50

I try to read but end up replaying the scene in the bedroom over and over again.
Did Max betray me? Was he telling his father I wanted to buy Tingel Island so wrong?
My head insists that yes, it was a horrible thing to do, that I can never trust him again. But my heart tells me maybe I overreacted.
Maybe I got scared that he said he was falling in love with me.

That maybe, I was falling in love with him too, and the idea of that was too much to handle.
Not having a phone is torture and I know that somewhere in the tiny island airport, I could buy another one, but I sit in the painful silence without even doom-scrolling to distract my thoughts.
I give up trying to read on the plane and pass the book on to the young mother for her to give it a try.
When we finally land, I drag myself home, checking the hope that Max might meet me. Why would he do that when I was so nasty to him? All the things I said—if I could apologize, that might be better. This disappointment might go away and I can continue with my life—without him.
Without Max in my life, what reason does he have to be in it?
It’s not a nice thought.
“Cadence?” Tatiana is upstairs at the sound of the slam of the door, cats and Travis racing behind her. “What happened?”
“What’s going on with the Tingel deal?” I demand, losing my usual confident tone and sounding like I’m broken.
I am broken. Beyond repair.
Tatiana waves away my question. “What happened to you?”
I smile sadly. “The Tingel deal.”
Tatiana heads straight into the kitchen when I tell her I haven’t eaten since last night. The wedding seems like it happened weeks ago, to another person. The way Max made love to me…
Travis hands me my phone, and sets up my laptop at the counter because I make it clear I’m not saying another word until I find out what I’ve missed.
Tatiana reports on the activity of the last few days as she makes me soup. It’s as if she knows that while my stomach may be craving food, my heart wouldn’t be able to take anything too substantial.
I miss Max.
As I scroll through reports and read emails, my heart thumps to the beat—I miss Max. I miss Max.
Which shouldn’t be possible because I’ve only known him for a few days. How can I miss someone in that short of a time?
When Tatiana pushes the bowl over to me, I close my laptop. “What did he do?” she asks evenly.
“What makes you think it was something he did?”
“Because I know what you did. You ran, Cadence. But before that, I’m sure you closed up tighter than that suitcase I’m sure you packed in a hurry. I can only imagine the state of your clothes.” She shakes her head in mock horror. “What did Maximilian Stonee do to you?”
“I had fun with him,” I say in a small voice.
“And that’s a crime?” Travis demands.
“It is when there hasn’t been much fun in your life,” Tatiana corrects. “Is it broken beyond repair?”
“Is what broken?”
“Your heart.”
I stare at Tatiana for long moments before turning my attention to my soup, taking a few quick spoonfuls and burning my tongue in the process. “I did it to myself,” I admit. “I was with him. I was… happy. And then I read his texts from his father—”

“You broke into his phone?” Travis asks incredulously.
I shake my head. “He let me borrow it because I didn’t have mine.” I don’t even bother admonishing Tatiana for confiscating mine. “There were all these text notifications from his father about Tingel Island. He knew that I was the other interested party, and was demanding Max find out everything he could from me.”
“And did he?”
Another shake of my head, this one leaving it hanging down. “No. I don’t know. I don’t even think he shared the information that I was the buyer. Was it important that it be kept quiet?” I ask suddenly.

“No, it’s just what we always do,” Tatiana says. “You like to keep things quiet.”
“So it won’t hurt anything, even if Max did tell his father.”
“I can’t see why it would. Stonee is headed up there now. Patel got in touch with me earlier today, said he was accepting a counteroffer and did we want to up our bid.”
“We don’t.”
“If you’re sure.” She studies me with a wary expression as I blow on my soup before taking another spoonful.
“It’s… spoiled for me now,” I say.
“And is Max spoiled for you now?” she wants to know.
“He’s with his father. It doesn’t matter.”
The doorbell rings. And then again, insistently, like whoever is out there is demanding to be let in.

Maximilian
An older woman lets me in, showing me to the kitchen where a tired-looking Cadence sits at the counter, finishing a bowl of soup.
It’s such a normal picture that my chest squeezes from want at the sight.
Cadence picks up her bowl as I stand awkwardly in the middle of the huge kitchen, stocked with every appliance known to man. I watch as she puts it in the sink. “That was Tatiana,” she says unnecessarily. “I assume she won’t be back while you’re here. Unless there’s shouting.”
“I hope there’s no shouting. Nick slept through everything at the condo.”
She winces. “That wasn’t my finest moment.”
The way she says that gives me a shred of hope. The fact I was allowed inside the house, was the first sign all is not lost, and I want to gather every little bit of hope I can find.
“I did tell my father that you were interested in the island,” I tell her steadily. “He knew the company name, but not that you were personally involved. And I’m sure I said something as a way of trying to gain his favour.”
Cadence nods and keeps nodding. “I’m not sure how I feel about it.”
“It was wrong of me and I’m truly sorry. I should have kept your confidence.”
“I remember when I found out it was Moon involved,” Cadence muses. “I was so excited. I thought that gave me the inside track, but the reality was that it didn’t do anything. I think it’s time for me to apologize to you.”
I catch my breath. Apologize to me? I didn’t really think about that. “If we go back and forth with apologies, we’ll be here all day.”
“I’m sure you have somewhere to go,” she says stiffly.
“Actually, I don’t.” I take a deep breath. “My father is headed up to meet with Patel. I didn’t go with him.” I pause. “I told him I was finished with him.”
“Finished?”
“I quit,” I clarify. “I’m climbing the fire escape. This is my grand gesture. I’m doing something I’m afraid of—for me, it’s breaking ties with my father. I’ll figure out a way to help support my mother…” I swallow. I haven’t given this enough thought. I may have paid off my debts to him, but my father provides thousands of dollars for my mother’s care. If I have to take over that—

“And since I’m currently unemployed, I thought I’d see if you had any openings.” I spread my hands. “I’m not sure what my qualifications are, but I’m fairly persuasive and I can talk a good game.”
“And you’re very good at satisfying women,” Cadence says in a low voice. “Not that it’s going to be any part of your job description.”
Another flare of hope. “There’s a job description?”
“You are very good at what you do.”

“I am.”
We stand in her kitchen, gazes locked. “Maximilian,” she begins.
“Only call me that if you mean it.”
“I don’t know what I mean.”
“I’m not asking for much—”
“I’ll give you a job,” she says with a tired smile.
“I want you, not a just a job. I think we’ve got something special, Cadence.” I take a tentative step toward her and feel gratified that she doesn’t move away. Another step, and another, and I’m close enough to cup her elbows. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
“You don’t know me,” she scoffs, but her fire has dimmed.
“I know you like to watch Pretty Woman, and like your feet to feel pretty. I know you’re an amazing dancer, fully clothed, and managed to win over my friends in record time. And Nick didn’t even come on to you. Not much anyway.”
“I didn’t know if I should be offended or not.”
I rub her arms, wishing her arms weren’t crossed. Wishing they were winding around my waist so I could pull her close. “This may be quick, Cadence, but it doesn’t mean it’s not real. I’ve never felt like this about anyone, and I’m not scared.”
“You’re not?”
“Well, maybe a little. Okay, a lot.”
“How do you feel?” she asks. “How am I supposed to feel about you?”
“Well, for me, I feel the big ones for you. Happy to be around you. Excited to get to know you. Permanent state of arousal.”
She laughs at that and my heart swells, because maybe… “But the other ones are important too. I want you to be happy. That’s as important as being happy myself. I care about what you think, feel, want. I admire you. I respect you, regardless of what dickhead me said.” I pause as I inch my hands around her waist. “I care, Cadence.”
“So do I,” she whispers.
“If it’s too fast for you, we can slow down. Be friends for a while, although I might find that a little difficult with the permanent state of arousal.”
She actually looks down at the front of my pants. “See anything you like there?” I ask and Cadence smiles. “I know you’re scared, that this is out of your comfort zone, but do you really want to walk away and throw away the chance that this is the real thing?”
The way she looks at me with her amber eyes makes my heart give a thump.
“I want to be finished running,” Cadence says, and it’s like there’s a celebration march going on in my chest. “I want to be with you, Maximilian.”
“Good,” I sigh. “Now, is your Tatiana going to burst in here when it’s quiet? Should I clear it with her before I kiss you?”
Cadence pressed herself against me and raises on her tiptoes. “I’m done waiting for you, Maximilian Stonee.”
She kisses me.
She kisses me for a long time, and no one interrupts us, except for a cat who winds around my ankles.
I’m okay with cats.
I’m okay with it all, because I got the girl and she’s right here in my arms.