Page 198

Eventually, we make it to the couch. Maddy curls beside me, one leg tucked beneath her. Our hands stay linked between us. After a while, she rests her head against my shoulder. I run my thumb over her fingers. This is what I missed. Not only kissing her. This. Having her close enough that silence feels comfortable.

She tells me about opening night after the expansion. I tell her Diego got soaked fixing the irrigation system. She laughs. "I wish I'd seen that."

"So do I. I should've taken a picture."

"You absolutely should have."

"He calls me Dad now."

She lifts her head. The teasing disappears. "Oh, Javier."

"Yeah."

Her fingers tighten around mine. "How does that feel?"

I look at our joined hands. "Like something I stopped believing I'd ever hear."

Her eyes soften. "I'm happy for you."

"Me too." I tell her he's been coming to the farm. That Atlas has adopted him. That Diego wants to help with the irrigation system whenever he can. I don't tell her everything that happened last Saturday. Not because I don't want her to know. Tonight, I want to keep some things simple.

Maddy settles against me again. We talk about Noah. Helen. The restaurant. Jack. Oakridge. Nothing that requires an answer. Nothing either of us has to solve.

After a while, she goes quiet. I look down. She's watching our hands. Then she turns toward me. Her eyes meet mine. She kisses me. I barely have time to breathe before my hand is against her cheek and I'm kissing her back. Really kissing her. She shifts closer until there isn't much space left between us. My other arm goes around her. Her fingers slide into my hair.

I have missed this woman. Her laugh. Her mouth. The way she says my name. The way she fits against me as though the last three months were only a pause. When we finally pull apart, neither of us speaks. Her forehead rests against mine. I close my eyes.

If I stay like this much longer, leaving is going to become impossible. Maybe it already is. I kiss her once more. Slowly this time. "I missed you," she whispers.

"I missed you too."

She rests against me again. We stay that way until I make the mistake of looking at the clock. After one. I exhale. "I need to go."

Maddy lifts her head. "No."

I smile despite myself. "I have an early flight."

"Change it."

For one dangerous second, I consider it. She sees that. "You could."

I take a slow breath. "You need to sleep."

"I don't think I'll be able to."

Neither will I. I brush my thumb across her cheek. "Come on."

We stand. She walks me to the door, still holding my hand. Neither of us seems willing to be the one who lets go.

I turn toward her. "Maddy."

"Yeah?"

"I'm really proud of you. Of all of this." I gesture toward the city beyond her windows. "The restaurant. What you and Julian built. I saw you tonight." Her eyes shine. "You're good at what you do. Really good."

"Thank you."

"You should be proud too."