“Maddy told me. Got the house buttoned up tight?” he asked when Gram stepped back.
“We’re all set,” Gram said. “Just worried about Nora. I’ll go put on some tea; it’s going to be a long night.”
“Is everything secure at the marina?” Maddy asked after Gram was gone.
“As much as it can be. I checked on my house. Thanks for getting the windows covered.” There was a tense pause. “I tried to call you earlier.”
Maddy finished tying her shoes and stood. “I was, uh, in the middle of something. A lot’s happened in the last twenty-four hours. My head’s still spinning.”
Connor had cocked his head and was searching Maddy’s face. “Sounds like a long conversation. But we can catch up later.”
Maddy looked into his eyes. There was a gray storm brewing there. His brows were creased with worry. She was going to do much worse to him before everything was said and done.
“It’ll keep.” She dredged up a smile. “If you’re going after Nora, I’ll see to Gram—”
“Maddy...” Connor took her arm. “Wait.”
He let the word hang out there as the pause lengthened between them. She took the moment to relish the warmth of his hand. Would it be the last time he touched her? Her heart twisted at the thought.
His thumb moved against her skin, his touch so tender. His expression so earnest. “Are we all right? You seem distant today. Even now... something seems off. More than just Nora.”
A fist tightened in her gut. She should’ve known she couldn’t get anything past Connor. But this was terrible timing. She didn’t want to end things with a storm underway and Nora out there somewhere.
“Listen, we really don’t have time for this.”
“Maddy, come on. Just tell me what’s wrong.”
How could she deny him anything when he looked at her that way? She didn’t want to string him along or make him suffer longer than necessary. She owed him the truth, and sooner was kinder than later.
“Connor... I just can’t do this anymore, all right?”
Something flickered in his eyes. “Do what?”
Maddy had trouble getting her tongue to function. “Us,” she said finally.
He blinked. Reared back. A long, uncomfortable silence hummed between them, his eyes locked on hers. She saw all the emotions flitter across his face. The shock was bad enough. The confusion made her ache. But the hurt in his eyes was just about her undoing.
She’d put that there. After all he’d been through, causing him pain just about hollowed her out. Her eyes burned, and she could hardly swallow past the rock lodged in her throat.
“What’s going on?” His voice sounded as if it grated across a gravelly throat. He shook his head. “What happened? Two nights ago we were fine.”
Two nights ago they’d been making out on the deck. Two nights ago they’d been happy and hopeful. Two nights ago they’d had a lifetime of possibilities ahead of them.
How had she let herself forget how much love hurt?
She reminded herself of what she’d learned over the past day. She just couldn’t go there again. Not even with Connor. Her eyes stung, but she forbade the tears to form.
“Maddy?” He gave her arm a squeeze. “Come on, talk to me.”
She shook her head, hardly able to speak. If she said anything the tears were going to come. She could feel them now, burning behind her eyes. Could feel the emotions bubbling up inside.
The sound of feet on the stairs pulled Connor’s eyes from her.
Emma was coming down the steps, her footsteps quick. “You haven’t left yet?”
“I’m going after her,” Connor said, his gaze never leaving Maddy. Finally he sighed. “Which way did she go?”
“North, along the shore,” Maddy said. “She said she thought she knew where Pippy might be, but I have no idea what she meant.”
