“I can’t go back in there right now, Max.” Honesty was brutal but necessary. “Everything’s set up for the wedding—a wedding that obviously isn’t going to happen. And I can’t…I won’t just sit in there hoping my fiancé decides to change his mind and come back for me and his child, all the while being judged by his parents because I’m sure, in their mind, this is somehow my fault.”
“What did you do? What did you say to him? How could you let this happen?”
“You’re carrying his baby. Of course, if he left, it has to be something you did.”
I could hear them now because I’d heard them countless times before. The way they treated Todd when something didn’tgo right. The things they said about me, even when they knew I could hear them.
They wanted us to get married because of the baby, but that was about all they wanted from me.
They didn’t like the idea of their son’s fiancée, the mother of their grandchild, working as a bartender at a local restaurant in Portland or going to school at night for my master’s in chemistry. They didn’t like theappearanceof my keeping an apartment by the school, as though Todd’s home—their property—wasn’t good enough for me.
It was all a twisted game of smoke and mirrors, and I hated that doing what was best for my baby and our future could be so easily conflated with acquiescing to the wants of people who were so heartless. People who only cared about money and image and power, and who sought to control their son’s life at every turn.
Anger sank its hooks into the hollows of my sadness, and it was the only thing that kept me from caving in on myself.
“Daze, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Max rumbled, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.
“Please.” I hated to beg, but I hated it less than the thought of walking back into the place where I was supposed to be getting married right now. “I can’t just sit here and wait for Todd to decide to show up and have his parents blame all of this on me.” A tear dripped onto my tightly locked hands. “Please get me away from here.”
When I looked at Max again, he wasn’t staring at the steering wheel in turmoil or even looking at me with concern. His gaze was trained on the single splatter of wet on my hand. He looked like he would willing amputate a limb to make the tear disappear.
“All right,” he agreed roughly. “Let me just talk to them, tell them what happened, and tell Lou where you’ll be so no one sends out a second search party.”
Max got out, and before he could talk to Lou, he was accosted by Todd’s parents. I assumed he must’ve left them a voicemail when he called them at the hotel, so they had an idea of what was going on. They started arguing. Not loudly. Never loudly. But I knew what their presentable arguments looked like—like snakes hissing and snapping at one another. Deadly but not loud. After a few minutes, and with no one else to levy the blame, they both returned to their car, cell phones pinned to their ears. I wouldn’t be surprised if the NSA was searching for Todd by the end of the day.
Max’s conversation with Lou was much shorter and contained a small intermission when she darted inside, returning not even a minute later with a small, white paper bag that she gave to Max before waving to me.
“Pastries,” Max said, handing me the bag as he climbed back into his truck. “In case you get hungry.”
What about you?I wanted to ask, but I already knew the answer. There wouldn’t be a single moment of this day when Max Hamilton stopped to think about himself or what he needed, only me.
As he pulled away from the curb, I lacked the strength to fight off the irony that the only man who’d gone down on his knees for me, who took care of me, and who put me first on my wedding day was my fiancé’s best friend.
Chapter 4
Max
“Let them know I’m on my way and that we’re going to refund them 50 percent of their order as well as extend a 50 percent discount on their next order with us,” I said, practically able to hear Erica’s frown through the line.
Erica O’Connell was my right-hand woman. Once MaineStems was funded and could start hiring some support staff, Erica had been one of the first to join the company. She’d gone from customer sales and service to order and fulfillment manager and finally, after I bought Todd out, to my operations manager. We were still a start-up, small by many standards, but one day, when we were big enough, she’d become my COO.
Erica made sure my big ideas were grounded in what was reasonable and feasible. She was thinking right now that a 50 percent discount meant we wouldn’t break even on these orders. She didn’t say anything because she knew I didn’t care. It was the right thing to do, considering three of the ten deliveries in the Stonebar area were going to be over two hours late getting to their destinations.
“All right,” she answered. “I’ll send you the delivery list.”
“Great. I’m just picking up the van now.”
“You sure you remember how to do this?” she joked.
“Driving? Or unpacking flowers?” I grunted, my eyes darting to the passenger seat.Or spending an extended period of time alone with Daisy and not giving away how much I wanted her?
“All of the above.”
I gritted my teeth. “I think I’ve got it covered.”
“All right, boss. Let me know if there’s anything else you need.”
“Thanks,” I said low, feeling like the word wasn’t enough.
