Her heart melted at his concern. She could almost hear him speaking the words.
Maisie: I’m fine. Really.
Maisie: I was just sitting here planning out a potential new decorating job that Harlow has recommended me for.
Axel: That’s awesome! Is it a house in town?
Maisie: Yes. An old Victorian one that the new owners want to bring back to its original glory. Her words. The house wasn’t built in Victorian times, but it’s of that architectural style.
Maisie: I’m hoping to find out just how far back they want to go. Like, do they want all original antique furniture or replicas? That sort of thing.
Axel: That sounds very cool. Good for you! I’m sure you’re going to do a great job.
Maisie: Thank you!
She stared at the phone for a moment before she got brave enough to take this to a more personal level.
Maisie: I haven’t seen you around the resort for the last few days.
Axel: Yeah, I’m trying to get the cabins ready for you. They all need last-minute touch-ups. Some more than others.
Axel: I wasn’t sure when the furniture was coming so I was just trying to get ahead.
Maisie: Oh. That’s good. And I appreciate that.
Maisie: I thought maybe you were trying to avoid me.
There. She’d said it.
But he also wasn’t responding.
Maybe she should have kept her observation to herself and just accepted their relationship for where it was at.
A minute passed. Then two. Then three.
“I blew it,” she whispered.
The little dancing dots appeared, and her heart raced. She both wanted to know the answer and didn’t. If he told her he was definitely avoiding her, what was she going to say? His explanation for what was keeping him busy made sense, but there was always the possibility of him working more than he needed to just so he didn’t have to see her.
“I’m gonna be sick,” she murmured while still watching those dots bounce around.
Finally, his response came through.
Axel: Maisie, we agreed that we’re good. I know that. You know that. We got our closure, and I felt the morning you brought me back to the resort that everything was fine.
“Okay, that wasn’t so bad.”
Axel: But the truth is, I am having a hard time. I know if I see you, I’m going to want to talk to you. And if I talk to you, I’m going to want to kiss you. And if I kiss you, I’m going to want to drag you off to my cabin and keep you there like when we were stuck in the storm.
It was crazy how much she wanted all of that too.
Maisie: Full disclosure. I’d let you kiss me and drag me off to your cabin.
Maisie: I know that doesn’t solve anything and it’s only prolonging the inevitable, but I can’t help it.
Maisie: I miss you. And I still want you.
She’d never been this bold in her entire life. She almost didn’t recognize herself.
