Twenty-Seven
MJ stood on a half-built bandstand on the west end of the island where he’d never been. The groan of cello strings blared through the air around him. Beck sat on the edge of the roughed-in stage with an old, battered cello between his legs and examined the bow like it was the cause of the offensive noise.
“I think you forgot how to play that thing,” Merrick said, sitting in a lawn chair in front of the bandstand.
“It’s been a long time,” Beck said, running the bow across the strings again. The instrument made a nice hum, then squawked. “I just need to warm it up a bit.”
“Yeah, that’ll make all the difference,” MJ said, jumping down and kicking a stone.
Beck pointed his bow at him. “Nobody asked you, Junior.”
“What’s with the kiss between you and Maddie?” Merrick asked, trying to suppress a grin.
Beck clucked his tongue. “That’s dangerous territory there. She came here to get her ring. She’s going to crush you like a bug.”
“She’s not marrying him. We’re together like we should’ve been for the past year and a half.”
MJ’s defensiveness made Beck lift his hands in surrender. “Hey, I believe you man.”
A knowing smile appeared on Merrick’s lips. “Rocha men have a way of getting what they want.”
Beck tapped the bow on the ground. “I still haven’t figured out what Rachael sees in you, ya cocky son of a bitch.”
Merrick laughed. “If I could get up out of this chair without it feeling like someone was stabbing me in the knee, I’d kick your ass.”
Beck snorted. “You could try.”
“Why don’t you stop murdering that cello and pick up a hammer? This thing isn’t going to build itself.”
Beck touched the bandage around his chest. “If I didn’t know you were joking, I’d pick up a hammer and take it to your head.”
“First you wreck my copter, now we’re never going to get this bandstand built in time for the anniversary party Rachael scheduled. I don’t know why I don’t fire your ass.”
Beck waved a hand. “Have Riley and Jesse build it. Those two are always f*cking around pissing off Joan and not doing anything important anyway.”
“Good idea. I’ll have her supervise. Within a week, they’ll all quit.”
“Problem solved,” Beck said, swiping his bow across the cello strings making a high-pitched whine.
MJ cringed.
“Don’t worry,” Merrick said. “I’ll have Joan off your hands and on to her new assignment in no time.” He glanced at MJ.
“I should’ve never gotten involved with that one,” Beck said. “I knew she was the Dragon Lady and still fell under her spell.”
Merrick shook his head. “Thank God I was always able to resist it.”
“There you are!” Nadia said, running up to them, out of breath. “Maddie wants to go back to the mainland,” she told Merrick. “I’m taking her in the boat. I’ll be back in a little while.”
MJ took a couple steps toward her. “Where is she?”
“Like a bug,” Beck muttered.
“Shut the f*ck up,” MJ said, and smacked the back of Beck’s head. “She was taking a shower when I came out here.”
“She’s looking for you,” Nadia said, watching them with her brow creased in confusion. “You’re coming, right?”
The vise that had tightened itself around MJ’s chest loosened. Would he ever stop fearing Maddie taking off on him again?
“Right.”
Nadia smiled, but MJ detected zero sincerity in it. The slight curve of her lips coupled with the sharp gleam in her eyes was eerily similar to the expression Enzo wore when he tied another knot around MJ’s neck.
MJ shifted his gaze to Merrick. “You have a helicopter coming soon?” He didn’t want to leave his dad when they’d just gotten together, but Maddie would always come first.
“Still waiting for confirmation,” Merrick said, glancing between MJ and Nadia. He quirked his brow at MJ. MJ took it as a silent apology and a warning to be careful with this girl in Enzo Rocha’s pocket who neither of them trusted.
“Come on MJ,” Nadia called, jogging to her golf cart. “Be back soon, Dad!”
Merrick looked like he might have a stroke. “I’ll check in at the hospital when we get there,” he said to MJ. “Take care of Maddie.”
“I will.” He didn’t hesitate to bend down and hug Merrick. “See you soon.”
“As soon as I can get there,” Merrick said, squeezing his shoulder.
MJ found Maddie sitting in the window seat in her room gazing out at the rain and wind-battered flowers and bushes. She turned to face him when he entered her room. Neither of them said a word.
He took her left hand and rubbed his thumb over her bare ring finger. “Was it hard?”
He hadn’t left her to take a shower. He’d left her to call Talan and break the news that she didn’t want to marry him.
Her eyes flitted up to his, then down to her hand in his. “Yes and no.” She threaded their fingers together and brought his hand to her lips. “Yes, because I hated hurting him. No, because I knew it was the right thing to do.”
MJ flattened his palm against her cheek and ran his thumb across her lips.
“I’ve been in love with you the whole time I was with him,” she said. “He never had all of me. Only a part I let him have…” She looked up at him through her dark lashes, blue eyes blazing. “On loan from you. No part of me ever belonged to him. It was always you.”
How could he possibly be this fortunate? A few days ago, there were cracks and craters in him that had been empty for so long, he didn’t expect them to ever be filled. Now he had his dad, he had a twin sister that he’d have to find a way to come to accept, and he had Maddie.
Maddie. His soul. His heart.
His home.
MJ thought back to tossing a penny in the fountain out on the patio with Holly and Sam, wishing for somewhere to belong. Funny how quickly wishes could come true.
“It’ll always be you,” Maddie said, reaching up and stroking the side of his face.
MJ pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in his arms. She smelled like vanilla and spice and he couldn’t inhale enough of her. Her soft, silky hair caressed his cheek resting on top of her head, and her soft, full breasts pressed against his chest. “Home,” he whispered.
She squeezed him tight. “Home,” she said.