Book 21 Trouble After Dark #5
Then he’s surrounded by people, and in the background, he can hear Maddie screaming his name. Is she crying? Maddie tells David that he collapsed once before in Miami, and they thought it was an anxiety attack. They will run some tests to figure out what’s going on.
Deacon is out on the boat when he gets a message that the police have arrested Mike and ordered him to reimburse Julia the money he took from her within forty-eight hours.
He calls Julia right away and tells her the news that makes her so happy.
She tells him she got the job, and they plan to go out that night to celebrate.
On the way to the clinic for her appointment, Julia calls her sister Cindy about the house Cindy rented, asking if she wants a roommate.
Cindy agrees, and they plan to look at it the next day.
Victoria gives Julia a full exam. She tells Vic about her eating disorder and how stress and being upset affect her eating.
She also shares that she lost five pounds she didn’t have to lose following this last episode.
Vic gives her a birth control shot and a new prescription for a stronger anxiety medication for the next month.
Julia takes the prescription to be filled at the pharmacy and meets Grace McCarthy.
With her new medication in hand, Julia walks back to the Surf and receives a notification that the money was deposited into her account.
Right there on the sidewalk, where anyone might see her, Julia breaks down into tears of relief and gratitude.
In that moment, the door to her heart swings wide open to let in Deacon Taylor.
Deacon is excited to get to Julia. He stops at Tiffany’s shop and buys her a gift. He asks Tiffany about what he’s feeling. “If you feel something different for Julia, Deacon, figure out what it is and be careful with it. She could be one of your best things ever.”
Mac wakes up in the clinic disoriented. He doesn’t remember collapsing. “You had a major anxiety attack, son,” Big Mac says. “David checked your heart, and everything is fine, but he said you need to ease up on the stress before the anxiety turns into something much more serious.”
Mac tries to process what his father is telling him.
This is the second time that’s happened.
The first time had been in Miami, right before he came home to Gansett and ended up staying after he met Maddie.
He rubs his chest where residual pain confirms what his father is telling him—just like before.
This is the last freaking thing he needs going into the busiest season of the year at the marina and the construction company. He has no time to be sidelined by fucking anxiety, of all things.
“David says you have to take it easy for the next few weeks.”
That isn’t going to happen, but Mac can’t say so. Not now.
“I’m going back to work full-time at the marina,” Big Mac says. “You’re relieved of duty for the summer. Luke and I have it covered.”
“And until Shane gets back from his honeymoon, Riley is in charge of the construction company,” Maddie says. “He was here earlier and said he’s happy to help in any way he can.”
“We also postponed the family party at the Wayfarer until you’re feeling better and Shane is back on the island,” Linda says.
“Christ,” Mac says. “How long was I out for?”
“Long enough to scare the shit out of everyone who cares about you most. Your sisters and brothers have been here for hours, hoping to see you.” Big Mac wears the strain of the last few hours in his face and eyes.
“This is nonnegotiable, son, so you’d better just wrap your head around the fact that your days of being Superman are over. ”
Mac hates to see his parents looking so stressed out, but it’s Maddie who truly gets to him, with her eyes red and swollen from crying over him. She’s under enough strain carrying their twins without him adding to it. “Fine, whatever you guys want.”
Julia visits with Laura and the kids. Once they get the kids settled, she and Laura talk about Deacon and what he did to help her.
“Holy shit. That’s amazing! Not the part about Mike stealing from you, but Deacon…”
“I know. He was incensed and immediately formed a plan to get it back. I still can’t believe it actually worked.” Julia takes a healthy sip of wine, enjoying the heat that spreads through her when it settles in her belly. “I have the worst judgment when it comes to men, but Deacon…”
“He’s proven he’s legit.”
“Yes! And now, I just want…”
“What?”
“Everything. I want to dive into this thing with him headfirst, which is what I always do, and it’s how I end up screwed in the end. I leap before I think, and I always regret it. Every single time.”
When she leaves, Laura follows her to the door. “Hey, Julia?”
Julia turns to face her sister-in-law. “Give Deacon a chance. I have a feeling he’ll be worth it.”
Deacon comes to her room. When she thanks him again for helping her, she kisses him. When they come up for air, Deacon says, “I don’t get this, Julia. I don’t do this stuff. I don’t count the minutes until I can see someone again, or think about them all day, or buy them presents, or—”
Ridiculously moved by him, she says, “You bought me a present?” She focuses on the simplest of the things he’d said, because the rest has left her breathless.
“I did.” He’s bashful and shy and adorable as he releases her to retrieve the bag he’s brought. “I saw this and thought of you, which is another thing I never do.”
Julia loves the lotion and the robe he bought her. When she tries the robe on for him, he tells her she is beautiful inside and out. “About that dick diet you told me you were on…”
“I think it’s safe to say my dick diet is blown.”
His low chuckle and bright smile make her feel lighter than air as the insistent flutter in the vicinity of her heart makes her breathless with anticipation. “It’s dangerous to say those words in the same sentence.”
Smiling, she takes in every detail of his sinfully handsome face. “It’s a big deal for me to trust you this way.”
“I know, and I promise to be worthy of your trust. Always.”
After they make love, Deacon asks about her tattoo. “The turtle is me. I walk around without a shell to protect me from the pain of being alive.”
Deacon has no idea how to respond to that except to vow, to himself for now, to protect her from ever being hurt again. He wants to be her shell.
Julia’s stomach lets out a loud growl. She laughs and says she’s hungry for the first time in months. He takes her to dinner.
While talking with Mac, Maddie experiences a weird pain that has everyone scrambling to find out what’s wrong.
They rule out anything bad and determine that one of the twins is resting against a nerve, which is causing the pain.
Vic and David recommend bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy.
David further recommends no sexual activity until the babies arrive.
Although Maddie is as disappointed about that as Mac is, they agree it’s best for her and the babies.
“I’m fine with releasing you both, provided you take it easy and check back with me if you experience any other symptoms or have concerns,” David says. “Maddie, any other random pain needs to be fully investigated. Please call me if anything comes up—day or night.”
“Will do,” Mac says.
“There’s one other thing I want to say to you guys.
” David’s gaze takes in both of them. “In the past couple of months, you’ve both been here with anxiety-related symptoms, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
Losing Connor understandably rocked you, and as hard as it is to go through something like that, there’s no reason to believe it’ll happen again. ”
Maddie sniffles and wipes away the tears that come anytime Connor’s name is mentioned.
Mac puts his arm around her as he blinks back tears of his own.
“The thing is,” David continues, “you can’t let the fear of that happening cause secondary health concerns. That kind of anxiety isn’t good for either of you. I know it’s really hard to believe that everything will be okay with the twins, but there’s no reason to believe it won’t be. Okay?”
Maddie nods and wipes away more tears.
Mac shakes his hand. “Thanks, David.”
Over dinner at Stephanie’s, Julia tells Deacon, “This is what I do.”
“What do you mean?”
“When my anxiety is bad like it’s been the last few months, it’s all I can do to eat enough to stay alive.” Embarrassed to be confessing such a thing to him, she looks down at the table.
He puts his hand over hers. “It’s okay, Julia. I’m not judging you. I swear I’m not.”
She turns her hand up, so their palms are joined and curls her fingers around his hand. “After the anxiety passes, I eat everything in sight, which makes me sick. It’s a rather vicious cycle.”
“I imagine so.”
“I’m really thin right now. Too thin.”
“Maybe so, but I think you’re beautiful no matter what.” He gives her hand a squeeze. “You’ll start to feel better now that you’ve gotten the money back.”
“I already do.” She forces herself to look at him, to acknowledge the intensity of their connection. “Thanks to you.”
Evan and Owen begin their set with Evan singing his hit, “My Amazing Grace,” with Owen accompanying him in the background.
Julia tells Deacon how music saved Owen during the difficult years with their father.
She, too, had lost herself in music but hadn’t played or sung in years.
Owen must’ve been reading her mind, because he steps up to the microphone and asks her to share her talent with the crowd.
When she shakes her head to say no, he comes to her and says, “Take it back, Jule. It’s been waiting a long time for you to come home to it. ”
She blinks back tears as she nods, taking her strength from him the way she has all her life. Her big brother, her protector, her dearest friend, her fellow survivor. If he can do it, so can she.