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She stayed in her car once she’d found a spot in the lot. It wasn’t very crowded right now, as she’d come in off the fence line at the same time lots of others had gone out. They worked in shifts, ate in shifts, and slept in shifts.
Maddy tapped to open her email, and since she’d finally announced that she wouldn’t be returning to Springside Elementary in a couple weeks, her inbox was flooded with well-wishes and notes.
She bypassed all of them, her heart heavy for a new reason, and found the email Blake had sent out with the schedule in it. That would tell her where Kyle was right now. Her stomach swooped and clenched, and that could’ve been from nerves or hunger. At this point, she wasn’t sure.
After finding the schedule, she tapped to open the email. A long explanation of the schedule and shifts sat there, but she scrolled past it to the attachment. She tapped, waited, and then looked for Kyle’s name. Her eyes went straight to it, because he was the third-oldest in his family, and therefore, he sat right near the top. Fourth line, in fact. Only Blake, Todd, and their daddy sat above him.
She looked at his schedule, and he’d be going out on Hadley’s shift. Which meant he’d most likely be inside the lodge, eating. Of course, she hadn’t run into him at mealtimes before. She might have to hunt him down.
Maddy wasn’t sure her courage would sustain her through a manhunt, and she looked up from her device and toward the lodge. She couldn’t quite see the front door from her angle, and she decided she better just go see what was what.
Without a plan, without her thoughts being super gelled in her head, Maddy got out of her car and walked through the gravel toward the front door. All of the windows had been sealed from the inside—she’d helped with that project too. Then she and Hadley had done their cabin windows too. It didn’t eliminate all the smoke and debris, but a lot. Not only did it help with air quality, but the clean-up once the fire was put out would be far easier.
Anyone who didn’t live on the ranch had been told to stay home. So they didn’t have as many people, as probably a dozen or so came from Chestnut Springs to do housekeeping duties, administrative work, or to cook in the kitchen.
Maddy’s feet felt heavier and heavier with every step, almost like she was walking through concrete. She finally made it out of the gravel and to the sidewalk, and moving became easier.
Up she went, and she did feel at-home as she entered the lodge. She surveyed the people as she let the door close behind her. Everyone looked worn and tired, dirty and unmotivated. A few people chatted and laughed, but the majority of them were simply getting their meal over with. She honestly felt the same, but her mind felt sharp and clear.
She didn’t see Kyle at the first couple of tables, and her eyes moved to the back corner. He sat there with Todd, Laura, and Jesse. As she watched, the door behind her opened and Blake and Gina arrived at Kyle’s table.
Maddy moved out of the way, her mouth suddenly dry. You don’t even know what you’re going to say, she thought. Her feet moved, taking her in the direction of Kyle’s table. To make herself less obvious, she should at least load a plate of food first.
She didn’t; she just wanted to talk to Kyle.
Todd saw her first, and his eyebrows went up. Laura looked in her direction, and then everyone at the table had turned toward her. Including Kyle.
He blinked, surprise entering his expression. “Maddy,” he said, unlocking her tongue.
“I miss you,” she said. Something tore inside her heart, and it might’ve been the bandage she’d tried to mend it with. “I miss you so much. I want to talk to you again. I want to hold your hand. I want to lay down with you after a horrible shift of pouring water over fences and dirt and listen to your heart beat.”
She wasn’t even sure what she was saying. She just knew how she felt, and it had to come out. “I quit my job teaching school, and I’m staying here. I love this ranch, and I love how peaceful and quiet it is here. It really helps me be myself and think clearly.”
Maddy took a deep breath, her nerves screaming at her about how many eyes were watching her right now. Too many. Kyle hadn’t said anything either, and that wasn’t exactly comforting.
“I love you,” she said anyway. Tears filled her eyes. “Maybe you won’t change. Maybe you’re on your way to Nashville tomorrow. Maybe this place is just something that exists in your rear-view mirror. I don’t know. Iwantto know, but I don’t know.”
She sniffled, and Jesse elbowed Kyle. Hard. “Get up, man,” he hissed.
Maddy wiped her eyes, which thankfully hadn’t leaked out enough tears for them to track down her face. “I’m sorry things ended the way they did with us, but I don’t want it to be over. If you can forgive me, maybe we can try again.”
“Go,” Todd said. “Or I might get up and tell her I love her too.”
“Seriously,” Blake said. “That was about as perfect as something can be.”
Kyle glared around at his family, but Maddy could only watch him. His gaze came back to hers, and he rose to his feet. “Mads,” he said, and that sent a cascade of relief tumbling through her body. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
He left his food on the table and came around his brothers toward her. She faced him, trembling and somewhat nauseous. “I miss you,” she whispered.
He slid his hands up her forearms and cupped her elbows. Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered, “I miss you more than anything, ever.”
Her eyes drifted closed, and all she could think about was kissing him.
“Let’s go talk somewhere where everyone in my family isn’t watching,” he murmured. “Okay?” He straightened, and she opened her eyes to see him raise his eyebrows.
She nodded, and Kyle did too. He didn’t look back at his brothers but took her hand and led her toward the hallway that led back to the offices. He didn’t go that far, though. Instead, he took her into her art classroom, flipped on the light, and stepped out of the way so she could follow him.
That done, he closed the door and paced away from her. Maddy didn’t know what to say now. Her hand felt cold without his to hold, and she honestly didn’t know what the next ten seconds would bring. Had she just said some of the stupidest things of her life? What if he didn’t want to try again?
