Maid for Love (18 page)

He spent the nights on Maddie's floor, wishing they could somehow get back to where they'd been before he made the mistake of subjecting her to his mother. Wednesday evening, after they finished up at the daycare, Mac suggested they walk over to Mario's for pizza. Since Maddie was finally getting around much better, she agreed.

By now, people in town had grown accustomed to seeing them together, and while they still attracted some stares, Mac had learned to ignore the unwanted attention. He wasn't sure Maddie was able to ignore it, but she hadn't mentioned it to him. In fact, she hadn't said much of anything at all to him in three days. She seemed to be biding her time until she could be rid of him, and with every passing day, Mac's desperation grew more intense.

He'd tried to give her some space to get used to him and the idea that he was interested in her. But like the disastrous dinner at his parents' house, that, too, had backfired on him. The more space he gave her, the more remote she became, until he was certain he would explode if something didn't change—soon.

"Tomorrow's your day off at the hotel, right?" he asked.

"Yes, and the daycare. Tiffany doesn't teach dance on Thursdays. That's when I usually clean your mother's house."

"I have to go to the mainland for some building supplies. I thought maybe you and Thomas would like to come. We could go anywhere you want to while we're over there."

He watched the debate play out on her face—wistfulness, yearning, nervousness and finally, resignation.

"Thanks, but I think I'll just stay here with Thomas. I'm feeling much better. There's really no need for you to take care of us anymore."

Mac had never experienced such pain. Reaching for her good hand, he linked his fingers with hers and watched her take a nervous look around the crowded restaurant. "Come with me. It'll be fun. We can buy Thomas some new big boy clothes and a bike. And a football. He needs a football. I noticed he doesn't have one."

That drew a tentative smile. "He can't even walk yet."

"It won't be long now."

"I don't know," she said with a worried glance at the baby, who sat on Mac's lap like he belonged there.

He squeezed her hand. "Come with me. It'll do you good to get off the island for a day." Knowing most of her expressions by now, Mac could tell she was tempted. He flashed his most charming grin. "
Come on
…"

"All right! Fine. We'll go. God, you're relentless!"

Swamped with relief, Mac sat back in the booth but didn't release her hand. "Good." It wasn't a breakthrough, exactly, but it was one more day together. Right about now, he'd take it.

Thanks to his connections with Joe, Mac was able to get his father's truck on the first boat off the island at eight the next morning. Joe invited them to join him in the wheelhouse, but Mac wanted as much time alone with Maddie as he could get, so he declined.

"Whatcha got going on there, pal?" Joe asked with a grin as Mac bought their tickets.

"Hopefully, the most important thing I'll ever do in my life."

Joe's eyes nearly fell out of his head. "No way."

Mac glanced over at Maddie, who was watching the seagulls with Thomas while she waited for Mac to drive the truck on the boat. "Yes way."

Once onboard, they stood on the bow of the ferry where a light spray hit them every time the boat crested a wave. Thomas loved the air and the water and the motion of the ferry. Mac kept a firm grip on him as they stood at the rail.

"This is nice," Maddie said, looking more tranquil than he'd ever seen her as they watched the northern end of the island disappear into the morning fog. He'd known that getting her off the island would be good for her. He hoped it would also be good for
them
.

"When was the last time you were off-island?"

Maddie thought about that. "About a year ago. Before he was born."

"That'd make me nuts! Don't you ever feel confined?"

She shrugged. "I've gotten used to it."

"You know, it's funny, when I lived here as a kid, I couldn't leave if I felt confined. It would be totally different as an adult. I could leave any damned time I wanted to." He laughed at the somewhat major revelation. "That never occurred to me until right this second."

Maddie flashed him a rueful smile. "The confinement used to drive me crazy, especially when I wanted to go to college. I didn't have the money to pay tuition and live there, too, and it wasn't like I could commute."

"I've never thought about that before." Of course he hadn't. He'd gone to college on a full athletic scholarship and never once had to worry about paying for it. "What would you have studied?"

"Maybe oceanography or biology. Something to do with the water. I've always been obsessed by anything involving the ocean."

Fascinated by this new insight, Mac studied her face as she stared out at the water, lost in thought. "There're online courses you could take."

"I was halfway through an online associate's program when I got pregnant." She took Thomas's hand and smiled warmly at the baby, making Mac jealous. "Now I have other priorities."

He wanted her to direct that dazzling smile at him. What he wouldn't give for just one genuine smile, the one that engaged her eyes as well as her full, sexy mouth. "Maybe you can go back and finish someday."

"Maybe."

They docked just after nine in the fishing village of Galilee on Rhode Island's south shore. With Thomas in his car seat and Maddie riding shotgun, Mac drove the truck off the ferry into the crowded port.

"How about some breakfast and then we can do whatever you want?" Mac suggested.

"Sure, that sounds good."

Over eggs and toast at a greasy spoon, he asked where she wanted to go.

She hesitated, but only for a moment. "The mall," she said with a delightfully girlish grin.

Thrilled to see her playful side reemerging after three days of distance, Mac McCarthy—a man who had never once willingly stepped foot in a shopping mall—took his lady to the biggest, brightest, busiest mall in the state of Rhode Island.

Maddie loved the excitement and elegance of The Providence Place Mall. A ruthless bargain shopper, she haunted the sale racks in all the children's clothing stores and got some nice deals on summer clothes for Thomas. Worried, as always, about her finances, she bought nothing for herself.

Pushing Thomas in the stroller they'd brought from the island, Mac followed her around with unwavering patience. He never rushed her or showed an ounce of displeasure, but she knew he had to be hating every minute of this. Mindful that he had things he needed to get done that day, she glanced up at him. "I'm all set if you want to go."

His brows narrowed over those steel blue eyes. "We just got here. You haven't looked at anything for yourself."

"I don't need anything."

"Thomas and I are going for a walk. We'll meet you back here in an hour."

"What will you do with all that time?"

"Pick up a few things Janey asked me to get."

Maddie nibbled on her thumbnail as she studied him. "Are you sure?"

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Go. Have fun. Spend some money. That's what credit cards are for."

Laughing, she didn't even mind the kiss that zipped through her like a live wire. "You're a bad influence."

"Thank you. Now go."

An hour to herself in a mall! Flitting from store to store, she bought a few new tops and some jeans. She gave herself one hour off from worrying about money and stocked up on underwear, bras and socks. Outside Victoria's Secret, she stared longingly at an ivory silk nightgown in the window that would look ridiculous on her. Still, it was fun to look and to imagine…

When she met Mac at the designated spot, she discovered that he, too, had put the hour to good use. The basket under Thomas's stroller was full to overflowing with bags. She saw a baseball bat sticking out the top of one of them. When she raised a questioning eyebrow, he replied with a shrug and adorably sheepish grin. Mixed in with the others, a pink-striped bag caught her attention. "You bought something for Janey at Victoria's Secret?"

"It's not for Janey," he said with a secretive smile.

Maddie's knees weakened. What had he done? She had no idea, but she was not about to ask him. She'd learned not to encourage his outrageous behavior.

"Ready to go?" he asked, sliding an arm around her shoulders.

"Yes." As they walked to the parking garage, Maddie glanced up at him. "Thank you."

He kissed the top of her head. "My pleasure, honey."

Mac took the long way back to the ferry, driving them through Newport to stop at the carousel at First Beach. Thomas loved the merry-go-round, and Mac sprang for five rides before Maddie reminded him of the time. They had a ferry to catch.

"You're totally spoiling him," Maddie said as they set out across the Newport Bridge to the lumber supply place. And me, she wanted to add but didn't.

"So?"

"I'd hate to get him used to it. This time next week, he'll be back to his boring life, wondering where his sugar daddy has gone." The instant the words were out of her mouth, Maddie regretted them. To refer to Mac as Thomas's daddy, even as a joke, was so wrong and unfair. She could see that Mac was becoming attached to her son and vice versa.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, but his hand tightened on the wheel.

"You're going back to Miami."

"Not anytime soon."

Maddie didn't want to be relieved, but the more time she spent with him, the more she wished she could keep him forever. She'd never known a man so thoughtful and caring and sincere. Add that he was sexy as hell and he become one heck of an irresistible package. During their lovely day together, she'd begun to feel like a fool for resisting him. Maybe she should give in and have a rip-roaring affair with him. The whole town thought she already was, so why not go for it? At least then, after he went home to Miami, she'd have the memories to sustain her. But what would sustain her heart if she gave even a portion of it to him?

Too late
, the devil on her left shoulder said.
You already have
.

T
ucked into his stroller, Thomas slept on the ferry ride back to Gansett. Sleepy herself after the nicest day she'd had in years, Maddie let her head drop to Mac's shoulder. He put his arm around her and settled her against his chest. Maddie was letting her eyes drift shut when they connected with a familiar face on the other side of the ferry.

He smiled at her.

Maddie gasped.

"What, honey?" Mac asked.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Thomas's father." Automatically, she brought the stroller closer to her.

As the tall, dark-haired man approached them, Maddie straightened, and her heart began to hammer in her chest. She noticed he had more gray in his hair than the last time she'd seen him, but otherwise he hadn't changed.

Mac tightened his arm around her.

"I thought that was you, Maddie. How are you?"

Momentarily paralyzed, she couldn't form a rational thought. "I'm … ah … I'm good."

He glanced at Mac, and Maddie remembered her manners. "Tom Wilkinson, this is, um—"

Mac extended his right hand. "Mac McCarthy, Maddie's husband." He gestured to the stroller. "Our son Garrett. Nice to meet you."

Twisting her head, Maddie stared at Mac, but he just gave her a bland look that said, "Roll with it."

"You're married," Tom said with the charming smile that had convinced her to part with her virginity—not that he ever figured that out. "Well, that's disappointing."

"Excuse me?" Maddie asked in a strangled tone.

"I was on my way to see you."

"Oh."

"Yeah, my bad," he said with what seemed like genuine regret. "I guess I waited too long."

"Maddie's not the kind of girl you let get away," Mac said.

Maddie's breath got caught in her throat when Tom leaned over to peek in at Thomas.

"Beautiful baby."

"Thanks," Mac said. "We like him."

Good answer
, Maddie thought, grateful that he could speak, since she was incapable at the moment. Her heart beat so fast she wondered if it would explode in her chest.

"You're a lucky man," Tom said to Mac.

"Believe me, I know."

"It's good to see you, Maddie."

She cleared her throat and stuck her shaking hands between her knees. "Yes, you, too."

"Good luck to you both."

"Same to you."

Tom walked away, and Maddie sagged with relief. She'd imagined this moment a million times, expecting him to take one look at his son and just
know
. But he hadn't. Because Mac had been so quick to say just the right thing, Tom had never even entertained the possibility.

Mac held her tight against him. "Breathe, baby," he whispered in her ear, raising goose bumps on her suddenly sensitive skin. "It's all over. Take a deep breath."