Chapter 10
The click of a door shutting pulls my attention from the laughter around me. I don’t have to look to know who’s missing, but my gaze moves toward the front window all the same, catching a glimpse of Madison as she pulls a blanket around her on the porch swing.
She’s been quiet since her mom gently suggested she stop talking. Maybe not in those exact words, but that seemed to be the meaning behind them.
My first instinct was to step in and tell Ruby I wanted to hear more random facts about whatever Madison wanted to talk about, but I buried the thought.
Every family is different. The dynamics a mystery to people who haven’t been around it and I didn’t want to step into something I shouldn’t. If Madison’s silence and the looks Aiden was shooting her way were any indication, maybe I should’ve opened my mouth.
I want to get up and follow Madison out the front door. To talk to her more, but sneaking out without anyone noticing will be impossible. It’s moments like these where I wish I could disappear and blend in with the people around me.
A throat clearing drags my attention from the window and to the man seated beside me. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that Aiden invited me for dinner after we ran into each other at the general store this afternoon, but I still don’t understand it.
I’d like to think Aiden and I could be friends, but the man has a hard exterior.
One I noticed the first time I met him, but seeing him around his family—especially his son—I see it for exactly what it is, a shield to protect from the harsh realities of the world.
I have no idea what he’s been through, but considering his line of work, I can imagine he’s seen some horrors people can’t even begin to imagine.
“The guest bathroom is in the front hall,” he says on a hush. “In case no one mentioned that to you.”
My eyes narrow slightly, questioning why he’s offering me an easy way to leave without anyone questioning it. I could’ve sworn after learning I have a stalker he’d want to keep me as far away from his sister as he possibly could.
The man is an enigma, constantly proving me wrong in all my assumptions about him.
I want to voice my question, but decide against it. The likelihood I’ll learn anything useful from Aiden is so small it’s not worth my energy. Not when there’s a woman outside who’s in pain.
Standing from my seat, I offer him a grateful nod. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” Jackson’s little voice sounds, but Aiden answers for me before I have a chance to open my mouth.
Striding from the room, I wait to hear the conversation continue between Wyatt and his parents before sneaking out the front door.
The silence of the night exposes me instantly. Madison’s eyes meet mine, her gaze both hesitant and curious.
“Hey.” The word is so quiet I’m surprised she can hear it.
But maybe I shouldn’t be, with how attuned to each other we seem to be.
“Hey.” Madison pulls the blanket tighter around her as she shifts slightly on the swing, silently inviting me to sit beside her. “How’d you escape?”
I chuckle at the question, taking the seat beside her. “Aiden.” It’s a simple word, but more than enough to explain.
“I’d like to say I understand him, but I really don’t,” she releases on a breathy sigh, silence consuming the space around us.
Considering we’ve only known each other for three days and barely spent more than an hour in each other’s company, the silence shouldn’t be so comforting.
I can count on one hand the number of people I’d be this at peace with, and that’s after knowing them for years. What is it about Madison that’s different? Is it simply that she has no idea who I am? No idea what my history includes? The trauma and disappointments I’ve experienced?
But that can’t be all it is. It’s not like I haven’t met people before who didn’t know who I was, or even if they did, they didn’t know every detail of my past.
Madison shifts, tucking her knees up to her chest and resting her cheek on them as looks at me.
“I didn’t see you around today.” The words are soft, not concern lacing them but something else.
And what does it say about me that my heart picks up at the thought she might be just as curious about me as I am about her?
“I went into town to explore more. I never really made it out of the square, plus I forgot to get coffee while I was at the store stocking up yesterday.”
“How do you forget coffee?” she asks in disbelief. “I wouldn’t survive without it.”
I try to fight the smile, but fail miserably. It’s cute how offended she is on coffee’s behalf. “It’s pretty rare I don’t have coffee in the morning, but I haven’t really needed it since arriving in town.”
“Hmm,” she hums, her eyes moving over my face before lifting her head to stare out at the empty street.
I wonder what she saw on my face before turning away, but I don’t ask. With her focus on the night around us, I take my time studying her.
She’s a beautiful woman, even with her sad eyes and hunched shoulders. Her honey blonde hair falls down her back and it looks so soft and silky I want to run my fingers through it, but I hold back, not wanting to freak her out.
“You okay?” I ask on a quiet breath.
I can sit here studying her all I want—and I’d honestly be quite content—but I want to know more about her. I can’t explain it, but I need to make her feel better. Bring back the joy I know she’s capable of.
She returns to her position, resting her head against her knees, her eyes on mine. I don’t know what she sees when she looks at me, but she must see something that makes her comfortable if the next words out of her mouth are any indication.
“I love my mom.”
“I know,” I offer, when she doesn’t continue.
Ruby may have made some disheartening comments during dinner, but the camaraderie between everyone was clear when I got here.
They all moved around each other and the kitchen as if in a coordinated dance.
There wasn’t a question the five of them know how to work together to accomplish whatever they need.
It’s been years since I’ve had the natural flow with my family, but I remember it, and I’ve seen it in Ryan’s family. People who don’t love each other and don’t get along with one another don’t work so seamlessly together. At least not that I’ve seen.
“I know she doesn’t mean for her words to be hurtful…” Her words trail off and it’s easy to see where she wants to take them.
“But that doesn’t stop them from doing just that,” I finish for her.
“Yeah.” Her eyes glisten with tears, and I desperately want to stop them before they break free, but I don’t know how.
Giving in just a little to my need to touch her, I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear before pulling away. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” She shrugs, a tear slipping out the corner of one eye. “What about you?” She lifts her head, wiping quickly at the wetness on her cheek.
I know she wants to change the subject, get the focus off of her, and I’m more than happy to help, but I don’t know what she wants me to say. “What about me?”
“Well, we established yesterday I know absolutely nothing about you, but you now know about my brothers, my parents, and the complicated relationship I have with my mother, so…” Her words fade, leaving it up to me to share what I want.
For a man whose entire adult life has been in the public eye, you’d think I’d have no issues talking about myself, at least in a superficial manner, but my mind goes blank.
Madison laughs softly, and I love the sound, even if it’s still a little watery with her tears. “You said you grew up in a small town similar to Stonebridge?”
“I did,” I practically shout, jumping at the easy topic. I may not love my hometown the way I once did, but it’s an easy thing for me to talk about. “In a little town called Harborview.” My tone quiets to match the world around us. “It’s about forty-five minutes outside Boston.”
She smiles, her eyes brightening with amusement, and I think this might be the first genuine smile I’ve seen from her tonight.
“Definitely some historic roots there.”
“Yeah.” I chuckle. “I don’t remember much about the history, but I know it was founded in 1631 by two families,” I state with a little more pride than is probably needed. It’s a random fact, one that’s easy to find.
“Founded by two families? That’s a pretty unique fact to remember.”
“Well, some of the descendants still live in town and are relatively famous in their own right.” I lift a bent leg onto the swing and place an arm along the back, getting a little more comfortable in my seat.
“What does relatively famous mean?”
“Ryan Whitaker…” I pause, waiting to see if she recognizes the name.
Maybe that’s not fair of me, considering I’m well aware she knows him based on my own conversations with Ryan, but I’m curious what her reaction will be.
“Wyatt’s friend?” There’s nothing but recognition in her eyes.
“Yeah, but he’s also a pretty big deal in baseball. Winner of multiple Cy Young Awards, a few gold gloves, and a serious winning record.”
“Look, I might not be up to date on pop culture,” she teases, her eyes twinkling as they meet mine. “But I do pay attention to the people in my life. I don’t really know what the awards mean, but I know he was quite successful when he played.”
“Sorry.” I lift a hand in apology, the smile on my lips stretching wide. “Well, his family is one of the founders of Harborview. His sister is a successful journalist too. I don’t know her credentials as well as Ryan’s, but I know she’s won some prestigious awards in her line of work.”
“Harborview is the home of a famous musician, a famous baseball player, and a famous journalist? That’s pretty substantial for a small town.”
“And I haven’t even told you about Declan yet.”
It’s funny, I’ve never really thought about it that way, but she’s not wrong. Our small town of Harborview, home to about 2,500 residents, not only produced four people very successful in their line of work, but four people born within less than five years of each other.
“Wait.” Her eyes fall shut and she shakes her head, as if she’s clearing her mind. “Harborview,” she whispers to herself before opening her eyes to look at me again. “Declan Day, famous painter who now lives in Ashford Falls?”
“Right…” My brows furrow, curious how she knows that.
“It’s a long, complicated story.” She waves her hand dismissively before continuing. “But the basic gist is that my best friend is dating a guy from Ashford Falls, it’s roughly thirty miles away. I went with her to a party earlier this year. I met both Declan and his sister there.”
“What a small world we live in,” I mumble.
“Indeed,” she whispers.
Our eyes lock, and I swear time stands still. Why or how this keeps happening with us, I can’t explain, and I’m not sure I want to. I can’t remember the last time I had this unexplainable pull to someone else, and I really don’t want to lose it.
“So, now that we’re in each other’s lives, does that mean you’ll pay attention to my career? Maybe go home and look me up?” I tease, hoping with all my might it doesn’t freak her out.
The soft chuckle tells me it doesn’t. Maybe she feels this invisible force pulling us in too.
Her eyes fall to her knees. “Follow your career? Probably.” Her gaze lifts to meet mine again, a soft smile stretched across her lips. “Go home and look you up? Absolutely not.”
“Oh? Why not?” This might be the thing I’m most curious about. What’s stopping her from going home and doing what everyone else does when they find out exactly who I am?
“I don’t want to learn about you from the internet and social media.” She shrugs. “Most of that won’t be real and I want to get to know who you are, not who the world forced you to be.”
Words completely fail me. It’s been such a long time since I’ve met someone new who didn’t want or expect something specific from me.
To meet this beautiful woman, who knows what she wants out of life and goes after it full throttle, and wants to get to know me for me is more than unexpected.
It’s a gift I didn’t know I wanted or needed.
And suddenly, I want to do everything I can to make sure she stays part of my life. In any capacity.
But the sound of the front door opening stops any further conversation and from the look on Madison’s eyes, we’re not going to get it back tonight.
“Oh, there you are.” Ruby’s voice precedes the sound of her steps on the wooden porch as she moves into my line of sight. “It’s cold out here, you should come back inside. Both of you.” The last is said as an afterthought, if the guilty look that passes over her eyes is any indication.
“I’m actually a little worn out.” I try to smile, but I know both women can tell it’s forced. “I’m gonna head out, but thank you so much for dinner tonight. It was truly delicious.”
“Of course. You’ll have to join us again.”
“I’d like that.” I push myself up from my seat, waiting for Madison to meet my gaze before saying anything else. “I’ll see you back at the cottage. I want to learn more about the history and all your plans for the place.”
I don’t wait for a response from either of them before I’m jogging down the stairs and heading for my car. My extended vacation in Stonebridge Hollow just got significantly better, and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.