Page 2 of All Because of You

“Why would she have askedyoufor help?” Her aunt knew how Madison had felt about him and his dumb friends. Not that it mattered anymore.

Evan rubbed the back of his neck, a guarded look on his face. “We became close during the last few years.” He cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry for your loss, by the way.”

Heat flashed at the back of Madison’s eyes, and she blinked rapidly before any tears could escape. “Thank you.” Her voice nearly broke as she said the words.

Oh goodness. Air. She needed air.

Madison strode through the back door and onto the peeling wraparound porch. The breeze coming off the ocean attacked Madison’s hair. From here, the wooden boardwalk that spanned the length of the town was only a stone’s throw away. It wound like a slatted snake across the sparkling sands, where the Pacific whooshed in and out. Even on this Monday in early January, a handful of tourists and villagers walked the beach, enjoying the quiet landscape that was so different from the big cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Walker Beach was a few hundred miles from each and a world unto itself.

She may not have missed Walker Beach—or most of its people—but nothing could compete with this view.

“Hey.”

Madison jumped and spun at the intrusion, fixing what she hoped was an intimidating glare on Evan, who now leaned against the doorjamb, hands tucked inside his pockets.

“I was just kidding about the five-months thing. I didn’t mind helping out. I’m sure you’ve had a lot going on with school.”

“How did you know about that?” She’d only just graduated three weeks ago, and life since then had been a whirlwind of packing her apartment and celebrating the holidays with her grandma in San Francisco.

“Chrissy told me.” Evan shrugged. “She made it sound like you wouldn’t want to keep the business or the house but knew it may help you out financially to sell them. I actually wasn’t sure if you’d come yourself or just send movers to pack up everything.”

Madison had considered it, but someone had to do Chrissy’s things justice. Grandma hadn’t wanted anything to do with Walker Beach since Grandpa had died. She hadn’t even held Chrissy’s funeral here.

So it was up to Madison, who had received the shock of her life when she’d been named heir of Chrissy’s house and the hardware store that had been in the family for fifty years. It had taken her some time to work up her courage, but she was here now, with the perfect window of time before her dream job began. She’d get Chrissy’s things sorted, her store inventoried, and her house and Hole-in-the-Wall Hardware on the market. Easy peasy.

But wait. Evan acted like . . . “So, you knew she was sick?” It wasn’t something her aunt had shared with anyone in her family, including Madison. But perhaps she’d known that Madison would have abandoned her last year of school in a heartbeat if the wordcancerhad crossed her lips. It was the least she would have done for the woman who had taken in her twelve-year-old niece when Madison had lost her parents in a freak avalanche during a ski trip in Vermont.

Evan kicked at a rock on the patio. “Yeah.”

“She didn’t tell me.” Madison swallowed hard. She should have been there. She should have known. If she’d bothered to come back to Walker Beach . . . But the town had held such painful memories—or so she’d told herself. Aunt Chrissy had come several times to visit Madison in Los Angeles, and Madison had counted that as enough.

But she’d left her aunt alone when she’d needed Madison most.

“I’m sorry.”

Well, not completely alone. Apparently, Evan Walsh had been there.

Madison studied him, but no matter how hard she looked, he was an enigma. The expression in his eyes was clearly pained, but her pain and anger wouldn’t let her embrace his. Chrissy had been Madison’s aunt, and this was Madison’s store. She didn’t need Evan’s help anymore.

She squared her shoulders. “I appreciate you keeping an eye on things, but I’m here now.”

He nodded, quietly accepting her words, which had come out a bit harsher than she’d intended. “How long will you be here?” His question sounded nervous, though she couldn’t imagine why it should.

“I’m not sure. There’s a lot to do.”

“Let me know if you need any help.”

Help? From him? She’d sooner swim in the freezing-cold ocean and take a subsequent dip in a vat of ice. But she’d never let him know how much he’d wounded her in the past. It didn’t matter anymore. She was over it, and she was better for it.

Madison jutted her chin forward. “I don’t think I will, but thanks.”

He eyed her for a moment. “Guess I’ll go, then.” Turning, he started down the cracked steps.

“Wait. Evan?”

“Yeah?” He circled back, and something in his eyes looked hopeful. But that was silly.

“I’ll take your key.”

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