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"No. Just at a bar down the street, drinking away his sadness over losing you. Archer was there, too, trying to talk to him."

My breath caught.

"Brooks was so hurt by you, I only lied to keep you from hurting him more. I'm sorry." Lacey met my eyes. "He’s been there since lunch. Had me cancel all his appointments. Said he needed to think. He'll be here any minute, if you'd like to wait in his office." She walked to his door and held it open for me.

I rushed to her and hugged her, whether she wanted one or not. "I understand. you were only trying to protect him. Thank you so much for this. Want me to put in a good word to Archer for you?"

"No, it won't help." This time she needed a tissue, with tears crawling out of the corners of her eyes. "Honestly, I think I just want out of this city. It's beaten me down. I don't have anymore fight left. Like you said, I'm a small town girl. I miss it. Maybe I need to go back. Go home."

"Oh, honey. I know how you feel. There are times when Holly Creek becomes the only place that I can feel myself again. A special place I can only find in my mothere’s arms where I can regroup, rejuvenate, at least enough to face the big bad world again."

"Yeah. It's been several years since I've been back," she whispered, drawing a shaky breath.

"Do you have vacation coming up? If things get back on track for Brooks and me today, I'll tell him he needs to give you time off."

"Right. Sure. Well, I'm going to get back to work." She nodded, but before closing the door, she said. "Good luck with Brooks. Hold on tight to him, Maisy. He's worth it. Make it worth it—for both of us."

I felt so sad for her, I determined to talk to Archer at some point on her behalf anyway. But for now, I focused on Brooks, and what I'd say when he arrived... if he didn't run away at the sight of me.

Outside the window of his office, the storm that had poured from the sky all day finally eased to a gentle mist. The sound of raindrops tapered off, replaced by quiet. A calm after the chaos. Maybe, just maybe, this was the moment everything turned around.

22

THE EMERGENCY

BROOKS

The momentI stepped into our office, I sensed something was off. Not only the pounding in my head from the tequila Archer and I downed last night, or the saltiness of yesterday’s clothes from sleeping on his couch. No. Something more powerful wafted in the air—electric, buzzing. Like the way the sky breaks after a storm

Lacey stood behind the front desk, a sheepish look on her face.

I squinted at her. “Where’s the emergency?” I asked, voice rough from sleep and regret.

She simply pointed at my door.

I didn’t ask another question. My feet moved and I burst through the door, chest first, lungs barely functioning.

And there she was. My Maisy. I slammed the door behind me.

She stood, her hands fidgeting around a tissue. Her eyes glistening. Her whole body trembling like a bird exhausted from a long flight.

“You’re here,” I blurted, a total idiot. Like it was the first thing in the world I could think to say.

“Yes.”

“You came back.”

“Yes.”

“But shouldn’t you be at the Symposium, getting ready for the big event?”

Her eyes locked on mine. “Yes,” she whispered. “But I realized something really important.”

I held still, afraid that if I blinked, she’d vanish.

“There’s only one man in my life I can trust. Really, truly, and always.” Her voice broke on the next word. “You, Brooks.”

The air knocked from my lungs. My hands twitched at my sides, dying to reach for her.