Chad hummed to himself as he took the stairs two at a time. He hoped he wasn’t reading too much into her confusion around him because he felt exactly the same way. Fumbling with his door key he let himself into the room. As fast as he could Chad kicked off his black dress shoes and quickly stripped off the shirt and khaki trousers he’d worn for lunch. He pulled on his old jeans, a dark green T-shirt and trainers and was ready to go.
He ran back down and hurried out into the garden.
‘There you are. Tonya’s here for your date.’ Maggie’s sharp tone of voice chilled him. She wasn’t smiling anymore.
‘Date?’ His gaze rested on his Reject Table nemesis, wearing another tight fitting dress, this one bright yellow with a neckline that plunged down to her waist.
Tonya gave a complacent smile. ‘I was telling dear Maggie that I’d come over to start showing you around Cornwall. I couldn’t let you go alone. We’ll start with Land’s End thisafternoon.’ She took a step closer and trailed her glossy red fingernails down his bare arm. Chad jerked away and wrapped his arm around Maggie’s stiff shoulders.
‘Thanks, but I’ve already made other plans, Tonya.’
Her green eyes narrowed. ‘We had a little misunderstanding yesterday but things are different now, aren’t they Maggie?’
‘What’s going on?’ he murmured to Maggie but she pulled away from his grasp.
‘I need to go back home.’ Her voice broke. ‘I’ll leave you two alone to get on with your sightseeing.’ She took off running across the grass and Chad’s fury erupted.
He seized Tonya’s arm. ‘What the hell did you say to her?’
‘Only the truth.’
‘You’re a deeply unpleasant woman,’ he hissed. ‘I’m going after Maggie.’ Chad strode off.
‘When you catch up with her ask what she did to rip her family apart,’ Tonya yelled, but he didn’t turn around.
Chapter Fourteen
Maggie raced out through the pub, ignoring the stares she received from the few customers lingering by the bar, and hurled herself out of the front door. Halfway across the car park she stumbled on the rough gravel. From nowhere a strong hand grabbed her wrist and saved her from falling.
‘Are you alright?’ Chad’s concern tore at her and Maggie couldn’t fight any longer when he wrapped his arms around her. She allowed her head to rest on his firm chest and savoured the reassuring thump of his heartbeat. ‘I’ve no idea what all that was about but you’re going to tell me and we’ll sort it out. I hope you know me better than to believe I made any sort of arrangement with her?’
She couldn’t lie. ‘Of course I don’t.’ Maggie hesitated. ‘But I hate the idea of spoiling your good opinion of me.’
Chad eased back so she was forced to look up at him. ‘Don’t jump to conclusions. I told youI’mnot perfect andyou’restill here.’
If only it was that simple.
‘Don’t take this the wrong way, honey, but we need somewhere quiet to talk. How about we go up to my room?’
Despite everything she had to bite her lip to stop from laughing. Finally a gorgeous man invites her into his bedroom but all he wants to do is talk. Maggie allowed him to lead her back inside the pub and they headed up the dark staircase without speaking. He unlocked the first door they came to along the narrow hallway.
‘Welcome to my humble abode.’ Chad walked in first, hastily scooping up clothes from the floor and tossing them in a heap in the corner of the room.
Maggie glanced awkwardly around, her eyes drawn to the large bed with its garish floral bedspread and mound of lacy pillows.
‘Tasteful, isn’t it?’ He smiled and gestured towards a plush red velvet armchair over by the small bay window. Chad toed off his shoes and stretched out on the bed, plumped up the pillows and rested his hands behind his head.
She ignored the chair and stood in front of him. She’d get this over with quickly — like ripping off a plaster. ‘Did Tonya say anything about me after I left?’ He didn’t answer right away and her heart clenched.Enough said.
‘Yeah. She told me to ask what you did to rip your family apart. I guessed she was simply being her usual annoying self. Do you want to join me?’ Chad’s eyes gleamed as he patted the bed. ‘Only if it’ll make things easier for you of course.’
‘You’re so noble.’ She played along and the knot of tension in the pit of her stomach eased its grip. Maggie slipped off her own shoes and perched on the edge of the bed.
‘I won’t bite.’ Chad bared his white teeth, ‘I promised Great Aunt Audrey.’
He reached over to cover her hand with his own and the comforting touch of his warm skin helped. ‘Do you remember when Emily was rude to me yesterday and you said I didn’t deserve being spoken to that way?’
‘Sure do.’
