Marry Me, Maddie

by Rita Herron

  "We'll just have to reschedule and push the crew," Chase said.

  "I don't understand how they could mess up the wiring this badly." Lance stalked over to examine the controls. "I gave the electrician specific instructions, and he assured me he understood. It's almost as if he intentionally botched the job."

  Chase shook his head. "Seems like you can't find good help these days."

  "There's more," Lance muttered, sounding discouraged.

  Maddie glanced at Lance, then Chase, and saw Chase stiffen, bracing for bad news.

  "The masonry crew laid the wrong kind of bricks at the Swanson place. And someone mixed sawdust in the cement so they couldn't pour the foundation on Lot 21B. Ruined a whole ton of good materials." Lance flicked the remote again, this time triggering the lights in each room to go off intermittently almost as if they were synchronized to the tune of "London Bridge Is Falling Down." "If I didn't know better, I'd think someone was sabotaging our plans."

  Maddie felt the hair on her neck prickle. The livelihood of her brothers' company depended on this development and the tour of homes, and so did hers. But who would want them to fail?

  * * *

  Chase fought off the urge to hit something in response to the problems that had arisen. This development, this job, meant everything to him—it was the one chance he had to prove to the folks of Savannah that Chase Holloway, illegitimate orphan, the kid nobody wanted, could be somebody.

  And no one was going to ruin it.

  Reid sauntered up just as they stepped outside. His gaze flickered from Lance to Maddie, almost guilty. Chase frowned. "Where've you been? We've been hunting for you."

  Reid's gaze swung to his battered boots. "I had some stuff to take care of."

  Lance immediately explained the situation.

  "I'll wait for you at the truck," Maddie said.

  Chase nodded, letting Lance and Reid pull him aside.

  "How come she's with you?" Reid asked.

  "You've been watching out for her, haven't you?" Lance said.

  Chase swallowed, regretting the agreement he'd made. "Yes. We met at the Greek Revival house to discuss the design."

  Lance patted him on the back. "Good, I feel better knowing you're taking care of our little sister. She hasn't been too difficult, has she?"

  Chase winced, remembering the heated kiss. To be exact, the two heated kisses. "No, not at all." Handling her was the problem.

  "With these problems at work," Reid said, "it's good to know Maddie's under control."

  I wouldn't exactly call things under control. Chase winced again, but tried to focus on the construction setbacks. Lance and Reid had never had trouble with a project before, at least not that he knew of. But he'd made a few enemies over the years, some of them troublemakers. If someone was sabotaging their business, could it possibly have something to do with him?

  * * *

  "I'm thinking of touring some of the historical sites this afternoon to refresh my memory of Savannah's historic district," Maddie said a few minutes later as they left the site. "I haven't done anything like that in ages. When I was growing up, I didn't pay much attention to Georgia history."

  "Sounds like a good idea, I'll tag along," Chase said, shocking Maddie. "It'll help us both with the historical aspects of the projects."

  "Can you afford to take off that much time?"

  "Looking at the ironwork and other details of the historic homes will help me double-check some of my own work," Chase explained.

  "All right." Heck, she'd take any excuse she could to be with him.

  How pathetic was she, she thought morosely.

  Thirty minutes later, they bought tickets for one of the walking tours. It began at Factors Row, a unique range of red-brick buildings named for the cotton factors and brokers who brought fame to Savannah for their cotton commerce. They covered Bay Street, then cut through the wharf area to River Street, enjoying the overhanging iron-railed balconies and soft, old brick. Maddie noted several restaurants and shops she wanted to visit later. They passed the train museum, then the group divided up when they came to Emmet Park, some people choosing to explore the many statues and memorials on their own. Chase and Maddie opted to tour some of the historical houses, starting with the Eppinger House.

  "He built this almost entirely out of heart-of-pine timbers," Chase whispered.

  Maddie grinned at the boyish excitement in his voice as he dropped in tidbits about the other details of the house. He did the same when they passed the Pink House, then the Herb House.

  "They painted the shutters blue to ward off ghosts in the Herb House," Chase said.

  "I have a client who'll be glad to know that fact," Maddie said wryly.

  "You have a client who believes in ghosts?"

  "Oh, yeah. Nora Ledbetter."

  Chase chuckled. "Right, the bracelet lady. I'm surprised her clanging jewelry doesn't scare off spirits."

  Maddie laughed. "Frankly, I'm shocked her terror of a little boy doesn't scare them off. If I had a kid like that, I'd probably send him back."

  Chase's smile faded. "Maybe he needs some extra attention."

  Maddie immediately realized what she'd said and silently chided herself for sounding so callous. "I'm sorry, Chase, I didn't mean that I'd really send him back. That was awful of me to say. His mother was ignoring him—"

  "Forget it, Maddie."

  "No, really." She grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her. His musky scent enveloped her, the pain in his eyes so intense it nearly took her breath away. "I was only joking. Sometimes I forget..."

  His jaw tightened, but his husky voice reverberated with emotions. "That I came from the orphanage."

  "Yes."

  "I never forget, Maddie. Not even for a minute."

  Her heart aching, she released him, and they walked in silence for a minute. Finally he ushered her toward the Pirate's House. "Why don't we get something to eat in here."

  Maddie agreed, noticing the way Chase self-consciously adjusted his eye patch. His reaction to her earlier comment stuck with her as they were seated. She tried to remember growing up, what Chase would have been doing when she and her family had celebrated holidays together. A wave of sadness washed over her. She missed her parents terribly but at least she had precious memories of them—what did Chase remember? Being abandoned? Not being wanted? Spending Christmas in the orphanage with sixty other homeless boys?

  "This place has a ghost all its own," Chase said.

  "Tell me about it," Maddie said, although she really wanted Chase to tell her about the ghosts in his past.

  * * *

  While the waitress set bowls of gumbo and plates of fresh bread on the table, Chase poured them each a glass of wine, forcing his gaze away from the tantalizing trap of Maddie's eyes. He shouldn't have grown defensive over her comment about the boy.

  But he couldn't help it. She'd only been joking, but memories haunted him day and night. And for a moment, he'd felt a strange connection, as if she wanted to hear his thoughts. He'd been tempted to unburden himself, too. He didn't want Maddie's sympathy though. He wanted her... her body. No, her friendship.

  Hell, he'd have to settle for friendship. Lance and Reid would kill him if he took anything else. Even if Maddie offered? a little voice inside his head whispered.

  "Chase, I thought you were going to tell me about the ghost."

  He nodded, pushing his private ghosts away in lieu of the pirate's tale. At least the legend was a safe topic. "There's an opening in the Buccaneer Room. It leads to the hidden tunnel underneath the Captain's Room. Legend says that when sailors would come in to port, the townspeople would get them drunk here, then spirit them away through the tunnel to the Savannah River."

  Maddie sipped her wine, a frown marring her face. "That's awful. I thought you were going to tell me some romantic tale."

  "Sorry." Chase laughed, unable to keep himself from teasing her. "I forgot you're a romantic, Maddie."

  "A lot of wom
en have pirate fantasies," Maddie said in a low voice.

  Chase shifted, touching his eye patch awkwardly.

  Did Maddie have fantasies about a pirate?

  "You look good in that patch, Chase. Every woman in here is staring at you."

  But she was the only one he had noticed.

  And she was definitely a woman.

  "How did you say you hurt your eye?"

  Chase's hand stroked the black triangle, heat climbing his neck at the memory. "I... uh, a branch flipped up and hit me when I was walking the property."

  Maddie's gaze locked with his and for a second, Chase thought she'd caught on to his lie. Then she bit into a chunk of bread, the dim light creating shadows around her lovely face, and he completely forgot about his discomfort. Candlelight flickered, highlighting her coffee-colored eyes with hints of gold that reminded him of caramel. Chase hadn't thought the atmosphere of the restaurant, with its fishing nets and dark exposed beams, would be especially romantic, but with Maddie sitting across from him in a slinky top, her hair spilling wildly about her face, those kissable lips begging for his mouth, they could have been in a dungeon and the place would have seemed romantic.

  Hell, he was in big trouble.

  "I bet the sailors weren't the only ones who used the tunnel." Maddie licked a drop of wine from her upper lip, sparking his body to arousal.

  Think aromatherapy, he silently ordered himself. It worked with Daphne, it might work with Maddie.

  "The tunnel would have been a perfect meeting place for lovers."

  Chase shifted uncomfortably. He'd thought the story of the tunnel was a safe topic.

  "Especially couples who were forbidden to be together," Maddie murmured wistfully. "A British soldier maybe and a young girl from one of Savannah's founding families. They slip out and meet in the tunnel at midnight—"

  Think about all those sweet candles, the heat, the hot bubbling water. You couldn't get it up.

  "They'd meet in a dimly lit corner so no one could see them, hold hands and kiss in the dark."

  Damn, it wasn't working! He was getting more and more aroused. He had to stop Maddie from any further musings.

  He quirked a brow. "You've got some imagination, don't you?"

  Maddie blushed. "Sorry to get carried away. Touring the town reminded me of all the ghost tales and stories of star-crossed lovers in Savannah. Like the one about Nellie Jordon sliding down the banister and crushing that man's velvet hat. It must have been destiny for them to meet like that, then marry."

  Chase attacked his gumbo, hoping to at least sate one of his appetites. "I don't believe in any of that nonsense, romance or ghost-wise."

  Maddie ran her finger along the stem of her wineglass. The glass would feel smooth and cold and slick—how would Maddie's skin feel if he traced his finger along the edge of her cheek?

  "You mean you don't believe in love, Chase?"

  He nearly choked on a piece of okra. "Hardly."

  "I do. Maybe you should think about putting a tunnel or secret room in one of your designs. Someplace the couple could escape for a secret rendezvous."

  "The war was over a long time ago, Maddie."

  "Yeah, but there's all kinds of distractions for a couple. Who knows, maybe when they're having a dinner party or their nosy family drops in, they could sneak away for a quickie."

  Chase coughed and downed his wine, wondering if she was referring to her nosy, protective brothers.

  He'd build that tunnel, take Maddie down inside where it was cozy and dark, strip her naked and love her until she screamed her brains out.

  Of course, if Lance and Reid discovered he'd done it, the tunnel would be the perfect place to bury his body after they murdered him.

  * * *

  The next day Maddie glanced up from her computer and rubbed her tired eyes. Her sleep had been less than restful the night before, filled with romantic dreams of making love in a tunnel with an illusive pirate, a man who smelled and tasted like Chase Holloway. A man wearing nothing but a black eye patch over one eye.

  T. C. purred, looking at her as if she'd neglected him, and she reached down and rubbed his belly, laughing when he rolled onto his back and shined his jewels. Typical male.

  To release her sexual energy, she'd jogged three miles before breakfast. All afternoon, she'd been researching the history of Savannah, documenting some of the more famous mansions and their furnishings, hoping to create a classy decorating scheme for the replica of the Elizabeth Henry house. She'd also been putting off calling Noisy Nora to set up another meeting. And she'd been trying not to think about Chase all day.

  Why had he rushed away from the Pirate's House so quickly? He'd acted as if he'd been called to an emergency. As if he couldn't escape from her fast enough. Did he know she suspected the truth about the way he'd injured his eye?

  Or had all that romantic gibberish disturbed him? Chase had said he wasn't a romantic. She believed him now. Or maybe he just couldn't see her in a romantic way. Just as his kid sister.

  The sooner she accepted it, the better off she'd be.

  The wind chimes on her decorating den door clinked as a knock shook them. Probably Lance or Reid coming by to check—although they hadn't been by in two days. Maybe they were actually taking her seriously and going to give her some space. And maybe Chase had decided to pick her up here instead of meeting her on the square as they'd planned. To wind up their little historic tour, they were taking one of the famous carriage rides tonight. A flutter of excitement tickled her stomach at the thought of the moonlit ride. Yesterday she'd felt as if she'd grown closer to Chase, as if he'd allowed her to peek at the emotions he tried so hard to keep hidden. Tonight...

  The knock sounded again. She rose and rubbed her neck. "Who is it?"

  "It's me, Madison."

  Jeff? What was he doing here?

  He opened the door, lowered his head to enter and gave the inside of the van a quick perusal. Maddie pursed her lips, biting back a reply when she saw that little vee of disapproval crinkle between his eyebrows.

  "Jeff, what are you doing here?"

  "I came to see how you were doing." His eyes flickered warily. "After all, I did help you get set up."

  And took her mother's pendant. "You aren't here to remind me of that, now are you?"

  The groove deepened between his eyes as his right eyelid twitched. "I didn't mean it like that, Maddie. I just... I don't really know why I came."

  The honesty in his admission surprised her. "All right. Then come on in, but I don't have long. I have a meeting in half an hour."

  He made a point of checking his watch. "A business meeting so late?"

  "I'm trying to put together this Tour of Homes. There's a lot to do, Jeff."

  "So you still intend to drive this decorating van around town?"

  Maddie's hand closed around her briefcase. "Yes, of course I do. I've invested a lot of money as well as my mother's heirloom in this, as you know."

  He ignored her barb. "Who are you meeting?"

  "Not that it's any of your business, but I'm meeting Chase Holloway to gather research for the project."

  The frown on his face resembled jealousy. "Holloway, that... that derelict boy from the orphanage. Good grief, Maddie, he has a bad reputation—"

  "He's not a derelict anymore, Jeff. He graduated from college and is an architect now."

  "Well, as long as you aren't involved personally."

  Maddie bit back a reply.

  "Well..."

  "Well, what?"

  "I miss you, Maddie." He shrugged sheepishly, that boyish smile she'd always loved twitching at the corner of his mouth. "I've been thinking about us, about all the good times we had. I never realized how much I needed you until you walked out of my life."

  "We did have some good times, Jeff," Maddie conceded, fond memories suffusing her. "But things have changed. We're not the same people we were in college."

  He fiddled with a tray of floor samples. "It doesn't
have to be that way. Have dinner with me, Maddie. Let's see if we can work things out."

  "Dinner?"

  "Yes, we could talk about a reconciliation."

  "A reconciliation?"

  "You sound like a parrot, Maddie. I simply wanted us to talk. Get back to where we used to be."

  She gathered her briefcase and a notepad. "I'm sorry, I can't afford to take the time, Jeff. I have a lot at stake here." My mother's pendant for one. My independence for another.

  "I realize now how important your business is to you." He brushed a tendril of her hair away from her face. "I'm sorry I didn't understand before."

  "I always told you I had dreams, Jeff. And I intend to see them through."

  "I know, and I was being selfish." He reached out and traced her jaw with the pad of his thumb. "I really care about you, Maddie. You just took me off guard that day. I'm sorry I acted like an ass. I should have been more understanding."

  Maddie hesitated. He sounded so sincere. "I... I don't know what to say, Jeff. But I do need to go."

  Jeff moved his legs sideways as she bent to retrieve her shoes. She'd kicked them off hours ago when she'd sprawled on the floor to survey her fabric samples.

  He looked crestfallen. "I guess I'll leave then. Just promise me you'll think about it."

  "I'll think about it, "Maddie said quietly.

  He nodded, then climbed from the van, and Maddie followed, sliding her feet into the pumps when she made it to the ground. Jeff grabbed Maddie's hand and squeezed it, then leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm not giving up on us."

  Maddie nodded mutely, then watched him walk to his BMW and drive away, stunned. Did Jeff really want to go back to the way things were? And if he did, was it really possible?

  Chapter 10

  "You're late," Chase said when Maddie rushed up to meet him by the City Market.

  "Sorry." Maddie smoothed a lock of her windblown hair back into the clip at the base of her neck, drawing his attention to the pale skin beneath her earlobe. Tender, delicate skin he'd like to touch...