“I’m sure he knew.”
She sniffled and another tear fell. “When they pulled him out, he couldn’t talk. He just looked at me, and I watched him fight to breathe but his lungs had collapsed. I just held him as he died in my arms.”
Her pain seemed so large in that moment, he too felt extreme pressure on his lungs when he tried to breathe. “I’m so sorry you lost him.”
She looked up at him, tears flooding her eyes. “Me too.”
He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. “Do you want me to walk you home?”
“What about your truck?”
“I can come back for it.” He didn’t want her walking alone at night.
She drew in two deep breaths and reached for the seatbelt. “We can drive.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind walking with you.”
Her head shook. “I’m trying to be normal. You already picked me up in a cemetery, so I’m hoping driving home will even the score.”
Another cemetery joke? This time he chuckled.
He drove home slowly, keeping to the back streets and glancing at her every time they stopped. When they reached his house, he put the truck in park.
“Do you wanna come in?”
She shook her head no. “Yes.”
“Was that a yes or a no?”
She nodded. “No.”
“Can you give me another clue?”
She unbuckled her seat belt and slid across the seat, cupping her hand over the side of his beard. Her breath smelled like sweet whiskey, and her hair smelled like flowers. She pressed her lips to his, and he shut his eyes but didn’t deepen the kiss.
When she pulled away, she looked up at him and whispered, “If you keep rescuing me like this, I’m going to forget how to save myself.”
“Who said you have to do it alone?”
“The universe.” She opened the door and slipped out of the truck.
He climbed out after her and yelled, “I’m falling in love with you, Maggie.”
She stilled at the foot of the driveway and slowly turned to face him, her eyes cast in utter confusion as the moonlight colored her pale face in silver and blue. “Why?”
He held out his hands. “I don’t know. I just know that the things I feel for you are stronger than anything I’ve ever felt for anyone else. And it doesn’t matter if you ignore me or see me, my feelings keep growing.”
“Nothing’s changed.”
“Everything’s changed.” He tucked his hands in his pockets. “I just wanted you to know, because I figured some things out these past few weeks.”
“Such as?”
“I can’t shut it off. It’s bigger than me and it’s bigger than you. So there you have it.”
Her lips parted and he held his breath, waiting to hear her reply, hoping like hell she accepted his admission for the truth it was and they could finally move forward and figure this out. But, instead, she simply shook her head and turned.
Chapter 27
As Maggie turned away, Ryan cursed himself for complicating an already complicated situation. When it came to women, he was a complete tragedy.
He marched up the back steps and unlocked the door, flinging his keys against the backsplash of the kitchen counter. “Fuck!”
A small knock broke the silence and he stilled. He turned to the back door, finding it vacant. Was he hearing things? The knock sounded again, and he placed it coming from the front door. He raced through the house, flipping on the porch lights and twisting the deadbolt open.
Maggie stood on the door mat, her body dwarfed by his suit jacket and her eyes too big for her face. “I was wondering if you had plans tomorrow?”
He laughed and nearly collapsed in shock. “My day’s wide open.”
“Maybe we could catch a movie?”
“I’d love to.” What did this mean? Was she finally giving in?
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She turned and walked down his steps crossing into her yard.
He smiled and closed the door. Facing his dark living room, he threw his fist in the air and punched. “Yes!”
He thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but he slept more soundly than he had in weeks. The next morning he was up at six, pacing the house, waiting for the day to begin. He was on his second cup of coffee when he heard Maggie get her bike from the shed.
Standing by the front bay window, he watched her ride toward the cemetery. He’d always wondered where she went every morning, but now it made sense. Knowing she’d be gone for at least an hour, he headed out to the garage.
Digging a pair of work gloves out of his truck, he carried the extension ladder around front. Once he had the hose unraveled, he got to work cleaning her clogged gutters.
At some point, when he was elbow deep in muck on the side of her house, she returned. “Um, usually a guy buys a girl dinner before he goes dipping his hands in her gutters.”