Page 74 of Safe Haven

Her phone starts to ring, and I step away, barely making it a foot before my own phone—technically Maddox’s—starts to ring. Dane’s number flashes across the screen, and I roll my eyes, because it would figure he’d be the one I’d have to talk to.

I connect the call and answer. “Hey.”

The noise of the kids is astronomical, and now the woman behind the counter is practically yelling as she answers her phone, so I plug my opposite ear and tell Dane, “Hang on for asecond.” I quickly walk out of the lobby, making it to a quieter area before asking, “Can you hear me?”

“I can now.” He laughs. “Are you at some sort of a party?”

“Yeah. Because I’m such a party animal.” I dodge a few wayward teenagers. “How are things going?”

“Good. The store is clean and everybody’s showing up for their shifts.” He snorts. “Ginny’s acting like a dictator, but I wouldn’t have expected anything less.”

Me either. That’s why I put her in charge and not him. Ginny’s younger than Dane by a few years, but she’s way more responsible and doesn’t mind if people get mad when she tells them what they have to do. And that’s a big part of my job. Telling people what they have to do. Because it’s shocking how many adults seem unable to figure that out on their own.

“I’m glad everything’s going well because I don’t know when I’m going to be able to make it back in. I’ve emailed corporate so they already know. I just wanted to touch base and make sure you guys were doing okay.”

There’s the chance I may never be going back to Birch and Ivy, and I don’t know how I feel about that. If I don’t go back, it’s because I’ve moved away. And that means I’m staying with Maddox, which sounds fantastic.

But I don’t want to give up working. Especially if Maddox travels a lot. I gave up my life once, and I don’t want to do it again. I trust Maddox completely, but I don’t want to lose myself.

Especially when I’m finally getting to know her.

TWENTY-THREE

MADDOX

THAT TOOK FUCKING forever. Way longer than I wanted. But finding out everything Butch knows is a necessary evil.

I want to take Audrey home. I want to start our lives together. To do that, she has to be able to put this one behind her. Completely. In order to make that happen, I have to make sure Trevor’s taken care of. And the only way I can dothatis to find out what the fuck is going on.

And there’s a lot fucking going on.

Audrey’s at my computer when I let myself into our room. The place has been freshly organized and cleaned, and her hair is falling in smooth waves over one of the new sweaters she ordered.

I look over everything, spending most of my time drinking her in. “You’ve been busy.”

She smiles wide. “I have.”

Standing, she comes straight to me, both arms linking at my neck as she pushes up onto her toes to press her lips againstmine. I’ve never come home to someone before, but this is pretty damn close. It makes me eager to have her in my house. For Audrey to greet me like this every time I walk in.

That eagerness quickly morphs into need. Need that’s been gnawing at me for hours since Luca interrupted what was about to be a great fucking time. My desire flares back to life, and soon I’m pushing her across the room, ready to mess up the freshly made bed.

“Is it rain check time already?” Audrey smiles against my mouth. “I thought maybe you were going to tell me what you guys talked about and what Butch had to say.”

“Later.” I’m not even sure how to begin explaining what Butch had to say. It’s either going to make her feel better, or worse, and I don’t like those odds.

“Later it is.”

Audrey’s grip shifts, coming to my shirt. She holds tight and seems to stumble. In my attempt to stabilize her, I end up being the one who lands on the bed first.

Dropping my ass onto the edge, I focus mostly on making sure she’s steady on her feet. It’s not until I notice Audrey’s got a wicked grin on her face that I suspect I’ve been set up. “What are you doing?”

Her hands are already at the waistband of my pants, so there’s not a lot of room for things to get lost in translation, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around what’s happening, and why.

“I’m cashing in the rain check you gave me.” She flips my belt open, eyes coming to my face. “One of the many infinite ones you said I could have.”

“The rain checks were for me making you come,” I clarify. “Not whatever you think you’re about to do.”

Audrey grips the end of my belt, holding the buckle tight as she tugs the leather free, snapping it off my body in a sharp move. Angling a brow at me, she holds it between us. “There’s nothinkto it. Iknowwhat I’m about to do.”

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