Maggie

"You did?" I was in shock. I was so glad this conversation was happening, but I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Shane's mouth. I'd been kicking myself throughout the night for not bringing it up earlier, right when we sat down at the restaurant yesterday. Then, when I woke up this morning, I was worried that I'd waited too long.

But the more I got to know Shane again, the more I had the feeling that he couldn't possibly be doing this to make money or capitalize on the land. He didn't seem like the type at all.

"I wasn't even sure if you were still living here. I'd planned on looking you up once I got settled. But I was with Brittany and, even though I wasn't one-hundred-percent sure how I felt about her, I wouldn't have cheated on her. I could never lie to someone like that. It's just not in me."

"I'm glad." I heard the words after I'd said them and realized how callous it sounded. "I mean, I'm glad you're not that kind of person, not that you two broke up. I guess I'm glad that you figured out how you felt, though. But what makes you think it was me?"

"I don't know, it was almost like an idea at the back of my head that I couldn't shake, or a feeling. When the offer came up, I just knew I had to take it."

"How did you find out about it?"

"My manager. He's been with me for a long time. He'd been my agent up until a few years ago and, because he seemed to know what he was doing, I had him start managing my money for me. I've had a hard time getting to a place where I felt I could trust anyone, especially on that level, but I trust him. He's made some really good investments for me, and that's mostly why I'm able to afford the land. Even the money I make on all my movies wouldn't have put me in the same league as the other guys who wheel and deal in that kind of market."

"Is he taking care of the whole thing for you?"

"Yeah, pretty much. He's got a real estate lawyer all lined up and the only thing I really have to do is sign the papers when the deal is finalized. I wouldn't know what to say during any of those meetings anyway."

"Wow, that's really exciting. I hope it all works out for you." I paused for a moment before asking my next question. The question that had been on my mind ever since Janine told me about the sale. "So what are you going to do with the land?" I think my nervousness came through in my voice because I could hear it shaking ever so slightly. I really wanted to trust Shane, and when I looked in his eyes and saw the sincerity there, I knew that I could.

"Why don't we talk about that out on the balcony? I'll bring breakfast out there and I can show you what I've been thinking. Maybe you can help me decide," he said with a warm smile.

"I'd like that."

* * *

When we were out on the outdoor patio that wrapped around the entire back of the house, Shane brought out a huge tray of fruit and toast and tea.

"I hope you like tea. I forgot to get coffee and this is all there was in the cupboard. Earl Grey," he read off the tag as he sat the tray down in the center of the table and started to pour some for himself.

"Earl Grey sounds perfect." Everything sounded and felt perfect. The incredible view from this gorgeous balcony … and last night with Shane. Being with him was better than I could have ever imagined—and I had imagined it pretty well.

After I ate a huge pile of cubed mango and pineapple, Shane took me over to a telescope and showed me the area of land he was purchasing, which included my secret cove.

Our secret cove, I thought as I looked through the eyepiece and felt Shane's warm body up against mine.

"So, the property I'm purchasing covers the area from the line of short palm trees about forty feet from this house to that second outcropping of rocks and extends about twenty miles south."

"Wow, that's really far."

"Yeah, it's a lot of land, and I really want to do right by it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't want to ruin any of the natural setting. When I build on it—I'm planning a house for myself and one for my parents—I'm going to have someone come in who will be diligent about making sure the building of the houses and the maintaining of them doesn't have any impact on the surrounding forest. I want to keep everything as close to the way it is right now as possible."

"Wow, that's really incredible, Shane. I'm impressed that you care enough to consider that. You know, this whole area is pretty sacred to the native people on this island. My father's side of the family has ancestors buried here. Plus my grandmother's ashes were scattered at the cove."

"Yeah, I've heard a little about that, but I'd love for you to tell me more. I'd love for you to be a part of this, Maggie."

When Shane spoke those words, I felt like I was falling into a pool of warm water that enveloped my body. His voice and the words he said, it was all so incredible. I felt like this all had to be a dream. It just didn't seem like I could be this lucky.

I turned around and looked up into his eyes. "I want to be a part of it too, Shane." I wasn't sure if I should say what was on my mind, but I knew I had to. "I knew you were buying that property, and to tell you the truth, I was really upset at first. I thought maybe you were going to tear it all up and build some horrible condos or a resort."

"There are a lot of people who want to do that exact thing. I was lucky to get in on it when I did. I don't know how my manager swung it, but I was the first one offered this deal. But now … well … if I didn't buy this property … I know for a fact that there's a list as long as my arm of other people who would snap it up in a second. For twice what I'm paying. And there would be resorts popping up along this shore within months."

"I can imagine." I smiled up at Shane. "I'm glad you're buying it. It feels right."

"Thank you. That means a lot to me, Maggie."

* * *

When I got home I was practically floating on air. Shane and I had finished breakfast on the terrace, then he brought me back to my house around noon. Even though I felt like I had to tear myself away from him, I had lots of things to do before the work week started.

After I walked in the door, I felt my phone vibrate. When I fished it out of my bag I was surprised when I saw multiple calls and texts from Janine. I hadn't even looked at my phone once while I was with Shane.

"What's up?" I asked Janine.

"Where have you been? I've been trying to get ahold of you since last night."

"I'll tell you all about it. But first tell me whatever it is that had you calling and texting me fifteen times. It must be pretty damned important," I laughed.

"You're not going to like this, Maggie."

"What?"

"I talked to one of the lawyers at the firm on the team that is putting together that land deal."

"Yeah?"

"He is totally planning on building condos, right down there on the beach."

"Who?"

"Shane Holloway!"

"No, Janine, that's not possible. I just talked to him and he told me what he's planning on doing. It has nothing to do with condos. He's building a house for himself and one for his parents. He said he doesn't want any of the guys who are thinking about condos to even get their hands on that property."

"They've applied for permits, Maggie. For multi-dwelling structures."

"I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. I told you, he's planning on building two homes. That's probably why there's permits for multiple buildings."

"No, not multiple buildings, multiple dwelling structures. Condos."

I was stunned. I still couldn't believe what she was telling me. If what she was saying was true, that meant that everything Shane told me was a lie.

"Are you sure they couldn't be mistaken? Just because there are permit applications, that doesn't mean that's what he is intending to do."

"One of the reasons people apply for permits at this stage is to make sure their plans will be able to go forward once the deal is finalized. If they're applying for them, that means they intend to use them. I hate to say it, Maggie, but it sounds like he was feeding you a story."

"But why would he do that?" A sinking feeling hit my stomach even before the words came out of my mouth.

"Did you sleep with him last night?"

I didn't say anything. I couldn't believe it was true. There was no way my instincts about him could have been that far off.

"Maggie? You did, didn't you?"

"But he didn't tell me about his plans until after … Oh God. Do you really think he told me that to get me into bed?"

"What do you think?"

"I have no idea what to think now! I mean, I obviously can't trust my instincts because I never in a million years would have thought everything he said was a lie."

"What else did he tell you?"

I didn't want to repeat any of it. I was too humiliated to even think about all the wonderful things he'd told me last night and this morning. I couldn't believe how stupid I was.

"I don't want to talk about it right now, Janine. I'm gonna go."

"Maggie, please don't take this too hard. He's just a guy—"

"I gotta go." I hung up on Janine, but I couldn't stand to hear her say another word. I couldn't believe any of this. It just didn't seem possible. But the truth was staring me right in the face. Shane had lied to me … about everything.