Chapter Thirty-Nine

Isaac

 

Maddie was beautiful lying there on her bed. Her perfect silhouette displayed beneath the thin sheet left me breathless. Her long hair flowed from the pillow, and she looked so relaxed, so peaceful. “Are you going to be okay here alone for a while?” I asked, knowing she would be just fine. Maddie Stewart was a strong woman, able to overcome anything in her life, and she’d proven that many times.

“Of course,” she purred, rolling over to face me.

I hated to leave, but my phone had rung off the hook all morning, and Beth had sent several texts about a client that needed my help. I was going to have to go back to Miami soon, but I hated to leave Maddie.

I leaned down, kissing Maddie on the forehead, and then headed out of her apartment. Once I was in my rental car and on my way back to the hotel, I called Beth. “What’s going on?” I asked.

Her voice was exhausted as she let out a sigh. “It’s Mr. Gallo. He’s demanding our attention right away, meaning your attention rather. He says his fiancée is planning something this weekend, and he’s insistent that she’s up to no good,” she explained. “When are you coming back?” Beth asked.

I stammered at her question. I hadn’t thought about going back so soon. I wanted to stay, to work things out with Maddie a bit further, and possibly plan our future, if there was to be one. “I take it you need me back there right now?” I asked.

“I’m so sorry. I know you want to stay and win Maddie back, but this is important. If we can’t do this for him, he’ll take his business elsewhere. He was adamant about that,” she apologized.

“Maddie and I are actually doing very well; that’s why I’d hate to leave,” I growled. “I’ll book a flight. Tell him I’ll be there this evening,” I spat.

I pulled up to the hotel and went inside and gathered my belongings. At the front desk, I turned in my keys and paid the bill. My hand clenched around my phone, not sure if I wanted to book the flight before talking to Maddie.

No, I have to talk to her first.

Maddie opened the door to her apartment and let me back inside. My heart ached as she wrapped her arms around me and showered me with a welcoming kiss. “What’s wrong?” she asked, obviously noting my tension.

“I have to go back to Miami,” I complained.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. I couldn’t tell what emotion she was feeling. “When?” she asked.

“Now. I have to book the next available flight,” I informed her with disappointment in my voice.

Her eyes saddened, and her bottom lip pushed out. “I understand,” she said softly. I watched as she moved into the kitchen. “Are you hungry?” she asked. I was starving. “I ordered pizza from the place by my gym. I wanted to taste it one last time.”

“Last time?” I questioned.

“I decided I’m not staying in Portland. There’s nothing here for me,” she said so casually it killed my soul. Where was she going? “I want to start fresh,” she added.

The thought of Maddie starting out fresh meant that she was leaving me behind as well. She was leaving everything behind to start a new life. Fuck. I was losing her all over again, and this time, probably for good.

I noticed three large suitcases by the couch in the living room as I followed her from the kitchen. She set the pizza box on the table and pulled a large slice from the pie, handing it to me. “Try this; you’ll love it,” she insisted.

I took a bite, but it was hard to swallow. My throat was closing shut and my chest tightening. “It’s delicious,” I muttered as I swallowed hard to get the piece down my closing throat.

We sat and ate in silence, until I couldn’t take it any longer. “Maddie, I know you’ve been through a lot. But, I don’t know if moving away from everything you know, from everyone you know, is the best idea right now,” I pleaded.

“I don’t have anyone here in Portland. The friends I had from school I’ve drifted apart from thanks to Rob’s jealousy, and the ones from college are spread out all over the globe now, and I’m not close with any of them. There is nothing here for me,” she explained, smiling in my direction.

She looked happy about her decision. I sure the hell wasn’t. “I’m really not ready to lose you again. I love you, and I know if you gave us a chance, you’d see that we are perfect for each other. We were so happy in Miami, you were so happy,” I continued to plead my case for her not to start completely fresh.

She didn’t speak, just smiled sweetly in my direction. I knew she didn’t want to hurt me. But this hurt like hell.

“You need to get your flight booked before it’s too late,” she insisted.

I watched her chewing on her pizza, her eyes bright and filled with excitement. She was happy. I couldn’t deny that. Maybe I was being selfish by trying to keep her to myself. She deserved to live her life, even if it wasn’t with me.

“Yeah, you’re right,” I agreed, pulling my phone from my pocket.

My bag was already packed and loaded in my car. I knew when I came up here that I’d be leaving Maddie; I just didn’t imagine she’d be leaving as well, to only God knows where.

I scrolled through my phone until I found the airline’s number. I clicked the phone icon and waited as it rang. The message prompted me to push one for English, and then three to book a reservation. Finally, a woman answered, asking me how she could help.

“I need a ticket to Miami from Portland, today if possible,” I explained.

“There’s a flight leaving in two hours; can you make that?” she asked.

My eyes shifted to Maddie. Two hours didn’t give me much time to say goodbye, but I knew it was a long flight. If I left then, I’d arrive late that evening in Miami, giving me time to get briefed by Beth on what I needed to do for Mr. Gallo.

“Yes, that flight would be fine,” I said, the phone on speaker where Maddie could hear.

“How many tickets?” the woman asked.

“One,” I sighed.

“Two,” Maddie chimed in. “He needs two tickets.”

My heart jumped against my chest. Her eyes were wide and bright, and her smile smeared across her face so perfectly it took my breath away. “Two tickets,” I announced proudly.

The woman took my information and I quickly hung up. “Are you serious?” I asked Maddie, who was still smiling wide.

“Yes. A fresh start, with you,” she giggled. “You didn’t think I was just going to leave you, did you?” she laughed.

I did. That was exactly what I’d thought. I wrapped my arms around her, lifting her from the floor, and swung her around the room as my lips pressed into hers. I couldn’t wait for our fresh start.