Chapter 71

CHAPTER 71

W hen I woke up the next morning in my bed back in Rocky Start, the sun was shining and Max wasn't there, but Maggs was, so I knew Max was still here, somewhere. I had one last thought about trying to convince him to come back when he was done with the Trail, but essentially, the man knew what he wanted and he'd do what he wanted, and I should stop nagging him.

And he loved me. That had to mean something.

And I was going to start being the new me. Act Four. Doing what I wanted, getting what I wanted.

Just not getting Max.

I got out of bed and Maggs followed me downstairs, both of us yawning, but Max wasn't there. Not in the kitchen, not anywhere in the downstairs. I gave Maggs a piece of leftover bacon, and we went back upstairs to check Oz's apartment, where I found Poppy, still in her PJ's, standing in the middle of Oz's workroom.

"Is Max—" I started.

"Is it okay if we clean out this place since Marley's moving in?"

She sounded very happy about that. I knew she was still having nightmares, but right now, standing in the middle of Ozzie's old apartment, she was smiling at me. Happy about her future. About Marley coming to stay. That was good enough for me.

"Don't throw anything out," I said. "Pack it in boxes and Max and I will . . ." I shook my head to clear Max out of it. "I'll go through it later."

Then Maggs and I went back to my bedroom to see if Max had doubled back on me.

That's when I noticed his ruck was gone.

Which meant he was gone.

Of course he was gone. Before dawn, probably.

I sat down on the bed, and Maggs jumped up beside me. "What the hell is going on?" I asked her and she looked as clueless as I was.

So I got my phone off the bedside table and texted Max, hoping he still had his latest burner phone.

WHERE ARE YOU?

A couple of minutes later, I was dressed and my phone buzzed.

ON THE TRAIL

I frowned and texted back.

YOU FORGOT YOUR DOG

A minute later the phone buzzed again.

I LEFT HER WITH YOU

YOU NEED A KEEPER

TOUCH BASE WITH THE FERRELS REF SATELLITE MESSENGER

FOR WHEN I'M OUY OF REACH OF CELLPHONE COVERAGE

Great, he left me a dog as my keeper. And he was going to be in places where a cellphone couldn't reach.

But he wanted me to know how to reach him just the same.

And then I thought, And he left me Marley, too. Marley was another keeper. It was his idea to put Marley in Ozzie's old apartment. Annoying.

I texted him:

I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF

A minute later, another buzz.

NO. YOU CAN'T

YOU'D FEED SATAN LASAGNA

I laughed. Then I texted again:

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GAVE UP YOUR DOG FOR ME

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITHOUT HER?

He texted:

I'M NOT GOING TO DO WITHOUT HER

I'LL BE BACK FOR HER

I sucked in my breath.

He was coming back.

I hated it that I cared so much, but I was so happy, so relieved, because I really wanted to see him again, really wanted to do more testing of that very well-made daybed in the cottage—that thing could take a pounding—and, well, practical things, like I needed him to go through those boxes of Ozzie's that Poppy was packing up and?—

And I just wanted him back. He'd at least stay for another plate of lasagna, I could talk him into another night, and maybe?—

My phone buzzed again.

AND FOR YOU

My eyes got hot and my throat closed up.

I really have to stop this crying crap. I am not that kind of woman.

Poppy came to the bedroom door, her arms full of collapsed boxes and a big roll of tape in her hand. "What happened?"

"Max left Maggs with us because he's coming back," I said.

For me.

"Of course," Poppy said and went back to Ozzie's apartment.

For me.

And I texted Max:

Good

And then Maggs and I went downstairs and made lasagna. One for lunch and one for the freezer.

Because Max was coming back and he would be hungry.

For me.

THE END

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