Page 48 of Hearts on the Line (The Maverick Key #1)

Maddie

I look at the bright new sign above the door— Maverick Key Dive Club. A swell of pride rises in my chest. This is real. This is mine. Ours. Nathan would have been proud.

The small group of friends who made this possible are gathered around me, chatting and having fun. Margaret, Jamie, and Liam congratulate us, each holding a gift for me and shop supplies. Ms. Connor brings her world-famous island lemon bars. Hannah hugs me, squeezing the breath out of me.

“You did it.” She’s bouncing on her toes.

“We all did it.”

“I saw the posting for swim lessons. Is it for kids only, or are you opening it to adults?”

“It’s open for all ages. We’ll divide up the lessons.”

“Well, sign me up. You’ve got your first customer.” I give her a big hug. I’m so proud of her for taking this step to learn to swim.

Scott’s hovering on the outskirts of the crowd with his buddies.

His hazel eyes fixed on me with quiet intensity.

My heart flutters. When I meet his gaze, he winks.

Denver stands at his side. He’s healing.

It’ll be a long road, but the large cast around his middle doesn’t stop him from standing at attention by Scott.

And Ding stands by Denver. He’s taken on the role of his protector.

The shop is filled with infectious joy, and we all take a tour. The smell of neoprene is heavy. Suits, tanks, and all other kinds of scuba gear line the walls and fill the shelves. To add a personal touch, the walls are covered with cheerful artwork donated by local artists.

I’m smiling, but a tug of sadness pulls beneath the surface. As I look through the window toward the water, my thoughts move to those who aren’t here today. Wes, Elaine, my parents, and Nathan.

Wes. I’m the only one in the world who knows where he is.

For now.

When Scott and Wes were looking for me in the Drop, Ms. Connor convinced Garrett to not release the video.

Scott also threatened him with bodily harm.

Garrett didn’t believe us when we told him Wes didn’t make it and promised he’d release it if Wes ever had the gall to show his face in public again.

Wes’s reputation isn’t ruined. If anything, he’s now an urban legend. Thousands of tribute videos posted in the weeks following his “death.” For those of us who followed him, his older posts keep popping up in our streams. Eerily keeping his memory alive for millions for just a while longer.

Unfortunately, Garrett’s still in charge of the Carter’s Drop project, but the university has hired a new hotshot scientist who’s expected in Maverick Key in the coming weeks. He’s a replacement for Elaine. The investors have paused the project until he gets here.

And then there’s Nathan. The question of where his body is remains unanswered.

I keep thinking of one day, in one of those unexplored tunnels, we’ll find what’s left of him.

I blink away tears. When we do find him, we’ll bring him home.

The Coast Guard found his notes and the mysterious stone in Mark’s belongings at the station.

I was surprised he didn’t destroy them. They haven’t given them back to me yet, but have promised to after the investigation is over.

The party’s almost over and I’m about to head to Scott when Crystal arrives. She’s holding her little girl’s hand. They approach with wide, curious eyes.

“Maddie?”

I hug her. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. Crystal and I have talked over the phone, but this is the first time we’ve been face-to-face after Mark’s death. She’s been dealing with the fallout.

“Thank you for inviting us. I was so excited to hear about the shop and your swim school. I’m happy for you and Scott.” She beams.

We’re kindred spirits, and it’s time we put all the darkness and sadness behind us and live for the future. Crystal kneels, whispering to her little girl, who walks up to me shyly.

“I’m Natalie.” Her voice is sweet and bright. “I’m your niece.”

My heart swells as my entire world is filled with the little girl gazing up at me. She looks so much like her father, with glasses which cover her light brown eyes. Eyes that are like mirrors to both Nathan’s and mine.

“Hi, Natalie. I’m so happy to meet you.” I kneel in front of her.

She pauses for a moment, studying me. Then she wraps her arms around my neck. Tears flow down my cheeks, and I hold her close.

“Here.” She takes my hand. I feel something cold. “It’s for you.”

“She wants you to have it. It’s one of the few things we have left of Nathan,” Crystal says.

Lying in my hand is a pretty shell pendant attached to a silver chain. Examining it closer, I recognize the heart shape—Nathan’s sketch.

Crystal wipes tears away. “Nathan found the shell on the beach in Belize. He gave one-half of it to me the first time he told me he loved me.” She takes in a deep breath.

“I promise Natalie will know her father. As much as it’s possible, she’ll know how much he loved her.

” Neither one of us can stop the flood of tears now.

“I want to give you something, too.” I take Nathan’s poem from my purse. I’ve kept it there all these months. Until now, it was the most special thing I owned.

“Nathan wrote this for you.” I give her the poem.

Her eyes sweep over it. “I just wish—”

“It’s okay. He’s still alive… in here.” I place my hand over my heart.

Crystal and I sit together the rest of the afternoon, sharing stories about Nathan’s nerdy quirks, dreams, and boundless love for the ocean. We promise each other we’ll raise his little family together.

After Crystal and Natalie leave, Scott grabs my hand. His grip is warm and firm.

“Come on.” A secretive smile plays across his lips.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

Scott takes the Adeline into the open water.

The waves shimmer beneath the afternoon sunlight as we cruise from the shore, and golden reflections dance across the surface.

The wind smells of evergreen, like the air after a lightning storm, as if we’re the first and last to experience it.

We stop and anchor above Carter’s Drop. The polished water reflects the sun, sky, and our hearts like a mirror.

He cuts the engine, turns to face me with a serious expression, and sits beside me on the deck couch.

I refrain from asking questions, content to let the moment’s beauty wash over me.

We left the dogs at home and are enjoying companionable silence. Scott pulls me close, his familiar scent washing over me. As the sun warms our skin, he turns to me with a mischievous grin.

“Maddie.” He clears his throat. “I’ve been through a lot in my life, have seen and done things I thought would define me.” He pauses and wipes his eye. “Sweetheart, none of those things compares to you. I’m crazy about you.”

I take his hand, and he continues. “Remember that first day we met at the inn? You stood before me in that sexy bikini, blazing like the sun over the desert. A goddess. Stunning and stubborn as hell. It was like boom. Surprise. All my prayers were answered. Here she is, the woman for you.” I giggle at the memory.

I’d had a different experience, standing there, wearing next to nothing.

I was mortified, with three hot strangers and Margaret and Denver staring at me. But my future also changed that day.

“I want to share the rest of my life with you. If you’ll have me.” I catch my breath, and my heart thunders in my chest. He slips a ring on my finger and leans in and kisses my lips. Maverick Key, Carter’s Drop, and everything else falls away.

“It looks like I’m the one that’s surprised you speechless this time.” He tickles my nose. His grin widens as he waits for myanswer.

I look at the beautiful ring—a simple round diamond.

“God—” I put my arms around him. “I love you… yes! yes!”

He leans down and kisses me deeply. The day couldn’t be more perfect. We sit there chatting about the dive shop and our wedding plans when it dawns on us that we don’t want to wait.

“Let’s call Daniels. He’ll get someone lined up, and we’ll be married before the night is over.”

After calling all our friends to tell them the news and have them haul their butts up to the courthouse, my stomach drops. In all the excitement, I almost forgot to tell him.

“Uh, Scott?”

“Sweetheart?”

“Before we get married, I’ve got some news.”

His eyes flash with concern.

“Oh?”

I’m about to give him a lengthy explanation—my missed period, feeling crappy every morning this week, the test, and how the antibiotics I’ve been taking for an infection after the cave dive screwed up my birth control. But instead, I just spit it out.

“I’m pregnant.”

He’s staring at me, shocked. After a few seconds, he composes himself, then puts me back on his lap, and pushes his hands through my hair, tilting my face upward to his. His beautiful eyes are filled with hope and love.

“You’re telling me we’re—”

“We’re pregnant.”

“Well, damn.” He chuckles and shakes his head in disbelief, nuzzling his face into my neck. “Best day ever.”

He nods to the boat locker. “Let’s get in.”

“But we’re getting married tonight… all our friends are coming.”

“Tomorrow?” he asks sheepishly and motions toward the sunny sky and the deep blue ocean below, both beckoning us. We’ve got a couple hours of daylight left.

“Okay. Let’s suit up then.” I laugh.

At the edge of the Adeline , we’re holding hands. We take one more look at each other before we let go and jump, taking our giant strides into the water.