11. Maddie
11
MADDIE
The buzz of my phone pulled me from the chaotic packing I’d thrown myself into as soon as I got home. It was Wednesday afternoon, the day before the Boston Summit, and Ian had let me off early so I could get ready for our trip. I’d been jittery all day, not sure what to expect from the weekend.
Was I nervous? Probably more than I should be, considering I wasn’t the one giving a presentation in front of hundreds of people. But I knew how important this event was for Ian, and I wanted to be as supportive as possible.
He’d mentioned picking me up at Sloan’s house around two, so when my phone buzzed, I half-expected it to be a message saying he was outside.
I grabbed my phone off the bed and opened the text.
Ian: Running a little behind. Could you meet me at my house instead? I’ll send the address.
I exhaled. At least I wasn’t the only one behind schedule. But he wanted me to meet at his house? My curiosity immediately spiked.
Where did a man like Ian Hastings live? Was it some sleek, modern apartment with a perfect view of downtown? Or maybe something bigger—a house?
He was a billionaire, after all.
Or did he live with his parents? I remembered Owen joking about them sharing the pool house at the Hastings Estate after college, but that was a while ago.
Deciding I wouldn’t figure that out until I was actually at the place, I just texted him back.
Me: Sure! I’ll head your way.
Within seconds, his address popped up. I tapped it into my navigation app and grabbed my bags, excitement bubbling under my skin.
My first big work trip.
After years of working in a small-town office, I was stepping into the big business world, attending a huge conference with one of the biggest powerhouses in the industry.
Sure, I was just an assistant to said powerhouse and not an actual player in the field, but it was still surreal.
“I’ll see you on Sunday, okay?” I told Grant when I made it downstairs with my luggage. He was sitting in the living room with Sloan, doing a puzzle at the coffee table while he waited for his dad to pick him up. “Come give me one last hug.”
Grant jumped up from the floor, and I set my bags down to bend over and give him a hug and a kiss.
“Have fun on your trip,” Grant said, hugging me back. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” I said, my heart squeezing in my chest.
Even though his dad and I had been trading off days with him over the past year, Jaxon usually having Grant on the weekends with me having the weekdays, it was still hard to be separated from my little buddy after so many years of having him all the time.
But I knew Grant would be well taken care of. And despite the way Jaxon and his new girlfriend had gotten their start, Janica was also really sweet with Grant, and I knew she loved him, too.
“I’ll see you soon,” I said again, knowing I needed to get out the door since Ian had hoped to be on our way to Boston before rush-hour traffic hit. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Grant said.
I gave Sloan a quick hug next. After saying my goodbyes, I picked up my bags again and headed out the door.
As I drove through the streets of Eden Falls toward the neighborhoods on the north end of town, the homes around me started to grow in size—first modest, then sprawling.
And okay, wow. There are some beautiful houses out this way.
Every turn I made brought me closer to what I imagined must be the fanciest house I’d ever been to. By the time my GPS announced I was almost there, the street was lined with enormous, manicured homes that looked straight out of a magazine.
Did Ian still live with his parents, then? Because I really couldn’t imagine a bachelor needing a house like any of these.
My navigation app told me to turn onto a stone driveway with a huge gate. And after double checking the address, I clicked the button to buzz whoever was monitoring the gate.
“Hello, how can I help you?” a deep voice asked from the speaker in the box.
“I’m here to see Ian—uh, Mr. Hastings,” I said, unsure how I should refer to him. “My name is Maddie Stevens. I’m his assistant, and he said to meet him here.”
“Of course, Miss Stevens,” the voice said. “Come on in.”
Just a moment later, the huge wrought-iron gate swung open for me. As I drove down the tree-shrouded drive, I couldn’t help but feel like I was suddenly in a movie, heading to a rich billionaire’s house for the first time.
Which yeah…I guess should fit since I was literally doing just that.
As the trees thinned and the house came into view, I gasped. It was breathtaking, like something straight out of a storybook. The home had the elegance of an English country manor, with a soft blue shingled exterior accented by natural stone. The expansive two-story structure looked brand new yet timeless, the kind of place that demanded attention, just like Ian. Stone chimneys rose from the roofline, and a porte-cochère arched gracefully over the driveway, leading to garages tucked behind the house. Copper gutters gleamed in the afternoon sun, adding a touch of luxury to the picture-perfect scene.
As I slowly pulled up, unsure where to park, Ian stepped outside the large, navy-blue-painted front doors, his phone pressed to his ear. He gave me a quick wave and gestured for me to drive through the porte-cochère. I followed his lead, pulling into a spot by the garages.
And wow, my well-loved Subaru had never looked so out of place before. Hopefully, Ian’s house staff wouldn’t have my car towed while we were away.
Ian appeared around the corner just as I was climbing out of my car, still on the phone but smiling apologetically.
“Sorry, I got stuck on a call,” he whispered. “You can hang out inside. It won’t be too long.” He nodded toward the side entrance.
I followed him inside, stepping into a beautiful mudroom with a cozy bench and shelves neatly organized with shoes. It felt...strangely homey. Not the cold, ultra-modern bachelor pad I had half-expected.
Did Ian live here by himself? Because as we walked down the hall, I almost expected to see a couple of kids that were Grant’s age running around since it was so warm and welcoming. Like a family lived here.
He led me into the living room, a beautifully furnished space with soft lighting, fine art on the walls, and furniture that looked both expensive and comfortable. There was a gorgeous marble fireplace as the focal point of the room, and in the corner, a grand piano sat gleaming beneath the sunlight filtering through the windows.
Does Ian play the piano? I wondered.
I couldn’t picture it, but then again, there was so much I still didn’t know about him. I turned my gaze to the large windows, noticing a breathtaking view of the backyard—lush green grass, tall trees swaying gently, and a luxurious pool and hot tub nestled in one corner. It was the kind of backyard that felt like it belonged in my wildest daydreams. The kind of home I’d fantasized about one day living in, even though I knew it was far out of reach for someone like me.
I sighed softly, letting the fantasy fade. You’d have to get a massive raise to ever live in a place like this, I told myself before I could get too many ideas about having a home like this.
I turned away from the window, and after taking in the gorgeous chandeliers above, my gaze landed on the built-in shelves near the fireplace, adorned with books and minimal décor. I stepped closer, curious what kinds of books Ian might have on his shelves. But before I could inspect them, a digital photo frame caught my eye.
I stepped closer, wondering what kinds of memories Ian had on display. The first few photos that showed on the screen were from his childhood. There was a much younger version of him, he was maybe ten or so, standing proudly next to his stepdad with a basketball in his hands. Then came a photo of Ian as a teenager, wearing a tuxedo and laughing with Owen and another friend, looking like they were ready to go pick up their dates for the prom.
A small smile tugged at my lips as the images flickered across the screen. One photo showed him with his mom in a modest kitchen, the two of them mixing something in a bowl. That must have been before the billionaire days , I mused, my chest tightening at the reminder that Ian hadn’t always lived the life of luxury. Once upon a time, it had just been him and his mom—much like Grant and me—navigating the world together as a single-parent family.
The slideshow shifted to more childhood moments: a younger Ian at various events, his smile wide and carefree. Then came more recent photos—him on a yacht with friends, laughing with his sister, their faces scrunched up in goofy expressions. My heart warmed seeing this lighter side of him, so different from the powerful, focused man I worked with. There was something refreshing about catching a glimpse of Ian when he was carefree, happy, and just being himself.
And then…my heart stopped.
The next photo was different. Ian looked younger, probably college-aged, but what really caught my attention was his hair. It was buzzed short and bleached blond—a sharp contrast to the dark brown I was so used to. My breath caught in my throat as the image tugged at something deep in my memory.
A flash of a distant memory surfaced—me sitting near a bonfire on the beach next to a boy with buzzed, bleached hair. The night was warm, the air thick with the smell of salt and firewood, and I could almost hear the laughter and waves in the background.
9 Years Earlier
The bonfire flickered against the inky sky as I trailed behind my cousin Izzy and her college friends. The familiar scent of saltwater hung in the air, mingling with the wood smoke as we walked through the sand toward the beach party. It was spring break for them, but for me? It was more like an exile. I’d been shipped off to Sweet Water, North Carolina by my dad, who figured that living with Aunt Reese would somehow straighten me out after the trouble I’d gotten into back home.
His plan? Get me away from Jaxon, the college guy I’d been sneaking around with.
Joke was on him, though, since that problem wasn’t going away anytime soon.
Not unless the baby I was secretly carrying magically disappeared.
Yay for that pregnancy test I took on Monday coming back positive.
A pang twisted in my stomach, and I instinctively rested my hand there as we neared the bonfire. Izzy had begged me to come tonight, told me it’d be fun to hang out with her friends. And sure, this time last week I would have been thrilled to go a party with a bunch of college guys.
But now? Well…as much as I’d wanted to seem older and grow up faster, discovering I was pregnant when I’d barely turned seventeen wasn’t exactly how I’d wanted to “grow up.”
Would I even be able to graduate now? Or was my dad going to disown me and I’d be forced to drop out of school to get a job and raise my kid?
Yeah, he was going to be so mad when he found out.
Maybe I just wouldn’t tell him. Maybe I could convince Aunt Reese to help me keep the baby a secret and, I don’t know, she could help me figure things out?
Okay, probably not. She had already been way too nice to let a “troubled teen” move in with her family in order to get straightened out.
I pushed those thoughts away and headed for the drink table, licking my lips at the sight of the big jug of strawberry lemonade. I reached for a cup, ready to ladle some in. But just as I was about to pour it into my cup, I overheard one of the guys nearby saying, “Yeah, I added a little extra to it. Should be strong enough to get the party started.”
Which probably meant it was spiked with vodka or something.
I hesitated, still considering filling my cup since spiked lemonade was fun at parties. But then, the few brain cells I had left kicked in and I grabbed a water bottle instead.
Yep, even if I’d been stupid enough to open my legs for an older guy, I at least knew that alcohol and pregnancy were not a good mix.
I twisted off the cap and took a long sip, the cold water sliding down my throat as I tried to ignore the tightening in my chest. Pregnant at seventeen. What the hell was I supposed to do with a baby?
And if I did go back to Ridgewater and tell my dad, would Jaxon step up? Or was I going to be raising this baby on my own?
Why had I been so stupid? Sneaking around with him had been thrilling, fun even, but now? The regret was suffocating. Was it horrible that I’d been praying for a miscarriage, hoping that fate would spare me from this mess? I shuddered at the thought, guilt slamming into me. But at least it would be easier than the other option I’d been toying with—stepping in front of a car and ending it all.
I shook my head, trying to push the darkness away. This was supposed to be a distraction. I’d figure out how to tell my dad later. That his grand plan to send me to Aunt Reese’s to keep me out of trouble had failed spectacularly since I’d gotten pregnant before I’d even come.
Blowing out a breath, I wandered away from the drink table, sipping my water and gazing out at the bonfire. The flames crackled, sending sparks spiraling into the cool spring air. It was a perfect night—not too cold, not too warm.
If only I was in the mood to enjoy it.
I spotted Izzy sitting on a log with her friends, laughing. For a second, I thought about joining her, but before I could move, a guy stepped up beside me. “You here for spring break, too?” he asked, his voice casual.
I glanced at him. He had a buzz cut, bleached blond hair, and dark eyebrows that didn’t quite match, making me guess his natural color was much darker. He was cute—really cute—but since looking at a cute guy for too long had already gotten me into trouble at a party before, I shifted my gaze back to the fire.
“Yep, I’m here for spring break,” I lied easily. No way was I telling this guy who looked like he was probably nineteen or twenty that I was a junior in high school.
“Same.” He smiled, and I could feel his eyes on me. “Which school do you go to?”
“SUNY Cortland,” I said automatically, spitting out the name of the college I’d been hoping to attend before everything went sideways. “What about you?”
“Yale.”
I raised an eyebrow, impressed. “Ivy League, huh?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“So, what are you studying at Yale?” I asked, wanting to keep the conversation on him and far away from my own life.
“Business,” he replied. “You?”
“Interior design,” I lied again. It was something I’d always dreamed of doing, but now…who knew if that would ever happen.
“That’s cool.”
I forced a smile, but my mind was already drifting back to the baby. What was I going to do? College seemed like a distant fantasy now.
Before I could get lost in my thoughts again, his phone buzzed, and I noticed him glance at the screen before groaning.
“Not someone you want to talk to?” I asked.
He sighed, slipping his phone back into his pocket. “It’s my ex.”
“Oh?” I tried to sound casual. “Recent ex?”
“Yeah. Dated for a few years. Thought I was going to marry her, but she cheated, so…it’s been a mess.”
I winced. “That sucks.”
“Pretty pathetic, right?” he asked, glancing sideways at me.
“No,” I said quickly. “It’s not pathetic to get cheated on.”
“Thanks.” He smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I appreciate that.”
There was a quiet moment between us before he nudged my arm with his elbow. “So, what’s your story? You looked pretty deep in thought when I came up to you. Any exes you’re avoiding?”
“No exes,” I bit my lip. “At least, not a serious ex. But well…” I hesitated. “I think I can top your sob story.”
“Oh, yeah?” He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “I doubt it.”
“No, really…it’s pretty bad.”
“What is it?” he asked, his eyes darting back and forth as they searched my face. “Are you in some sort of trouble?”
“Kind of. I mean, my dad is probably going to kill me when he finds out. But—” I took a deep breath, feeling a tightness in my chest. “I, uh…I took a pregnancy test a few days ago. And it came back positive.”
“Oh, sh—” He stared at me for a second, eyes wide. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah,” I muttered, feeling the weight of the truth settle between us. “I wish I wasn’t, but…I’m pregnant.”
And I realized then that it was the first time I’d actually said those words aloud.
I was pregnant. A teen mom.
A statistic I never thought I’d be.
And with those words now out there in the universe, shared with a complete stranger no less, my throat tightened and my eyes burned as if the tears had been waiting for this moment to break free.
Don’t cry, I told myself, swallowing hard and trying to push them back. But it was like holding back a flood with a paper dam.
“Hey,” he said softly, noticing my sudden distress. “You wanna take a walk? Get closer to the ocean?”
“Yes.” I nodded quickly, grateful for the suggestion since I really didn’t need an audience to my breakdown. “Yes, please.”
So he took my hand and pulled me with him toward the water, the waves crashing softly in the distance. My hands shook, and my heart pounded, but it wasn’t from the cold. It was the fear that had been sitting in my chest ever since those two pink lines appeared. The future that felt like it was slipping further away with every step I took.
And as soon as the tide hit my toes, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The tears spilled over, fast and hot, before I even realized what was happening. I covered my face with my hands, embarrassed and overwhelmed. Ugh, why did I have to break down in front of a stranger?
“I…I’m sorry,” I stammered between sobs, my voice cracking. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
I felt his hand hover near my shoulder before he gently placed it there. “You don’t have to apologize,” he said, his voice low and kind. “It’s okay.”
But I couldn’t stop the tears. They just kept coming, everything inside me unraveling. For the first time since I found out, I couldn’t hold it together. I couldn’t pretend to be fine.
Because in reality, I was…lost. So freaking lost. It felt like I was drowning and that I may never come up for air again.
The boy shifted beside me awkwardly, like he didn’t know what to do, then asked, “Would you, uh…want a hug?”
“Mm-huh.” I nodded, not trusting myself to say more. And before I knew it, he pulled me into his arms.
He held me close, his warmth radiating through me as I buried my face in his chest. And even though I didn’t know this guy from Adam, somehow, for the first time all week, I felt almost…safe.
Like, maybe for a moment, I wouldn’t have to carry it all alone.
We stood like that for a while, the waves crashing in the background, and when my sobs quieted, he pulled back just enough to look at me. “Do you wanna talk about it?” he asked gently.
“Not yet.” I shook my head.
He nodded, respecting that, and sat down in the sand next to me. “Okay. Well, in that case…let’s talk about something else. Like, uh…cats.”
I blinked through my tears, caught off guard. “Cats?”
“Yeah, you know…pets. Do you like them? Ever thought about getting one?”
“Actually…” A small, broken laugh escaped my lips, and I wiped my eyes. “I’ve always wanted a cat.”
“Really?” His face lit up. “What would you name it?”
“Satan, of course,” I said without hesitation.
“Satan?” He sputtered in disbelief. “You’d name your cat Satan?”
I couldn’t help it—I laughed again, this time for real. “Yep. I mean, imagine yelling ‘Come here, Satan!’ or ‘Get back inside, Satan!’ at the top of your lungs for all the neighbors to hear. They’d wonder what was going on at my house.”
“That’s actually amazing.” He laughed with me, his grin wide and genuine. “And now I kind of want to steal that idea.”
“Okay,” I said. “But you have to wait at least five years. Give me a chance to use it first.”
“Deal.”
The heaviness in my chest loosened, the weight of everything not gone but momentarily lighter. When we stopped laughing, he looked over at me, his eyes soft and understanding.
“You’re going to be okay, you know,” he said quietly, his voice steady and sincere. “I know it feels like your world’s crashing down, but…you’ll figure it out.”
“Sorry about that,” Ian’s voice came from behind me, pulling me out of the memory. Chills raced across my arms, and for a split second, I could’ve sworn his voice sounded exactly like the boy from the beach.
No…it couldn’t be. Could it?
I replayed the details in my mind. He’d gone to Yale, right? And he’d mentioned a girl—someone he thought he was going to marry—who had cheated on him. Just like the article I’d read about him and Margot.
But it couldn’t be. The odds of us both being at the same beach in North Carolina, at the same time, nine years ago… It felt impossible. Coincidences like that didn’t happen.
And yet, something deep inside me tugged at the idea. Maybe my memory had blurred his face with Ian’s over the years, but the more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t shake the feeling. What if…after all this time, the boy who had comforted me when my world was unraveling had somehow become the man standing in front of me now? The man giving me a job at another pivotal moment in my life.
“I think I’m ready to head out,” Ian said, not seeming to notice my mind was racing a hundred miles a minute. “You ready?”
“Yes,” I replied, my mouth thankfully functioning while my mind raced.
“Great,” he said, his voice steady, while my heart still tried to piece together a puzzle I wasn’t even sure was real. “My car’s in the garage.”