We walked slowly back to my cabin, and I was careful to light the way with my phone. Maddie had had too long of a day to trip over something now. We both had.
When we made it to the cabin, it was quiet inside. I flipped on the light in the entryway and looked in the room I was sharing with Kincade. The queen-size bed was empty and he was nowhere in sight. Same thing in the other bedroom.
“It’s just two bedrooms?” Maddie whispered.
“And a bathroom.”
“Where are the others?”
“Out back, probably. That’s the best part. There’s a deck that faces the ocean. It’s got a hot tub and a fire pit. Come see.”
She balked when I tried to urge her forward. “No, I don’t want to disturb them if they’re hanging out.”
I frowned. Didn’t she know the effect she’d had on all three of us? “They’ll be happy to see you.” And likely as pissed as I was about her fellow bridesmaids.
“Please, I just want to sleep.” Maddie looked like she was about to pass out on her feet. “I don’t want to tell them about Hanna and Savanna right now. They’re Kincade’s stepsisters, and I just… I just want to go to sleep.”
“Of course,” I said gently, though I was poised to catch her if she collapsed. Her skin was pale and she looked tired enough. “The bathroom’s through there. I’ll get the bed ready for you.”
After she closed the door behind her, I thought about going to update the others, but instead, I went into the bedroom and pulled back the covers for her. The bedding wasn’t the newest, but in her state, I doubted she’d care.
When she entered the room, she looked extremely grateful as she sat down on the side of the bed and kicked off her shoes.
“Do you need anything?”
“No, I’m good.”
I smoothed her hair away from her face. “Then get some sleep.” The urge to lean down and kiss her forehead was strong, but we’d only known each other for a few hours, and I didn’t want to scare her. It sure felt like I’d known her for longer, though. “Good night, sweet girl.” It was probably also inappropriate to call her that, but it had just rolled off my tongue.
Maddie tucked her feet up and laid her head on the pillow. I pulled the covers up and tucked them around her neck. “Thank you, Jessie.”
“You’re welcome.” I backed out of the room, but before I could turn off the light, she sat up again, propping herself up on her elbow.
“Wait, I thought this was your room.”
“It is, but I’ll find somewhere else to sleep.”
“In the other bedroom?” she asked.
“No.” I hesitated. “It’ll be, um, at capacity tonight.”
She frowned but didn’t question that. “Is there a sofa for you?”
“No.” I looked around. “There’s extra bedding in the closet. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“On the floor?” Maddie sounded as horrified as I had when I found her sleeping out by the pool. She leaned over and peered at the dusty floorboards below her. “You can’t sleep there.”
I shrugged. “I’m running out of options unless I sleep out on the deck. Got any mosquito netting?”
“My blanket did an okay job before,” she said, and I wasn’t sure if she was joking or not. “But you’re not sleeping there. It’s a big bed. Sleep here.”
That took me by surprise. But my response was automatic. “I’ll be fine.”
She sighed. “Jessie, I’m going to be dead to the world in about two minutes. I won’t even know you’re there. Just sleep on the bed.”
“I can’t do that,” I said.
Her eyes narrowed as she stared at me. “It’s either stay here next to me or I march into the lodge and demand that they find a place for you.”
I couldn’t help grinning as she echoed my earlier threat. “All right, you win. Thank you.”
“Thank you,” she said. “It’s your bed.”
I turned off the light, but Maddie was still propped up, staring at me. “You’re not going to run off and try to sleep in the shower, are you?”
“I’m just going to get ready. I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’m sleepy too, you know.”
“All right.” Finally, she sank back down onto the bed. “Good night.”
“Good night, Maddie.”
A bemused smile creased my face as I washed my face and changed into boxers. Surely she wouldn’t be freaked out if I didn’t wear a shirt to bed? But a couple of times tonight, I’d expected Maddie to be upset and instead, she’d surprised me with her strength. She was an interesting young woman, and one I wanted to get to know much, much better.
As I’d assumed, she was out like a light when I climbed in on the other side of the bed. I moved carefully so as not to wake her, but I was pretty sure she wouldn’t wake if I whipped out a set of bagpipes and started playing.