4

 

The next day, Maxi followed Lily down the main staircase of Logan House to the impressive entranceway, finishing her tour of the new shelter. The mahogany railings shone as though just polished, as did the gleaming hardwood floors. She was amazed at the stillness in the big house. With two families living there, she thought there’d be more noise.

“You guys have done a fantastic job. I wouldn’t have recognized the place.”

Lily smiled. “Nick and Jason worked hard to get it ready.”

“How did Jason end up working for Nick?” Maxi didn’t mind letting Lily see her interest in Jason. After all, she’d cried all over Lily’s shoulder years ago when Jason had fallen so hard for Susie Marshall.

Lily paused with her hand on the newel post. “He started as a volunteer at first, until the fire at Tony’s garage put him out of work. Nick felt bad for him and liked his work well enough to hire him.”

Maxi frowned trying to remember if Peg had told her about Tony’s place being destroyed. She was more blown away by Jason volunteering for something. The Jason she remembered wouldn’t do anything unless there was something in it for him.

“He’s changed a lot since you’ve been gone,” Lily said in a quiet voice, as though reading her mind. “You should talk to him.”

“I will—later today.” Maxi ignored the nerves rolling in her stomach as she followed Lily to the kitchen. “Apparently he’s working on the property. I’m going to meet him after we’re done.”

“Good, ’cause you guys need to resolve things between you.”

Suspicion hummed through Maxi’s veins. “What do you mean by that?” she demanded, marching into the spacious room. A distinct citrus odor floated in the air.

Lily went to the fridge and pulled out a large pitcher of lemonade. “I know you and Jason had some big blowup before you moved to New York. And you haven’t really talked since, have you?”

Maxi sputtered as her temper took hold. “Who told you that?” She hadn’t discussed the fight with anyone. Not even Lily.

Her friend shrugged. “No one. I guessed what happened from the way you guys were acting. Jason confirmed it yesterday.” She stretched to pull two glasses from the cupboard.

Irritation rose in waves through Maxi’s body. “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t talk to my former friend about me behind my back.” In some small corner of her brain, she knew she was overreacting, but she was powerless to stop the tide. She paced to the far side of the room, the words of her last encounter with Jason echoing in her head.

“If you can’t be happy I’ve found someone I care about, you might as well…”

“I might as well what, Hanley?”

She remembered the uncontrollable anger, flashing like fire, fueled by his words.

“You might as well leave and never come back.”

The hurt had seared through her, cutting off her breath. Her whole body had shaken with the thought that Jason had chosen Susie over her. Did their friendship mean so little to him?

“Don’t worry. That’s exactly what I intend to do,” she’d yelled back.

Those had been their last words to each other before she’d slammed out the door. The next day, she’d left without even saying good-bye.

The touch of Lily’s hand on her arm made her jump.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that I miss you, and I’m worried about you.”

Maxi released a deep breath and let Lily’s apology soften the anger inside. “It’s not your fault. I don’t have the energy to deal with past baggage right now. I’ve got enough problems with the farm and my mother.”

Lily pulled her into a tight embrace, the warmth of her large belly as comforting as her compassion. Maxi stepped away before tears could blossom, and Lily moved to the counter, poured lemonade into two tall glasses, and handed one to Maxi. “So tell me about this partnership.”

Maxi took a sip of the tart liquid, grateful for the change in topic. “It’s exactly the type of thing I’ve dreamed about. Which is why I have to get back. I need to work on my portfolio and let Philippe know I’m serious about this promotion.”

“What about your mom? Has she made a decision yet?”

Maxi swirled the contents of her glass and frowned. “Mama says she’ll go into a home, but I don’t know if I can let her do that.”

Lily patted her arm. “What a terrible position to be in. I guess Bernice wouldn’t move to New York with you.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“No. She’s lived her whole life in this town. It wouldn’t be fair to make her leave her friends, her church, and everything she’s familiar with.”

Lily nodded her agreement. “I’ll pray for you and your mom. I know God will help you find the right solution.”

An uncomfortable sensation stiffened Maxi’s spine. As much as her own faith had lagged in recent years, she didn’t like to dampen anyone else’s. “Thanks.”

Maxi’s cell phone rang. She read the name on the display and answered. “Hi, Jason.”

“Hey. How’s your visit with Lily going?”

She glanced over at her friend, who motioned for her to go on. “Just finishing up.”

“Good. You still want to get together?”

“I guess, if you have the time.” Could she sound any more unenthusiastic?

“I’m almost finished here. Why don’t you meet me out back?”

Lily waved madly, pointing to the pitcher of lemonade.

Maxi rolled her eyes. “Lily wants to know if you’d like some lemonade.”

His chuckle echoed through the phone. “I’d love some.”

“Be out in a minute.”

Lily was already pouring the drink into a tall plastic glass when Maxi disconnected. Dread pooled in her stomach, combining with the acid of the lemonade to make her somewhat queasy.

Lily held out the glass. “Go talk to him. You’ll feel better. I promise.”

Maxi sighed and headed out the back door, feeling like a prisoner about to face the firing squad.

 

****

 

Jason wielded the clippers with extra force, trying to steady his nerves. He hoped it’d be easier to talk out in the open while he worked, instead of being stuck behind a table in some noisy coffee shop.

His hands dampened at the sight of Maxi’s petite figure marching across the large expanse of lawn. From this distance, she looked the same as she had in high school. He smirked, remembering the feisty, rebellious teen she used to be. The way her hazel eyes glowed with a challenge the day she dared him to skip school and drive into Kingsville to the movies.

They made quite a pair back then. She always knew how to get him to do anything she wanted.

Almost anything.

“You missed a spot, Hanley.”

Jason’s mouth curved into a smile at the sound of her voice. He picked up another set of clippers and held them out. “Think you can do better?”

She stared at him for a minute before she grinned in return, accepting the challenge, as he knew she would. “Sure can.” Despite the fact that he held two pairs of clippers, she traded him the tool for the glass.

He looked at her blouse and dressy pants. A high contrast to his sweat-stained T-shirt and faded jeans. “Not worried about getting those fancy clothes dirty?”

“Nope.”

His heart lightened as they fell back into their familiar pattern of playful competition. “Thanks for the drink.” He drained his glass and set it down on top of his toolbox, ready to tackle the greenery again.

For a while, they worked in companionable silence, while Jason tried to figure out how to start the conversation. He sneaked a sideways glance at her. She seemed oblivious to everything but the wayward branches. Why did talking to Maxi suddenly seem harder than battling a raging fire? Despite the lemonade, his tongue stuck to the roof of his dry mouth. He cleared his throat and took the plunge. “Must be tough being back on the farm.”

Maxi looked at him. “It is. Having Aidan here helps though.” She clipped with more intensity.

“I take it Cal didn’t stick around.”

“Nope. Took off as soon as he could. I’m surprised he even came at all, knowing how he felt about Charlie.”

Her expression became thunderous, and Jason feared for the hedge’s existence. He guessed her older brother hadn’t changed for the better in recent years. Best to change topics. “So how do you like the shelter?”

She flashed a wide smile at him. “It’s beautiful. You and Nick did a great job.”

“Thanks. Good training for my next big project.”

“What big project?”

He hesitated, reluctant to say it out loud, to make it real. “I want to work toward getting a fire station built in Rainbow Falls.” He glanced over to see her reaction.

She stopped mid-clip. “You’re really serious about this firefighting stuff. What started all this?”

He paused, taking time to wipe the sweat off his forehead. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time actually. Since Drew died.”

The blood drained from Maxi’s face at the mere mention of her brother’s death. Even now, eight years later, she still couldn’t talk about it.

“I don’t know if having a station in town would’ve saved Drew,” he went on, “but it would sure help in a lot of other cases. Like when Tony’s place burned down.”

She raised the clippers with shaking hands. “What happened to your bike? You still ride?”

The complete change of subject threw him for a moment. “Not so much anymore.” He smiled then, remembering the two of them screaming through town on his second-hand Harley, much to the annoyance of the adult population—his mother included.

“You still hang out with Marco?”

His insides clenched. The thought of his ex-best friend’s betrayal still rankled. “Not anymore.” He shot her a furtive glance, praying she’d let the subject go.

But Maxi’s eyebrows perked up like a set of antennae. “Why not? What happened?”

Jason lowered his clippers. The fact she knew him so well irritated the crap out of him. He blew out a breath. “Marco swindled Tony out of some cash.”

“That’s it?”

“He also tried to steal my girlfriend.” The brief hope that Maxi would let it go evaporated at her horrified expression.

“What a snake! I can’t believe Susie would fall for his charm. Not when she was so crazy about you.”

He began trimming again at a faster pace, avoiding her probing gaze. As much as he didn’t want to continue this topic, he couldn’t let Maxi think the worst of Susie. “She didn’t. Turned him down flat. But that didn’t stop him from trying again with my next girlfriend.”

Maxi stalked over. “Your next girlfriend?”

Jason pressed his lips into a thin line. How had this conversation veered off track so fast? He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Yeah, Gloria Johnson—but I end the relationship a couple of months ago.”

Her mouth fell open. “The high school tramp?”

Too late, he remembered how much Maxi had loathed Gloria in high school and clipped harder. The muscles in his upper arms burned.

“How could you go out with her? She slept with practically the whole senior class.”

He sighed and stopped to wipe his face. “Call it a significant lapse of judgment. I was ready to break it off anyway, but Marco’s stunt sent me off the deep end.”

Maxi snorted. “Did you hit him?”

He grimaced, remembering the beating he’d laid on Marco. “Let’s just say I’m not proud of how I handled the situation. But that was before I turned my life around.”

They had come to the end of the row of hedges. Maxi ran her arm across her face and plopped onto the ground in the shade of an oak tree. “You mean the firefighting thing?”

With careful precision, he set the tools down and then came to sit beside her. This was it. Time for honesty. He plucked a piece of grass and shredded it before answering. “That’s one change. But the biggest one is that I’ve dedicated my life to God’s service.”

Her jaw dropped open and her eyes went wide. “You did what?”

If he’d said he was a serial killer, she couldn’t have looked more shocked. He kept his gaze serious. “I needed to stop my self-destructive behavior and do something meaningful with my life. So I came up with doing service through firefighting.” He waited for her to say something, hoping she would understand how big this was for him.

“Wow.” She looked poleaxed. “Didn’t see that coming. I thought you went to the youth meetings at the church just to hit on girls.”

He laughed. “That’s how it started. But Nick’s words and attitude rubbed off on me. More than I realized.”

She frowned as she looked at him. “You really have changed.”

“Guess I have.” He paused, allowing his gaze to roam over her tousled hair, settling on the familiar silver hoop earrings. Earrings he’d given her for a graduation present. Sorrow twisted in his chest. “I’ve missed you, Max.”

She turned away but not before he noticed moisture brimming in her eyes. He took it as a good sign, that she was as invested in their friendship as he. “What happened to us anyway? What caused that big fight before you left?”

Maxi stared out across the lawn, a nerve jumping in her jaw. “Geez, Hanley. I don’t know.”

She was lying. He’d bet his Harley on it. “I think you do.”

She leapt to her feet, brushing grass off her pant legs, not looking at him. “It was a bad day, that’s all.”

She took off at a brisk pace toward the house. He jumped up, annoyance shooting through his system. He was not about to let her off the hook. Not this time.

He covered the distance between them in two seconds and grabbed her arm. “Wait a minute. We need to deal with this. The way you left town has bothered me for a long time. I called, I sent e-mails, but you never answered.”

She tried to squirm away, but he held her firm. Her gaze remained focused on his chest where she surely must be able to see his heart beating at a ridiculous rate. This close he could see the sweep of her lashes on her cheek, the faint dusting of freckles near her nose. When she raised her eyes to lock with his, fire blazed in their hazel depths.

“I thought a clean break would be better. My life’s in New York. I figured yours would be here with Susie.”

He scowled. That didn’t answer his question.

“Why’d you two break up anyway?” she demanded.

“None of your business.” Trust Maxi to avoid his question with an attack of her own. “What was it about Susie that made you so crazy? You never cared who I dated before.”

Her nostrils flared for a moment before she struggled again to get free. He only tightened his grip, suddenly aware of how fragile she seemed compared to his own muscled arms.

The look in her eyes changed from anger to one of almost pain, making his breath catch. When her bottom lip began to quiver, the irrational side of his brain could only manage one powerful thought. What would it be like to kiss those lips?

His breathing became labored, his chest tight. Slowly he lowered his head toward her. He heard the sharp intake of her breath, smelled the traces of lemonade on her mouth. The tension shimmered between them until the sound of her cell phone pierced the silence. Maxi jerked away from him, pulling the phone out of her pant pocket.

Jason raked a hand through his hair, his pulse rioting. What had he almost done?

“Lance. Hi. Yes, everything’s fine.” She turned away from Jason, one hand over her free ear. “No, I can’t leave yet. I told you. We have to put the farm up for sale and find a place for my mother…”

Who was Lance? And since when was she selling the farm?

“Philippe understands my situation.”

Jason saw Maxi’s back stiffen and frowned at the sudden desire to ease her tension.

“There’s no reason for you to come here.” She sounded panicky. “If I need you, I’ll call. Yes, I promise. I miss you, too. Talk to you soon.”

Maxi clicked the phone off and stayed with her back turned for a moment, taking in a long breath.

Jason waited for her to turn around. When she did, her mask was in place, emotions contained.

“Who’s Lance?”

“Just a friend.”

He snorted his disbelief. “Yeah, right.”

“Fine. A friend I’m dating.”

“Sounds like a hair stylist.”

“Actually he works on Wall Street.”

Awkward tension hovered in the air between them. She fiddled with a necklace sitting at her throat. He tried not to think about almost kissing her moments before.

“So your boyfriend didn’t even come with you to your father’s funeral?” He couldn’t help the snide tone.

Her mask slipped. “Don’t you dare lecture me about relationships.”

A swarm of indescribable emotions churned the lemonade in his stomach. Maxi had a boyfriend. A rich, New York boyfriend. Why did that bother him so much?

“You’re right. It’s none of my business.” Mentally he counted to ten and backpedaled to focus on what he’d been trying to achieve. To recapture their former friendship.

If that were even possible.

The stiffness in her slim shoulders relaxed a touch, though she appeared wary.

He blew out a breath. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you, Max. Can’t we please go back to the way we used to be? You were my best friend, and I miss you.”

She didn’t move, except to blink twice. Finally she nodded. “I’ve missed you, too.” Her chin trembled for a moment before she stuck it out, an act of defiance, like the old Maxi.

“Friends again?” Jason held out his hand to her and waited.

An untold emotion flickered over her face before she took his hand. “Friends.”

Her slim fingers gripped his hand, sending a flood of warmth through his arm. For some reason, even though he’d accomplished his goal, Jason wasn’t nearly as happy as he’d expected.