Chapter 8 #2
“Needed to prove that I could? I knew that Hayes money was available to me; that’s how Milo got the seed money for Southern Brothers.
But I wanted to be able to live up to the family name on my own.
Build something. By that point, all my brothers had their businesses figured out and were deep in them.
Willa had just won Miss Georgia. I felt like I had something to prove.
So I took out a loan, bought the store, and got busy following this business plan drawn out on a napkin. ”
She smiles, the pink returning to her cheeks. She’s so fucking cute I can’t stand it. The urge to haul her into me rises in my chest, my hands aching to hold her. To know what her body feels like nestled into mine, curled up together as we watch the sun rise.
“And Auggie was okay with that?”
“My business, my decision. It was a risk, but we talked through the whole thing and he supported me if that’s the route I wanted to go, and I decided it was. Gus tried to argue that meant I wasn’t part of the executive board for a hot minute, but Auggie overruled him there too.”
Maisey chuckles, the little sounds paired with the shake of her head saying that she’s not at all surprised by that part of the story.
“Enough about me. What’s your favorite place you’ve been?” I ask, genuinely curious and fighting back the urge to do something stupid.
Maisey sighs, a dopey smile taking over. “That’s like asking someone’s favorite child. They’re all special in their own way.”
I scoff. I know that is exactly what Miss Belle would say if she was asked if she had a favorite child—that each one of the seven of us was unique and she loved each one of us evenly, for exactly who we are.
And overall, I don’t doubt that’s true. But I also know that on any given day, at any given moment, exactly how we rank depends on any number of factors, including how much of a pain in the ass we were each being.
“But…”
“Nicaragua.”
“Why?”
Sighing, she rests against the back of the boat, and I think I fall for her a little more. Watching her like this makes me hate myself even more for missing the last decade of having her by my side.
“It was the first time I was in a more leadership role, which was a fun new challenge. Plus, I really liked the community I was in. It was a smaller city, so still urban, but not so large that it was overwhelming. The whole vibe of it was just so…on point.”
“You were there awhile, right?”
Please don’t let that sound stalkerish…
“Eighteen months. Which was the longest I’d been posted anywhere. Usually my assignments last nine to twelve, sometimes as short as six months.”
I nod, wanting to find the balance of not interrupting, but wanting to ask her something to keep her talking. The sweet melody of her voice fills my veins like a drug.
“Nicaragua was just so…different. Europe was so much fun, and it’s still a dream to get back to Iceland. But being in Central America was a completely different experience.”
“I’ll trust you on that. And wait, Iceland? As in the rival team from the Mighty Ducks?”
Giggling, Maisey nods. “Pretty sure that’s not what they want to be known for, but yes.
We hopped over for a couple of days when I was in Austria to see the northern lights and it was the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.
I instantly fell in love and put it at the top of my request list. I’ve been holding out hope for years that a contract would become available there, but nothing ever has. You’d love it.”
“Why?”
“It’s very outdoor oriented. All sorts of different hiking and camping things going on, including multi-day treks with volcanoes and waterfalls and whatnot. And they have these sites where you can rent these little glass igloos to sleep in to see the northern lights—I think that would be so cool.”
Maisey lights up, starting to rival the northern lights, as she continues to talk about the far-off island country.
I file away each tidbit she mentions, nodding along as I make my mental notes, not sure if I’ll ever need them later.
Maybe not, but who knows, there could be a test at some point.
Then again, just getting to listen to her ramble like this is more than enough.
It’s everything I’ve missed summed up in one little action.
“And the blue lagoon, which is the geothermal hot spring, like an hour-ish or so outside of Reykjavík. It’s amazing.”
“So, it’s a great big public hot tub?”
I’m not sure what about that sounds amazing.
“A geothermal hot spring,” she corrects. “It’s one of the wonders of the world. Even you have to admit that’s cool.”
Okay, yes, that’s cool. I’ll give her that. And I’m sure it’s an incredible experience. Everything she rattled off sounded great actually—even better if she’d be with me. Then again, so are the woods just outside town where cell service is spotty and there isn’t another person for miles.
Maisey stretches, the hem of her tee riding up, showing off the soft skin of her tummy. It’s tan—perfectly sun-kissed—making my mouth water. The boat rocks gently beneath us, the early morning sun starting to peek up over the horizon.
“Still no desire to travel, huh?”
I shrug. “I get out.”
“Fishing and hunting trips don’t count.” She giggles, playfully shoving me with her bare foot. I hadn’t even noticed that she’d slipped her flip-flops off, her oversized joggers doing a good job of hiding her legs.
“I also go camping.”
“Ohhh, sorry. I forgot about camping…” she teases.
“I did get a passport a while back,” I admit.
“You did?”
There’s no hiding the shock in her voice. Or the question. The one that I’m not really sure I want to answer.
“You said the other day your contract was up, so, no more Nicaragua?”
I hate myself for asking the question. It feels like I’m asking for all the wrong reasons. Like I’m trying to change the subject. Like I’m prying. Like I don’t trust her and her intentions. When really, what I want is to know more about her. Her life. How this whole traveling nurse thing works.
She shakes her head, the regret and disappointment clear.
Looking at me, she swallows hard. “The cancellation of the contract came out of nowhere. Usually I know my end date—and in this case, I had another six months until I was scheduled to leave. The overall, big contract that my company had with the Ministry of Health wasn’t up for renewal or anything either, but there were some changes, and politics…
” Her voice wavers, eyes fluttering closed as she fights back unchecked emotion.
“For reasons I’m not privy to, they decided that using a service such as ours wasn’t the way to go, so they terminated it.
I’d been there for eighteen months and had really become a part of the team at the hospital and involved in the community.
And then basically overnight, my job and work visa were terminated. ”
Maisey’s eyes meet mine, the little bit of light from the rising sun catching in the sheen from her unshed tears. My heart squeezes, wanting nothing more than to erase her pain.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” she replies, a wry laugh escaping. “Unless you’re in cahoots with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health.”
“I am not.”
A slight tug on my pole steals my attention for a split second, making me think we’re going to see some action. A quick glance over tells me it’s a false alarm, and I can turn my attention back to where I really want it—fully focused on the blonde beauty sitting next to me.
“Then there is nothing for you to be sorry about.”
“Well, that’s not true, and we both know it,” I admit.
“You’re not alone in that, Ewan.” She sighs, voice heavy with an emotion I can’t name.
Turning to look out over the water, she mumbles something to herself before continuing.
“I won’t lie. I held on to this secret hope in the back of my head for a while that you’d come chasing after me.
Just show up randomly on my doorstep or in the ER that I was working in and sweep me off my feet. But, how were you supposed to know?”
Maisey sniffles, turning back to face me, a single tear running down her cheek.
“I cut you off.” Her voice breaks ever so slightly.
“It never occurred to me that you were hurting too. But that’s why I never came back, because I was dying inside and knew that it would kill me to see you not hurting, and I didn’t want to see you being all incredible when all I wanted was to break. ”
My heart shatters. In the back of my head, I can hear the actual ping of the first crack, the spiderwebbing immediately following as all the pieces fall, scattering like glass.
“That’s why I have my passport.”
“Wh-what?”
I reach over, cupping her face in my hand and wiping away her tear. “Damn thing might actually be expired now for all I know, but that’s why I got it. Because I was going to follow you.”
I swipe away another tear—this time on her other cheek—letting my statement sink in.
“Right after you left, I second-guessed everything. I applied for the loan and the passport on the same day, told myself whichever came through first, that was the universe’s way of telling me what to do.
Milo told me I was stupid, but I was so in my head about all of it, and what did he know?
He was still single.” Maisey chokes out a laugh, the sound beautiful even though it’s strained.
“Loan came through first, so I stayed, followed the plan I had put together.
I figured you'd be back at Christmas, or after a year’s assignment, and we could talk it out again.
That you'd have worked it all out of your system. But then, you never came back. And I never heard from you. Just snippets from Dolly or your mama about how much you loved what you were doing. About how your dream was coming true. That’s when I realized that I couldn't get in the way of that. "