Page 17 of All Because of You

“So, it’s a for sure thing now?”

“Not quite yet but it’s one step closer.” He explained the process of getting the council to approve the new business in town once Herman agreed to the site. Even though the motion was likely to pass, he wanted to offer her some glimmer of hope. Anything to get the camaraderie from earlier back. “But you remember Bud Travis?”

“Of course. He and his wife owned the Walker Beach Bar & Grill.”

“They still do. Anyway, he’s been a loud proponent of keeping out any chains, so he may vote against the agreement. He sometimes persuades at least one other council member to vote with him. Occasionally two. If they can get a majority, it may be voted down.”

Madison pressed her lips together. “Maybe I should talk to Bud then.” She turned her whole body to face him, and he realized how close they were sitting. “Do you think that would be a good idea?”

He swallowed hard. “It couldn’t hurt.”

“Then that’s what I’ll do. I’ll fight this.” Without warning, she grabbed Evan’s hand. “And I’m sorry I was a bit taken aback at first. I know you’re just looking out for me.”

Madison turned his palm over and traced a figure eight in the same spot where he’d removed the hook from hers just last night. “You’ve been doing that a lot lately. I’m not really used to it.”

Oh man. He was a world-class coward, but he definitely couldn’t reveal his whole role in the Herman Hardware deal. Not when she was looking at him with trust for the first time. And not when she was so near—inches away, really.

Not when her lips looked impossibly soft and he wanted nothing more than to lean down and take her in his arms and press his mouth to hers.

“You’re welcome.” He croaked out the words. His free hand rose of its own accord, skimming her bare shoulder on its way to caress the side of her cheek. “And you’re wrong.”

Was the apparent surprise on her face from his touch or his words? “About what?”

“You said it sounded like I wasn’t happy you were staying. I’m definitely happy.” His thumb moved slowly across her lips and, yep, they were softer than he’d imagined. She smelled of vanilla and sunshine, the perfect combination of light and comfort.

“Evan . . .”

Whoa. What was he doing? He dropped his hand. “We should get going. To the store, I mean. If you still want to.”

He was an idiot. Yep, total and complete idiot. Madison remembered him from high school, and apparently he’d done something to hurt her. Of course she wouldn’t want to get involved with someone like him. He’d probably been imagining the connection between them.

Standing, he hightailed it to the door. But before he could leave, a tug on his sleeve halted his steps. Turning, he found Madison there, eyebrows knit together.

She hugged him and, without thinking, he folded his arms around her. Wow, it felt good . . . her petite frame wrapped tightly against him, fitting there just about perfectly.

Much too quickly, she pulled back and looked up at him. “Thanks, Evan. For being happy. And for all your help.”

His stomach twisted. He knew he wasn’t good enough for her. But he still couldn’t stop himself from wanting to be. “Anytime.”

Chapter 4

What was happening between her and Evan?

It was a question Madison had asked herself all night as she lay in bed, unable to sleep. Reliving that moment when she’d been sure he was going to kiss her had been the stuff of her high school dreams.

Now, in broad daylight, it seemed like she must have imagined the whole thing.

But she had more pressing things to worry about. Like finding Bud Travis.

Madison tucked a bag of cookies into her purse and strolled down Main Street toward the Walker Beach Bar & Grill. After a few moments of walking, she entered the North Village, where a breeze rippled off the beach between the buildings. This area of town had always been somewhat trendier, with a lot of organic and vegan options. Most of the boutiques and restaurants—like the coffee-ice-cream-combo shop Java’s Village Bean and Oil Me This, a store that sold specialty olive oils and vinegars—were somewhat new or had come in sometime during the ten years that Madison had been absent.

But here, evidence of the earthquake that had hit six months ago still reigned. CLOSED FOR REPAIRS signs hung above several storefronts, and a few businesses had collapsed roofs or were still boarded up.

And there was the library, its front stone steps completely crumbled, a blue tarp over the roof. Madison’s heart squeezed as she peeked inside the blackened windows. She couldn’t see much more than the shelving units that, as a child, she’d known like the back of her hand. This place had brought more comfort to a young, hurting girl than the librarian could ever have known.

Madison ran her fingers along the dusty window, a memory coming to mind of what had started as a typical day in seventh grade, about a year after she’d moved in with Aunt Chrissy. Somehow, she’d managed to go the whole time without making a single friend. Sure, some kids had been nice to her, but they’d all eventually labeled Madison as odd simply because she preferred books to people. Of course, it had taken several years of counseling for her to realize that not everyone was going to leave her like her parents had, that fictional people could only provide a certain level of comfort, and that she needed actual people in her life.

But on this particular day, she’d been determined to make it through lunch without reading, praying that maybe if she kept up her head, she’d make a friend.

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