I raced home on my bike, trying to wrap my brain around what the emergency could be. In the couple of years we’d been roommates, Mase had never sent a dire message like that. Clearly he hadn’t lost a hand in some freak accident; he’d texted me. The only other thing I could think of was something had happened to Ava. Or the house was on fire.
As I stepped through the open front door, the cause of the alarm became clear. It wasn’t a fire at all. The exact opposite had happened. Water had flooded everywhere.
Fuck.
My boots slogged through water on the wood floor in the entryway. Down the hall, Ava sat upright on dry tiles, tethered to Mase’s bedroom door by her shortened leash. Her fur glistened—wet.
I took in the scope of the damage in the living room and cringed, my heart sinking. The leather sofa and entertainment center stood in several inches water. Smaller items which usually sat on the floor were stacked haphazardly onto them.
“Mase?”
“In here.”
I walked into the kitchen, every step splashing water. Mase stood near the kitchen sink, arms braced on the counter edge, head hanging down. The wood dining table and chairs were stacked in disarray, some upside down, some upright, on every spare counter surface.
“Dude. What happened?” I struggled to process the mess around me.
He shrugged, then stared at me under heavy brows. “Came home to water pouring out from behind the dishwasher. Tried turning off the valve under the counter, but it wouldn’t budge. I had to run out and shut the water off at the main.”
“So the bedrooms are okay? Why didn’t the water go into the hall?”
“Oh, you haven’t seen the worst of it. The reason Ava is on the dry island in the hallway is that most of the water poured into the basement, either through the floor or down the steps. Almost the whole ceiling of the basement is trashed. Brace yourself before you go down there.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. The pool table and foosball table are toast—both are lakes. It’s raining down there.”
I took a deep breath in the humid air and gave Mase a hard stare. “Thanks, man. Sorry you had to deal with this on your own.”
“I did my best. Shocked the shit out of me.”
I clapped a hand on his shoulder as I walked by. “You did great. I’m gonna survey the damage down below.”
When I stepped through the doorway and onto the landing, it was dark, and I instinctively reached for the wall switch. I paused. “Hey, Mase? You cut the electrical too?”
“Yep. Right after the water main.”
No amount of warning prepared me for the devastation. Sunlight streamed into the basement from the narrow windows. Ceiling to floor, wall to wall, the room was soaked through. The bar was ruined. Every surface within my line of sight was wet or covered in water. I stopped a few steps shy of the bottom of the stairwell to avoid the rainfall still dripping down.
I blew out a hard breath and went back up the stairs. I’d seen enough. I pulled my phone out from my back pocket.
“What are you gonna do?”
Scrolling through my contacts on the phone, I shook my head. “No clue. My first thought is the contractor who did the remodel. He should know a good water damage company.”
I hit {CALL} on the screen the moment his info pulled up. He answered his cell on the third ring, and I exhaled in relief, glad it didn’t roll over to voicemail. “Joe. This is Cade Michaelson. I have an emergency I hope you can help with.”
I explained the key points to Joe, and he immediately offered to call the emergency response company he knew and send them over. Thank fuck I had a great contractor. And besides, he’d be getting a ton of dollars flowing his way once the insurance company started cutting checks.
That was my next call. While I was on perma-hold through several people at the insurance company, I watched Mase dry off Ava with a beach towel then get her situated in his room with fresh food and water bowls.
A couple of hours later, our furniture was all either in the garage or on the back patio. A crew had begun removing the water using Shop-Vacs on the upper floor and a pump in the basement. The insurance adjuster had just left after initiating the claim.
Joe swung by to assess if it would be safe for Mase, Ava, and me to stay in the house. “As long as you leave the electrical breakers off for the basement, kitchen, dining room, and living room, you should be safe staying in the bedrooms. I’ll have my plumber swing by this afternoon to replace the frozen valve under the kitchen sink and the burst dishwasher hose. Then he’ll turn your water main back on and double-check everything.”
“Thanks, Joe. We really appreciate your help.”
When he left, Mase and I went back to our rooms. I had no idea what Mase planned to do, but I collapsed on my bed, exhausted from the stress of the entire day. I laid there, staring at the ceiling, thinking about all the tasks I’d wanted to accomplish today that got bumped to tomorrow, along with new time-suck obligations for my house—now a construction zone.
All I wanted to do was find comfort and fall asleep in Hannah’s arms. But Mase and Ava didn’t have anywhere to go, and this was my house. The mess and cleanup was my responsibility to deal with, not Mase’s.
My phone vibrated from the nightstand. I reached over and grabbed it.
Hannah had texted.
Busy day. What’re you doing?
I laughed out loud. In the day’s mayhem, I hadn’t had a chance to breathe, let alone contact her. Nothing was what I was currently doing. It would take an hour to explain what I’d been doing. But I didn’t care. I needed to hear her voice.
I gave her a call. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Her voice was soft, and I swear she smiled on the other end.
Just hearing her voice made me relax, dropping my shoulders an inch lower from my ears. “Well, looks like I’m building you another walk-in closet in the basement.” Mentioning our closet joke helped lighten my mood.
“Another? What’s wrong with the first one?”
“It’s under water.”
She gasped.
Yeah, that about covered it. And still, I went over all the details with her: seeing Mase’s stricken face when I’d walked in, the ruined leather couch, the destroyed everything in my now-rainforest basement—I could almost hear the mold starting to grow.
“Cade, that’s awful. Anything I can do? Bring Chinese food? Pizza?”
“No. Thanks, but Joe, my contractor from the remodel, brought sub sandwiches and drinks to feed us and the emergency crew about an hour ago. It’s almost six, and you have early busy days ahead. Besides, I’m so tired, the second I get off the phone, I’m gonna pass out.” I sighed heavily. “I just want to forget this day.”
She gave a low sympathetic tone. “I wish I could make it go away.”
I closed my eyes. “Me too. I wish I was in your arms right now.”
“Me too.”
“Just keep thinking about those tickets to our tropical island. Six more days. First, five insanely busy days ahead of us. On the sixth? Beach.”
“Or, we could just add sand to your living room. Insta-beach. ”
I barked out a laugh. “Thanks, Maestro. Only you could make me see humor through this.”
“Anytime. Wish I could help more.”
“Tell me about your day. Help me focus on something else.”
I listened to her tell me about new customers, then Daniel and Chloe’s latest antics. Lila had invited Hannah to lunch on Wednesday. A new resort client had contracted with her shop to supply gourmet desserts for their dinner and room service menu, which all came about from a walk-in customer who happened to be the resort’s food and beverage manager.
As Hannah talked animatedly about everything that had happened to her since I’d left her this morning after an incredible night of sex, topping off a wonderful getaway weekend we’d had at my parents’, I began to nod off.
I interrupted her when she took a breath. “Maestro, I’m so sorry, but I’m about to pass out.”
“It’s okay, babe. Sleep. Sweet dreams, Cade.”
“Thank you for talking with me. You’ve just guaranteed I will.”
***
All day Tuesday, I worked nonstop from before sunrise to well past dinner. I caught up on to-do items for Saturday’s event and met with both Joe and the owner of the remediation company to create a plan for the house repairs and restoration. The list was overwhelming, but I took each thing one at a time on a priority basis.
Wednesday morning brought more of the same. Hannah texted to remind me that she was meeting Lila for lunch today. I’d been stuck at the house since Monday afternoon in the humidity with fans blowing 24/7, so I escaped out of the house for some peace and fresh air.
Before an afternoon meeting at Loading Zone, I dropped by my favorite coffee spot. It was second only to Hannah’s front lounge in Sweet Dreams and only a few blocks away from her bakery.
The coffee aroma was a welcomed break from the staleness of my house. As I took a sip from my cup, waiting for my sandwich to be delivered, I stared at my laptop. Several items on my combined to-do list had been taken care of already. But I still had over a dozen more that needed attention by the end of the day.
I glanced up when someone stepped into my peripheral vision, thinking it was my sandwich order. Instead, Madison moved into the empty seat in front of me.
Fuck me.
I sighed. “Don’t sit, Madison. It’s not a good time.” My words came out guttural as I glared at her.
“Wait, I come in peace.” She set two plates down on the table, cautiously pushing a cheesecake brownie my way. “I remember this was your favorite.” And ironically, a devil’s food doughnut sat in front of her.
“Things change. Not my favorite anymore. I’m into cupcakes now.”
My comments didn’t faze her. She kept a smile on her face as she put a napkin onto her lap. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you and Hannah so much trouble.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Bullshit.”
She broke off a piece of her doughnut and put it into her mouth. My sandwich arrived, and I pushed her peace offering back toward her side of the table.
“Cade, I get that we have to get along to make everything go smoothly Saturday. I’m willing to do that.”
Damn straight you are. Had she been contacted by her board yet? I hadn’t heard anything more from Suzanne, and in the chaos that had become my life, I hadn’t had a spare moment to follow up on it.
When I just stared at her, she leaned forward. “I was foolish. I know that now. You were the best thing ever to happen to me. I miss us. I’m willing to be what you need.”
I laughed at the ridiculousness of her words. “You could never be what I need.”
She gave me an honest-to-fuck sincere look. “Give me a chance. I could try.”
With a wide grin, I leaned back in my chair and laced my hands together behind my head. “Madison, you have to know that I don’t believe a word you’re saying. I can’t. And I already have a girlfriend. I’m not interested in changing that. I’m tired. I’ve had a fucked-up couple of days, and I came here for a break. And that doesn’t include you at the table with me. So either you get up and leave, or I will.”
With a nod, she stood and picked up her plate. When I glared at her cheesecake-brownie peace offering, she picked that up too. “I’m going. I don’t want to upset you. Just think about what I said.”
No chance in hell. With Madison showing up unexpectedly yet again, I was unable to do anything but think defensively.
She walked up to the trash, slide the food off both plates into it, then set the dishes on the counter. She turned and gave me a quick smile with a wave before walking out the door.
I stared in the direction where she’d disappeared to make sure that she was out of my space and not coming back. It took a few more minutes after that for my shoulders to relax down.
After a deep breath, I picked up my sandwich, ready to begin the relaxing lunch break I’d come for.
***
Later at the bar, as I sat in Ben’s office looking over our second-quarter financials, my phone rang. An unfamiliar number flashed on the screen.
“Hello?”
“Is this Cade Michaelson?” a deep male voice asked.
“Yes. And this is?”
“Doug Phillips. I’m legal counsel for Lakemont Country Club. Do you have time for a few questions regarding the complaint against Madison Kensington?”
“Sure.” I’d clear my afternoon, if that’s what it took.
“I’ve read Suzanne’s complaint and have interviewed her for more details. Can you describe the events starting from the beginning? I understand you and Madison were once involved personally?”
Nice. So had Madison also been interviewed before she’d surprised me at the coffeehouse?
I spent the next thirty minutes giving him the highlights of the important events and answering any questions as we went. He asked me if I had anything further to add or if I had any questions.
Then he posed a question I hadn’t expected. “How would you like to see this matter resolved?”
I blinked. Could it be that easy? “I want it to end. I want her to leave me alone. I want her to leave our companies alone. If you really want to know, I want her fired and to never see her again.” Harsh? Yeah. Could Madison use a break? Probably. But not from me. Not in this situation. She had multiple chances to redeem herself, but failed. Maybe she needed a fresh wakeup call to realize she had much farther to go in her recovery.
“I do want to know. We are protecting the country club and its members. That means doing whatever it takes. Will you be seeking any other remedies in this matter?”
“No. I’m not looking to sue the country club, if that’s what you’re asking. But if she keeps surprising me like she did today, I will seek an order of protection against her.”
“What did she do today?”
“Sorry, I was so focused on the upcoming event and our companies, I forgot about earlier today. She had to have followed me. She showed up at the coffeehouse I frequent to basically reiterate the hallway conversation that Suzanne overheard.”
“Which part of it?”
“That Madison wants to get back together with me.”
He sighed. “Okay. Got it. I spoke with her first thing this morning. She should not have contacted you, and she knew that. Thank you for your patience and providing me with all the details.” He paused. “By the way, are you related to Garrett Michaelson?”
“Yes, I’m his son. You know my dad?”
“I’ve known him for years. He’s helped me individually, and also our firm, with our financial portfolios. He’s a great guy. Say ‘hello’ to him for me.”
“Will do.”
When I got off the phone, a text showed on the screen that had come in during the call. It was from Hannah.
Want me to bring dinner over tonight?
I replied without hesitation.
Fuck yes.
***
At the end of another long afternoon stuck in my email box and on my cell phone, we sat on the back patio around the fire pit in the middle of our relocated-furniture zone. Hannah had brought over two pizzas and cream cheese frosted chocolate bacon cupcakes. I slid a couple of slices onto my paper plate after giving Hannah what she wanted.
Ben ignored the pizza and went straight for the dessert. He took a bite, then rolled his eyes into his head, moaned, and collapsed backward onto the decking where he’d been sitting. “I’ve died and gone to food heaven. That is officially the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
His happiness ended when Ava bounded over him and snarfed down the rest of his cupcake, paper wrapper and all. Mase’s shoulders shook in laughter while he chewed a mouthful of pizza.
Hannah quickly gave Ben a replacement cupcake when he stared at Ava in disbelief. Then she glanced over at me. “Okay. Thanks for sparing me trauma by having me come in through your side gate, but I’m going to have to see the kitchen sometime. How bad is it?”
I stood and tugged her up by the hand. “Words will never do it justice. Prepare yourself.”
Mase, Ben, and Ava hung back in the yard as Hannah and I walked through the back door and entered the disaster area that had become the kitchen. Large fans were still blowing to dry the place out, but I shut them off for a minute so we didn’t have to shout over them.
Needing body contact with her after two challenging days away from each other, I wrapped my arms around her from behind and held her close. “All the flooring and some of the subflooring is being pulled. The lower maple cabinets are totaled, along with all the drywall and baseboards.”
Hannah moaned softly. “It was such a dream kitchen.”
“It will be again. Don’t even bother looking in the basement. It’s a total redo, game tables and all.”
She turned in my arms and stared up at me. “You and Mase can sleep here while all this is going on?”
I nodded toward the hallway. “Take a look. The living room, kitchen, and basement took a hit for the rest of the house.”
Hannah kept shaking her head, like she couldn’t believe what had happened. That made two of us.
After I turned the fans back on, I led her into my dry bedroom. The moment I closed the door, I felt the stress on the other side of it begin to fade. All because Hannah was here again.
I pulled her into my arms and just held her, breathing. “Damn, Maestro. I’ve missed you bad.”
“Missed you too. I’m so sorry you had to handle this alone.”
I pulled back and kissed her softly. “Not alone. You were here, if only by text and phone. Mase has been awesome with this. With him here, I had the time to escape for a couple of hours today.”
When I released her, she stepped over to my bed and sat on the edge, looking up at me. “That’s right, you went out to lunch.”
“Yeah. And I went to Loading Zone afterward to help Ben out a bit.”
“Who’d you have lunch with?”
“No one. How was your lunch with Lila?”
Hannah didn’t reply. Instead her eyes narrowed imperceptibly. For a few seconds we stared at each other. And I had no idea what was happening as her expression hardened further.
“Cade, you were with Madison at Starbucks. I saw the two of you together when I drove by from Lila’s back to the shop. She was sitting across from you at a table. You were leaning back and laughing.”
I shook my head. “She stopped by, uninvited. I didn’t have lunch with her.”
Her brows drew together. “Why didn’t you just tell me she was there?”
“Because you asked me who I had lunch with.”
“So I have to ask when you see Madison? I know you’ve talked to Madison before without telling me. Why are you still keeping things between you and Madison from me?”
I blew out a hard breath. “I’m not keeping anything from you, Hannah. This is the first time I’ve seen you alone since lunch, and Madison surprising me for a few annoying minutes didn’t pop into my mind—I’d blanked it out.”
She frowned. “What about the other time?”
“You mean on Monday?”
“Yes. Monday. When Kristen and I were going over cake details last night, she mentioned that you spoke with Madison on Monday. I just went with it, acting like I already knew about it. But I felt blindsided. I should’ve known about it. You should have told me.”
I thought back to the nightmare of Monday afternoon. “Yeah, I confronted Madison in the lobby of the country club.”
Her brows raised. “Yeah. I got that part.”
Whoa. I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. She was pissed. I got it. “As I was leaving the parking lot, Mase called and texted. My house was going under water. I shoved all things Madison into the back of my mind to deal with everything else.”
She still held a deep scowl on her face. I tried to read her but failed. In a sudden movement, she burst up from the bed and nearly knocked me over. I took a step back as she paced back and forth. When she stopped, she stared hard at me. “Cade, I need to be able to trust you.”
I blinked. “Hannah, you should trust me. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“What about the hallway conversation after the tasting that I overhead? I had to pull that out of you too. When your ex tells you she wants you, and you don’t tell me that happened, what am I supposed to think? That’s three instances where you and Madison have been face to face that you haven’t told me about. How many others are there?”
Fuck. Do all women have an ingrained ability to remember old resolved screw-ups to recycle at a later date?
Not wanting to miss another detail, I scanned through my memory. “None. And I didn’t mean to keep any of them from you. In my mind, none were an issue worth mentioning.”
She scoffed. “Bullshit. If my ex told me he wanted me back, you don’t think you would have a right to know that? Don’t you think I would want to share it with you?”
My shoulders slumped. “You’re right. I would’ve been pissed as hell. And it was wrong of me not to tell you. I’m really sorry.”
She huffed out a breath through her lips. “I’ve been trying to blow off Kristen’s surprise comment, but it’s been bothering me—why you hadn’t told me, if there was a reason you were hiding it from me. With my past scar tissue, I pushed it into the back of my mind, trying to trust you as I waited for you to tell me. After today’s lunch with Madison, it all came rushing back.”
I took a step closer to her, softening my voice. “I had no idea. And I had truly forgotten with the craziness of the week. Guys can be dense sometimes. I’m a world-class idiot for not realizing how important the information was to you.”
Moisture welled up in her eyes. Her face tilted down to the floor before lifting back up to meet my gaze. She lowered her voice to a near whisper, repeating, “I need to be able to trust you.”
She didn’t need to say anything more. I pulled her into my arms, and instead of fighting me, she clung tightly. “I know you do, Hannah. Please, believe me. There is nothing going on. Madison is a nonissue for me—for us. But I promise to do a better job of keeping you in the loop. Speaking of which…”
I went on to update her with all the details of the conversation with Suzanne, the complaint she helped initiate with the board, and my subsequent phone call with the club’s legal counsel.
On a shaky breath, she nodded. “What do you think’s gonna happen? Do you think we’ve just pissed her off that much more?”
“I don’t know. I voiced my wishes to the attorney: that she be fired and that I never see her again.”
Hannah pulled back and gave me a tentative smile. “I totally second those wishes.”