Page 85 of What Happens in Paradise
“Go inside, please. There’s Candi’s on the table with extra comeback sauce. Then straight to bed.”
“Where are you going?” Maia asks.
“I have some apologizing to do myself,” Huck says.
He drives to the villa even though it’s late and Irene might be in bed. Both Jeeps are in the driveway, which Huck supposes is a good thing. He needs to apologize to Cash; he shudders when he thinks how hard he was on the poor guy.
But it was Maia. When Cash has a child of his own, he’ll understand.
Huck trudges up the stairs and sees a light on in the kitchen. Cash is sitting at the kitchen table with his phone in front of him.
Huck knocks on the sliding door and Cash jumps, then hurries to let Huck in. “Did you find her?”
“I did,” Huck says. “She’s safe.” He can see the relief wash over Cash’s face and Huck feels ashamed. He’s so afraid of losing Maia, even of sharing her, that he’s ignoring the best part about her newfound family: there are more people who care about her. “Listen, I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry,” Cash says. “I’ve been beating myself up since I dropped her off, wondering how I could have been so gullible—”
“You trusted her,” Huck says. “That’s a good thing. I had no right to speak to you the way I did, and I hope you can forgive me.”
“My mom gave me your cell number,” Cash says. “If you ever let me hang out with Maia again, I promise I’ll follow the rules and drop her only at home.”
“She’s grounded for a week,” Huck says. “But I’m sure she’ll be bugging you as soon as she’s a free woman.”
“I hope so,” Cash says. He offers Huck his hand. “Thanks for coming all the way up here to apologize, that was above and beyond. But I have an early morning tomorrow…”
“Right,” Huck says. He turns toward the door, then stops. “Is your mom still awake, do you think?”
“Probably,” Cash says. “She just headed upstairs a minute ago. Do you want me to check?”
Huck hesitates. He could just wait and talk to Irene on the boat tomorrow.
“I’ll get her,” Cash says. “I’m sure she wants to know about Maia.”
Cash disappears up the stairs, and a moment later, Irene comes down. Her hair is out of its braid, wavy over her shoulders. She’s wearing gym shorts and a gray Iowa Hawkeyes T-shirt. Huck feels himself trembling.
“I owe you an apology, AC,” he says.
Irene points at the door. “Let’s go outside.”
This is a good sign, he thinks. He holds the door open for her and she heads out to the railing at the edge of the deck, where they can look out over the water. The pool is gurgling to their right and glowing an ethereal blue.
“Maia is okay?” she asks.
“She was at the beach with her friends,” Huck says. “I’m sorry I lost my temper.”
“It was understandable,” Irene says. “She’s your girl.”
“That she is,” Huck says. “I vowed she would be my first and only priority. I can’t let anything happen to her.”
“She’s lucky to have you,” Irene says.
Huck throws caution to the wind and gathers Irene up in his arms. She allows this, but he can feel tension in her body.
“What’s wrong?” he says.
“The other night was magical…” Irene says.
Huck loosens his hold on her. “But?”
