Maid for Love (30 page)

Surprised by the friendly reception, Maddie said, "Um, no. Thank you."

"I heard an interesting rumor when I was in town the other day."

Not more rumors!
"Oh?"

"Is it true that the Beachcomber is trying to lure you away from us?"

"Libby made me an offer, but I haven't given her an answer."

Linda folded her hands on the desktop. "Ethel is retiring at the end of the summer. I'd like you to replace her. As a management position, it's full-time, year-round, with benefits and two weeks' paid vacation." She rattled off a salary that shocked Maddie. It was even more than Libby had offered.

"Why me? You have other people on the housekeeping staff who've been here longer."

"Sylvia and Betty wouldn't want the hassle at this point in their lives, and the others aren't qualified. Besides, you're the one I want."

"Why?" Maddie asked, shocked by this sudden shift in Linda's attitude toward her.

"For one thing, I owe you an apology. I'm appalled by what my son Evan was involved in and by what those boys did to you. I can't deny that I've treated you unfairly because I believed what people said about you. I'm ashamed to admit that." Linda paused and then looked at Maddie. "I'm not asking you to forgive me, but I do hope you'll consider the job."

"I'll think about it."

Linda nodded. "Good."

Maddie got up to leave.

"Maddie."

She turned back.

"I've never seen Mac so low. He's working himself to death trying to keep his mind off what happened with you."

Maddie's stomach churned. "I thought you didn't approve of our relationship."

"I was wrong about that, too. He's heartbroken, and I can't bear to see him this way. I was probably as angry at him about those letters as you were, so I understand where you're coming from."

"But?"

"He loves you—and your son. He truly does. Is there any way you can find it in your heart to forgive him?"

Maddie's heart fluttered painfully. For weeks, she'd agonized over the situation. While she still didn't appreciate that he'd kept something so important from her, she had to acknowledge the letters had changed her life.

"Does he know you're offering me a new job?"

Linda shook her head. "No one knows about that but you and me." She paused before she added, "But if you want to discuss it with him, he's at the marina."

"You think he'd be happy to see me?"

"He'd be thrilled."

For the first time since she walked away from him, Maddie felt a glimmer of hope. Without taking another second to consider the implications, she darted from Mrs. McCarthy's office and out the hotel's front door. She was halfway down the hill when a curvy, dark-haired woman launched herself into Mac's arms and kissed him passionately.

Frozen in place, Maddie watched them long enough to see Mac return the woman's kiss.

Maddie turned away, trudged up the hill and went back to work.

"What are you doing here?" Mac asked as he extricated himself from Roseanne's embrace and lowered her to rickety heels.

"I missed you
so
much. I couldn't wait another day to see you." She combed her fingers through his hair. "You look much better. Nice tan."

"I've been working outside for a change."

"This is such a … cute … place. Very eclectic."

Mac laughed to himself, imagining her reaction if she knew how much the cute little business was worth. "I wish I'd known you were coming. I'm really busy."

Her face fell. "You're not happy to see me."

"It's not that."

"Then what?"

Mac glanced at the hotel and then at Roseanne, trying to find the words.

"You've got someone else."

He sighed and ran a hand though his hair. "It's complicated."

"Actually, it's quite simple—do you have someone else or don't you?"

"I do." Even though he wasn't with Maddie anymore, his heart belonged to her, and he couldn't lead Roseanne on.

"Well, that didn't take long. Are you planning to tell Connor and Tony you're not coming back?"

"I haven't decided what I'm doing yet. They'll be the first to know."

"And were you going to tell me?"

"I told you before I left—"

"That we were taking a break. You never said we were over."

"I thought you understood—"

"Will you ask that old man who brought me to take me back to the ferry?"

"I'll take you."

She folded her arms and looked away. "I'd rather go with him."

"Roseanne…"

"Will you ask him or shall I?"

When had his life gotten so damned complicated? Mac went over to where his father, Ned and Luke leaned against pilings, watching the show. "Ned, Roseanne can't stay. Would you mind giving her a ride into town?"

"Boy, ya sure can pick 'em." Ned chortled.

"Will you take her?" Mac asked through gritted teeth.

"With pleasure."

"I'm sorry," Mac said to Roseanne as he helped her into the cab.

She whipped a packet of envelopes out of her oversize purse and shoved it at him. "Here's your mail. Have a nice life."

As Ned's car left the parking lot, Big Mac put a hand on Mac's shoulder. "Are you all right, son?"

"Yeah." Mac hated that she'd come so far to be disappointed, but he took comfort in knowing he'd been perfectly clear about where things stood between them before he left Miami.

"Why don't you come home for dinner tonight?"

Since he had nothing better to do, Mac agreed.

Mac picked at the plate of shrimp scampi, remembering Maddie refusing to order it at Dominic's because it had too much garlic. They'd had so little time together, but they'd created memories that might have to sustain him for a lifetime. That thought destroyed what was left of his appetite.

"Not hungry, Mac?"

"I'm sorry, Mom." Mac wiped his mouth and put down his fork. "It's really good."

Studying him, she took a sip of wine. "Anything exciting happen today?"

Big Mac chuckled. "Other than Roseanne showing up and shocking the heck out of him?"

Linda froze. "She was here? On the island?"

"Yep," Big Mac said.

"When?"

"Around two or so, wasn't it, son?"

Mac shrugged. "I guess."

"Oh, God," Linda whispered.

"What, hon?" Big Mac asked, his brows knitted with concern.

"Maddie."

"What about her?" Mac asked, suddenly on full alert.

"She went to the marina to see you. Right around then. You didn't talk to her?"

"I never saw her." Mac groaned, remembering Roseanne's enthusiastic greeting. He pushed back from the table. "Why was she coming?"

"I think she might be ready to talk to you. About what happened."

"Oh no," Big Mac said, stricken. "Roseanne was quite
happy
to see him."

"I've got to go," Mac said. "I'm sorry, Mom. Thanks for dinner."

Linda tipped her face to receive his kiss. "Go, honey. Find her."

Mac cursed his crappy luck. What were the odds of Maddie finally deciding to come talk to him just as Roseanne wrapped herself around him? Banging his fist on the steering wheel, he let out a string of swears.

He pulled into Tiffany's driveway for the first time in weeks, his heart racing with hope and fear. What would he do if she wouldn't let him explain?

Maddie was sitting at the top of the stairs. Startled by his sudden appearance, she stood up to go inside.

"Wait!" Mac leapt from the truck and ran up the stairs. "Listen to me! She means nothing to me! She never did."

"I know what I saw."

"You saw her jump on me and kiss me. I had no idea she was coming. I didn't want her there, and I certainly didn't want to kiss her." Mac took hold of Maddie's arm to keep her from walking away. "The only one I want to kiss is
you
, and you
know
that. I told her I'm involved with someone else and sent her back to Miami on the first boat."

Maddie's beautiful eyes widened with surprise. "You said that even though we broke up?"

"That hasn't changed how I feel about you. Nothing could." He skimmed his fingers over her arm, gratified when she shivered. "I miss you. I miss everything about you."

Her eyes fluttered closed.

He caressed her cheek, reveling in the soft skin he'd yearned for, and rested his forehead against hers. "You're the only one I want, Maddie," he whispered. "The only one I'll ever want. I'm sorry I hurt you. I never meant for that to happen."

She leaned into him. "I know that now."

"Marry me, Maddie. I can't live without you and Thomas."

"Mac…"

"Just say yes."

She studied him just long enough for Mac to realize his whole life had led to her and this moment.

"Yes."

Shocked, he stared at her. "Really?"

"I have conditions."

"Whatever you want."

"You don't want to hear them?"

"Later." Even though he was dying to kiss her, he only held her, drowning in the scent of summer flowers and the feel of silky hair. Overwhelmed with relief, he swallowed the huge lump in his throat. "There's something I need to show you. Can you and Thomas come with me? Is he asleep?"

"Not yet. He's still chattering in his crib."

"So will you come?"

"Okay."

Mac loaded them into the truck and headed to the south end of the island, past Dominic's and the Hydrangea House Bed & Breakfast, taking a right onto Sweet Meadow Farm Road.

Sitting between them in his backward-facing car seat, Thomas gripped Mac's finger so tightly that Mac wondered if the baby was afraid to let go.

"Where are we going?" Maddie asked.

"You'll see." The paved road changed to gravel about halfway down.
I'll need to get a plow for the truck before it snows
, Mac thought. He took the final turn, and the house came into view. "What do you think?"

"Oh, it's beautiful! Whose is it?"

"Ours."

She gasped. "It is not! Don't make jokes like that, Mac!"

"Who's joking?" He laughed at her as he parked. "Come check it out." Before he got out, he reached under the seat for an envelope that he stashed in his back pocket.

Maddie got Thomas out of his car seat and met Mac in front of the truck.

As he wrapped his hand around hers, he felt a tremble go through her.

"What do you think?"

"You can't be serious. This isn't a house. It's a mansion!"

"It's got everything I wanted—lots of land, a good view and room for our family to grow." He appreciated the dazzling glow the sunset had cast upon the property. "All that matters now is if it has everything
you
want."

She looked at him as if he had three heads.

"What?"

"Are you seriously asking me that? Does it have two bedrooms?"

"Um, five actually."

"Then I'm sold."

"You haven't even seen the inside yet."

Tears spilled down her cheeks. "We're really going to live here?"

Mac put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "We really are."

"It's a palace," she whispered. "I just never imagined…" She looked up at him. "You can afford something like this?"

"My father's friend Ned gave me a sweet deal."

"Still, it has to be a fortune."

"I can handle it, honey. My business in Miami does really well. They'll have to buy me out, and I have a condo to sell there."

"I can't imagine having that kind of money."

"Well, you do now."

She shook her head. "It's yours."

"Everything I have is
ours
. Everything." He tipped her chin up and kissed her while Thomas squirmed between them. "You got that?"

"It'll take some getting used to."

"We've got nothing but time. Want to see the inside?"

She nodded, her eyes sparkling now with excitement, and Mac had never loved her more.

When he took her inside and gave her the tour, there were more tears.

"I was thinking," he said, directing her to the deck that overlooked the ocean, "that the yard would be the perfect place to tie the knot. What do you say?"

"Oh yes! Absolutely."

"I want to do it as soon as we can, okay?"

"About that…" She glanced up at him, her expression wary. "My mother is due home in a couple of weeks. I'd like to wait for her, if that's all right with you."