Summer by the Tides Page 16

  He smiled. “Progress.”

  “Distance has given me a little perspective, I think.”

  “That’s good.”

  Maddy tossed him a grin. “I’ll bet you were murder on your sisters’ dating lives. Did you beat up all their boyfriends?”

  “Not all of them.” He tipped a grin. “Tara always had pretty good instincts when it came to men, but Lexie’s gotten herself mixed up with some real losers.”

  “I feel for her. Sometimes losers come disguised as nice guys. Nick’s a real con artist—I see it now. I guess Evangeline will have to figure that out for herself.”

  “Why didn’t you rat him out? She might’ve fired him and given you the promotion after all.”

  Maddy’s gaze swept down, and he detected a bit of a flush on her cheeks.

  He signaled a turn, checked for traffic, and accelerated around the bend. He hadn’t realized the question would be such a stumper. But clearly he’d stumbled upon something uncomfortable.

  “It embarrasses me to say this,” she said quietly. “But I made a mistake when I applied for the position at Pirouette. I falsified something on my résumé—in my employment history. I knew Evangeline might not check them all out since she was in a hurry to fill the position. And there was a lot of competition . . .” She gave her head a shake. “There’s no excuse—it was plain wrong.”

  Connor could see she regretted her actions. He knew all about regret. “We all make mistakes, Maddy. Sometimes you have to extend yourself some grace.”

  “I almost told Evangeline on several occasions over the years. She was a reasonable person, and the guilt was eating me alive.”

  He put two and two together. “You told Nick.”

  She spared him a glance. “Yes. If I’d gone to Evangeline and told her what he’d done, he would’ve thrown me under the bus. I would’ve lost my job anyway. Besides, by the time it was all over I figured I’d probably gotten what I deserved.”

  “I don’t think God works like that. He’s not into retaliation.”

  “No, but there are consequences for our sins. You can’t deny that. The Bible is full of examples.”

  “Well, Nick doesn’t get off the hook so easily in my book. And it doesn’t sound like he has an ounce of regret about the damage he did.”

  “Probably not, but he’s not a Christian either—although he claimed to be. I knew better. And frankly, I wasn’t where I should’ve been spiritually. If I were I never would’ve gone out with him to begin with.”

  “Hindsight,” they said simultaneously and shared a smile.

  He admired her for admitting her mistake to him. It had taken a lot of courage and vulnerability, and knowing she was guarded by nature, that meant a lot to him.

  “For what it’s worth,” Maddy said, “I’ve learned from my mistake. It turns out I have a fresh start, and I’m willing to put in the work to get where I want to be. No more shortcuts.”

  “That’s good, Maddy.”

  “Did I scare you off?” There was a teasing note in her voice.

  “Did you mean to?” he asked. He let the question hang for a minute. When she didn’t reply he said, “You’re a hard worker, Maddy. I’ve seen you in action. I respect that about you. I have no doubt you’ll get where you want to go.”

  “I’ve noticed you’re not exactly a deadbeat yourself. You must’ve put in a lot of effort to impress Ray so much that he’d leave you his business.”

  “I believe in giving it your all. My parents raised us to earn our keep and pull our weight and all those other principle-oriented clichés.” He thought of Annie and gave a sad smile. “But I also tend to have tunnel vision sometimes. That’s not a good thing. I’m working on it, though.”

  “We’re all works in progress.”

  “That we are. Thanks for telling me what you did, Maddy. You didn’t have to.”

  “Figured you should know what you’re getting yourself into.” She said it jokingly, but he had a feeling it revealed a seed of truth.

  “Our mistakes don’t define us—thank God. If they did we’d all be up the creek.”

  * * *

  Maddy let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. Her heart was still palpitating in her chest. She was still mortified by what she’d done to get that job, and she’d been afraid Connor would view her differently once he knew.

  She remembered telling Nick about her résumé and couldn’t help but distinguish between the two men’s reactions. Nick had high-fived her and said, Whatever it takes, babe. She should’ve known then and there what kind of person he was. Instead, she’d allowed his approval to soothe her guilt. Connor’s reaction hadn’t affirmed her actions, but he’d also shown her grace.

  Conversation continued to flow easily on the drive to Wilmington, and before she knew it they were pulling into a diagonal parking spot along Main Street. She could hardly believe they were already here.

  Connor ushered her into the restaurant, a hand at the small of her back. Delectable smells filled the air: grilled steak, a hint of garlic. The hostess led them across the dining room.

  The lighting was perfect, falling from rustic urban chandeliers onto white tablecloths. The low buzz of conversation and clattering of silverware blended with the sultry jazz piped in from invisible speakers. An adjacent room boasted high ceilings and a scarred wooden floor that tilted a bit, ending at a brick wall. It was there that the hostess seated them, then left them to look over the leather-bound menus.

  A few minutes later Maddy’s mouth was watering at the entrée descriptions. “Everything looks so good. Do you have any recommendations? Have you been here before?”

  “No, I haven’t,” he said. “My best friend, Lamont, recommended it. I’ll tell you, it’s a little intimidating to choose a restaurant for someone in the business.”

  “What? No, I’m not hard to please. Besides, you’re in the business.”

  He gave her a wry look over his menu.

  Maddy laughed, her gaze flittering over the entrée selections. “I really don’t eat out very often, but I admit I’m impressed by the chef’s creativity. Look at the blackened scallops. ‘Served with a spring mix atop sweet-and-sour sauce, garnished with candied walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles.’ Yum.”

  “Sounds like someone’s made a decision.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Did you see the cioppino? And the Chilean sea bass? It all sounds so good.”

  “Well, you’ve narrowed it down to seafood at least. That’s further than I’ve gotten. I can’t get past the smell of the steak.”

  When the server came to the table she shared the dinner features. Maddy was sold on the blackened scallops, and Connor settled on a very large rib eye.

  “Your sisters seemed to be getting along pretty well this week,” he said once their server sashayed away. “At least while I’m around.”

  “They’re . . . behaving. But nothing’s been resolved, believe me. Much to my grandmother’s dismay.”

  “She’s been gone awhile. I’ve only lived next door a couple years, but I’ve never known her to take a long trip like this.”

  “I think she’s giving us space to work things out. Frankly, I’m surprised Emma or Nora didn’t take a hike a long time ago. I’ve been praying for reconciliation, but neither of them is willing to budge.”

  “And there you are, right in the middle.”

  “It’s never been my favorite place.” The server came and brought their drinks, then slipped quietly away. “You’ve never asked what happened between them.”

  He took a sip of his Coke. “Figured it was none of my business. Must’ve been a doozy to still be festering after all these years.”

  She searched his face. She could trust him with the truth. He was fair, and look at the grace he’d already shown her. Plus, they could definitely use more prayers. And maybe she could shed one more layer of guilt while she was at it.

  She folded her arms on the table. “That last summer we spent in Seahaven, Emma bro
ught her fiancé, Jonathan. I turned twelve. We were busy that summer, planning the wedding.”

  She went on to tell him about the times she’d caught Nora and Jonathan alone together. “I realized later I should’ve said something to Emma. Or confronted Nora about it. But I didn’t, and because of that . . .” She shook her head, her chest tightening. “Things took a terrible turn.”

  His eyes softened on her. “That must’ve been awful for all of you—especially Emma.”

  “I wished so many times I’d confronted Nora that first time I saw them alone together. Maybe I could’ve prevented the whole thing.”

  “It wasn’t your fault, Maddy. You were only a child.”

  She remembered what Holly had said about her burying her head in the sand. She’d been running from conflict even then. “When it all blew up I could tell Nora felt terrible. But they’d fallen in love. It was just awful.”

  It had been Maddy’s first experience with love gone wrong. Watching her sisters suffer had been terrible. And seeing firsthand how the ensuing conflict ripped her family apart had been enlightening in the worst way.

  She didn’t want to think about that night anymore. She fast-forwarded through her memories. “Long story short, the two of them got married a few months later, and Mama and I went to the wedding. Emma still harbors resentment about that. She feels we took Nora’s side, but I think she’s forgiven me because I was so young. Mama’s a different story, though. And that’s just the start of what happened that summer. We haven’t been close since then—any of us.”

  “But Emma’s married now, right? It’s been years; life goes on.”

  “Emma’s marriage is actually on shaky ground at the moment, just between you and me. And Nora seems to be at a . . . crossroads of some sort. I don’t know what’s going on with her. We could all use your prayers.”

  “You’ve got them. Your grandma isn’t the only one who wants reconciliation, you know.”

  “I know. But I have two very stubborn sisters.”

  “Well, don’t you lose hope. God can handle stubborn, believe me.”

  It was dark by the time they pulled into Connor’s drive. Maddy’d had a wonderful evening. Dinner was delicious, and they never ran out of things to talk about. She filled him in on her job search. She’d put in several applications in the past couple weeks.

  Connor was a good listener, the perfect gentleman, and she couldn’t deny he was also nice to look at across the candlelit table. He’d shaved for their date, and though she enjoyed an uninterrupted view of the cleft in his chin, she also found herself missing that bad-boy scruff.

  She stepped out of his car, and they walked across his lawn toward her place. The night was quiet, save for the muted chirping of crickets and the distant crash of the surf. A lone light lit the porch, but the windows were dark.

  “They must’ve gone to bed early,” Maddy said.

  “I can’t imagine it’s much fun for them without you here as a buffer.”

  “I’m sure it isn’t. Even so, every time I leave them alone, I come back hoping they got things sorted out.”

  “One of these days they will.” He took her hand loosely in his.

  His palm was warm and rough against hers. She felt the touch in every cell of her body. If a mere touch could affect her so, what would his kiss do? Was she about to find out?

  Her heart palpitated in her chest, equal parts anticipation and fear. She knew he was a good man—nothing like Nick. But she’d been hurt one too many times.

  Connor walked her up the porch steps. The handrailing was sturdy now, thanks to his handyman skills, and the front door sported a fresh coat of red paint.

  “The place is really coming along,” he said, as if reading her mind. “You’re going to run out of things to do soon.”

  He must be wondering when she’d be going home. She’d been wondering the same thing. “I want to stay until Gram comes back, at least. I’d like to spend a few days with her.”

  “I’m sure she’d like that,” he said.

  As they reached the door, he let go of her hand and tucked his own into his pockets. The golden light fell over him, whispering over the angles and planes of his face, glinting off his hair. It flashed on the golden tips of his lashes and made his eyes sparkle with silver flecks.

  “Thank you for tonight,” she said. “I had a very nice time. The food was wonderful—and so was the company.”

  The corner of his mouth kicked up. “No regrets?”

  She quirked a saucy brow. “Not yet . . .”

  He chuckled. “Uh-oh. Now I—as the guy—have to figure out what that means exactly. Will a kiss make her regret the evening, or will she be disappointed if he leaves her with only a hug?”

  “And it’s the part where I have to wait and see what he wants to do . . .”

  “Isn’t it obvious?” His soulful eyes searched hers for a long breathless moment. “He wants to kiss her.”

  Her throat closed up, making her next words barely audible. “She’d like that very much.”

  His gaze fell to her lips.

  She forgot to breathe while she waited for his lips to touch hers. When they did, she instantly forgot where she was. Forgot everything but the feel of his mouth, warm and soft, on hers.

  He stepped closer—or she did. His hands came to her waist, and she moved her palms up the hard planes of his chest. He kissed her as though he had all the time in the world. As though he were savoring her. The thought made her insides melt a little. His touch, reverent and undemanding, kindled a fire inside. Connor Sullivan knew how to kiss a woman.

  His hands clenched at her waist an instant before he drew away.

  The cool evening air pressed in on her, and a breathy sigh escaped. Her fingers were tangled in his hair, she realized as her eyes fluttered open. And they were unsteady as she let them glide down his chest.

  She’d seen many looks in his expressive eyes, but this sleepy-eyed gaze won top spot in her favorites list. She’d put that look there, she thought, amazed.

  “Okay, then . . . ,” he said shakily.

  Maybe she wasn’t the only one whose knees were about to buckle. She withdrew her hands but couldn’t pull away from the look in his eyes.

  “That was . . .” He seemed at a loss for words, shook his head.

  “Yeah,” she said with a tremulous smile. “It really was.”

  Chapter 25

  Washing the draperies was on Maddy’s to-do list on Wednesday. Judging by the dust puffing from her armload of curtains, it had been a while. She felt a tickle in her nose an instant before she let out a big sneeze.

  Her eyes drifted out the living room window as she passed through. It was beautiful out today, but a tropical storm was brewing in the Caribbean, and a likely path had it coming their way in a couple days.

  Emma and Nora had gone to the grocery to stock up on basics and to the hardware store for batteries and flashlights in case they lost power. In addition they were getting new cabinet pulls, lightbulbs, and a new seal for the bathroom faucet. Might as well get more work done around here, impending storm or no.

  Their grandma was going to be tickled pink with their progress. She was finally flying home tomorrow—just in time for the storm, it sounded like. The walls were freshly painted in neutral colors, and Connor planned to finish the exterior Sunday.

  Connor. She couldn’t help the smile that curled her lips as she dumped the curtains into the washing machine. He’d been around a lot this week, lending a hand. They’d worked and talked and laughed. But it seemed as though her sisters were always nearby—there hadn’t yet been a second kiss.

  She couldn’t get the one they’d shared off her mind. She went to sleep thinking about it and woke up thinking about it. She was also pretty sure it had filled her dreams.

  They were falling into a new routine. He’d started texting her good morning, and they shared a few texts in the afternoon. After work he came over for supper, and they went to work on the house again. />
  The doorbell rang as Maddy closed the washing machine, and Pippy ran to the door, barking. Maybe it was Emma and Nora, their arms full of groceries. Although it didn’t seem as if they’d been gone that long.

  She rushed to the door, lifting a feisty Pippy into her arms, and swept it open. Her lips parted at the sight of the man on the front porch. He was dressed business casual in khakis and a slim-fit shirt.

  Nick.

  Maddy’s breath escaped, her stomach diving for the floor. He looked exactly the same, that dark hair flopping over his forehead, those ice-blue eyes warming on her as a smile lifted his lips.

  “Hello, Maddy,” he said.

  She gave her a head a shake as if he were a mirage she could make disappear. But no, he was here in Seahaven. On her porch, nothing but a screen between them. And he was smiling as if he hadn’t recently betrayed her in every way possible.

  Of course Maddy had chosen this morning to throw on her ugliest paint-stained T-shirt and oldest pair of shorts. She hadn’t bothered with makeup either and had thrown her hair into a sloppy bun that was now falling down around her face. It bothered her most that she even cared.

  “What are you doing here, Nick?” She sounded hard and unyielding. Good.

  He gave her his boyish grin. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

  She tilted her head, making no move to do so.

  “Come on, Maddy. We need to talk—and you won’t take my calls.”

  “Can you blame me?”

  He had the grace to look sheepish. “No, I can’t. I don’t blame you at all, but I came all the way here. You might as well hear me out, right? I want to apologize, okay? I owe you that much, right?”

  The man made a good point. Still, her sisters weren’t here, and she didn’t want him in the house. “Go on around to the back deck. I’ll be out in a minute.”

  “Thank you.” He turned to go, that familiar gait making all this feel very real.

  She needed a minute to collect herself. She couldn’t even define the emotions coursing through her. Her insides were going haywire, her heart beating against her ribs, and her breaths struggling to keep up. It seemed surreal that he was here, at her grandmother’s cottage.