Grave Concerns (9 page)

Darrin was following her … and he was moving fast.

Maddie focused on the river ahead of her instead of Darrin. She knew he was closing the distance between them. She also knew that – given the number of homes on the river – he would have to be an idiot to try something in the middle of the day. Maddie was convinced that worry about Darrin’s motivations was ridiculous – and yet she couldn’t stop herself from doing just that.

There was a fork in the river ahead. Both sides ultimately led to the same destination, but the one on the left was a lazier route that took longer. The one on the right was more treacherous, but Maddie didn’t want to risk a slower current when her heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

Maddie’s kayak sliced through the water. She was athletic enough that she easily avoided a jutting log. She was just about to turn another bend when she risked a glance over her shoulder and found Darrin taking the same route, his eyes glued to her.

Maddie hurried around the bend, debating if she would be safer to try and dock at one of the upcoming homes and hide on land when she saw a familiar face. Nick had lodged his kayak against an island in the middle of the river. He was intently staring in her direction, and when he caught sight of her she could see the hard lines next to his eyes relax.

“Nicky!”

Maddie’s kayak almost collided with Nick’s as she managed to wedge herself into the spot next to him.

“I’m so sorry, Mad,” Nick said, contrite. “I didn’t realize that we’d left you behind until … .”

“It’s fine,” Maddie said, sucking in a breath. “I just … .”

“Why are you all sweaty?” Nick ran his hand down Maddie’s cheek. “Why do you look upset? Did something happen?”

“No. I just … .”

Darrin rounded the bend at the moment, his eyes widening when his gaze landed on Nick and Maddie. “I see you found your group.”

Maddie forced a smile. “I did. Thank you for all of your help.”

“You should keep her a little closer,” Darrin said, shifting his attention to Nick. “You left her alone in a vulnerable position. She might not have been so lucky if the wrong person found her.”

Nick frowned. “I … what do you mean?”

“I was just surprised when I left the outhouse,” Maddie supplied. “All of the boats were gone. You were gone. I … Darrin helped me find my kayak. For some reason, it was in the woods.”

“I didn’t leave you, Mad,” Nick said, rubbing the back of her neck. “I … .” He broke off so he could focus on Darrin, who was using his paddle against a tree branch to keep his kayak stationary. “Thank you for helping her. I didn’t leave her. Trust me. I would never leave her. There was a … mix-up.”

“I’m not here to tell you your business, man, but if that was my girlfriend I would never go anyplace without her,” Darrin said, winking at Maddie. “She seems a little nervous, though. I offered to go down the river with her until she found you, but I think she was worried I was trying to hit on her.”

Nick glanced at Maddie. “Is that true?”

Maddie bit her bottom lip, conflicted. “I … maybe.”

“I’m married,” Darrin said, lifting his hand so Maddie could see the evidence she’d missed earlier. “I’m happily married at that. She seemed upset so I didn’t want to leave her alone in case she had trouble finding you.”

“Thank you,” Nick said. “I won’t have trouble finding her again. What happened this time was … a joke gone bad.”

Maddie wrinkled her nose. “A joke gone bad? Who would … ? Oh.”

“Oh,” Nick echoed. “Thank you again for helping her.”

“No problem,” Darrin said. “I’m glad she found you. Have a good camping trip.”

“Thanks.”

Nick and Maddie watched Darrin go, remaining silent until they were sure he was out of earshot.

“He didn’t do anything to hurt you, did he?”

“I feel kind of stupid now that he mentioned he was married,” Maddie admitted. “He was really nice. He could’ve left me stranded there. I just … he looked at my butt.”

Nick grinned. He couldn’t help himself. “Well, he may be married, but he’s not dead, love. Your butt is fantastic.”

“Thank you,” Maddie said. “I’m going to guess that Kelly is the one who hid my kayak. Am I right? I’m stunned she admitted it.”

“She didn’t admit it,” Nick replied, his smile slipping. “When I got to the river Kelly told me that Uncle Chester made you go with him. I thought I was going to have to warn him off about leering at you. Sydney offered to keep me company, but I went with Hayley instead. She finally admitted what they did. I couldn’t walk back to you so I sent Hayley ahead with everyone and hoped you would luck upon me here. I can’t believe they hid your kayak. That’s so … .”

Maddie squeezed his hand. “I’m fine. There’s no reason to dwell on it. In fact, I don’t think we should even bring it up.”

“Oh, Mad, I love you,” Nick said, leaning over to give her a soft kiss. “I’m definitely going to bring it up, though.”

“WHAT
do you mean you’re not staying down here for dinner?”

Sharon was confused. She expected a bevy of happy faces when everyone returned from the kayaking excursion. For the most part, that was true. There were several notable exceptions, though, and Kelly and Nick were the most obvious ones.

“We’re not eating down here tonight,” Nick replied, running a hand through his hair. “We’re going back to the cabin to shower and then I’m taking Maddie out to dinner in town.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t have to understand,” Nick shot back. “That’s the way things are going to be regardless of whether or not you understand.”

“Don’t talk to your mother that way,” Don chided. “I can see you’re upset. Why don’t you tell us what happened?”

“Why don’t you start with where Maddie is,” Sharon suggested.

“Maddie is on her way back to the cabin so she can take a shower,” Nick replied. “She had a rough afternoon because
someone
hid her kayak while we stopped for a bathroom break and that same
someone
told me she left without me so I would leave Maddie behind.”

Sharon’s eyes widened, her heart hopping as Nick’s words sank in. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes,” Nick spat. “Maddie came out of the outhouse and found all of us gone and then had to search for her kayak in the woods. Luckily there was a guy there to help her.”

“I’m surprised she didn’t take up with him and leave you in the dust again,” Kelly offered. She wasn’t even remotely sorry for what she’d done. Sharon could read that just by observing the obstinate tilt of her only daughter’s chin. “I think you’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

“Is Maddie okay?” Don asked.

“Maddie is great, Dad,” Nick said. “Maddie is thrilled that my sister hates her so much that she’s subjecting her to middle-school games. Maddie is A-OK!”

Sharon pinched the bridge of her nose as her gaze bounced between Nick and Kelly. She didn’t blame her youngest son for his outrage. “I don’t understand why you would do something like that, Kelly. I … I don’t even know what to say. It’s so petty.”

“And embarrassing,” Don added. “You’re a grown woman with a child. What kind of grown woman does something like that?”

Kelly’s cheeks flushed. “Excuse me? It was a joke.”

“Then how come no one is laughing?” John asked, moving to Nick’s side. “I’m with everyone else, Kelly. That was not only a lame joke, but it could’ve potentially led to trouble for Maddie.”

“Oh, what trouble?” Kelly asked, sarcasm practically dripping off her tongue. “Maddie was twenty minutes behind us. She had to go twenty whole minutes without seeing Nick. Boo hoo.”

“And what would’ve happened if someone without nice intentions would’ve stumbled across Maddie?” Nick pressed.

Kelly’s eyes widened. “What?”

“There are people everywhere who don’t have the best interests of others at heart,” Nick charged. “Maddie stumbled upon a nice, married guy who wouldn’t stop looking at her butt. She was only mildly uncomfortable. What if someone else found her?”

“I … .” Kelly didn’t know how to answer.

“Maddie could’ve been taken from that spot and we might never have found out what happened to her,” John supplied. “Maddie is a pretty girl. If a predator happened upon her in the middle of nowhere, do you think he would’ve left her alone because you were playing a joke?”

“I didn’t think of it that way,” Kelly offered. “I … it was just a joke.”

“Would it have been a joke if someone did the same thing to you?” Don challenged.

“No one would do it to me because I’m not the type of person who abandons her best friend and breaks his heart,” Kelly shot back.

“No, you’re the type of person who acts like a teenage girl for no apparent reason,” Nick countered. “I’m not taking it for one second longer. I’m done.”

“What does that mean?” Sharon asked, concerned.

“It means I’m done,” Nick said. “I’m not putting up with one more antic from Kelly. Period.”

“Are you leaving the camping trip early?”

“I … .” Nick glanced at John. He didn’t want to hurt his mother, but he was so fed up with Kelly’s attitude that he was considering doing just that.

“We’ll make sure Kelly doesn’t go near Maddie again,” Don said. “I promise.”

“Oh, really, how are you going to do that?”

“Leave it to me,” Sharon said. “I will take care of your sister.”

“You’re going to take care of me?” Kelly challenged. “Well, that’s just great. Even my own mother is picking Maddie over me. Maybe I should just leave the family and cede all of my relatives to Maddie Graves. Do you think she wants to be Hayley’s mother, too? It’s a thankless job, but someone has to do it.”

“That will be enough of that,” Sharon said, grabbing Kelly’s elbow. “You need to apologize to your brother for what you did and promise him that it will never happen again.”

“Why should I?”

“Because you know what you did is wrong and the only reason you’re digging your heels in now is because you’ve never been able to admit that you’re not right one-hundred percent of the time,” Sharon replied. “What you did to Maddie was uncalled for. It was mean, selfish, and ridiculously juvenile. Apologize.”

“Mom … .”

“Apologize,” Sharon pressed, digging her fingers into Kelly’s elbow. “You do it right now or things are going to get really ugly, my dear.”

Kelly sucked in a steadying breath, staring her mother down for a moment before turning to Nick. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re lying,” Nick shot back. “I know it. You know it. Heck, Mom knows it. I don’t really care if you’re sorry. I’m here to warn you that if you go near Maddie again … if you even think of playing another prank on her … then things are never going to be the same between us again.”

“I know. You’re picking Maddie over me.”

“No, I’m picking myself over everyone,” Nick countered. “I want to be happy. Maddie makes me happy. You know who isn’t making me happy, Kelly? That would be you. I’m not putting you ahead of my happiness. If you don’t like it, you can get over it. I don’t really care.”

“Son, you’re upset,” Don said, his voice calm. “Why don’t you go back to your cabin? I think you’re right to take Maddie out to a nice dinner. The two of you can spend some time alone. By the time breakfast rolls around tomorrow … .”

“I’ll still be angry,” Nick finished. “I’m not joking about Kelly. Figure out a way to rein her in. There’s only so much I’m going to put up with and I’m seriously at my limit.”

“I’ll handle it,” Sharon promised. “I … we’ll fix this, Nick.”

“Make sure you do.”

“Mom, you’re hurting me!”

“I’m going to hurt you,” Sharon muttered, tugging harshly on Kelly’s arm as she dragged her away from the family camping plots. She was about to unload and she knew that doing it in front of people would only get Kelly’s hackles up. If she thought she had an audience, Kelly would relish putting on a show.

Sharon didn’t stop until they were almost five hundred feet away from everyone. She pushed Kelly behind a small group of trees, only letting her daughter go when she was sure they were out of sight.

“I have never been more embarrassed in my entire life!”

Kelly took an involuntary step back, surprised. Her mother was known for her temper, but Kelly was rarely on the receiving end of it. In fact, when she was younger, she was usually considered the golden child while John and Nick bounced from one bucket of trouble to another.

“It was a joke, Mom,” Kelly said, tugging an impatient hand through her snarled hair. “Nick is blowing it way out of proportion. I’m sure he’s doing it for Maddie’s benefit. She probably threatened to break up with him again unless he went after me.”

Sharon crossed her arms over her chest. “Really? That doesn’t sound like Maddie at all to me.”

“Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think you do.”

“Maybe you don’t know her at all,” Sharon challenged.

“Oh, I know Maddie.” Kelly made a face. “She’s the girl who had every boy panting in high school. She’s the girl who acted all sweet and innocent while she conned men to do her bidding. She’s the girl who broke her supposed best friend’s heart so she could run off without him on a big adventure and only came back when she had no options left. I know all about Maddie Graves.”

Sharon fought the urge to smack her daughter across the face. She wasn’t a violent woman, and yet Kelly’s attitude was giving her ideas she never envisioned where a member of her family was concerned.

“Maddie was never any of those things,” Sharon replied, her tone clipped. “Maddie was a shy girl who hid behind Nick because she was afraid of people staring at her. Maddie was an only child who never had any friends because she was scared to make them. Maddie was a sweet girl who nursed injured animals rather than put up with the bullies who tried to terrorize her back in the day.

“Maddie is a girl who didn’t go to her senior prom because she didn’t want to go with anyone but Nick and he was too stupid to see it,” she continued. “Maddie was a girl so scared of who she was she had no choice but to run. She’s not an evil girl. She’s a shy and scared girl who is trying to find herself. Why can’t you see that?”

“That is such crap,” Kelly countered, although her tone softened. “We both know Nick doted on her in high school. He gave her every single thing she ever wanted.”

“And yet he didn’t at the same time,” Sharon said. “Nick was a boy who couldn’t wrap his head around his feelings until it was too late. He loved Maddie back then. Part of him knew it. The other part … well … it needed a hard dose of reality to jolt him into realizing how he wanted his life to go.”

“And Maddie took off and broke his heart,” Kelly finished. “That’s the woman you’re so thrilled about moving in with Nick.”

“You have no idea what Maddie was going through at that point in her life.”

“Do you?”

“I do,” Sharon shot back. “You seem to forget that Olivia and I were friends. Olivia knew what Maddie was struggling with. She told me. Maddie was too afraid to tell Nick what was going on. That’s why she left.”

“And what was going on? Were split ends getting her down?”

Sharon sighed, frustrated. “It’s none of your business what was going on. It wasn’t then and it certainly isn’t now. Maddie and Nick have talked through all of their issues. They’ve admitted their love for one another. They’re happy. Heck, they’re more than happy. They’re blissful.”

“For now,” Kelly challenged. “What’s going to stop Maddie from taking off when she realizes that she wants a different life from the one Nick can give her?”

“What life does Maddie want that she can’t get from Nick?” Sharon shot back. “Don’t you understand that the only thing Maddie truly wants
is
Nick?”

Kelly faltered, stunned by Sharon’s vehemence. “You’ve always wanted Maddie to be part of our family. That’s the only reason you’re gung-ho about this. If you really cared about Nick … .”

“Don’t you even consider finishing that sentence,” Sharon warned. “You’re right. I do love Maddie. I have loved that girl since she was five years old and Nick brought her home for a play date. That doesn’t mean that she’s not the best thing that ever happened to your brother.

“Have you looked at him recently, Kelly?” she continued. “I think you should give it a shot. That’s what happiness looks like, my dear. That thing he does every time he looks at Maddie? That’s called smiling. The way he wants to touch her every second of the day? That’s called love. That girl is his entire heart. She always has been. His heart is finally complete because they’re together.”

“Oh, that’s the sappiest thing I’ve ever heard,” Kelly snapped. “Nick is going to get his heart broken again. I’m the only one who apparently sees it because I’m the only one looking out for him.”

“You’re not looking out for him,” Sharon argued. “You’re making things harder for him. You’re unhappy and you want everyone else to be unhappy. It makes me sad. You’re still a young woman, Kelly. Your marriage didn’t work out. These things happen.

“You could go out and find your own happiness if you put your considerable efforts behind the task,” she continued. “Instead you want to rip happiness away from your brother … or whoever else irritates you on any particular day. Enough is enough. Focus on yourself and stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.

“You’re not helping anyone by fixating on Maddie,” Sharon said. “All you’re doing is proving to the world that you’re miserable and you want everyone to be miserable with you. Don’t say another word. Just think about what I said. This is our family, and you’ll always be a part of it. You need to make some hard decisions about whether or not you want to be a part of it, though. The way you’re acting makes me think you don’t want us in your lives. If that’s the case, you’re doing a bang-up job of pushing Nick away from you forever.”

“LET’S
eat on the patio,” Maddie suggested, inclining her chin toward the romantic enclosure to the right of the quiet restaurant. “It’s nice out.”

“That sounds good to me,” Nick said, bringing their joined hands to his lips so he could brush a soft kiss against Maddie’s knuckles.

The hostess sighed as she grabbed two menus.

“Is something wrong?” Maddie asked, confused.

“You two are just so cute,” the hostess said. “I want someone that handsome one day.”

“I definitely recommend it,” Maddie said, her eyes twinkling.

Once they were settled and placed their orders, Maddie turned her somber eyes to Nick. He’d been largely quiet since returning to the cabin after his showdown with Kelly. She was almost afraid to ask how it went.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Nick shifted his eyes from the quiet expanse of Lake Margrethe and focused on Maddie. “I’m really sorry for all of this.”

“I wasn’t asking for an apology.”

“I know. It’s just … .”

“Nicky, I know you didn’t purposely leave me,” Maddie said. “I’m not upset. I feel a little stupid for thinking Darrin was going to try and feel me up or something, but I’ll get over it.”

Nick smirked. “I think part of you was worried that I did leave you,” he said. “It might’ve only been for a split second, but I know you, Mad. Your heart did that flopping thing it’s prone to do.”

“My heart did the flopping thing because … well … I was trying to figure out how I was going to get back to the campground and I was worried it was going to involve hitchhiking,” Maddie said. “I have a feeling if that was the case someone was definitely going to try and feel me up.”

“Oh, love, I’m the only one who gets to feel you up.”

“Tell me about what happened with Kelly,” Maddie prodded. “I know you don’t want to upset me and I promise it won’t, if that’s what you’re worried about. You’ve been quiet since you got back, though.”

“Nothing happened.”

Maddie arched a challenging eyebrow. “Okay, mostly nothing happened,” Nick conceded. “I … well … I laid down the law.”

“Oh, this should be good.”

Nick ignored the jab. “I told Kelly that I wasn’t going to put up with one more thing from her,” he said. “I told her that if she wanted to keep going after you that we could part ways here and now.”

“Nicky, she’s your sister,” Maddie countered, her face twisting. “You can’t just cut your sister out of your life.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Mad. That’s exactly what I’m going to do if she does one more thing.”

“I’m not sure that’s fair to her,” Maddie pressed. “It probably seems to her that you’re picking me over her. That has to hurt.”

“She already thinks I’m picking you over her.”

“You told her that wasn’t true, right?”

Nick shook his head. “I
am
picking you over her.”

“Oh, Nicky, she’s going to hate me even more now.”

“Kelly doesn’t hate you,” Nick said. “She wants to hate you. You make an easy mark because you have everything she’s ever wanted … well, except she wants it with a guy who isn’t her brother.”

“Whew. That’s a relief.”

Nick grinned. “Kelly needs to get over herself. The truth is – and I told her this tonight – I’m not just picking you over her. I’m picking myself over her. I want to be happy, Mad. You’re my happiness.”

“Oh, I definitely recommend everyone get one of you,” Maddie said, her eyes shining under the moonlight. “You’re my happiness, too. You know that, right?”

“I do,” Nick said, squeezing her hand. “I feel it every minute we’re together. You kind of … melt … when you cuddle up next to me. We fit together. We always did.  I’m not willing to put my happiness on hold because Kelly doesn’t want to accept that we’re together.”

“I think she’s going to come around,” Maddie said, reaching for her glass of wine.

“I think you’ve always had an optimistic heart.”

“I think you’re angry enough at Kelly that you don’t want to admit that you believe she’ll come around, too,” Maddie countered. “She’s your sister. She loves you. She’s going to find happiness of her own one day. I have faith. You should try it.”

“I have faith in you, love,” Nick said. “I have faith that we’re going to be happy. I have faith that this life is going to give us everything we’ve ever wanted. I have … hope … that Kelly can get past her issues and find the same thing one day.”

“That’s my Nicky.”

“You’re the only one I belong to,” Nick agreed. “It’s you and me forever, my Maddie. I waited too long to get my happy ending to let someone else ruin it for me. Either way, if Kelly tries one more thing … .”

“You’ll yell at her and then find a way to get over it,” Maddie finished.

“Hey, I can hold a grudge,” Nick countered. “Look how long I was angry with you.”

“Yes, you put up a brave fight,” Maddie said, patting his hand. “You hated me for three days when I got back to town and then we made up.”

Nick smirked. “I told you I could hold a grudge.”

“If you play your cards right, I’ll let you hold something else when we get back to the cabin.”

“And that’s why I love you, Mad.” Nick impatiently glanced around the patio. “Where is our dinner?”