Page 24 of Hearts on the Line (The Maverick Key #1)

Maddie

The sun blazes over the tarmac, casting heat waves against the horizon. American flags line the makeshift pathways, their bold reds, whites, and blues vivid against the cloudless sky. Patriotic country music drifts through the air, mingling with the crowd’s excited chatter.

I stand among the spectators, waiting for the Naval Air Show to begin. Families cluster together, and children wave little flags, their faces painted with the stars and stripes. Everywhere I look, people are smiling with their eyes turned skyward, waiting for the aerial spectacle to begin.

“Wow,” Hannah says beside me, adjusting her sunglasses and fanning herself with a program as sweat drips down her temples.

“Exciting, isn’t it?” I shield my eyes with my hand and gaze ahead at the distant runway. Planes are lined up and ready to go.

“Exciting indeed,” she mutters.

I follow her gaze—and my breath catches.

Scott strides toward us in his crisp white Navy uniform, his medals gleaming in the sunlight.

His broad shoulders fill out the sharp lines of his coat, and he carries his hat tucked neatly under one arm.

His confident stride draws every nearby pair of eyes, especially the female kind.

Beside him trots Denver, tail wagging in sync with Scott’s steady steps.

Denver’s own medals of honor are displayed on his vest.

Hannah lets out a low whistle. “I mean. Come on.”

My stomach flutters. Wow.

“Ladies,” Scott greets us, his voice deep. His gaze lands on me. I’m standing there with my mouth half open. “Enjoying the show?”

“We are now,” Hannah quips. “You clean up pretty well, Rickter.”

Scott chuckles, the sound a low rumble in his chest. “Thanks. I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“You should,” she replies, elbowing me. “Don’t you agree, Maddie?”

I nod. My cheeks are already pink from the heat, but I feel them get hotter. “You look…” I pause, searching for the right word. “Distinguished.”

“Distinguished,” Scott repeats. He looks up like he’s giving my word some thought, his lips twitching. “I like that.” His voice is husky as his gaze flickers from my eyes to my tank top and short denim shorts, then back to my eyes. “You look nice too, sweetheart.” He inhales.

Denver nuzzles Scott’s leg. His expression turns to pride. “Denver’s been the big star today.”

“I believe it,” I reply, crouching to pet Denver. He leans into my touch, his black fur warm and soft beneath my fingers. “You’re my good boy, aren’t you?”

Denver wags his tail enthusiastically. I wipe away some of the sweat pooling on my forehead with my shirt and stand, taking Scott’s hand as he helps me up. He averts his gaze from my bare stomach and clears his throat.

“Hey.”

He leans in—stiff, his face all serious. Is he nervous?

“I’ll just spit it out.” He exhales. “Will you let me take you out tonight?”

“Yes,” I answer too quickly.

“Thank God…” He lowers his voice to a whisper. “You just made my day.”

Gently, he pushes his fingers through my hair, tilting my head back slightly before pressing a sweet kiss to my mouth, just the faintest trace of his tongue crossing my lips. Enough to tease me. My heart pounds.

Before I recover, Jamie and Liam approach, each precariously balancing a tray of food. Jamie holds out a hot dog smothered in mustard and onions. “Anyone hungry? We grabbed extras.”

Scott reluctantly leaves us to it, flashing me a private smile. The rest of us grab our food and sit, anxiously waiting for the show to start. Scott’s so handsome. What am I going to wear for our date? I want this to go somewhere. Is this what love feels like?

Stop it, Maddie.

You’re twenty-eight years old, and Scott’s in his thirties. This is what grown-ups do. They date and find out if they’re compatible. They don’t dream about love before they’ve even French kissed.

An eerie sensation washes over me. I’m being watched.

Scanning the crowd, I scold myself. There’s no threat here.

Then, I spot the woman from the general store.

She’s stunning, dressed in a simple white dress today.

A little girl, maybe four or five years old, clutches her hand.

She has big blond curls, just like her mom.

The mother appears nervous, shifting on her feet and skittishly jumping away from anyone who gets too near her in the crowd.

Something’s off. Her make-up’s too heavy, and there’s a dark shadow on her cheek.

This is wrong. I need to speak to her.

Handing my leftovers to Jamie, I step cautiously toward her. As I approach, her eyes meet mine for a moment.

She bolts.

“Wait,” I call, picking up my pace. She picks up the little girl and runs, disappearing into the crowd.

Not able to find her among the hundreds of people, I return to my friends and pull Hannah aside.

“What’s wrong?”

“I saw the woman from the general store. I tried to approach her, and she ran.”

“What in the world? Why would she run from you?”

“I’m not sure, but I think she’s in some kind of danger.” I explain the bruise and makeup.

“She also has a little girl.”

Hannah frowns. “We need to tell Scott and the police. Her behavior just doesn’t make any sense, especially with the little girl involved. I don’t like it.”

I agree, we need to find some way to find her.

The announcer’s voice booms over the speakers, and the crowd cheers as the first jet streaks across the sky with a roar.

“God, that’s incredible,” Jamie mutters, craning his neck as the jets loop and dive. “How do they do that?”

The cheers grow louder.

For the finale, they soar high into the sky, leaving behind a red, white, and blue starburst. Applause erupts, thunderous and heartfelt.

We all enjoy the rest of the show, but my thoughts keep returning to the woman and her little girl. It doesn’t make sense for her to avoid me. After the break-in and stalker, danger seems to be all around. Why did she run? What’s she hiding? And most importantly—who’s hurting her?

Scott and I walk hand in hand along the sandy path leading from the beachside restaurant to the Driftwood Inn. A warm breeze carries the faint scent of salt and blooming jasmine through the air.

I break the silence. “That was the best red snapper I’ve ever had.”

“Told you. Best seafood on the island. You just have to know which night their supplier comes in.”

“Insider knowledge.”

He glances down at me, his hazel eyes catching the moonlight. “You’re picking up on island life fast.” He nudges me with his hip. “You know I’m going to share all my secrets with you.” He smiles sweetly. “Besides, you’ve already got my team wrapped around your little finger—I’m no exception.”

I roll my eyes, though I can’t stop the grin from spreading across my face, and I feel a twitch of female pride. “Hardly. They’re just being nice because I’m the new girl.”

Scott stops walking to face me fully. After a long pause, he lifts my pendant and smiles. “This is pretty. You wear it all the time. Is it special to you?”

“It’s my spirit animal.” His brows raise with a question.

“An elephant.”

He chuckles. “I can see that. What made you choose a spirit animal?”

“I didn’t. He chose me.”

“Well, I don’t know much about spirits, but it suits you.”

I hold my breath.

“I like everything about you.” He lets go of the pendant and gently brushes his fingers over my collarbone.

My heartbeat quickens, and I wonder if he can hear it.

How he looks at me like I’m the only thing in the world makes it hard to think.

I learn more about Scott every day and it has me yearning for more.

Over dinner, I shared my plans to open an animal clinic, and Scott shared his dreams to open a dive shop once he has time to focus on it.

Scott breaks the silence, pointing toward a small outcropping of manmade stones overlooking the beach. He tugs on my hand. “Come on. The view’s better from there.”

I walk with him, my hand in his, the soft sand beneath my feet giving way to the smooth stones as we climb the short incline. When we reach the top, the ocean stretches endlessly before us.

“This is beautiful,” I murmur, awestruck, as much from the simmering between us as the scenery.

Scott lowers onto one rock, patting the space beside him. “This is my favorite spot on the island,” he admits. “Whenever things get too crazy, I come here—to clear my head.”

I sit down beside him, tucking my legs in beneath me. “I didn’t peg you as the guy who needs to clear his head.”

“We all need that sometimes. Even me.”

I study him, noticing how the moonlight softens the sharp edges of his face. He’s gentler here, serene. “What do you think about when you’re here?”

He keeps his gaze on the horizon, the silence stretching so long I think he might forget to answer.

“A lot of things. I think about my time in the Navy. The people I served with. The ones I lost. Other times, I think about the dives, the risks, the rewards. And sometimes…” His jaw tightens.

“What?” I prompt.

Scott turns toward me, his hazel dark with intensity. A shiver runs down my spine. “Sometimes I think about what it would be like to stop running and just hold on to what I have in front of me.”

His honesty moves me.

“What are you running from?”

He looks down at the space between us, his voice raw. “Regrets mostly. The things I can’t change. Mistakes I’ve made.”

I reach out to him, resting my hand on his forearm. “You’re not running now.”

His gaze moves to my fingers, then back to my eyes.

“No.” His voice is barely audible. “I’m not.”

My fingers trace the jagged scar along his neck. “How did you get this?”

Scott stiffens for a moment, then exhales, his hesitation brief.

“We were deployed to Yemen on a hostage rescue mission. Everything went smoothly and right to plan—until it didn’t.

We got all our men out, but not without a fight.

It was the first and only time I’ve killed a man.

” His voice is calm but heavy. Like a chain around his neck.

“I’m glad I have this to remember.” He gestures to the scar.

“Anyway, because of this, my six-year tour in the SEALs ended five months early.”

I swallow, my fingers tightening around his and pulling his hand to my heart. “I’m so sorry you experienced that.”

The space between us is smaller now, and the ocean carries away our silence. The intimacy of the moment compels me to share something personal.

“When I was little…” My voice trembles with bottled-up emotion.

“I always dreamed of living somewhere beautiful where my family would keep growing, where we would always be safe and live together forever.” My eyes water up and I feel a tear escape.

“I didn’t know death. I was so afraid to lose them. ”

Scott slides his arm around me, pulling me closer. He brushes a soft kiss against my cheek to wipe away my tear.

“When Dad died, it was just the three of us. Nathan was sixteen and had to grow up fast to take care of us. There was never enough time.” I exhale slowly, my voice shaking.

“And Mom worked so hard. But no matter what, no matter how tired she was, Mom made time for us. She would play us a song on the piano every night. She’d tell us it’s not the number of hours you have, but how you use them. Make them count.”

Scott turns toward me, his gaze stormy. “The song you played at the tavern?”

“Yes. When Nathan disappeared and Mom couldn’t play anymore, I kept playing. And when Mom passed…” My voice catches. “It’s my connection to them all. A way to keep them with me.”

Scott doesn’t speak right away, but his warm hands caress my shoulders and back. “Hearing you play that song was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard,” he murmurs, his voice rough with emotion.

Heat rises to my cheeks. “Thank you,” I whisper. “I want that again one day… a family of my own… to love.” I inhale. “But I’m afraid.”

Scott shifts, his thumb brushing lightly over my knee. The hem of my dress flutters in the breeze. He’s staring at my legs. My eyes drift to his neck, where his skin flushes against the white of the scar.

“I…” He hesitates, his voice thick. “You’ve made me want to stop running. You’re worth staying put for.”

His words send my heart into freefall.

Our faces are so close now, I feel his breath. The ocean fades. There’s electricity snapping between us.

Scott leans in, deliberate and careful, giving me a chance to pull away.

I don’t.

When his lips meet mine, the world disappears.

His palms cradle my face as he weaves his fingers through my hair, rough against the softness of my skin.

His kiss is slow and tender, filled with gentle intensity.

He moves with a deep longing to explore, gliding his tongue against mine like a slow dance.

No haste, just pleasure and an understanding between us that we want to follow this path.

We want to discover where it leads together.

We’re breathing hard, our hands moving over our bodies now, wanting more than a kiss. When we pull apart, Scott rests his forehead against mine.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” His words pour out breathlessly.

“Me too.” I reach back out to him and pull his face to mine.

As the hours pass, we remain on the rocks all night, surrounded by moonlight and the crashing waves—talking, laughing, and kissing. And dreaming of tomorrow.