He looked past her and shook his head. “I will be.” His voice was gruff with emotion. “The papers were waiting for me when I got home. I only went there to change before bringing you these but…” He turned his face away.
“Oh, Ollie.”
He sniffed once as he backed away from the door.
He looked so hurt that her own heart ached. “Do you want to come in?”
He swallowed hard, still not making eye contact. He held up a hand, then gained his composure. “I need a little time to process. I’ll be all right. I already knew this was coming.”
“Okay. I’m here if you want to talk. Or when you’re ready.”
He laughed suddenly, the sound bitter and sharp. “I do not want to talk abouthertoyou.”
Maude smiled, despite her heart breaking for him. Ollie had always worn his emotions on his sleeve. It was one of the things she’d loved about him. For all his macho swagger, he had a truly soft side. Probably what made him such a good doctor.“Whenever you’re ready to hang out, then. You know how to find me.”
“Thanks.” He didn’t move. Looked like he wanted to, but couldn’t.
She took a chance. “You want a hug?”
He nodded, clearing his throat.
She set the flowers down on the little entry table and went to him, wrapping her arms around him. He smelled of aftershave and a scent that was so uniquely him. It triggered a million different memories of her youth, but nothing could take the place of having him in her arms again.
He held onto her like she was the only thing keeping him connected to the earth, his face pressed into her shoulder. She decided right then that she was going to hold onto him until he let go. This hug would last as long as he needed it to.
After a few long moments, he pulled away, kissing her cheek as he did. “Thanks. Talk to you soon, okay?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
With a little wave, he jumped into his golf cart and left.
She watched him go, then went back inside. Did this mean his marriage was officially over? That he was now divorced? She wasn’t sure. He’d tell her when he was ready. Until then, she’d be right here. Waiting.
Because Ollie Keen was worth waiting for and after thirty-seven years, what was a few more days?
She put the flowers in an old pickle jar because she didn’t have a vase, but they were still beautiful. She tied the raffia around the jar in a bow and set them on the table by the front door, which made them visible from almost everywhere in her house.
She smiled the whole time she did it, and went back onto her porch still smiling. It was hard not to, even though poor Ollie was obviously miserable.
That probably made her a terrible person. She did her best to stop smiling. She should just read. She needed to get through a few chapters tonight if she was going to have this book read in time for the next book club.
She wasn’t a slow reader, but she often got distracted. And right now, she had Ollie on the brain.
How could she not after today? And tonight?
She had so many questions. What had happened between him and his wife to cause this divorce? They had two kids. And a golden retriever. That was like the American dream, wasn’t it? Had his wife fooled around? Maybe the long hours he worked meant she’d had too much time on her hands. But then again, there were kids to take care of. Shouldn’t that have been enough to keep her busy?
Maybe not when those kids were older and had their own lives. They were off at high school and college. Doing their own things.
Maude stared at the sliver of Gulf she could see, now just a plank of dark inky blue against the horizon. Would it be unethical to search for Emily Keen online? See what Maude could figure out? No one would know but her.
She tapped a finger against the edge of her iPad. She really should be reading.
She closed the cover on her iPad and went inside, straight to her desk. She shook her head at Pixel. “I shouldn’t be doing this. It’s not my business.”
He swam closer.
“You’re right. It could be my business if Ollie and I start dating. What if he’s the one that broke up the marriage? Maybe he cheated. Or spent all their money gambling?” Although she didn’t believe either of those things even a tiny bit.
