Page 68 of Roughing It

Chapter20

Maddox

My only saving grace is that the storm ravaged the property and I’m busy from sunup to sundown. I have enough time to eat, pay Nudge some attention—though she’s taken to venturing down to the lobby just like I predicted—and get some measure of shut-eye before I’m back at it again.

The roads survived, but most of the trails are washed out, so I keep the lodge closed and send everyone off for a week and a half while Miguel and I work on repairs.

As we pack down fresh dirt on the final stretch of trail near the lookout, I realize that by tomorrow, I have to get back to my life. The roads were closed for most of the week, so that damned SUV is still sitting in the parking lot. It’s the last tie I have to Eden. Of course, Miguel had to go and point out that I had contact info from the reservation, but I’m also not an immoral monster, as tempting as it is.

I’m not sure what her friend would say, though, if I called her up and asked her to give me Eden’s phone number. I have no idea what she would have told them after heading back down.

But the more time that passes, the more distance between us, the more I start to give up hope that I’ll ever see her again. I know it’s affecting my mood, especially by the way Miguel is glaring at me because I wasn’t exactly kind during this last stretch of repairs.

I stroke over Clover’s neck, and she nickers a bit, stamping her feet. I know she’s restless and wants to get back to the paddock so she can run. “You can say it,” I finally tell Miguel.

He lifts a brow at me, and then he shrugs. “You’re being an asshole, and you either need to head down to the city, find her, and propose to her, or you need to get laid.”

Getting laid has never been the answer, but I know I can’t do the first thing. Even if I did find out where she was, she’d probably slam the door in my face for being a creep. I remember the look on her face when I walked away from her, and then again as Edwin was driving her off the property.

I should have followed my gut and kissed her and promised I would see her again, but at the time, it seemed right to let her go. Now, like with so many things, I’m consumed with regret.

“We should head back,” I tell him, then take off at a gallop, and I don’t bother listening to see if he’s following behind.

I reach the stables and slow Clover to a trot, and it takes me a second to realize what’s off. There’s a man in the parking lot standing next to the SUV, and I recognize him as the owner after a beat. Sage, I think his name is. Eden’s friend.

My throat feels a little tight when my gaze meets his, and I lift my hand before passing Clover off to a waiting Phoenix. He’s been training with the horses lately, so I trust him to get her brushed down and watered while I force myself to face the last vestiges of Eden in my life.

My heart’s hammering a little as I cross the grounds, and Sage starts to meet me halfway with his hand out. We shake—one of those manly office handshakes that my father taught me when I was fifteen. Sage’s face is kind though, and his grip isn’t trying to prove anything.

“Sorry for leaving this with you for so long,” he says.

I wave him off. “It’s not a problem. We haven’t opened back up yet. I just hope it wasn’t damaged in the storm.” In truth, I hadn’t even bothered to check, but Sage doesn’t seem like he cares.

He’s still staring at me, almost like he’s trying to get a read on me. After a long silence that starts to feel uncomfortable, he shoves one of his hands into his pocket. “You seem like a good guy… Maddox, right?”

I don’t remember introducing myself to him. The only reason I even know who he is is because of Eden. Which probably means… “Have you talked to her?” It’s another one of those moments where my brain just sort of fires without my conscious consent. I flush and want to take it back, but it’s too late.

Sage’s face does something complicated, and then he smiles. “Yeah. She’s been hanging out more with Flor all laid up.”

I frown a little bit. “Is she recovering okay? I’m so sorry that—”

“No,” Sage interrupts, his tone a little sharp. “That wasn’t anyone’s fault but that dickhead, and I got my revenge.”

My brows fly up in surprise, and I lean forward a bit, eager to know. “What happened?”

Sage snorts. “A couple of his emails were anonymously leaked at work where he was saying some really sexist shit about a couple of the women working there. I made sure the report started circulating around the city, so he’s pretty much blackballed from the industry.”

I feel a small surge of vindication, but I’m not completely satisfied. “No offense, man, but if you knew he was a sexist pig, why the hell would you bring him to be Eden’s date?”

Sage deflates a little. “I’m not going to defend myself. I didn’t know about the emails, but he…” Sage stops and glances away like he’s ashamed, and I gain a little respect for him because he seems genuinely remorseful. “Yeah, he’s like my old frat brothers. I don’t always realize how much I’m used to their bullshit until it affects someone I care about.”

From the tone of his voice, I don’t think he’s talking about Eden right now. “Your wife?”

And at that, he looks really ashamed. “It’s a long story, but yeah. I’m lucky she forgave me—and it’s a goddamn miracle she agreed to marry me. I feel like absolute shit about putting Eden through that too.”

“I don’t think she was too bothered,” I confess, and from the light smirk that falls on his lips, I realize he knows. I don’t know how that makes me feel, but the fact that she’s told people must mean something. Right?

Sage’s eyes dart from the left to right, and then he digs his hand farther into his pocket, coming out with his keys. I think maybe he’s going to walk away, but he takes a step forward and lowers his voice. “You like her, don’t you?”

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