that it might change things between them, that it might frighten him away; they were still so young. Instead, Jack stopped, turned to her, and smiled. When he told her he loved her in return, the kiss they shared was much more passionate than the one in the high hills.
Everything had been so perfect.
When Jack had first told her that his father was insisting he attend a college back east, Maddy had been heartsick. The thought of him being hundreds of miles away gnawed at her day and night. From that first time she’d seen him, staring back at her through the pouring rain, they hadn’t spent more than a few days apart. Now he’d be gone for years. She wondered if he would ever come back, if he’d forget about her.
But Jack insisted she had no reason to worry.
Over and over, he promised he’d return to Colton just as soon as his studies were finished. He swore that he loved her, that once he’d fulfilled his obligation to his father he’d make her his wife. He vowed that they’d spend their future together.
For the first time in her young life, Maddy gave her trust to another, completely. It frightened her, but she believed Jack. And so, standing on their bridge the night before he left, she’d held him, failed to hold back her tears, tenderly kissed his lips, and said good-bye, if only for a while. The next morning, she watched as he drove away toward the depot in Dewey. A sickening feeling filled her stomach. Still, she managed to convince herself to stay strong, that even though Jack would be almost another world away, the only thing that truly separated them was time.
But the days became weeks. The weeks became months. The months became years and everything Maddy feared had come true. All of those “firsts” became worthless; memories that she should have cherished became painful reminders of a time she wished she could forget. Slowly, something else happened to her for the first time.
Maddy had learned what it was like to hate someone.
Maddy watched how Anne Rider hung on every word Mike Gilson said, how enthusiastically she laughed at every one of his jokes, and how genuinely she smiled at him with her eyes. Affectionately, she laid her hand on his, giving it a playful squeeze. Only blindness would’ve kept someone from noticing how deeply the young seamstress was in love, that she and the cook at the local diner would be married soon, that everyone else in the speakeasy might as well have been invisible, for they had eyes only for each other.
No matter how hard she tried, no matter how many drinks she poured, how much money she took in, or how much small talk she made with everyone who approached the bar, Maddy couldn’t look away from them for long. She saw their future, their happiness, their love, all things she’d never have.
And she hated them for it…
Maddy was ashamed of her feelings. It wasn’t fair; both Anne and Mike were two of the nicest people in Colton. But because of what had happened, of how horribly Maddy had been hurt, the idea of love had been soured for her. Her heart had been poisoned to the core. In her darkest times, she wondered if she could ever love again, could ever give a man her trust. She doubted it.
It was a pointless wish, but just for one moment Maddy wanted to have Jack Rucker standing before her. She didn’t know what she’d say to him, what she might do, but she was certain of one thing.
He would never forget it.
Chapter Five
PURTY GOOD CROWD tonight, ain’t it?”
Jeffers Grimm looked down at Sumner Colt and frowned. He hated the way the boy wanted to be all chummy. “Not bad,” he grunted.
“It’s a heck of a lot better’n that! If’n it gets any busier, we’re gonna have to bring in more tables and chairs!”
“Just keep your eyes on the damn door!” Jeffers hissed angrily.
Sumner fell silent, just the way his boss wanted it.
The two of them stood beside the speakeasy door, at the bottom of the cellar stairs, watching the two dozen
Everything had been so perfect.
When Jack had first told her that his father was insisting he attend a college back east, Maddy had been heartsick. The thought of him being hundreds of miles away gnawed at her day and night. From that first time she’d seen him, staring back at her through the pouring rain, they hadn’t spent more than a few days apart. Now he’d be gone for years. She wondered if he would ever come back, if he’d forget about her.
But Jack insisted she had no reason to worry.
Over and over, he promised he’d return to Colton just as soon as his studies were finished. He swore that he loved her, that once he’d fulfilled his obligation to his father he’d make her his wife. He vowed that they’d spend their future together.
For the first time in her young life, Maddy gave her trust to another, completely. It frightened her, but she believed Jack. And so, standing on their bridge the night before he left, she’d held him, failed to hold back her tears, tenderly kissed his lips, and said good-bye, if only for a while. The next morning, she watched as he drove away toward the depot in Dewey. A sickening feeling filled her stomach. Still, she managed to convince herself to stay strong, that even though Jack would be almost another world away, the only thing that truly separated them was time.
But the days became weeks. The weeks became months. The months became years and everything Maddy feared had come true. All of those “firsts” became worthless; memories that she should have cherished became painful reminders of a time she wished she could forget. Slowly, something else happened to her for the first time.
Maddy had learned what it was like to hate someone.
Maddy watched how Anne Rider hung on every word Mike Gilson said, how enthusiastically she laughed at every one of his jokes, and how genuinely she smiled at him with her eyes. Affectionately, she laid her hand on his, giving it a playful squeeze. Only blindness would’ve kept someone from noticing how deeply the young seamstress was in love, that she and the cook at the local diner would be married soon, that everyone else in the speakeasy might as well have been invisible, for they had eyes only for each other.
No matter how hard she tried, no matter how many drinks she poured, how much money she took in, or how much small talk she made with everyone who approached the bar, Maddy couldn’t look away from them for long. She saw their future, their happiness, their love, all things she’d never have.
And she hated them for it…
Maddy was ashamed of her feelings. It wasn’t fair; both Anne and Mike were two of the nicest people in Colton. But because of what had happened, of how horribly Maddy had been hurt, the idea of love had been soured for her. Her heart had been poisoned to the core. In her darkest times, she wondered if she could ever love again, could ever give a man her trust. She doubted it.
It was a pointless wish, but just for one moment Maddy wanted to have Jack Rucker standing before her. She didn’t know what she’d say to him, what she might do, but she was certain of one thing.
He would never forget it.
Chapter Five
PURTY GOOD CROWD tonight, ain’t it?”
Jeffers Grimm looked down at Sumner Colt and frowned. He hated the way the boy wanted to be all chummy. “Not bad,” he grunted.
“It’s a heck of a lot better’n that! If’n it gets any busier, we’re gonna have to bring in more tables and chairs!”
“Just keep your eyes on the damn door!” Jeffers hissed angrily.
Sumner fell silent, just the way his boss wanted it.
The two of them stood beside the speakeasy door, at the bottom of the cellar stairs, watching the two dozen
Similar Books
