Chapter Six
Maisie
I’m having a neurological episode.
It’s the only logical reason to explain why I agreed to his stupid deal, but it was also the only way he’d finally agree to sign the papers.
I can do this. It’s only a week.
Then I’ll get to relax and spend the rest of my time with my family before I fly home.
I’ll file the papers before I leave and wait for the settlement agreement to go through.
Since we don’t have kids and we’re not splitting assets or asking each other for alimony, it should be a simple process.
And hopefully quick. With an act of God, it’ll be granted before Hayes’s and my wedding date.
He’s almost finished with his current novel, so being away for these two weeks will give him uninterrupted time to write, but he promised to check in at least once a day.
He gets locked in for hours and doesn’t always realize how long he’s gone without eating or sleeping, so I always made sure to set timers.
Both of us being workaholics is why we mesh so well together.
Unless we have something specific planned in the evenings, we take a break to eat dinner together and sometimes watch a movie, but then we’re back to working until bedtime.
When he’s in deadline mode, I usually sleep alone while he stays up for a few extra hours.
Once he emails the manuscript to his editor, he can breathe easier and we’ll make up for the lost time.
“Where’ve you been?” Mama asks when I walk through the front door and find her in one of the sitting rooms. My childhood house is the epitome of old Southern money and always felt more like a museum than a home.
“Had some errands to run.”
“Mm. Did you see him ?” Her eyes catch mine over the magazine she’s reading.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her unwillingness to say his name.
My parents are the only ones who know we’re not divorced. They were never huge fans of him but even more so not after he continuously sent the papers back to their lawyer.
“Yes. We talked and went horseback ridin’.”
She drops the magazine to her lap, brows raised. “You what?”
“He was workin’ and it was the only way to get him to talk to me.”
“In that?” She nods toward my outfit.
“He let me borrow a pair of boots,” I explain quickly, not wanting to share the details of how he kneeled in front of me and kept his hard gaze on me while he took off my shoes and tied on the boots. His stare was a mixture of loathing and lust.
“Okay, and what happened durin’ this talk ?”
The entire drive home, I contemplated what to tell them because I knew their reaction wasn’t going to be a good one .
“He said he’ll sign ’em in a week.” I hold my breath before blurting the rest. “As long as I spend time with him each day.”
“I beg your pardon?”
My shoulders fall, taking the chair across from her. “He wants me to give him seven days to prove why we should get back together. I told him it was a wasted effort, but it was the only way he’d agree to sign ’em.”
“ Maisie .” Her tone is sharp, the same way she’d say my name when I’d get into trouble as a teenager. “Why would you agree with his obvious attempt to manipulate you?”
I’m wondering the same damn thing.
“Because seven days is better than waiting another four to six months for a default divorce to go through. An uncontested divorce would take three. This way, he gets closure, and I can move on for good with Hayes.”
I leave out the parts where Warren admitted he’s not been with anyone else since me. The less she knows, the better. My parents mean well, usually …but they’re known to be judgmental and that’s the last thing I need from them right now.
She tsks, reclining back in her chair. “I knew that boy was trouble.”
I snort. “He’s not a boy anymore, Mama.”
Oh no, he’s a fully grown man who looks like he’s never skipped a day at the gym. Except, the ranch are his machines and all the hard work he puts in has only added to his build.
I’ve always been attracted to him and we were mutually obsessed with each other, so that was never a problem in our relationship, but his unwillingness to budge at moving with me is what ultimately ruined everything.
“Don’t tell your father about this,” she warns. “He’ll march over there and set him straight. ”
“Well, that wouldn’t be a good idea,” I say dryly. Not because I think Warren would fight him, but it could prompt him to appeal the divorce and prolong it.
“I won’t say anything,” she says, mimicking buttoning her lips. “But you better be sure he signs ’em when the week is over. Movin’ the weddin’ date this close would humiliate the family. And you’d have to confess everythin’ to Hayes. He might not be so forgivin’ when he finds out the whole truth.”
That’s my worst fear.
Standing, I lean over and kiss her cheek. “I’ll make sure he signs ’em, Mama.”
Or at least he better.
I walk to the kitchen because I lied about not being hungry. After realizing how hung up on me he still is, I needed distance and room to breathe. He was too close, almost touching, and it was suffocating.
It’s why I had to make it crystal clear I had no interest in reconciling our relationship nor was I leaving my fiancé. My life is in New York and we’re happy.
“Hi, honey.” I answer my phone when Hayes calls a few hours later.
“Hello, sweetheart. How are you?”
“Good. Readin’ in bed.” I stretch back against the headboard, setting the open book face down across my chest.
“A new manuscript?”
“No, actually. A book I used to read in high school. My parents have all my old ones and I was feelin’ nostalgic.”
“It’s nice you’re reading for yourself.”
“Yeah.” I smile.
Books have always been a healthy escape for me.
Living under the pressure of my parents growing up, I needed an outlet that was just for me.
Between the extracurriculars they pushed on me so my college applications looked good and countless charity events they dragged me to, I looked forward to sticking my nose in a fictional world I could pretend was my own.
“How’s writin’ going?”
“Great. I’m taking a break to eat and then I’ll probably continue until bedtime.”
“I can’t wait to read it,” I gush. He doesn’t let anyone see it until his editor goes through it, but it’s always a treat when it’s ready for me.
“Me too. I think it’s my best work to date.”
“Doesn’t every writer say that?” I tease.
“But this time, I’m serious.” He chuckles lightly. “Hoping to be done in a couple weeks, maybe sooner.”
My mind goes back to the moment I saw his book in Warren’s stack.
It’s one Hayes released before we started dating, but since then, I’ve managed to read all of them.
It took a while since there are almost thirty.
As soon as Warren said his favorite author is my future husband’s pen name, the words caught in my throat and my heart pounded in pure panic.
If Warren found out, he’d be devastated.
I didn’t want to give myself away or ruin his reading experience, so I tried not to react.
“Perfect, that means I’ll get my fiancé back when I return.”
“At least until I get my editorial letter.”
That’ll be at least a month, so I’ll take what I can get.
“Just in time to finish some weddin’ stuff when I get back.”
“What’s left that the event planner can’t do?”
He’s not been super active in the plans, but I don’t mind. Since we’re getting married here versus New York and both busy with work, it made sense to hire Nicola and let her handle the bigger details down here, but there are some things we need to do ourselves.
“Well…you still need to get fitted for your tux. We need to pick out our weddin’ bands. Write our vows. Decide on which weddin’ party gifts we wanna give the groomsmen and bridesmaids. Finish our registry. Maybe book our honeymoon?”
“As soon as I have my next tour dates,” he reminds me.
The book he wrote last year releases in a few months. We’d already booked our venue when the release date was announced, so until his tour dates are set, we haven’t been able to make plans. But I’m hopeful he’ll find out soon.
“Right.”
“Sorry, Maisie. My dinner’s here. Talk tomorrow?”
“Sounds good. I love you.”
“Love you.”
I pick up my book again and read until my eyes close.
Warren
Meet me at my house at 5. No heels.
I roll my eyes. Of course he’d say that.
Maisie
Are you gonna tell me what we’re doing?
Warren
Nope.
Maisie
How do I know you’re not going to take me out to the woods, force me to dig a six-foot grave, and push me inside it?
Warren
Because it’d take you the whole week just to dig the hole and I wouldn’t waste seven days on that.
Maisie
Are you calling me weak?
Warren
More like a city girl. You showed up on a ranch in six-inch heels.
Maisie
They were only four inches, thank you.
Warren
And my point is made. No. Heels.
I glare at my screen, hearing his grumpy tone in my head.
Maisie
Give me a hint.
Warren
I’ll have you screaming my name within a few seconds.
He’s gotta be fucking with me.
He knows exactly how that sounds.
Maisie
That only adds to my murder theory.
Warren
If that was my plan, I would’ve let Lilith throw you off instead of saving your ass.
Maisie
I knew you gave me a bad horse on purpose!
Warren
She’s usually an angel. She must’ve sensed a bad vibe.
Maisie
You’re insufferable.
Warren
So I’ve been told.
5pm. Don’t be late.
Considering I don’t have anything without a heel and don’t want to borrow another pair, I get dressed and drive one of my parents’ cars into town.
I have a dozen old cowboy boots from high school, but I’m not sure that’s what he had in mind either, so I go to the only shoe shop in Willow Branch Mountain. I have countless memories growing up here, walking around the town square, and hanging out with Warren and our friends on the weekends.
“Maisie Callaway?” a voice calls, and I turn to find where it came from.
“Delia?” My spine straightens at seeing the girl who tried to steal Warren from me our junior year of high school.
Just my luck I’d run into her.
And I was so close to opening the door of the store.
She opens her arms, and I let her hug me.
“I haven’t seen you in a hot minute! How are ya?”
“I’m great. Visitin’ my parents and goin’ to Aaron and Collin’s baby shower.”
Aaron’s two years younger than me and his wife’s family is as prestigious as ours.
They grew up together, but they could barely stand each other, so I was surprised when they got engaged a couple years ago.
I thought for sure ours and her parents forced them together like some royal arranged marriage, but then she got pregnant only a few months after the wedding, so I guess that hate turned into passion.
“Oh, how sweet. Is it a boy or girl?”
I shift my feet, inching closer to the steps. “They’ve decided not to find out until it’s born.”
“Henry and I did that with our first, but then I couldn’t wait with the next two.”
“You have three kids now?”
She rubs a hand over her belly. “Recently found out we have one more on the way.”
Four?
If I didn’t already feel behind in life, I would now. Not because twenty-nine is old, but most of our friends from high school got married and had kids a couple years after graduation.
“That’s so great. I bet your hands are full.”
“Yes, but so is my heart. They’re so precious.”
“Well, it was great?—”
“Whatever happened with you and Warren?” she asks, cutting me off.
“Just went our separate ways when I got a job in New York.”
I’m not giving the gossip queen any juicy details to share with everyone else.
“Oh, what a shame. You two were the it couple in high school. If I’d bet money on anyone makin’ it last, it would’ve been y’all. I’d never seen a more protective and in love man than Warren when it came to you.”
She would know considering she tried to seduce him and he shot her down.
“Mhm.” I force a pained smile. “So sorry to run, but I gotta?—”
“Oh no, of course! It was so good seein’ ya. Send my best to your family.” She smothers me in another unwanted hug. “Bye-bye.”
“Bye,” I punch out, rushing up the steps, and swing open the door.
After finding appropriate shoes for the ranch, I go to one of the boutiques to find a couple sundresses and other casual outfits. I needed something nicer to wear to the baby shower anyway, so it was a good excuse to shop.
Luckily, I don’t run into any more people from high school and make it home with plenty of time to get ready before I have to meet Warren. Considering it’s Saturday, I’m surprised he didn’t utilize the full day of torturing me.
But now that makes me wonder if he saved it for the evening on purpose. That usually implies something more romantic.
Grabbing my phone from the bed, I shoot him a message.
Maisie
I’m assuming no heels means no skirts or dresses too, right?
Warren
Not unless you wanna give me a show.
I grind my teeth.
Maisie
What the fuck does that even mean?
Warren
It means wear comfortable pants, Maze.
If I wasn’t already having a crisis about what clothes I need, I’d scold him for using that nickname again. I don’t hate it, but it means something more to him than it does to me.
Maisie
Can’t you just tell me what we’re doing?
Warren
Reminding you of your roots and where you came from.
Well, that could be anything coming from him.
Maisie
You said you weren’t going to murder me.
Warren
Pretty sure I only implied I wasn’t gonna make you dig your own grave.
Maisie
You’re not as funny as you think you are.
Warren
Who said I was joking?
Maisie
I’m not coming until you can promise I’m not going to die.
My nerves are on fire as I think about what he’s planned. Admittedly, I’ve gotten used to living in the city and haven’t stepped foot on a ranch until two days ago. Anxiously, I wait for his response, which takes him a solid three minutes.
Warren
You should know by now, I’d never let you get hurt. We’re going to have fun, and you’re going to get rid of the stick up your ass, so prepare yourself.
Maisie
What kind of half-ass backward compliment is that?
Warren
You’re wound tight, Maze. I saw it the moment I opened the door.
Maisie
I have a stressful job, but that doesn’t mean I have a stick up my ass!
Warren
Guess you’ll have to prove me wrong.
Goddamn him.