Page 27 of Hearts on the Line (The Maverick Key #1)
Scott
I’m analyzing the dive plans spread before us. At the far end of the table, Maddie sits focused, tension tightening her shoulders. Her gaze flicks toward me every so often, hands clasped together, restless. What’s on her mind?
What I’m thinking about are the moments we’ve shared over the last few days—those touches, kisses, and what’s still to come.
I take a deep breath, heat rising to my chest as I think about last night.
I chuckle. When I got out of the shower, Maddie was sound asleep.
Her little snores were so soft. Cute. I didn’t have the heart to wake her.
Not for our first time. So, I made sure she was tucked in properly and the cabin was secure, then I left.
I’m eager to take her out again. Imagining our next date is a hell of a lot more fun than this conversation with Garrett. That’s for damn sure.
“You’re going to need to speed this up.”
Garrett sets his pen down, clearing his throat.
“I’m concerned about the team’s progress charting the tunnels.
It’s been too slow.” He places his fingers on the table, leaning in for emphasis.
“Other dive teams are waiting in line to get in there… In fact, even Wes has expressed some interest. For the right price, he’s open to it.
His involvement could bring us good publicity. ”
“I don’t play well with others, Garrett—I’ll be damned if I suit up with Harrington.”
“You may not have a choice,” he counters, his tone turning testy. “My patience isn’t unlimited.”
I lean back in my chair, my expression flat.
“I have a choice. And it’s a hard pass on working with anyone else.
Don’t act like you don’t need us. Without my crew, it’ll take another team at least six months just to get up to speed.
” I glare at him, undeterred by his threats.
They mean nothing to me. “That would put you almost a year behind, and you know it.”
Garrett frowns but only shrugs, moving on. “Four months. That’s what’s left—not a day more. I expect to see faster results.”
I tune him out for the rest of the briefing. When we finish, I catch him lingering near the stairs, intercepting Wes as he heads for the door with a dive bag slung over one shoulder. Wes doesn’t slow down, pushing past him without a word. What are the two of them up to?
I’m getting ready to leave the table when Maddie approaches me. Her shoulders are squared, her expression set, as if she’s made a decision.
“Can I talk to you?”
“Of course, baby.” I motion toward the back door. “Let’s go outside.”
We step onto the wraparound porch. A warm breeze lifts some of the strands of Maddie’s hair and blows them into her eyes. She squints, her lips pursed. So damn cute. I want to kiss her. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear before meeting my gaze.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about Nathan’s work and what I found when I went through his things.” She’s looking at the ground while she talks. “I have so many questions about what Nathan was doing in the Drop.” She stops.
Worried, I put a hand on her back and gently tilt her chin up so I can meet her eyes. “Hey—what’s on your mind?”
The shift in her mood worries me. It’s a complete one-eighty from last night.
“Nathan didn’t trust the people around him. He felt like he had to hide his findings. After the break-in…”
That’s what this is. She doesn’t feel safe. I jump in.
“You might feel safer with me close. Let me talk to Wes about having some of his men double up in the rooms they’re renting. Liam and I can stay here at the inn for a while. We’ll make the room. Unless you’d rather me…”
She shakes her head, jumping in. “I need you to teach me how to cave dive.”
My throat tightens. I have to force myself to take in air.
“You need me to teach you to cave dive?” I repeat her words, hoping I misheard.
“Yes. When we dived the other day, everything came back to me in a rush. I know what I’m doing in the water, and I love it.” She pauses a moment to look at my face, gauging my reaction. I fight to keep my face neutral.
“I’m already certified for advanced-level open water and have been researching what technical dives involve. I’ve already learned so much from watching you guys.” She fiddles with her necklace as she speaks. Running her fingers over the jade.
“I’m a quick learner. It won’t take me that long—you’ll see.” She squints, seeing the doubt in my eyes. “I have to explore the tunnels for myself and find the answers he was looking for—to figure out what was so important it cost him his life.”
I exhale, running a hand through my hair. My protective instinct flares. I clutch her arms to still them. She looks at me hopefully.
“I think it’s fantastic you want to dive. Seeing you in the water the other day was amazing. You’re so good at it, sweetheart.” Her eyes widen and her breathing picks up. She thinks I’m going to say yes. I need to get to the point.
“But.”
Her face falls.
“You already know… penetration diving isn’t the same as recreational. It has more dangers, even for highly trained divers. Things can go wrong in an instant.”
“I know that.” She’s stubborn. “But you do it. Nathan did it. And I want to. I want to get in the water and see it for myself. He left clues—things only I might be able to piece together. I don’t want to put this in someone else’s hands.”
Her determination tugs at my heart. I’m torn. “I know you want to find out what happened to Nathan. But this is about your safety. Cave diving is unpredictable. Even with the best training and skill, you’re not going to be able to control everything. So much can go wrong.”
“Please, Scott. Don’t say no. I have to do this, and I know you can train me.” She steps closer, face pinched, eyes wide with desperation. “I’ll follow every instruction you give me to the letter and take every precaution. I’ll do it right. I promise.”
I grip her shoulders. Now I’m the one who’s desperate.
“It’s not just about training. Even expert divers struggle with an overhead environment.
I’ve seen instructors—dive masters—who can’t handle it.
And when they can, I’ve still seen bad things happen.
Tragedies happen every single day.” I freeze.
“You don’t understand what you’re asking of me, Maddie. ”
Her eyes widen, her face softening.
Then frustration flashes in her eyes. “So that’s it? You’re saying no without giving me a chance.”
I sigh, my voice gentler. “You don’t have anything to prove to me. I know you can do it. But this is about me protecting you, and I can’t guarantee your safety down there. If something happened to you on my watch, it would kill me.”
She looks away, her shoulders stiffening. The hurt on her face is like a gut punch. “I thought you’d at least hear me out.” She looks to the floor.
“I’m sorry.” I reach for her. She stiffens, but lets me pull her into a loose embrace.
“You need to sit on this, think about what’s motivating you.
Is this something you want—or do you feel like you owe it to Nathan?
” I take a deep breath and continue. “For me, this is about what I’d be risking,” I add, my voice a whisper now. “You’re asking me to risk too much.”
She pulls back, her expression hardening. It startles me. “You’re afraid.”
Her words hit deep.
I am afraid.
But I won’t let her put herself in danger. I need to convince her.
“…breaking news,” a reporter announces, their voice urgent. “A tropical storm has formed overnight in the Gulf and is on track to arrive on Maverick Key within the next seventy-two hours.”
We walk to the living room, the tension between us released, even though we both know we’re at an impasse. On the screen, the reporter continues, outlining the storm’s rapid development and potential to become a strong tropical storm or even a hurricane.
“Damn it,” I mutter. “We’ll need to secure the boats and equipment and make sure everyone’s ready.”
“What can I do?”
“Call Hannah and help Ms. Connor get the inn prepped,” I run through a mental checklist. “Me and the crew will handle the watercraft.”
Her expression is resolute. “Okay.”
I lean in and kiss her, a simple goodbye. She lets me, but there’s no passion in it, no fire.
As I head back inside to rally the team, I can’t get the disappointment in her eyes out of my head.
I’m making the right call.
Like the storm, this will pass.