Chapter 5
FIVE
Maddy rubbed her thumb up and down the stem of her wineglass and concentrated on not fidgeting while she listened to Willow, Bronwyn, and Xanthe talk. The room was crowded and noisy and set off all her social triggers.
Over the years, she’d learned how to mask her agitation for the most part so that it wasn’t obvious to most people, but this kind of situation was still uncomfortable.
A clock on the far wall said she’d been here for more than an hour already.
Another twenty or thirty minutes, and she could leave without feeling rude.
She couldn’t wait to get back to her cozy room, crawl into bed in her jammies, and watch a favorite movie for the fiftieth time.
Her attention kept wandering from the conversation happening around her. Because at some point over the past hour her body had turned into a Lachlan radar.
She was acutely conscious of his location at all times, and her gaze was drawn to him against her will. There was something compelling about him, and all the logical, scientific explanations she came up with didn’t change the reality of it.
She was attracted to him.
And she really should leave.
As soon as the thought formed, she rebuked herself and forced her attention back to the ladies in front of her.
She couldn’t just retreat into her old habits when things got uncomfortable.
That would negate all the work she’d put into overcoming her challenges since she was a child.
She needed to push herself out of this shell she’d climbed into before it was too late.
“I’ve been thinking of joining some local classes,” she blurted out.
The other three all stopped talking to stare at her.
“If any of you have some suggestions, I’d love to hear them,” she added, and glanced down when something poked the side of her thigh.
Rufus bumped it again with his nose as he stared up at her. She smiled a little and reached out to rub the top of his head. Maybe he’d sensed her anxiety or something.
“What kind of classes?” Willow asked.
She shrugged, fought the embarrassment creeping over her for interrupting and being weird. “Not really sure. Maybe some exercise classes or something.” That would be good for her.
“Really?” Xanthe asked in surprise. “You’re welcome to try out a yoga class with me. The studio always has room for drop-ins. People do that all the time and bring guests.”
“I’ve been thinking about trying a class there,” Willow said. “I get a lot of steps in with Rufus, but I want to do something that builds strength and reduces anxiety.”
“Same,” Maddy said.
“I’ll try a yoga class if you will,” Willow said to her.
“Count me in too,” Bronwyn said, flipping a thick twist of hair over her shoulder.
Her roots were dark brown, each twist fading into bleached blond.
She wore a small silver hoop on the right side of her nose, and her self-assured manner meant she rocked her unique look.
“I’m here for another few days at least. When’s the class? ” she asked Xanthe.
“I usually go Tuesdays and Thursdays at seven, so I have time to get home and eat something after work before heading out. It’s a nice way to finish off my day. I always leave more relaxed and centered,” Xanthe said.
Maddy could use both of those things. “I’m in.”
“Yay!” Xanthe grinned. “I’m excited, but what brought this on all of a sudden?”
Maddy glanced away, and of course, her gaze immediately zeroed in on Lachlan talking to Tripp and Grey across the room. Lachlan was a bit shorter than his black-haired brother, but his shoulders were broader, and she couldn’t stop looking at him. Thinking about him.
“I just think it’s time to make some changes,” she said. “And some connections. I could stand to make another friend or two.”
“Already done, because you can count Willow and me as friends,” Bronwyn said, hooking an arm around her shoulders in solidarity. “You can hang out with us whenever you want. Right, Will?”
“Of course, anytime. Hey, we’re having a painting party-slash bridal party here on Friday night if you’re interested.”
Xanthe nodded. “She’s gonna attempt to teach me to paint an orca that won’t look like a five-year-old made it.”
“You’ll be great,” Willow said, waving away her concern as she turned to Maddy. “You should come too.”
She’d never really tried much in the way of art and probably wouldn’t be that good at it. Wouldn’t kill her to try it out once though. She would get to spend time with Xanthe and the others. And it wasn’t like she had any other plans for Friday night. Or any other night for that matter. “Okay.”
“Excellent.” Willow’s brown eyes lit up. “I’ve got all the supplies here. You can paint whatever you want, and I’ll guide you. It’ll be fun.”
“Yeah it will,” Bronwyn said with a big smile. She seemed so full of life and fun, someone Maddy would like to get to know. “Especially since I’m making a trip to the winery beforehand to get us a few goodies to enjoy while we paint.”
“What time works for you guys?” Willow asked.
Xanthe looked at Maddy. “Six-thirty? I can swing by and grab you on my way home from work.”
“Sure, that’s fine.” When the others suddenly all focused on someone behind her, Maddy tensed slightly, a little buzz pricking the base of her neck.
“Hey, Lach,” Xanthe said.
Of course. Her inner radar was on point today.
“Hi. I came to steal Maddy for a second.”
What? She turned toward him, was unprepared for the little flip in her stomach when his big hand closed around her upper arm to lead her a few steps away from the others.
She didn’t say anything, couldn’t summon a single thought as she stared up into his clear green eyes. His short beard was neatly trimmed, a bit of red glinting through the brown. All the multiple tabs that continuously stayed open in her brain snapped closed.
“You said you were looking for evidence in the water off Cedar Point.”
What was happening? “I did.”
“I just got a message from the shop that my boat’s ready to be picked up.
They fixed up the bit of damage it sustained on the rescue op.
I’m gonna take her up the west side of the island tomorrow to make sure everything’s good.
Wanna come with me? Forecast is calling for showers but light winds in the morning. ”
Maddy stared at him. Just the two of them, alone on the boat. That could be awkward. She would feel obligated to make conversation, and what happened when they ran out of things to talk about? It would be a long ride back to the marina.
“I…” She glanced back at the others, who were watching them with open curiosity.
Xanthe arched a dark eyebrow at her. “What’s up?”
“I asked Maddy if she wanted to go out with me for an hour or two tomorrow morning,” Lachlan said before Maddy could utter a word. “I’m doing a quick run to test the boat out.”
“Where to?”
“Up the west side of the island.”
She looked at Maddy. “We could go check out the area north of Cedar Point.”
They could.
Bronwyn’s face lit up. “Oh, can we come too? Willow’s been promising to take me out to see some whales.”
“Sure, the more the merrier,” Lachlan said, then his gaze locked with Maddy’s, and she found herself caught in the green depths of his eyes. She had the feeling that she was falling into them, even though she was looking up at him. “Meet you at the dock, say, seven-thirty?”
“Maybe, I’ll see,” she heard herself say. Because how could she flat out say no when he’d originally invited just her and now everyone else wanted to go? He seemed to genuinely want her to come along. “I’ll think about it. See you later.”
Or not.
She went to step past him.
“You’re leaving already?”
“Yes. I’ve got some work I want to finish up.” Not a complete lie. Mostly she just wanted the excuse to get some distance from him.
He studied her a moment, as if trying to figure her out.
Good luck with that. A lot of the time, she didn’t understand herself.
“Want me to walk you out?” he asked.
“No, I’m fine. Thanks anyway.” She threw a parting smile at Xanthe and the others, then slid past Lachlan and hurried across the room to make her escape.
But she felt his stare following her until she stepped out the door.