Page 56 of The I Do Over

“We could elope like we did the last time,” he said smugly.

Daniel’s eyes went wide and his jaw practically hit his desk.

Uh-oh…

Composing himself, Daniel cleared his throat. “So…you’re thinking this will go that way again?”

Shrugging again, he said, “Well, yeah. I know it’s crazy, but it’s like…I don’t know…everything just feels right. If I could convince her to move here so we didn’t have to drive back and forth every weekend, things would be perfect!”

“What if she doesn’t want to move here? Have you thought about that? Maybe she likes her life up in Chesapeake.”

“No, she knows that we just started the business and this is where I need to be.”

“But…” Daniel countered, “Maddie also owns her own business. Why would she give that up? And I’m guessing she lives close to her mom. With her health issues, she probably won’t want to live so far away.”

Shit. Why hadn’t he thought of any of this?

Pushing that instantly aside, he said, “She chose them over me the last time. She wouldn’t do that again.”

You could have heard a pin drop in the office and Daniel stared hard at him for several moments. “She shouldn’t have to choose, Knox.”

He was about to argue when his phone rang and Maddie’s picture came up on the screen. It was a photo he took that first week when they went fishing and it made him smile every time he saw it.

Ignoring his friend, he picked up the phone. “Hey, Angel Face. How’s your day going?”

Her first response was a sigh. “Hey,” she said softly. “I’m doing okay.”

Knox glanced over at his friend and frowned, turning his chair around to give them at least a hint of privacy. He could have just stood up and walked out of the room, but that would have been too obvious.

“So what’s going on? Are you on your lunch break?”

“A little more than that,” she said.

“Oh?” He secretly hoped she was on her way here to surprise him.

“My mom fell this morning and they had to take her to the emergency room. I’m on my way there now. I promised Nora I’d come and stay for the weekend.” She sighed. “I hate canceling our weekend, but…I really need to be there. You are more than welcome to meet me there and we can stay at a hotel nearby so we have some privacy.”

“Mads, you don’t need me there distracting you. Besides, you don’t know how she’s going to be when you get there. I’m sure she’s scared and possibly in pain. The last thing she needs is another stranger hovering around her.”

Another sigh. “I know you’re right. I just…I feel bad about our weekend.”

So did he.

Xander walked into the office and gave Knox a curt nod before walking over to his desk. He sat and put his head in his hands and groaned.

That can’t be good.

Feeling torn, Knox knew he and Maddie could talk later, after she went and saw her mother and figured out what was going on there. But for right now, he needed to see what was wrong right here in his own office.

“I hate to cut you short,” he told her softly, trying not to sound like he was blowing her off, “but Xander just got back in after a consult and we need to talk about it. Why don’t you call me later after you see your mom and let me know how she is?”

“I will. I’m sorry I interrupted your day. I just wanted you to know what was going on.”

“I appreciate that and I’m sorry about your mom,” he told her. “Be careful driving and text me when you get there.”

“I’m really sorry about the weekend. I was looking forward to seeing you.”

“I was too, but it’s all okay. We’ll talk about it after you assess the whole situation, okay?”

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