Chapter 19
If Denise was forced to have a favorite part of a roller coaster—and her dad practically had forced her to as a child—she would say it’s the very end of the ride, when the cars come to a full stop and the safety bars release.
That sense of freedom and relief, that her nerves could eventually put themselves to rights again, was always palpable.
The relief of watching the final day of the conference come to a close was uncannily similar.
It had only been a half day. She’d given closing remarks and shared highlights from the previous days’ discussions over brunch and then said her goodbyes to the attendees before they checked out of their rooms and went on their way.
At some point, she would need to muster the energy to reflect and write up a report on the key takeaways of the conference.
But there was no way that would happen today.
She was far too exhausted. Strangely, the only details pressing enough to stay with her through her fatigue at the moment were how smoothly and skillfully Maddox and their team had handled the entire event.
Maddox had glided in and out of each session and meal, seamlessly handling dozens of details, managing the rest of the staff, and anticipating needs right and left with a competence and grace that were a marvel to watch.
It had also been incredibly distracting.
Every time Maddox entered the room, Denise’s eyes would immediately find them.
During meals, she often caught herself tracking their movements on the periphery of the room to the point where she’d lose track of whatever conversation she’d been having.
Watching them with the other staff was especially diverting.
They had been so patient and sweet with Lenny after the spilled iced tea incident.
She’d known she shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but she hadn’t been able to stop herself.
Although it was clear Maddox had leadership skills, in that moment, they had behaved less like a manager and more like an older sibling with the boy. It had been impossibly endearing.
There was no point in denying that Maddox held a kind of magnetism for her that she didn’t understand. And she wasn’t sure she had the energy or courage to explore it, even in her own mind.
She certainly didn’t have the energy for it right now, when she was completely drained from the last several days of nearly constant public interaction.
Knowing she’d be in no shape for the drive back to Oklahoma City, Denise had reserved an extra night at the resort to unwind without the other attendees present.
Once the last FunDaze member pulled out of the parking lot, Denise promptly returned to her suite, changed into comfortable clothes, washed off her makeup, and took a long nap.
When she awoke, it was early evening, so she ordered room service and reveled in the simple joy of eating in the solitude of her suite with no sound but dialogue from the costume drama she was bingeing.
A few minutes into the third episode, though, she grew restless. She still had post-conference work to do, but she wasn’t ready to face it, so she put on a sweater and went outside for a walk.
The night sky was almost black, but all the walking paths throughout the resort property were illuminated by quaint decorative lampposts.
The evening air was cool and invigorating as she strolled, with the crunch of fallen leaves beneath her sneakers and the screech of a distant owl the only sounds to accompany her.
When she approached the back of the Sycamore Lodge where she’d first checked in, she was surprised to see the outdoor space behind it illuminated. When she drew closer, she spotted Maddox carrying several white folding chairs.
Tonight, they were wearing jeans, work boots, and a white henley shirt that stretched across their strong, shapely shoulders as they moved the chairs into place and set them on the grass.
“Are you ever not working?” Denise asked.
Maddox jerked to a stop, nearly knocking over one of the chairs, but they quickly righted it. When they turned their focus on her, a small grin brightened their face. “We’re shorthanded this evening. Besides, this isn’t really work to me.”
Denise looked around the space. Strings of lights hung above, forming a kind of square border around the area where Maddox was setting up the chairs to face the empty back wall of the Sycamore Lodge. “What isn’t work exactly?”
“Outdoor movie night!” Maddox waved a gleeful hand at the wall. “The movie projects there. The popcorn is popping inside, and the sodas are all on ice, ready to go.”
“Oh, wow. That’s a great idea.” Denise examined the area from a more informed perspective.
It really was a charming setup for a movie night.
Then she refocused on Maddox and took a step closer.
“So, events manager, golf cart mechanic, entertainment coordinator…you weren’t lying when you said you were the jack of all trades around here. ”
Maddox shrugged. “I enjoy doing different jobs. It keeps things interesting.”
“I guess that’s one way to look at it.”
When Maddox continued working, Denise hesitated a moment before grabbing a chair and helping them. They glanced at her with a raised eyebrow but said nothing before going back to what they were doing.
While the two of them finished setting up the chairs, Denise mused, “In the two years I’ve been working for my dad, he’s had me do at least six different jobs.
I wouldn’t say that’s made me a jack of all trades at Farrington Parks, though.
To me, that term implies some level of expertise, which I don’t think I achieved in any of my roles. ”
Maddox frowned. “You always sound so frustrated when you talk about your place in the company. But if it bothers you so much, why do you keep working for your dad? Why not move ahead with your own goals?”
Denise paused at the bluntness of the question.
Her body tensed out of habit. She tended to avoid the most direct personal questions, even from friends.
Even from Fi. When people asked too many questions, it inevitably led back to things she didn’t want to discuss.
Things that no one in her life now needed to know about.
But Maddox already knew far more of those things than even Denise’s friends did.
She sighed and fiddled with a chair that was already in place.
“My father promised to allocate a significant amount of money to launch my nonprofit if I agreed to work for him for two years after I finished my MBA. That, in addition to the contacts I’m making by working for him, can make this vision a reality on a much bigger scale than I could on my own. ”
“That’s a great incentive,” Maddox agreed.
“Yeah, but—” The door leading inside the lodge swung open as the first of the movie night guests arrived, interrupting their discussion. Denise turned to Maddox. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t keep you any longer. You have a movie to run.”
“Why don’t you stick around for it?” Maddox asked with an inviting smile. “Every week in October, we show a different Halloween flick.”
“I don’t think so. I’m not a fan of horror films,” Denise answered before turning to leave. They ranked slightly lower than roller coasters on her list of least favorite things to do.
“Yeah, I guess Practical Magic does get kind of unsettling in parts,” Maddox said. Their smile morphed into a smirk.
Denise stopped in her tracks. “Practical Magic? I love that movie. I’ve never seen it on a bigger screen though.”
“Then it’s time to change that!”
Their excitement was infectious, and Denise didn’t need any more convincing. Before she knew it, she was settled into a folding chair with a bag of popcorn and a cup of hot apple cider to ward off the evening chill.
Even though she wasn’t much of a crowd person, it was fun sitting in the back row of the small gathering and listening to other people gasp and laugh and aww in all the same places she always did when she watched.
When they weren’t minding the concessions or ensuring the movie kept running smoothly, Maddox would join her on the back row.
The heat from their closeness did more to keep her warm than the beverage in her hands.
The final Halloween scene played on the screen, and Denise couldn’t contain a happy little giggle.
She thought she’d been quiet, but Maddox glanced over at her, grinned, and briefly pressed their shoulder to hers.
It was a friendly gesture, yet it sent a shower of tingles through her that lingered even as the credits rolled and the rest of the guests stood and shuffled back inside.
Despite Maddox’s protests, Denise helped them straighten up after the movie crowd left.
They clearly had the whole process streamlined to a simple, efficient science without her interference, but she was loath to leave.
There was something about sharing space with them, being in the same orbit as their energy while the night had gone quiet and still that was equal parts soothing and alluring.
“Care to finish what you were saying earlier?” Maddox asked once they’d put away the last chair and locked up the storage closet in the back of the lodge. The two of them were standing together in a small staff area.
It took a second for Denise to remember what she’d been saying earlier, but once she did, she laughed it off. “It’s nothing. Silly, really.”
Maddox leaned an elbow on a nearby countertop and regarded her with a searching expression. “It didn’t sound silly from your tone.”
She swallowed under their scrutiny and astute observation.
“Oh, I guess I was only thinking about how my two years are almost up, like I’d wanted, and how I’d hoped I’d at least put that time to good use by learning skills to use in my own pursuits.
But now I wonder if I have. I mean…look at me!
I practically had a nervous breakdown over a simple conference, and God knows how I even came across to the group. ”
Maddox pushed away from the counter and took a step closer. Their voice lowered to a deeper, huskier timbre that stirred answering vibrations in Denise’s chest. “I know I wasn’t your target audience, but from what I could tell, you had the room in the palm of your hand every time you were in it.”
Denise’s breath caught, and this time she was the one to take a step forward. “You really think so?”
“Mm,” they confirmed. “And not just when you were up there speaking in front of everyone, although that was captivating in itself, but also when you were talking to people one on one. You have a way of focusing on the people you interact with, Denise…making them feel seen.”
She searched Maddox’s face for any sign of insincerity, but saw only warmth and a startling hint of admiration in their brown eyes. Denise swallowed. As far as she could tell, they were giving her their honest impression. The least she could do was return the favor.
“I’m not sure how I could focus on anything with you in the room,” Denise murmured.
Maddox’s eyebrows dipped low. “Because of our history? I thought we’d dealt with that enough to look past it and work together.”
“No, not because of that,” Denise hurried to assure them. Biting her lip, she looked straight into Maddox’s eyes, glanced away and then back up again. “It’s just that…you can be awfully distracting sometimes, Maddox Daniels.”
A slow, satisfied grin spread over their face. “Is that so?”
Maddox stepped forward once more until they were occupying each other’s space. “Kind of a funny coincidence, isn’t it?”
Denise’s heart rate picked up as Maddox’s presence pulled her in. “Coincidence?”
“Yeah.” Their head tilted down, and they smiled into her eyes. “You find me distracting, and I find you distracting. Who would’ve thought?”
The two of them were standing toe to toe, but Maddox didn’t move any closer.
Instead, they waited. And despite the intensity simmering in their eyes, Denise knew as if she’d seen it written out in a book that Maddox wouldn’t make another move.
Whatever happened next, they would leave it up to Denise.
Up to Denise.
Denise Farrington, who hated horror movie jump scares and the unpredictability of the famous Farrington roller coasters. Denise Farrington, who had spent every day of the last seven years carefully putting her life back together, never allowing herself to be swept away.
But now, staring up into Maddox’s eyes, with their unique scent surrounding her and that unexpected magnetism between them, all she wanted was to be swept away for just a little while.
When Denise didn’t move or speak, Maddox stirred and slid backwards an inch. “Well, I probably should—”
Denise’s hands flew to Maddox’s shirt. Her fingers tangled in the soft fabric, and she pulled them toward her. Maddox’s breath hitched right before their lips crashed together.