by Kay Bratt
She’d never denied that fact.
“You shouldn’t have moved so far away, Mags. I wasn’t ready for that.”
“I know. But you have to admit it’s beautiful here,” Maggie said.
“And expensive,” Colby said. “Someone left behind a real estate magazine on the plane. The prices for even modest living are insane. You can’t really ever have a life here, can you? I can’t imagine how much you’d have to make to even qualify to buy a house.”
“I do okay,” Maggie said. “And you know I wanted to be close to Quinn again.”
“And far from me,” he said softly.
She wasn’t touching that one.
“Have you made any new friends?” Colby asked.
“I have a friend named Juniper. She lives a few doors down and works with me. But I’m not looking for more. I get enough mom-shaming when I look in the mirror each night and rewind my day. I don’t need a group of overzealous young moms comparing their children’s accomplishments against Charlie’s.”
“Sounds fair. But I was talking about the male sort.”
“Oh. Well, not really,” Maggie said, embarrassed now at her tirade against other young moms. They weren’t all that competitive, were they? “I’ve been busy with work. And Charlie.” And a relentless stalker.
“What about the guy you were surfing with? He didn’t stick around long enough to meet me, did he?”
Maggie hadn’t even been sure that Colby had seen Joe, since he hadn’t said anything about it. But she should’ve known. That was his way. He liked to take things in, think about them, and let them simmer, then bring them out for discussion when he was ready.
“That’s my boss, the veterinarian.”
“So you’re sleeping with your boss? Those are some great fringe benefits.”
She picked up a throw pillow and threw it at him. “No! And if I was, why do you care?”
He didn’t answer, and she didn’t press it.
“Joe is just a friend, Colby. He’s safe, and you don’t have to worry about me having random boyfriends around Charlie. I’m very careful who he is exposed to. A little overprotective, probably.”
“Does Joe know he’s just a friend?”
“Yes, Joe knows. I made sure Quinn and Liam were there too. Just in case. It’s also the first time I’ve been around him outside of work.”
Colby was silent for a moment. Maggie could tell he had more to say.
“Mags,” he said, “I don’t know if I’ve ever said it, but you’re a great mom. Don’t doubt yourself.”
“Oh, you might not think that if you’d been around more in the first two years. I went weeks without a shower, and more often than not, I felt depressed and inadequate. It’s a miracle Charlie is the awesome kid that he is.”
“I wanted to be around more. If you remember right, you wouldn’t let me,” Colby said. “You basically kicked me out, Maggie.”
She didn’t quite remember it that way. Her recollection was that he had a hard time going from bachelor to daddy. It wasn’t that he’d ever said anything, it was just what she suspected. She’d just made it easy for him and showed him the door, narrowing his responsibility down to child support payments and scheduled visits.
But if that was all true, why did she feel so guilty about it?
“You need to get some rest,” she said, diverting the conversation. “And I’m exhausted too. That was my first surf lesson you saw out there, and it kicked my butt. My shoulders are fighting for the title of worst pain ever, but my thighs are winning. Gripping that surfboard makes marks that are felt deep.”
Colby gave a little growl.
“Don’t talk about your thighs, please,” he said.
She gave him a stern look. “Stop. Get your mind out of the gutter.”
He set his beer down on the side table and patted his lap.
“Lay here and I’ll rub your shoulders,” he said.
Maggie was tempted. Even before the surf lessons, she’d spent hours bending over the surgery table, assisting Joe in one procedure after another. Then wrestling the surfboard, followed by the hard paddling, and topping it off with standing over a sink full of dishes left by two mischievous boys. And that didn’t even count the time spent on her hands and knees scooping up Legos and toy trucks.
Her upper body was screaming.
“No. Thanks anyway,” she said.
“You really don’t want a massage?” Colby asked, his voice unbelieving.
“Not if it involves a penis.”
Colby threw his head back and laughed loudly until he was wiping tears. “Now whose mind is in the gutter?”
Maggie just smiled. She was serious. She knew what his massages always led to, and her mama didn’t raise no fool.
“Oh, Mags,” Colby said, finally catching his breath. “God, I missed you and that sassy mouth. You have no idea how much.”
They both got quiet for a minute; then Maggie jumped up, hoping he wasn’t waiting for her to return the sentiment. She didn’t believe in pursuing lost causes. She also didn’t trust herself to make the right decision if she started going down that path.
“I’m going to bed,” she said, deciding a massage wasn’t worth the risk of falling under his spell again. “I work at noon tomorrow, and I won’t be home until after dinner. You can drop me off and use my car if you’d like.”
“Can I keep Charlie with me?” He looked so earnest.
“If you promise not to sneak off the island with him.” Maggie was only half kidding.
Colby held his hands up defensively. “Are you crazy? I’ve seen that red-haired temper of yours, and I ain’t looking for some enraged mama bear to come after me.”
“Good. There’s a Walmart in Kahului if you want to go pick up some more appropriate clothes for Maui weather. Just look it up on your phone. It’s an easy drive. And while you’re there, can you get some sunscreen? Rosa, his babysitter, said the one I sent is almost gone.”
He gave her a thumbs-up.
“I’m serious, Colby. If you take Charlie in the sun, be sure to coat him down good. Get his ears too. He’ll go from milk to lobster in five minutes if you forget. He’s got my dysfunctional skin.”
Unlike Colby’s skin, which was a delicious-looking bronze on the parts that got to see the sun. She looked away again, peeling her eyes from his chest.
“Sure. Face. Ears. Got it. Any specific kind?”
“Something that doesn’t kill the environment and poison our son at the same time would be great.”
“Cool,” Colby said. “I’ll ask Google.”
“Good night, Colby,” she said softly, then went into the bedroom and eased the door shut. What she couldn’t say aloud was that whether she wanted to admit it or not, this might be the first full night of sleep for her in far too long. She still resented him for showing up uninvited, but she knew she could rest easy with Colby between her and anything on the other side of the front door.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Maggie felt an ache in her fingers as she gripped the door handle. If she had known that Juniper was such a crazy driver, she probably wouldn’t have agreed to this little field trip. She hoped that they could get done quickly, as Charlie was home waiting for her.
Well, maybe not exactly waiting for her. She’d called before they left the clinic, and Colby said he hadn’t asked for her all day. He and Charlie had spent the afternoon on one of Quinn’s family boats—a complimentary excursion, no less. They’d lucked upon a pod of dolphins that decided to be playful around them. Charlie was now on a quest to learn all he could about the cute little mammals and was begging Colby to take him to the library.
Imagining Colby in a library brought a smile to her face. He wouldn’t know the first thing about finding the right book. She could just see the glisten of perspiration on his forehead.
She glanced at Woodrow in the back seat, and they exchanged knowing looks when Juniper tapped her brakes too fast. She shot him a silent apology.
She’d stumbled out of the bedroom to find Colby midair in a judo kick, with Charlie wide-eyed and ready for his turn.
“I told you,” she said, then went back to bed and tried to block out the noise with a pillow. It hadn’t worked, and she finally got up and made eggs and bacon, then took Woodrow for a walk before it was time for Colby to drop her off at work.
Now she was dragging.
“Ooh, no you don’t,” Juniper mumbled under her breath, slipping into the other lane to pass the car in front of them, then quickly back into the right.
“Juniper, please,” Maggie said, nearly hitting her head on the window as she was forced to lean each way. “Don’t forget Woodrow isn’t harnessed in.”
Juniper laughed. “Sorry, I know I drive too aggressive. It’s an emotional release for me.”
Aggressive was an understatement. Maggie hoped they made it back to the clinic in one piece. For such a free-spirited hippie type, Juniper sure needed to let out a lot of steam.
They were on a rescue mission.
It was near the end of her shift when a call had come in that someone had heard what sounded like a dog whining coming from under a dumpster behind a store near Front Street. Juniper had told them to call the Maui Humane Society, but the lady said she kept getting a recording.
Juniper informed Joe, and he suggested they team up and go take a look.
“I’m glad Joe let us go early,” Maggie said. “It’s nearly a hundred degrees today, and there’s no telling how long the dog has been out there.”
Juniper nodded. “I know. It might even be too late when we get there.”
The irony of the situation hadn’t been lost on either of them. Juniper said that the café she thought the Ghost had worked from was near that same store that the dumpster was behind. They would have to be careful because Maggie sure didn’t want him spotting her or sneaking up behind them.
“I heard about your ex dropping in,” Juniper said. “Starr wasn’t too thrilled.”
“Why? Did he say he wasn’t?”
“Nope, but I could tell by his tone. You do know that he’s crushing on you, right?” Juniper glanced at her, smiling.
“He is not,” Maggie said. “We’re friends and that’s it.”
“Okay,” Juniper said. “Think what you want, Miss Gullible. But I’m telling you, he was bummed that Charlie’s dad is back in the picture.”
Maggie let that sink in for a moment. She wasn’t oblivious. There was something weird brewing between her and Joe. She could feel it when they worked together, the vibes bouncing off the stainless-steel table between them. But it wasn’t something she’d planned on pursuing. Friendship was enough. Her life was too complicated to add a love interest right now, especially if that interest was her boss and especially with Colby breathing down her neck.
“He’s actually not back in the picture. He’s just visiting.”
“Oh. Well, in that case, Joe wouldn’t be too bad of a catch for you,” Juniper said. “You wouldn’t have to scrape by anymore, just barely making it, and Charlie could have a father figure in the picture all the time.”
“Not funny,” Maggie said.
“I’m not joking. All you need to do is give him one ounce of encouragement, and I swear you’ll have a ring on that finger so fast your head will spin.”
“I barely know him, Juniper.”
Juniper laughed. “Just wait until you’ve been on the island a while. It’s slim pickings finding a good partner, and a few weeks is considered a long-term relationship here.”
“Please stop talking about this,” Maggie said, rubbing her temples. The truth was, she felt guilty because the thought had crossed her mind. Life could be easier if she just let her guard down and learned to trust someone else.
But she wanted to be head over heels in love. Not be with someone for convenience. She wanted her person to feel like he couldn’t take another breath in a world that didn’t have her in it. And she wanted to feel the same.
On the other hand, she didn’t know too many married couples who were head over heels anymore, so maybe that was just a fantasy.
They turned behind the row of shops.
“Okay, look for the one that has an orange bicycle locked up beside it. She said we should see it easily,” Juniper said.
“I’m looking. But just so you know, Colby will be leaving Maui soon.”
“Willingly?” Juniper asked. “Without you?”
Maggie shot her an exasperated look. “Yes. Willingly. He knows that part of our relationship is long gone and over.”
“I thought you said he doesn’t fly? If he overcame that fear to get here, I’d think that was pretty significant. Have you always been this blind when it comes to men?”
Maggie sighed loudly. Juniper had a great memory.
She was saved from answering when she saw the orange bike.
“There it is.” She pointed.
Juniper pulled up next to it and put the car in park mode. “We’ll leave it running so Woodrow doesn’t get too hot.”
She popped open the glove compartment and took out a pair of rubber gloves.
“Should I ask why you keep rubber gloves in your dash?” Maggie asked. “Please tell me you don’t have a gallon of bleach and a shovel in the back.”
“True-crime addict?” Juniper asked, raising her eyebrows.
“A little,” Maggie said, then opened the door. True-crime television used to be her guilty pleasure but lately much less so with her own story still going on. The occasional episodes she watched now hit a little too close to home.
She looked back at Woodrow and told him to stay put. Maggie was rewarded with a look of disappointment, but she and Juniper didn’t know what they were up against, and she sure didn’t want to scare off the pup if it was still out there.
“This isn’t my first dumpster rescue. I come prepared.” She opened the back door, grabbed a leash that was lying on the floor, and tossed it to Maggie. “Hold this until I need it.”
“I don’t hear anything,” Maggie said.
They stood perfectly still next to the dumpster for a moment, straining to listen. Maggie fought not to gag from the putrid smell of rotting leftovers.
Juniper kneeled down and peered under the dumpster.
“Nothing under here. It must have moved on. That’s disappointing,” she said.
“Maybe someone else got it?” Maggie hoped so.
“I doubt it,” Juniper said, standing and brushing the debris from her gloves.
Suddenly they heard something. But it didn’t sound like a whine. It was more of a low growl.
“It must be in the dumpster,” Maggie said. She flipped the lid open, giving it a big push to make it fall to the other side. “Whew!”
Juniper made a face. “Well, we know what kind of shop it is now.”
“I’ll never eat fish again,” Maggie said, holding her nose. “I really hope a pup hasn’t been unfortunate enough to be dumped in here.”
They both peered over the side. At first Maggie didn’t see anything amid the trash and scraps, but then she saw an empty box seem to move by itself way back in the corner.
“Over there,” she pointed. “That box moved.”
Much to Maggie’s relief, Juniper climbed over the side and carefully settled onto her hands and knees. “The trick is to crawl across the trash and not get stuck in it.”
“I’m thinking I won’t need your tutorials,” Maggie said. “You can have the dumpster privileges infinitely.”
“Oh, thanks. Nice teamwork,” Juniper said. She approached
the corner, and they heard the growl again. “Oh, he’s in here.”
“Be careful, Juniper.”
Juniper reached out and flipped the box over. A small black face peered up at her, baring its teeth, or what was left of them.
“It’s okay, buddy,” she crooned, trying to stabilize herself as she got a little closer. “Maggie, go around behind him. When his attention is on me, loop the leash around his neck loosely. Don’t tighten it unless he lunges.”
Though they couldn’t see his lower half, Maggie could tell it wasn’t a big dog at all. Maybe just twelve or so pounds. But even a five-pound dog could do a lot of damage if he wanted to. She pulled the leash through the handle to make a noose and crept over behind the dog.
He turned his head up and growled, then turned back to Juniper, who was closer to his protective space.
“Come on, now. Don’t be afraid. We just want to get you out of here,” Juniper said, reaching a hand out closer. “He needs to smell me so he knows I’m not dangerous.”
Like a snake, the dog lunged forward, and before Juniper could pull her hand back, he made contact.
“Damn it,” she said, examining the fingers of the right glove. “I felt that, but it doesn’t look like it broke through. I thought you were my safety?”
“Sorry. I wasn’t expecting that.” Maggie saw an opening and leaned over the side, then quickly dropped the loop of the leash over the dog’s head. He instantly began writhing around but still couldn’t dislodge himself from the trash.
“He’s really not in that deep,” Juniper said. “I think something else is wrong. Just let him fight it out for a minute.”
His eyes were wild, and after a few moments of struggle, the dog stopped. He panted and looked around at Maggie, his eyes bulging.
“Shh, shh . . . ,” Maggie soothed. “Calm down, baby. Let us help you.”
“There’s a small bowl and a bottle of water in the back of my car,” Juniper said softly. “Go grab it.”
Maggie dropped the leash and went to the car, opening the back door. A rush of cool air hit her in the face. Bob Marley was playing on the radio.
“You chilling in here, buddy?” She leaned in around Woodrow and grabbed the water and bowl, and also an old towel wadded in the floor. “Good boy,” she said, patting him on the head before shutting the door again.
