This was his opening. He could toss it out there that he overheard him and Maisie talking and how he thought it was weird that they were being so secretive. It was right there. The perfect opportunity.
But he didn’t take it.
“Nothing brought it on. I’m simply telling you I don’t appreciate you treating my work like it’s less important, that’s all.”
Liar.
Well, it was partially a lie. He didn’t like anyone treating him that way, but that was rarely the case with his friends.
“Axel, come on. We’ve known each other for far too long. I know when something’s bothering you. Just like we all knew you were upset about Maisie a few weeks ago.”
“You were all just being nosy. And where did it get me, huh? Things still ended.”
Crap.
Resting his arms on the counter, Connor’s expression turned a little serene. “Can I ask you something?”
“No. But you’re going to anyway, so you might as well.”
That earned him a small snicker before Connor asked, “Was this just a fling to you? It was just a few days, Axel, and you’ve never been the guy who gets attached. Especially not that fast. So what is it about Maisie that has you so twisted up in knots?”
I wish I knew.
And that was the real lie, because he knew exactly what it was, and maybe if he just said it, he’d feel better.
“There was a connection there,” he said, hating how vulnerable he sounded. “Like…I never experienced anything like it before. We spent so much time talking and just having to do stuff together because we were stuck here, and I feel like we got to know each other really well.”
“That’s not a bad thing, right?”
“I didn’t think so. Plus…like I wanted to protect her. She won’t tell me what’s going on with her family and all that shit, but I just want to find them and kick all of their asses and demand that they be good to her. She’s clearly struggling and doesn’t have much of anything. I don’t either, but whatever I have, I’d give it to her if it would make her life easier.”
Sighing, he waited for Connor to say something, but he didn’t.
“I can still see the sadness in her eyes and hear the desperation in her voice when she first showed up here. I’m telling you, whatever’s going on in her life is bad. And I know that feeling, Connor. I know that desperation. Hell, I’d give anything to make it better for her.”
Letting out a long breath, Connor studied him before saying, “I’m sorry, man. I really am. We all figured you were still into her by the way you were acting, but…”
“But she’s not staying,” Axel finished for him. “And I know I’m not tied here to Harbortown, even though I said I was going to settle here for a while. If Maisie had shown even the slightest interest, I would have considered trying to do the long-distance thing.”
“Look, I’m saying this as your friend, okay? I get that there was a connection, but maybe it was just because of proximity.” He shrugged. “She’s a great girl, we all agree on that, but maybe you can re-examine the whole thing when she’s done dealing with whatever her family situation is.”
“Maybe.”
“Just…you know…reach out in a month or two and see where she’s at. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Yeah. Okay.” It wasn’t the worst idea, but it made the most sense for now.
And now that he was feeling a little less tense, he figured he might as well ask what he was dying to.
“So, um…I heard you and Maisie talking just a few minutes ago,” he began carefully. “Is everything okay?” And he watched Connor to gauge his reaction.
And there wasn’t one.
“I’m still trying to decide on a house, and I want her to do all the design and decorating on it, but I know she’s on a time crunch to help her feel a little more financially secure, so she was just touching base with me to ask if I’d made a decision yet.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to call bullshit, but he didn’t.
Not yet.
