiar. A sadness which reflected an almost mirror image of the pain and suffering she had seen in Evan’s eyes more than a few times. It caused her stomach to knot. She tried so hard to make sense of Jane’s words, but her attempts were futile. She was so lost, confused, and concerned. Something was wrong with Evan. And she knew it had to do with a lot more than just his fiancée leaving him. While it was none of her business, she had an overwhelming feeling that maybe she could help him. But she knew she should let it go; how was she supposed to help someone when she didn’t even know what was wrong?
Forcing a smile which she knew lacked sincerity, Maggie managed a nod. And then, with another wave, Jane turned and walked out, leaving her feeling the most deflated she’d felt since moving to town.
Chapter 25
Days passed, and again it seemed as if Evan had disappeared into thin air. Maggie hadn’t seen or heard from him since their brief encounter at little league.
He’d told her he was heading off camping with his friends, but he’d also told her he would be back Monday morning and that he’d stop by. It was now Thursday, and she hadn’t seen or heard from him. Actually, that wasn’t quite true. She had seen him. She’d seen him on Tuesday, crossing the street from the wharf coming toward the café. Head bowed, ball cap peak covering his face, shoulders hunched, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. But then, and perhaps most confusing of all, he’d stopped, looked up and, after a moment’s deliberation, he’d turned and walked back toward the docks.
Maggie had assumed he’d forgotten something back at the boat shed. His wallet or phone perhaps. But when he didn’t return, she’d assumed there had been something else that had stopped him, and that thought made her feel sick to her stomach. Was he av
oiding her? She’d spent all of Tuesday trying to rack her brain over what she could have possibly said or done for him to want to avoid her. But she couldn’t think of anything, and that only made her feel so much worse.
By Thursday night, Maggie’s mind was infuriatingly consumed by Evan and his reasons for avoiding her. But she tried to not let it affect her as she stood in the kitchen chopping up vegetables for dinner while TJ sat at the counter opposite her, finishing the first draft of his book report.
Jack walked into the kitchen, sweat dripping down his face, music blasting from the earbuds that hung around his neck. He walked directly to the refrigerator and pulled out an electric blue sports drink, standing with the fridge door open as he gulped a few big mouthfuls. He was training for the upcoming summer tryouts for the school’s varsity baseball team and, despite his lack of manners and inability to close the fridge door, Maggie couldn’t help but smile at just how far he’d come in such a short amount of time. She knew she had a certain little blonde to thank for her son’s shift in attitude.
“How was your run?” she asked, turning back to her vegetables.
“It was okay.” He shrugged. “I ran down by the harbor. Evan jogged with me up to the bluff and back.”
Maggie dropped her knife with a loud clatter against the cutting board. “Evan?” She glanced at Jack, her brows knitted together. “Boyd?”
Jack nodded like it was no big deal. “Yeah. He runs every afternoon. Said for me to stop by the wharf if I ever want someone to run with. He also said he has a small gym set up in the back of his boatshed. Free weights and stuff. Said I can use it whenever I want.” He shrugged a shoulder before finishing the remainder of his drink. “Did you know he played minor league and almost got called up into the MLB?”
“Everyone knows that, Jack,” TJ sassed.
The Long Way Home Page 19