“It can be very illuminating.”
“Can’t it?”
“He never got around to explaining himself or trying to apologize?”
“Nope, although—full disclosure—he’s tried to call twice this week.” Her gaze drifted out the passenger window. “I don’t want to talk to him. I’m sure he and Evangeline are working together quite happily now. He got exactly what he wanted.”
“He’ll get his due. You don’t treat people like that and not get what you have coming eventually.”
“I’m trying not to wish him harm. I know I need to let it go.”
“Sorry. I guess I should be advising you to forgive and forget. But I’d kind of like to string the guy up myself; I can only imagine how you must feel.”
“Actually, I’m doing all right. I no longer wish I’d smacked him upside the head when I saw him with Evangeline.”
He smiled. “Progress.”
“Distance has given me a little perspective, I think.”
“That’s good.”
Maddy tossed him a grin. “I’ll bet you were murder on your sisters’ dating lives. Did you beat up all their boyfriends?”
“Not all of them.” He tipped a grin. “Tara always had pretty good instincts when it came to men, but Lexie’s gotten herself mixed up with some real losers.”
“I feel for her. Sometimes losers come disguised as nice guys. Nick’s a real con artist—I see it now. I guess Evangeline will have to figure that out for herself.”
“Why didn’t you rat him out? She might’ve fired him and given you the promotion after all.”
Maddy’s gaze swept down, and he detected a bit of a flush on her cheeks.
He signaled a turn, checked for traffic, and accelerated around the bend. He hadn’t realized the question would be such a stumper. But clearly he’d stumbled upon something uncomfortable.
“It embarrasses me to say this,” she said quietly. “But I made a mistake when I applied for the position at Pirouette. I falsified something on my résumé—in my employment history. I knew Evangeline might not check them all out since she was in a hurry to fill the position. And there was a lot of competition...” She gave her head a shake. “There’s no excuse—it was plain wrong.”
Connor could see she regretted her actions. He knew all about regret. “We all make mistakes, Maddy. Sometimes you have to extend yourself some grace.”
“I almost told Evangeline on several occasions over the years. She was a reasonable person, and the guilt was eating me alive.”
He put two and two together. “You told Nick.”
She spared him a glance. “Yes. If I’d gone to Evangeline and told her what he’d done, he would’ve thrown me under the bus. I would’ve lost my job anyway. Besides, by the time it was all over I figured I’d probably gotten what I deserved.”
“I don’t think God works like that. He’s not into retaliation.”
“No, but there are consequences for our sins. You can’t deny that. The Bible is full of examples.”
“Well, Nick doesn’t get off the hook so easily in my book. And it doesn’t sound like he has an ounce of regret about the damage he did.”
“Probably not, but he’s not a Christian either—although he claimed to be. I knew better. And frankly, I wasn’t where I should’ve been spiritually. If I were I never would’ve gone out with him to begin with.”
“Hindsight,” they said simultaneously and shared a smile.
He admired her for admitting her mistake to him. It had taken a lot of courage and vulnerability, and knowing she was guarded by nature, that meant a lot to him.
“For what it’s worth,” Maddy said, “I’ve learned from my mistake. It turns out I have a fresh start, and I’m willing to put in the work to get where I want to be. No more shortcuts.”
“That’s good, Maddy.”
