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“I’m not pouting.”
“Aren’t you?” He laughs, shakes his head, and raps his knuckles on the table. “Looks that way to me. My money’s on you, lad. It always has been.”
He walks behind the bar to help Keegan tend to customers, and I push my mostly full beer away, no longer interested in it.
I’ll check Maggie’s house on my way home, just to make sure that everything is as it should be, and then lose myself in work.
The way I always do.
Three days later, with Def Leppard pounding in my ears, I’m punching the hell out of a bag in Hunter’s gym. He’s always given the family full access to the facilities whenever we want to work out, and since I still can’t sleep well, I decided to come here and punch something that doesn’t bleed or punch back.
After twenty minutes, when I’m a sweaty mess, I turn to reach for a towel on my way to the treadmill, where I plan to run for a while.
But when I turn, someone’s behind me.
And in the almost dark, I almost swore it was Maggie.
“Good morning,” Maeve says.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you,” I say after pulling one earbud out of my ear and letting it fall over my shoulder. “Did I wake you when I shut my car door?”
“No, I was awake,” she says and pats her belly. I swear, it's grown in the week since I last saw her. “This little one seems to like being active mostly at night. It’s the weirdest feeling, having a little thing tumbling around inside of you, kicking your ribs and kidneys.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Not yet. I’ve been told that in another month or so it will, so I’m not really complaining. I just miss a good night’s sleep.”
“I understand that.”
She’s quiet as I unravel the tape from my hands and then finally look over at her. “What’s on your mind?”
“Who says anything is on my mind?” she counters. “Maybe I just wanted to come out here and watch you work out.”
“You’ve never been a good liar.” I toss the used tape into the trash and wipe the sweat off my face with the towel. “Go ahead, yell at me.”
“I don’t want to yell at you. Don’t get me wrong, I did want to a few days ago. But now, I just want to hug you.”
And so she does. Just wraps her arms around me and presses that round belly against me, holding me close.
It feels nice.
“My sister is a pain in the ass a lot,” she says as she pulls away. “She has a quick temper, and she doesn’t always listen when you need her to. But I know she loves you, even if she hasn’t said the words. Have you thought about going to Ireland?”
“No.” My voice is gruff, even to my ears. “I thought I’d wait until she gets home to try to talk to her.”
“Why? You’re miserable.”
“I told her we needed a break, and I’m giving her one.”
“To what end? So you can both spend the next week absolutely miserable?”
“She’s miserable?” I ask, my head coming up fast. “Have you spoken with her?”
“Not really. She doesn’t want to talk about it, and I know she’s been busy at the inn. But a sister knows these things. She’s been gone for almost a week, and you’ve both had time to calm down and work your way to the lonely and regretful part of things. If you miss her, if you want to see her, don’t be a stubborn ass. Just go get her already.”
I frown down at my hands.
I already considered that late last night as I lay in my cold bed, pining for Maggie.
It’s ridiculous. I’m a grown man. What am I waiting for?
“Thanks, Maeve.” I kiss her cheek and then head for the door. “I have some arrangements to make.”
“Good. What is it with you two always dragging your feet? Just love each other already.”
I laugh for the first time in days as I hurry out to my car. I have to book the next flight and get ready to go.
I open my phone and bring up Maggie’s number and start to type a message.
But what am I going to say? Hey, I’m coming to see you. I miss you. Don’t reject me.
Nope, not gonna do that.
So, instead, I erase the text and get started making arrangements to get off this island and to the one the love of my life is currently standing on.
I’m sick of fighting myself and being without her. It’s time to be honest and tell Maggie what I want, what I need, and get the same from her.
The truth.
And, even if I have to break my contract, I’ll tell her what she needs to know to get her back. She’s the most important thing in my life. I’ve been absolutely lost without her since the minute she walked out of my house. I wanted to run after her then, but I was too hurt. Too stubborn. That stops now.
