Their mom gave a watery laugh, turned both of her hands so she was holding theirs. “Well, clearly, I don’t know everything. I didn’t know I still had so much to learn or that I’d be lucky enough to have two beautiful,successfuldaughters to teach me.”
They stared at each other, somewhat awkwardly, for a few more seconds until the waiter timidly asked if they’d like to eat.
Natalie laughed. “Yes, sorry. We definitely want to eat.”
They took a moment to order then Nat’s gaze settled on Maisie. “All right. Enough suppressed emotion and family drama. Time for details. I want to know all about the hot hockey player.”
“Natalie,” Maisie whispered in a harsh voice, sending a side nod to theirmother.
Their mom picked up their tea. “Oh, no, honey. I don’t need what you kids call TMI, but I want to know stuff, too. And the real reason I’m here, by the way, is to look at apartments for your father and I because we’ve made the decision to retire and move here permanently. Your dad will probably still be busy all the time, but I want to be close by to watch my grandchild grow up. And if Nick is going to be part of our lives and maybe give me more grandbabies, I want to know more about him and the ways he makes you so happy.”
Nat whispered, “Allthe ways,” cracking Maisie up.
All in all, it was an incredibly special and cathartic day. After lunch, they even did some shopping and Maisie bought a couple of adorable onesies for her baby niece or nephew. She’d felt her phone buzzing in her pocket but wanted to be really present and in the moment with her family.
It wasn’t until she crawled into Junie, a bit concerned at how long she took to warm up, that she let herself check her phone.
There were several texts from Nick and a voice message, so she pressed on that first.
“Hey, babe. I tried to phone a couple times and I left you a message. I promise you this isn’t how it’s going to be indefinitely but two things came up. Both good. One is, the network wants to do an on-screen trial to see how I come across. Sort of like an audition tape but live, in front of them. The other thing is that commercial I told you I had to shoot end of next month moved up to tomorrow. It’s probably a twelve- to fifteen-hour shoot. Those things can go long. But this way, those things are done and it’s one less reason for me to have to fly back. I don’t want you to be upset. I love you. Call me when you get this, okay. Hope lunch with your sister was good.”
Tears trickled down Maisie’s cheeks. She thought of all of the missed Christmases, birthdays, graduations, the times her mother wouldn’t stay home with her when she was sick because she had a lecture to give or her father had to go out of town last minute to help someone else. She and Nick hadn’t even started their lives together yet and he’d already pushed off returning twice now. Maisie didn’t want to live with the constant worry of whether or not something was going to pull him away.If he’d continued to play hockey, this would be a regular thing. Don’t let your fears overrule your heart. He loves you. He’ll be back.She just couldn’t count on when.
Chapter Thirty-Two
NICK HUNG UP THEphone, hating that Maisie sounded so sad. They’d played phone tag since he’d told her he wouldn’t be back in town because of a commercial shoot. Now, it’d been nine days since he’d seen her or held her or kissed the hell out of her. He fucking missed her but he had to believe he was making the right choices and it would be worth it in the end.
Still, he didn’t like the brevity of her texts or how she wasn’t phoning him back, instead sending messages straight through to his voicemail. In the last one she said she was just tired and would see him when he got back. He hated the sadness in her tone. Even more because he knew he was the reason. His chest felt tight but he reminded himself it was just a few more hours.
“You okay, man?” Will clapped him on the shoulder and then stood beside him in the great room.
And it really was a great room. “Yeah. I’m doubting my decisionto not go straight to her the other day when I landed. When I left, I told her I’d be back in three days. Then I had to extend it to wrap shit up. She thinks I’m still in California. I have to believe she knows we’re solid, that I meant every word I said to her and we can handle a few extra days.” Though, he was silently vowing to both of them, right this second, that they’d never spend this many days apart in a row ever again. It was too much. But, hopefully, it’d be worth it.
“You’re so lovesick, I want to make fun of you, but it’s almost sad,” Ethan said with a grin as he walked back inside from the deck off the room.
The deck that looked out onto the Puget Sound. Maisie was going to love this house.
“You’ll get your turn,” Will said to his buddy, folding his arms over his chest as he turned in a slow circle. “This house is fantastic. She’s going to love it, Nick. Did she agree to come check it out tonight?”
When he found the house five days ago, through his real estate agent, it’d seemed too good to be true. Five bedrooms, two stories, a view of the water without being directly on it. He’d done a virtual tour and could picture building a life with Maisie inside these walls. He’d done everything he could to push the deal through as quick as he could and even though the paperwork wasn’t final yet, it was his. Theirs. But he’d pushed back their reunion a few days so the first time he saw her, it’d be here, in this house where they were going to start their forever.
“She’ll be here,” Nick said. “Hopefully not completely pissed at me. I hate that she’s leaving messages instead of just calling and she sounded so sad in that one.”
“Then you two are perfect for each other,” Ethan said, running his hand along the mantel. The white stone fireplace went all the way up the wall to the high ceiling.
“You know I don’t need gear or skates on to jersey you, right?” Nick asked, smiling when Will laughed.
“Don’t let Ethan fool you. He’s secretly pining to find a woman who will put up with him the way we have.”
Nick nodded. “We are definitely the lucky ones in the equation.”
“Says you,” Ethan said. “I like being single.”
Will muttered, “You’ll see,” under his breath again, making Nick smile.
Now that he knew it was impossible to predict when you’d be the one to fall, it was easier to smile.
“The house next door is for sale,” Nick said.
