Page 69 of Anchored

Macy shakes her head and looks at her watch. “Seven thirty or so. Why?”

“Shit!”

Macy climbs to her feet, actual concern on her face. “Are you late for something? I can go.”

The front door bangs open and Maple stands in the doorway, looking incredible in a dress I haven’t seen before. She looks like a goddess with her hair lit from behind by the last rays of sunlight. She’s the woman I want to spend the rest of my life impressing. The one I want to shower every ounce of love I have in my body onto.

Except her gaze is furious, and it’s locked on Macy.

In a flash, I realize what this must look like from her point of view. I see everything crashing together in one spectacular misunderstanding of epic proportions. Before I can utter a single word, Maple spins on her heels and dashes out of the cabin.

I rush after her, nearly pushing Macy over in my hurry to get to Maple.

“Maple!” I shout, getting to her car in time to see the frenzied look in her eyes through the windshield. She backs up, weaving wildly down the driveway. I call after her again, my hands in my hair, my heart in my throat. I curse under my breath, concerned for her safety driving like that. I’m also concerned I’ve fucked everything up.

Her car tires squeal as she turns sharply at the bottom of the driveway. She puts it in drive, peeling out down the road and out of sight.

I drop my hands, incredulous. Has this really happened? I’ve lost track of time before—many times, if I’m being honest—but none has had such devastating consequences.

“I’m going to take a wild guess that everything’s not okay here?” Macy’s drawl sounds like nails on a chalkboard. “Did I screw something up?”

Anger, disgust, and heartbreak all mix together. “Just go, Macy,” I snap.

She mumbles under her breath about maybe I need the counselor more than her, but I ignore the comment. My mind is spinning and I need silence to figure out what to do here. I was supposed to meet Maple at seven at the restaurant, and I clearly blew it. Then she walks in on me and Macy talking, which was perfectly innocent, but I know her history. I know what her fiancé did to her. And I want to punch myself in the face for putting that doubt in her head.

I run inside and let Mookie out. She dashes around the cabin, sniffing out Macy and only calming down once she’s assured herself that woman is gone. I find my phone and call Gracie, making a guess that Maple is headed there. She answers after three rings, my grandpa’s voice in the background.

“Holt! I thought you’d be at dinner still.”

“Yeah, listen, Gracie. Maple’s probably on her way to your place right now, and I need you to talk to her.”

There’s a long pause before Gracie answers. “Oh, boy. What’s going on and what can I do to help?”

I squeeze my eyes shut and feel blessed I have a good relationship with Maple’s grandma. I spill the story the best I can while my brain is still a jumble. Pretty sure she gets the gist of it because she hisses when I get to the part about Macy being here.

“I know she’s hurting right now, Gracie, but I need her to know that nothing was going on here. Nothing. I love Maple so much it hurts.”

Gracie’s soft voice feels like a pat on the back. “I know you do, Holt. And she loves you. She’s just sensitive because of that asswipe Dexter.”

I nearly choke on a laugh, stunned I can even attempt laughing right now.

“Give her some space to calm down and think things through. She’ll probably need to sleep off the mad before she comes to her senses. I suggest you use that time to come up with a plan and have your butt over here first thing tomorrow. Understand?”

“Yes. Thank you, Gracie. Really. Thank you so much for being there for her.”

“Nowhere else I’d rather be. Now get to planning, Romeo. You have a girl to woo tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I hear her hoot and then call to Grandpa before she hangs up. “I just got ma’amed!”

I shake my head at her antics and hang up the phone.

Collapsing onto the couch, I stare at the far wall and wonder how this evening got so messed up. I lost time at Sunny Shores, I lost time here at the cabin, and now Maple is paying for my inabilities. That voice in my head is back, the one that tells me I’m not cut out for serious relationships. That I’ll always fuck them up.

Then my gaze falls on the journal Maple bought me. The pages where I’ve anchored my thoughts over the summer. I remember how much she believes in me. I remember that I’m human and I make mistakes. And if Maple loves me even half as much as I love her, then she’ll hear me out tomorrow and know that I’d never ditch her for Macy or any other woman.

What I need to do is exactly what Gracie told me. Come up with a plan for in the morning and make sure Maple knows how much she means to me and how sorry I am for embarrassing her by standing her up. I think of her in that gorgeous dress, sitting by herself at a table at Dock & Dine and I’m back to wanting to punch myself in the face.

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