Chapter Twelve

MARIGOLD

It's been another long but fulfilling week. The bakery just gets better every day. But about three days after my chat with Logan, I realized we were burning the candle at both ends. I decided we will be closed every Monday moving forward. I need a day to regroup. And so does Logan. It's also virtually impossible to work it all ourselves and until I can get extra help, we need a day to rest.

Reece and Maddox's parents' anniversary party is in two weeks. I'll order more peach flavoring at the end of this week to make sure I have it on hand. And I've been playing around with new sugar flowers to add to the cake and different icing for the writing. Thirty years is a long time and should be celebrated.

I thought that would be me. I thought what I had was the real deal. The more I replay the last seven years, the more I see how wrong it was. What started out as a loving and nurturing relationship, was actually gaslighting and turned toxic quickly. I ignored the red flags. I ignored every quick cut down and back handed compliment.

Until I couldn't ignore it anymore. The cheating was my wake up call. That hurt and complete violation of trust showed me I was settling into something extremely unhealthy.

Just goes to show nothing is ever certain. Things can change at the drop of a hat.

Knock, knock

"Who could that be?" I glance at the clock noting it's almost eight, the sun is slowly setting in the sky. I know Reece is working tonight as I talked with her earlier. I get up from the couch and check out the window before opening the door. Gasping, my hand covers my mouth instantly and I quickly drop back from the window.

"Goldie, I saw you at the window. Come on, open the door."

His deep voice seeps through the door. Taking a breath, closing my eyes and steadying myself for a moment, I reach for the lock and then the handle.

"What is with you guys and locking doors around here?" Maddox has his hands in his pocket, leaning against the door jamb with his shoulder. T-shirt stretched tight across his broad chest and washed out jeans make him look like a cover model.

God, this guy and his door leans.

He pushes off the woodwork and makes his way through the door, my cozy little home now feeling even smaller. His presence is larger than life.

"Come on in, Maddox," I say with a bit of sarcasm. I shut the door and turn to face him, leaning against it, seeing him staring back at me with a smirk. "What are you doing here?"

"Are you having fun, Goldie?"

Furrowing my brows, I walk around him, back to the living room and fall onto the couch. "I was."

He scoffs and follows me. "No you weren't. But you're about to." He puts his hand out waiting for me to take it. When I don't, and begin to question him, he reaches for me and yanks me to standing.

"Hey!"

"No time to argue, we're going to miss it. Hurry up, grab shoes and a sweatshirt."

His sense of urgency has me on edge slightly but I'm also intrigued by him. "You're not working tonight?"

"Questions later, move now!" He claps his hands and I can't help but giggle at his excitement. I slide my feet into my sandals that I left by the door, grab my hoodie from the hook and we're moving down the sidewalk to his truck before I know it. Poppy's words about pick-up trucks flow through my mind and I stumble a step.

He runs ahead and opens my door then comes back and grabs my hand. "Maddox!" I feign outrage as his hand lands on my ass as he gives me a slight boost into the truck.

"It's a big step and I already just saw you trip. I didn't want you to fall back." He winks and shuts the door before I can protest more. I watch as he runs around the front of the truck and hops into the driver's seat.

"Seatbelt, please." He starts the engine and throws the truck into drive. "You know, Ms. James, you're old enough to know better than to jump into strangers' trucks."

"You don't scare me," I retort as he glances at me with a pouty face.

He scares me in other ways. Ways my heart may not know how to handle.

We drive in comfortable silence for a few moments before pulling into the parking lot of Love Point Pier. I notice lots of people milling about, all making their way to the sand. He stops the truck and gets out, coming around to my door quickly to help me down.

"This truck is really obnoxious. Overcompensating, Baylor?"

He scoffs and shakes his head. "I'm not even going to give that a response."

I roll my eyes and ask, "What's going on?"

"Goldie, since you're new to town I'm going to let your lack of knowledge slide on what's happening here tonight." I give him a sideways glance, but continue to follow him down the steps to the sand. There are couples and families stretched out on blankets across the shore, some with telescopes, some with cameras, and some with just drinks and snacks in their hand, all looking up to the sky.

Maddox explains, "Every weekend around this time of year, there is a star show."

"Like shooting stars? I thought you could see them throughout the year anywhere."

"Yes you can, and some are more prominent than others. But this is different. It's a man-made show mixed with a bit of nature. The lighthouse flashes their light into the sky and at just the right time, it will bounce off of the pier making it appear as if stars are raining from the sky."

I smile because that sounds amazing. Maddox continues, "It's based on an old folklore of how the first residents found Love Beach, and settled here. The town grew by beckoning more residents using the lighthouse to attract others with their star show. Of course, the story, as all tall tales do, range anywhere from selecting celebrities to drawing in tourists to finding the love of your life."

"The love of your life?"

"Oh yes," he says as if he's the host of a game show. "If the light from the tower crosses a couple on this night, it is said that they are star crossed lovers and meant to be together."

I chuckle with his explanation but there's something about him that says he believes this tall tale just a tiny bit. The sun has completely set now and we make our way down to the water line. There is a cool breeze coming off the water, and the sand feels soft under my feet. We're facing east, looking towards the lighthouse as the lights come on and the crowd cheers. Chills run through my body as I fall in love with this town just a little bit more.

The light from the tower begins to swirl, and you can see it become more prominent as it hits the beach, and then lightens as it disappears into the night sky. It makes slow circles, and I can almost make out how the stars appear to rain. A few moments go by and the light becomes bolder and brighter. The stem from the light becomes thicker as it begins to touch the shore in a brighter manner. As it swirls past the Love Pier, it catches the stars again, and creates a shimmer in the sky.

"It's gorgeous," I whisper. His hand brushes mine as our fingers intertwine. It feels natural and I don't pull away. The crowd begins to cheer again as the light becomes brighter yet, and starts to flash sporadically across couples, sitting high up on the pier.

"Come on, let's move closer," he says. I follow along, listening to the oohs and aahs of the crowd and getting lost in the gorgeous light show that is dancing upon our night sky. We come to the bottom of the pier and look out onto the ocean. Just then, a blinding light crosses my eyes. It's so bright I throw my hand up to shield it. The crowd cheers again as the tower light flashes.

Maddox squeezes my hand and I drop my other from my eyes. "Did that just cross us?"

The smile on his face spreads and the twinkle in his eyes matches the show we've been watching. We seem caught in our own trap, our eyes not able to release each other as the light sweeps us once again.

He barks out a laugh at what must be complete shock written across my face.

"What's the matter Goldie? Are you afraid of an old folktale?"

I shake my head and look back out to the ocean. The stars almost seem like fire. There are so many dancing across the sky.

"No wonder you like it here. It looks like fire, Maddox."

"I like your fire, Goldie."

When I glance at him, he's already fixated on me, holding my hand in his, and gently turning me towards him. I step closer, getting lost in the excitement and thrill of the night while the sound of the people fade out around us.

"Maddox," I whisper.

"Goldie, I didn't see you coming."

We lean towards each other, our lips touching, the cheers echoing around us, but the noise drowns out as the beating of my heart takes over. His lips are soft yet commanding, and we fit together perfectly. With his hands holding mine, he circles them around my back, pulling me flush against his chest. I quickly untangle them wanting to touch him. I brush my hands along his shoulders and biceps as he pulls me in closer. He smells like the ocean.

"Marigold, can I take you home?" he asks quietly, as he breaks the kiss. I look into his eyes and only see sincerity. The wall I had built up blocking him, and anybody new, is starting to crash and burn.