Chapter 22
Two hours later, the women had eaten and watched Maddie open most of the presents. Thomas had fallen asleep in Linda’s arms in the rocking chair, and she’d refused to take him upstairs.
Janey was proud of her mother for embracing the child and making him a part of their family.
It hadn’t been easy for Linda to get past the rumors that had plagued Maddie for most of her life.
But once the letters from Evan and the others ran in the paper, Linda had to admit she’d been wrong about the woman her son loved.
She’d apologized to Maddie and had made a real effort to get to know her and Thomas since then.
In the midst of the rift with her own mother, at least Maddie would be able to lean on her new mother-in-law.
Janey’s cell phone vibrated in her pocket. When she checked the caller ID and saw Doc Potter’s name, she took the call because he never bothered her after hours unless there was an emergency at the clinic. She immediately thought of Mrs. Roberts and Molly.
“Hey, Doc.” She stepped onto the back deck that overlooked the hotel, marina, and Salt Pond. The fog that had been worse than usual hung over the edges of the pond.
“Janey! I’m so glad I caught you. You won’t believe it!”
“Believe what?”
“I just got off the phone with Dean Richards at OSU.”
Her heart slowed to a crawl, and she had to remind herself to breathe. “What did he say?”
“They’ve had several students in this year’s incoming class who were unable to secure financing.”
Janey gasped.
“When I mentioned you had financing already arranged, he agreed to facilitate your application—for this year! This year, Janey! Like a month from now!”
Her legs went weak beneath her, and she dropped to a lounge chair.
“Still there?” Doc asked.
“Yes, yes. I’m just trying to absorb it all.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited about anything! I can tell you now that I always thought it was a travesty how David got in the way of you going to vet school the first time around. I didn’t care for that one bit.”
“You and everyone else.”
“Well, we’re righting a terrible wrong, and we’re doing it in one month!” He released a deep, pained sigh.
“What, Doc? What’s wrong?”
“I just realized this means I’ll be losing you at the clinic.”
Her eyes filled. He’d been such a constant in her life, one of the most important people in her world. “Maybe you can find a spot for me in the summers?”
“I suppose we can squeeze you in until you’re too important to come back.”
Janey laughed. “I’ll come back the second I’m done, and then you can retire.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal, my friend.”
“Thank you, Doc. For whatever favors you called in or the donation you made or whatever you did, thank you.”
“No thanks necessary. Just go out there and make me proud.”
“I will. I promise.”
Janey ended the call and clutched the phone to her chest as she looked out over the pond with unseeing eyes. She was going to veterinary school. It was really and finally happening. She must’ve been out there for a while because Maddie came to find her.
“I’m sorry,” Janey said, snapping out of the stupor. “I totally abandoned you.”
“I was well cared for. What’s wrong? You’re pale as a ghost.”
“I got in,” Janey whispered.
“To?”
“Vet school at Ohio State.”
Maddie gasped. “Oh, that’s fabulous! Congratulations! For next year?”
“This year.”
Maddie’s eyes widened. “Oh, my God! Janey! Oh, my God!”
Before she knew what hit her, Maddie had wrapped her up in a tight hug.
Janey was in tears by the time Maddie released her.
“What’s wrong?” Maddie asked, alarmed. “I thought you’d be thrilled!”
“I am.” Janey brushed at the tears, annoyed by them. “It’s just. . .”
“Joe,” Maddie said, her mouth set in a grim expression.
“I can’t do another long-distance relationship, Maddie. I just can’t.”
“I understand. Anyone would. Joe will.”
“What will he understand? He’s in love with me. We’ve spent almost every night together for two weeks. If I walk away from him now, he’ll be crushed.”
Maddie rested her hands on Janey’s shoulders. “You have to go to Ohio, Janey. You have to.”
“I know. But I need to break things off with Joe now. Today. I can’t let this go on when I’m leaving in a month.
He’s tied to this island and his business.
It’s not fair to get any more involved with him.
” She thought of the date they had planned for later, and her heart ached.
She’d gotten awfully used to seeing him every day, to leaning on his quiet strength, to finding unimaginable pleasure in his arms.
“Surely there has to be some way,” Maddie said.
New tears spilled down Janey’s cheeks. “How? His business is his life, Maddie. He’d be lost without that, and it’s not like he can just walk away from it. And he would. He’d do that for me, but I can’t ask that of him. I just can’t.”
“You need to talk to him about this. At least give him a chance to figure something out.”
“There’s nothing to figure out. He lives here, and for the next four years, I’m going to live a thousand miles from here. Look how it worked out when David was only in Boston. I can’t go through that again.”
“Comparing him to David would be very unfair.”
“Do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Keep this quiet until I figure out what to say to Joe?”
Maddie thought about that for a moment. “I have to tell Mac. I won’t keep it from him. I’d like to think I’ve learned my lesson in that regard.”
“You have to swear him to silence. I don’t want him to tell Joe until I decide how I’m going to handle it.”
“He won’t. I promise you that.” Maddie hugged her again. “It’ll work out, Janey. Joe would wait forever for you.”
“I can’t ask him to wait four years.”
“Maybe you won’t have to.”
Still holding the sleeping Thomas, Linda came to the door. “Everything all right out here?”
“Yes,” Janey said, forcing a smile. “We’re fine.”
“Maddie, you have a late-arriving guest.”
Maddie glanced at Janey. “Who?”
“Why don’t you go see?” Maybe Francine had come through after all. Janey could only hope. She followed Maddie inside where Francine waited, gripping a festively wrapped gift and looking exquisitely uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Francine said.
“That’s all right.” Maddie reached around the box to hug her mother. “I’m so glad you came.”
“Could I get you some coffee or punch, Francine?” Linda asked. “A slice of cake?”
“I’m fine, thank you,” Francine said stiffly.
“May I?” Maddie asked, gesturing to the package.
Francine handed it to her and followed Maddie to the family room, where the other women had gone quiet.
“This is my mother, Francine.” Maddie introduced her coworkers from the hotel and then sat to open her mother’s gift. Maddie removed the paper and opened the box. “Oh. Oh, Mom.”
“I gave Tiffany my mother’s china. I thought you might like to have her silver.”
“I’d very much love to have it,” she said, hugging her mother. “It’s so shiny and clean!”
“That’s why I was late. It took longer to clean it up than I’d expected.”
Maddie clutched her mother’s hand. “I’m so glad you came.”
“Well, your future sister-in-law over there let me know I’d be welcome.”
All eyes shifted to Janey, who flashed a sheepish grin and shrugged.
Maddie mouthed the words thank you to Janey, who nodded in response.
After she helped to load Mac, Maddie, Thomas and the shower loot into the SUV, Janey turned her attention to the last of the dishes all the while trying not to think about the terrible task that lay ahead.
“Joe,” she whispered. “God. What’ve I done to both of us?”
The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her.
In the same instant she’d decided she had to give him up, she’d realized she loved him.
Loved him loved him. At some point during their exquisite nights together, he had worked his way into her heart, and the idea of losing him hurt more than anything ever had—even finding David in bed with another woman.
Standing at the sink, Janey dropped her head to her chest, absorbing the blow as all the images from their brief time together flashed through her mind.
Linda came back into the room. “Janey? Honey, what is it? What’s wrong?”
Tears clogged her throat, threatening to burst free at any moment. “I, um, I have something I need to do. Would you mind finishing up these last few dishes?”
“Of course not. Go on ahead.”
Janey kissed her cheek. “Thanks for everything today. It was a lovely shower.”
“Yes, it was, and you did a good thing talking Francine into coming. I’m proud of you for doing that.”
The dam broke, and tears flooded her eyes.
“Janey! My goodness! What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing,” she said, even though her heart was breaking. “I just. . . I need to go.”
Linda hugged her and wiped the tears from Janey’s cheeks. “Call me later?”
Janey nodded, grabbed her purse and headed for the door. In the car, she rested her head on the steering wheel and tried to imagine what Joe would say when she told him they were over. Her heart ached at the thought of hurting him, but better now than in a month, when they’d be even more involved.
“Oh, Joe,” she whispered through her tears. “I love you so much.” I hate that I have to do this to him, but I can’t turn my back on this opportunity again. Not even for Joe. And I can’t expect him to give up his whole life for me. He’d hate me for that someday.
Blinded by tears, she knew she shouldn’t attempt to drive but didn’t want to sit in front of her mother’s house crying her eyes out, either. She drove slowly on the way home, knowing that once she got there, Riley and the others would provide the comfort she so desperately needed.
At her house, she indulged in a snuggle with her animals before she let the dogs out and reached for her cell phone.
She couldn’t delay this any longer. Joe was due to pick her up in just over two hours.
As she ran a hand over the black silk dress she’d taken out earlier, she wondered where he’d planned to take her.
“What does it matter?” she asked herself as she found his number in her phone.