Page 105 of Sweet Home Louisiana

She thought about that.“I guess…I do trust you,” she finally decided.

“Then what wasthisall about?”Bennett rubbed his jaw.

“Going to find you was about protecting Owen,” she admitted.“He doesn’treallywant to leave.And then I saw someone down here and that was about protecting the business.”

“You didn’t think maybe you should get help protecting the business?”Bennett asked.

Maddie sighed and shook her head.“Thinking things through isn’t my strong suit.Not here, anyway.”

“And the protecting Owen?You just swing first and ask questions later?”

She narrowed her eyes and nodded.“Yeah.I do.And if you’re going to be one of our partners, you should remember that.”

“Iamgoing to be one of your partners,” Bennett said.“With seventeen and a half percent.”

She gave him a nod, but she was still frowning.

“Does Owen need your protection?”Bennett asked, suddenly seeming amused.

“Doesn’t matter,” she said with a shrug.“It’s me, not him.Not them.I feel first and think later.”

“Good to know.”

“So let’s go,” she said turning on her heel.

“Where?”

“To rip up your agreement with Owen.”

“Okay, but…”

“Yes?”she asked, glancing back.

“Did you hear the part about the airboat being stolen?”

Maddie turned fully, facing him.“What?”

“Someone took one of the airboats out.Unless it was one of the guys?”

Maddie frowned.“No, everyone is up at Ellie’s.Even Mitch and Leo.”She looked behind Bennett.Sure enough, one of the boats was gone.What the hell?

“I found a couple of beer cans and this cap on the dock,” Bennett said, holding it out.

She looked at it closely.It seemed familiar.It was gray with dark blue Greek letters.She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and dialed Owen.

“Maddie.”He sounded relieved.

“Hey, we have a problem.I need you.”

“On my way.”

Her heart stuttered at that.He didn’t ask what she needed.It didn’t matter that they’d just had a fight or that she’d basically told him she didn’t want him in California with her and had walked out without any further explanation.It didn’t matter that he thought she was still leaving.He would be there for her anyway.

“I’m at the dock,” she told him.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”She took a breath.“Bring everyone.”

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