He stepped forward, taking the cup and saying, “Thanks.”
I hesitated and then said, “Julian, you shouldn’t have come all the way across the country to see if I was OK. You could have just called, and I’d have told you everything was fine.”
He leaned against the counter. “Maybe I just needed a reason to see you, Maddy.”
I took a step away to further the distance between us. My emotions were already all over the place. This was the last thing I needed to deal.
I guessed Julian could see it in my face because he said, “You’re seeing somebody, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I nodded, glancing away. “I’m sorry, Julian.”
“Hey, it’s OK,” he said softly, and actually he did sound OK with it. “Is it the guy who was with you at the café?”
I raked my fingers through my hair, much like I’d seen Adam do so many times. “Yeah, that’s him.”
Julian’s eyes, a touch of sadness in them, met mine. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy.” He took a deep breath. “He’s a lucky man,” he said wistfully on his exhale.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Now, I really felt guilty for messing around with Adam while Julian had slept, blissfully unaware, upstairs. I wondered if he’d be so gracious and understanding if he knew what I had done. Worse yet, Julian probably thought Adam and I were in love. And while there was no doubt in my mind that I loved Adam, I still had no clue if he loved me in return. Just because he’d come here, jealous, to “claim” me with Julian under the same roof did not mean that what he felt for me was love. He was just letting me know that he had access to everything on this island, including me. Hell, he’d even let himself in, using a key I hadn’t even been aware he possessed.
In almost complete silence, things more awkward than before, we finished our coffee, and I drove Julian to the dock. After he was gone, I returned to the cottage.
It was an unseasonably warm day for mid-October, and I felt like I should stay outside, allow the fresh air to clear my jumbled thoughts. Maybe even go for a run. But I was too exhausted, so I lay on the sofa, pulled the quilt over my spent form, and drifted off to a dreamless sleep.
When I finally woke up, it was late afternoon. Some clouds had rolled in, but after a quick peek outside, I found the temperature was still quite mild. I went upstairs, changed into sweats and a T-shirt, then laced up my running shoes, and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. Before leaving the cottage, I checked my cell. No messages from Adam. Not a single one, nothing. Not even after last night. Jerk. He was really starting to piss me off.
Suddenly I snatched the key Adam had tossed onto the coffee table and stomped out the front door. Hurt, angry tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. Fucking bastard. Maybe I wasn’t cut out for this kind of a relationship. Maybe Jennifer was right, maybe the powerful Adam Ward was just playing me.
Knowing exactly where I was heading, I started north along the path that led to Adam’s property. Picking up speed with every step, I soon broke into a full run along the trail, branches scraping unmercifully at my bare arms. Tears, previously held back, streaked down my cheeks. Adam’s actions last night played over and over in my head, along with Jennifer’s harsh words. Novelty, my ass. I’d show him.
The ground was wet, and mud splashed up onto my legs as I pushed myself harder and harder. My own sweat intermingled with the dried sweat from last night that I’d not yet washed away. Sweat that Adam and I had created together.
Finally I reached the end of the path and began to sob. Stumbling forward, I fell to my knees, my hands pressing into the cool earth at the edge of Adam’s driveway. My lungs burned, my mind was muddled, and my heart ached. Everything was finally catching up with me. And I, Maddy Fitch, had reached my breaking point.
The Porsche was parked in the driveway, its presence a cruel taunt. He was home. Why hadn’t he contacted me? Did he care so little?
The rain that had been threatening for the past hour began to fall, and I rocked back on my heels. Running a muddy hand