Relief swept through Dale as they headed into the guest cottage. He’d probably overreacted with Maxine. He had to remember not all women were like his last girlfriend. And that had been so many years ago. He’d rarely dated since moving to Magnolia Key. He’d been busy with the shop, of course. And taking care of his aunt. But mostly, he hadn’t found a woman who interested him.
At least not until he met Maxine. She interested him.
But he was still going to be careful around her. Not push his help on her. And… take everything slowly, because he still wasn’t one hundred percent sure that Maxine wanted anything remotely resembling a relationship.
They went into the cottage and he dragged out some of his furniture, setting it outside to load into his van to take to Second Finds. The men came to deliver Maxine’s things, and he kept his opinions to himself about where she should put her furniture. Even when she had them place a large hutch on a wall that was way too small for the piece of furniture. He cheerfully moved it for her without a word when she realized it.
“You know, you can keep any of the furniture that you want,” he offered. But then immediately worried he shouldn’t have. How did this get so complicated?
“Oh, I couldn’t do that. I know you can sell it at Second Finds.”
“I see that you don’t have a bookcase. I know you’re a reader. How about you keep the bookcase?”
“Let me buy it from you.”
“You can just have it.” He could tell by the strong shake of her head that was the wrong thing to say.
“No, I want to pay for it. And I’d buy the table and chairs off you too. Name a price for all of that.” She firmly dipped her head, then smiled. “As long as you don’t mind if I paint them.”
He started to insist she just take them for free but realized she needed to pay something for them. To feel like she was making it on her own. They agreed on a fair price.
He left to take multiple trips to Second Finds and the donation center, clearing out the rest of his things from the cottage. He returned to find Maxine sitting in the middle of the room, unpacking a box. He stood in the doorway for a moment, watching her, unsure if he should interrupt. Sadness lingered in her eyes as she pulled out a photo album from the box.
He crossed over and knelt down beside her. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Well, no. Some of this stuff just brings back so many memories. Like these photos from when the kids were little. Victor is in some of them, of course. And I can’t erase the past, but it hurts a bit seeing all this history. All the time I put into a relationship that just… fell apart.” She sighed. “But it’s not like I can just throw these albums away.”
“Maybe you could pick out a few photos you want to keep and give the albums to your kids?” he suggested.
She gave a small laugh. “I’ve already tried to give them things I thought they’d want. Things we had in our house when they were growing up. They didn’t want much. Well, my son took a collection of old vinyl albums, but then I found out he just took them to sell them for cash.” Pain hovered in her eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s just how it all turned out. I wish I could change it—” She frowned. “Maybe I wish I could change how it all turned out. But I can’t imagine still being married to Victor. Letting him control my life. I’m not the same person. I couldn’t go back to living like that.”
“From what I see, you’re a survivor. Strong. Independent.”Independent. That word scared him. Independent meant not needing anyone.
“It’s nice of you to say that.” She shrugged. “But honestly, I mostly see the failures.”
“How about the successes? Starting over again here in Magnolia. A job, a home, friends.”
“I still don’t really feel like I belong here, though.”
“What would make you feel like you do belong?”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure. Everything is just so… different now. It’s not how I ever imagined my life turning out. I never thought I’d return to Magnolia.”
“Life sometimes throws us curves, doesn’t it?”
She nodded slowly. “It does.”
“We just have to make the best of it.” He reached out and squeezed her hand. “And from where I sit, youaremaking the best of it.”
She laughed. “You’re sitting on my floor. Which just goes to show, I should probably get a couch.”
“You could have kept my old leather one.”
“No offense, but it was too heavy and dark for my taste. I want the place to look light and airy.”
