Ben sat in the boarding area at Denver International airport, checking emails from his staff. They were updating Ben with meeting times and locations that would swamp him in the next few days as they negotiated the public sale of his company. A company he’d built with his own blood, sweat and tears. A company he was proud of. And a company he still wasn’t willing to let go.

Mind made up, he answered Patrick’s email, giving him his flight information and copying his assistant. Ben would need a car to drive him to the office first, then he’d return to his condo, sort through his shit and try to forget Maggie Lawrence. Good luck.

His phone pinged with an incoming text.

Emmett.

EMMETT: WTF? Why didn’t you tell Maggie?

BEN: Tell her what?

EMMETT: That you were leaving town dumbass.

BEN: I didn’t know I needed to report my every move to her.

As soon as he sent the message, Ben knew he’d gone too far. He was being an ass. Ben waited for Emmett’s response, the guilty burn of regret in his stomach returning—the same ache that had started when he watched helplessly as his mother and Maggie rode away in the ambulance only days before. The day Ben had realized he loved Maggie. Probably always had.

Her words that day had spoken volumes of her true feelings though. She didn’t trust him, didn’t trust anyone. And he’d be a fool to wait around for her to learn that particular skill.

Maggie had issues she needed to deal with. It wasn’t possible for her to love him, or anyone.

His phone rang. Emmett. God, he didn’t feel like talking. Especially about Maggie. But Ben wanted an update on his mother.

“What?” Ben growled.

“Seriously, dude, you never talked to her?”

“So?” Ben scowled.

“So,” Emmett said sarcastically, “Aaron told me she looked like we’d drowned that stupid ass cat of hers when he told her you’d already left.”

Ben’s heart ached knowing he’d hurt her. That had never been his intent in leaving this morning. Actually, he’d left to protect himself.

“Are you ever going to call her? The chick is devastated.”

Ben sat silently.

“At least let her apologize properly,” Emmett said. “I can’t believe you’ve avoided her for two days. She’s said the word ‘sorry’ at least a hundred times, to all of us, since Ma collapsed.”

Maggie had apologized once to him, in the hospital, before she’d ran away. Again. Since then he’d made up his mind and had purposely avoided her, which hadn’t been easy given the fact his mother and Aunt Sally were still plotting to push them together.

“And you owe her an apology, too for being suck a dick. You said some harsh shit to her, man.”

Ben had, but he didn’t want to talk about it with his brother. He blew out a heavy breath. “Look man, I’ve got a lot of shit on my plate right now.”

“Sure, you do,” Emmett said sarcastically.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Nothing, man. Go, take care of your shit.”

“Are you pissed at me for leaving?” Ben asked. “You and Aaron said it was all right, that you could handle it.”

“We will, go do your thing.”

“How’s Ma?”

“Better. Up to her match making again.”

“Who’s up this time?” Ben asked, thankful it wasn’t him.

“Me. Thankfully, I’m not as weak as you, though. Plus, she picked the wrong target anyway.” Emmett laughed.

“Elle?”

Emmett snorted. “Yeah. Aunt Sally invited her to the hospital.”

Ben sank back in his chair. “How’d that go?”

“Not good.” There was an edge to Emmett’s response. A hard edge.

“I’m sorry, man.” Ben had never known exactly what happened between Emmett and Elle, but he had a feeling seeing her couldn’t have been easy for Emmett.

“Listen, don’t worry about anything back here.” Emmett reassured him. “We’ll be fine here. Go, do your thing in the big city, make lots of money and come see us when you’re rich and famous.”

Ben went silent, listening to the gate announcement. Something in his heart ached as he sat, poised to leave Canyon Creek, and his family. Again. Maybe running was his MO, not Maggie’s.

“Hey,” he said, “we’re about to board. I’ll call you when I get to Seattle.”

“All right. Safe travels.”

“Thanks man.” Ben smiled. As much shit as they gave each other, Ben and his brothers truly cared about one another.

“Call her.”

Ben’s smile fell. He didn’t have to ask who.

“Just to say you forgive her,” Emmett said. “And tell her you’re sorry, too. You owe her that, at least.”

Ben ignored his comment. “Take care of Ma. And call me if anything happens.”

“Roger that, brother. Later.”

“Later, man.”

Ben hit the end button and stood, gathering his laptop bag and carry-on. As he checked in with the gate attendant and walked down the long jetway, images of Maggie flashed in his mind. Her on top of him. Her under him. Her curled up next to him, her ivory skin aglow from the light of the fireplace.

More memories flooded his mind, only this time of a different sort. Memories of her kindness, her loyalty, her vulnerability in sharing the painful memories of her past. She hadn’t been running away then. He was the idiot, walking away from her.

With a moan, he found his seat in first class and sank into the leather.

“May I take that, Mr. Sumner?” A blonde flight attendant asked, reaching for his carry-on. She was beautiful with a wide, friendly smile and a figure that would normally have his dick throbbing.

A few months ago, she would have been just his type. Ben would have happily let her take more than just his carry-on. But now, all he could think about were long, auburn curls, emerald green eyes and lips that could do more harm than good.

Ben retrieved his phone from his pocket and stared at the blank screen. As passengers wandered down the aisle Ben mentally calculated the time he had left before they closed the cabin door. Just enough time to call her, he estimated. What could she say to change his mind though? What did he want her to say? Unable to answer either question, he turned his phone off and tucked it into his laptop bag.

Ben leaned back in the seat, closing his eyes, praying he wouldn’t dream of the green-eyed fairy who’d wormed her way into his heart fifteen years ago. Even as he wished it, images of Maggie danced across his lids.

People always said home was where your heart was. They were wrong.

His home was in Seattle. But his heart? He feared that was lost forever in Canyon Creek.