Chapter Fourteen

What do I want, really? And why do I care so much what people think?

When Mason mentioned a relationship, Maddie’s first thought was, Oh, my. What will everyone think?

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized she flat didn’t give a damn what anybody else thought.

I should march right over there to Mason’s cabin, and…

Okay, hold on a minute, her conscience retorted. Why? Because you truly want to have a relationship with him, or just to prove a point to yourself? Which is it, Maddie?

Does it matter? she fired back.

It absolutely does matter, came the response. Because the wrong reason will only hurt Mason, and he’s been through enough. If you can’t figure out what you want right now, that’s fine. Just don’t wreck him in the process.

She sighed as she moved to her suitcase, dug out one of the bath bombs she’d packed, and headed into the bathroom to soak in the clawfoot tub – and try her best not to think.

***

I did the right thing. I did the right thing, Mason told himself again and again as he paced back and forth in front of the fireplace.

She’s not ready to get into another relationship, and I meant what I said when I told her I don’t do flings. Therefore, walking out of there was the right thing to do.

Right?

But the way her lush, ripe curves had felt pinned between him and the wall was seared into his memory. He could still smell the faint scent of vanilla in the perfume she’d been wearing and hear her sweet moans of pleasure.

He sighed, raked his hands through his hair, and continued pacing, because he knew there were only two courses of action he could take at that moment.

Pursuing what I want – what I’ve always wanted - versus giving her the time and space that she needs right now.

It’s as simple and as difficult as that.

I have to choose.

***

After a restless night, Maddie stepped out of her cabin at six a.m. sharp for another run. Mason watched her jog past his cabin, waiting until she was out of sight before he slipped out his door and made his way over to her car.

***

Forty-five minutes later Maddie was in the homestretch, passing Mason’s cabin again, and she noticed his SUV was gone.

Hm, she thought. Probably went into town for something.

It wasn’t until she reached her cabin door that she remembered the fishing pole they’d left overnight. She veered around the cabin, heading for the dock.

Maddie reached down and picked up the pole, frowning when she didn’t feel the weight on the line that had been there the night before. She slowly reeled it in and was dismayed to find that whatever she’d hooked had managed to cut the line.

Lost a good one.

She sighed, picked up the tackle box, and walked back up to the cabin. As she opened the door, she glanced over at her car and saw something had been left on the hood.

Maddie set down the pole and tackle box and walked slowly toward her car. She reached out and grabbed the paper bag, then entered the cabin.

He brought back my clothes, she realized when she opened the bag and looked inside. But that’s weird. Why leave them on my car? Why not just knock on the door and hand them to me?

It wasn’t until Maddie took her dried clothing out of the bag that she saw the folded-up piece of notebook paper he’d placed at the bottom.

With a trembling hand she reached in and removed it, setting the empty bag down beside her.

She stared at the paper for a moment, then unfolded it to reveal a business card with a phone number and a short message.

Call me when you’ve figured it out. – Mason.

She sat silently for a while, lost in thought, digesting the fact that he’d left without saying goodbye.

And it struck her like a punch in the gut.

Maybe I just lost a good man, too.

***

“Hey buddy,” Allen said when he walked into Mason’s office the following morning. “Did getting away for a couple of days help?”

Mason just looked at him.

“What happened?”

“The last person in the world I ever expected to see again was staying one cabin over.”

Mason ran his hands through his hair.

“Do tell.”

“The good news is, she’s single. And just as beautiful as ever.”

“What’s the bad news?”

“She’s going through… a lot right now.”

“I’m not following, Mason,” Allen said as he made himself comfortable in the closest visitor’s chair.

“Her name is Madeleine – Maddie,” Mason revealed. “I’ve loved her since the fourth grade, Allen. And I know we connected again for a reason. I can feel it. But like I said, she’s dealing with a lot right now. She recently buried her husband, for starters.”

Allen winced.

“That’s rough.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Mason muttered. “Let’s just say the guy was a complete ass and leave it at that.”

“So, what happened when you saw her?”

Mason sighed.

“The short version is, I want to date her and see where it goes - and I told her that. And then, I left.”

“You left?”

“Yep,” he confirmed. “Because she has a lot on her plate right now, and the last thing she needs is to try to navigate a new relationship.”

“You don’t look happy, bro,” Allen pointed out.

“I’m not. I want her in my life. But she needs space and time, Allen. Pushing right now will only push her away. It has to be her choice whether we move forward together or separately.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

“It’s killing me, Allen. But I’m going to honor what I told her, and I’m going to wait and let her figure out what she wants. And hope like hell she calls one day.”

Mason exhaled heavily.

“Now, back to business. Any new ideas to save our sinking ship?”