Chapter 7

“Lacey, are you home?” Maya called as she walked in the house. Her stomach fluttered, even though it was her home, too. She beckoned for Allie and Gabe to follow her in. It was three days since the Blowout, as she thought of it, and it was time to start fixing things.

“Maya?” Lacey appeared at the top of the steps. “Oh, thank goodness!” She zipped down the stairs and caught Maya up in a hug. “I am so glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you, too,” Maya said. “These are my cousins, Allie and Gabe Hudson.”

“Good to meet the both of you,” said Lacey. “Come on, let’s go in the kitchen. I was about to get some tea.”

“Not coffee?” Maya teased.

Lacey laughed. “Every once in a while I need something else. What would anyone like?”

Allie and Gabe went for coffee while Maya decided tea would be easier on her nervous stomach. Lacey got out some cookies to go with the drinks, and after a few minutes they all sat around the kitchen table.

“Lacey, again, I’m really sorry about the other night,” Maya said. “I handled it all about as badly as I could.”

“I think there’s blame to go around,” said Lacey. “I’m sorry, too. Maya, I didn’t tell you, but Dean came around to the coffee shop. He was looking for you. I told him you’d quit, and maybe he even believed me. When he didn’t come back, I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want you to worry.”

Maya laughed softly. “There’s a lot of that going around, isn’t there?”

“It’s a normal reaction,” said Gabe as he munched a cookie. “You guys didn’t do anything to hurt anybody. It’s just miscommunication.”

“You’re right,” Maya said, “but it sure does make a bad situation worse and more confusing.”

“Have you talked to Toby yet?” Lacey asked.

“No, not yet. I talked to Krista earlier,” Maya said. “I texted her and she met me at the coffee shop. By the way, thank you for your help there. I’ll come in tomorrow, but I needed the time off.”

“I figured you did,” said Lacey, “and you deserve the time. It’s not even that much. You were off the first day, and Kelly was happy to get some extra hours.”

“That’s good.” Maya nodded. “I didn’t get to talk to Jackson yet.”

“Don’t worry about it. Jackson has only been worried about you,” Lacey told her.

“He’s such a sweetheart,” Maya said with a small laugh, then she sighed. “So that just leaves Toby.”

“I can’t wait to meet this Toby guy,” said Allie. “The way Maya makes it sound, she’s Belle and he’s the Beast.”

Lacey laughed. “I wouldnÕt exactly say that, but I can see some similarities in attitude, at least at times.”

“You sure he treats you okay, Maya?” Gabe asked with a frown. “I’m not sure I like the feeling I’m getting here. You don’t need someone who’s going to yell at you and then give you the silent treatment.”

“It’s not quite like that, Gabe,” Maya said. “Yes, he yelled, but I yelled back. And he’s not giving me the silent treatment. I’m the one that hasn’t talked to him.”

“Has he tried to get in touch with you?” Gabe asked. “Even a text?”

“He wanted to,” said Lacey. “Krista told him not to, and that was probably smart, because although I’m sure Toby’s heart was in the right place, I’m not sure his head was.”

“Again, it’s fine. I haven’t texted him, so fair’s fair,” said Maya. “I’m going to talk to him tonight.”

“Are you sure?” asked Allie. “Maybe you should wait until tomorrow.”

“No.” Maya shook her head. “I need to talk to him today. It’s been long enough. I’m not scared of him. I admit I’m afraid this might lead to us breaking up, but like you said, Allie, at least it would be on honest terms.”

“Maya, I really don’t think that’s going to happen,” said Lacey.

“Krista doesn’t either, but I don’t want to count on anything.” Maya hoped Lacey was right. However, she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d crossed a line with Toby somewhere.

They hadn’t explicitly talked about it, but she thought it was safe to assume they both thought they’d be honest with each other. Withholding things as she had, she could understand if she’d ruined the trust between them. She just hoped with an apology and an explanation, they could rebuild it.

Later that evening, Krista texted to let Maya know when Toby was heading home from the shop. Over the objections of her cousins, she went to wait for him at his house, alone. She wanted him to see that she didn’t feel she needed to be protected from him, because she trusted him.

As she sat on his front step, she hugged herself both to keep warm in the cool night air and also to hide her shaking hands. Luckily she didn’t have to wait long before his gray pickup pulled up in front of the house.

He stepped out of the truck and walked towards her slowly, as if he wasn’t sure she was really there. Maya watched him and saw that he looked as nervous as she felt.

“Hi,” she said when he was close enough.

“Hi.” Toby hooked his hands in his jeans pockets and studied her. Charles had nailed it with his description of Toby as the strong, silent one. Especially the silent part.

“I was hoping we could talk,” said Maya. “I think it’s been long enough.”

“Okay. Come on in.” He opened the door and stood aside to let her in.

Inside, Maya stood awkwardly in the living room, not knowing what to do. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, and feel his around her, but she didn’t think that was a good place to start. It would be too easy to try to take things down a physical road and avoid a conversation. Then again, she wasn’t sure from Toby’s expression whether that was even in the cards.

“I’m sorry,” Maya said. “I’d like to explain everything. What happened and why I did what I did, if you’ll let me. You don’t have to forgive me, or even understand, but please, I’d like to tell you.”

“Okay.” He nodded and indicated she should sit.

Maya sat on the couch, still keeping her arms around herself. She balled her hands into fists to keep them steady.

Toby frowned. “You’re still scared of me.”

“No, no, I’m not.” She shook her head.

He gave her a skeptical look. “You seem like you are.”

“Toby, I’m not,” she said firmly. “Look, I came over here, by myself, to talk to you. Against the wishes of my cousins, I should add. Would I do that if I thought you’d hurt me? If I didn’t trust you?” She took a deep breath. “I’m not afraid of you. I am just nervous about where this conversation might go.” She held out her hands, which trembled but not as badly as before, now that she was here. “See? You know that happens when I’m nervous.”

“Yeah, okay.” He nodded and took one of her hands in his, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

The movement both relaxed and enticed her, and she took a deep breath. “Thanks.”

“I want to hear your explanation,” he said, “but I have to say that I’m sorry, too. I was way out of line.”

Maya nodded. “Thank you. First off, I hope you know I wasn’t trying to lie to you,” she said. “I should have told you, lots of things and right away. I handled it badly, because I was scared, and I thought if you knew about Dean and what he was saying, you--you wouldn’t want me around anymore.”

“Maya, I never--”

“Please.” She met his eyes. “Please, let me explain, okay?”

“Okay.”

Maya took a deep breath and laid it out for him, everything from her mother giving Dean her phone number, to Dean’s firing, to his unexpected threats, to her fears as she had tried to determine what to say, and when, and to whom.

“So,” she said when she’d finished, “all I can say is I’m sorry, and I was afraid. I was afraid if I told you, you’d be angry, and everything was so new between us I didn’t want to risk it. I shouldn’t have let being scared rule every decision I made. I was wrong. I should have told you and we should have figured out a plan together.”

Maya sat back in the chair, exhausted but relieved.

Toby sat for a while, digesting what she’d told him, then stood and paced. Although she ached for some kind of response from him, Maya was quiet as well. She was tired, and had exceeded her capacity for worry. At the moment, if Toby wanted to end things with her, she was all right with that. She’d done all she could.

Toby walked over and stood in front of her. “But you’re all right?”

Maya jumped, having started to nod off. “Me? Yes, I’m fine. Well, maybe not fine, but I’m okay.” She gave him a wan smile. “It’s been a little rough, though.”

“Did Landon help?”

Maya was puzzled, but answered. “Yes, he did. Landon was great. He’s got his own issues, and now I know what made him so upset when we first saw each other. It’s early, and different, but I think he and I are on a much better track.”

Toby nodded and paced a little more. “Did you get a new phone? Landon said you would.”

“I did. I’ll give you the number. I’m going to be a lot more careful with giving the number out.”

“Have you heard anything else from Dean? Has he said or done anything?”

“No. No one will give him the number. I won’t even give it to my mother, because I can’t trust her. I’m still off social media, and closed down what accounts I could. He hasn’t done anything, has he? At the store?” Her stomach twisted again as she waited for the answer.

“No.” Toby shook his head. “We’ve been careful, and installed a couple more cameras. It’s all fine.”

“Oh, good.” Maya sighed in relief. “I was worried.” She dragged a hand through her hair.

“I know you were.” He came over and sat next to her. “I’m curious, what happened that night? I knew something was bothering you, but then you seemed better and went downstairs, and then--what?”

Maya sighed and dropped her head, then looked up. “Dean texted me. I was busy with the dresses for Clara and Delia, so I didn’t see it right away. Lacey and Krista saw my phone blink and picked it up, and they got worried when they saw the text. They insisted I needed to tell you, and that I should call the police. That’s what they were trying to convince me to do when we came upstairs.”

Maya wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. “I should have listened to them, but all I could think of was how he worked for the mayor’s office and could probably get the police on his side. I didn’t know at that point that he’d been fired. Gabe found that out later.”

Toby moved closer and put her hand in both of his. “So what did he say that made everyone so worried?”

Maya took a deep breath. “He said that since it was my fault he was fired, he was going to get me fired. Since he’d lost friends, so would I, and he’d make sure of it.” She gave a weak laugh. “Very Count-of-Monte-Cristo stuff. There was no explicit threat of violence, but I figure with him, it’s always there.”

Toby put an arm around her shoulders and shifted so that she was next to him. Reflexively, Maya curled into him, grateful for the warmth and comfort for as long as he was willing to give it to her.

“Were you going to tell me?” he asked.

“I was.” She nodded against his chest. “I know it may not seem that way, but I was going to. Then, I don’t know, the conversation went off the rails.”

“I didn’t help with that,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

Maya managed a small laugh. “There’s a lot of sorry going around. Mostly from me.”

Toby brushed her hair back and tilted her chin up. “Maybe we can get past the sorry and figure out what to do next?”

“I’d love that,” she said, and in the moment realized she also loved Toby, but refrained from saying it. It felt like too much.

“You’ve been so adamant about not telling the police,” he said. “And I sort of get it and sort of don’t. I know he worked for the city, but that doesn’t mean the police won’t help.”

“You’re right, I know. But I have a little history here,” said Maya. “My cousin, Allie, she had trouble with a guy in college. He stalked her, harassed her, accosted her, and when she went to the authorities, they just shrugged it off. Campus police wouldnÕt do anything, and neither would the local police.

“She wanted to get a restraining order, but she couldn’t. They insisted it was all talk, and basically until he did something, they couldn’t do anything. The guy’s friends and family got all mad, what about his career, his reputation? It’s an awful catch-22. Allie was a mess. Finally the guy was arrested for something else, but it was pretty bad.”

“That’s terrible.” Toby shook his head.

“People often don’t believe things like that, not about their friends or other people they know. With Allie, so many people said, but he’s such a nice guy, or I never saw him do or say anything like that.” Maya sighed. “It makes it hard.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” Toby tightened his arm around her.

“I know what it’s like to be ignored, or at least not believed,” said Maya. “That’s why the idea of telling you, or anyone, was scary. I didn’t--I didn’t think I mattered enough for someone to believe me.” She paused and absorbed what she’d said. She’d never been able to put the thought into words before, but it was true.

Toby cupped her cheek. “You matter to me, Maya. You will always matter. I love you.”

She covered her hand with his, hardly daring to believe him. “You do?”

He smiled. “Yes, I do. It took me a while to realize it, but these last few days drove it home. I have worried about people before, and cared about people, but not like this. This was different.” He kissed her forehead. “It was scary.”

Maya laughed. “I didn’t think you got scared.”

“Every once in a while,” he said, “when it’s important.” He kissed her.

Maya sighed and sank into the kiss. It had only been three days, but she felt like it had been forever since they’d touched. Her lips parted at his urging and she wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her onto his lap.

Toby slid his hands under her shirt and traced them lightly over her sides as she straddled his legs, sending sparks through her body and making her shiver. Her breath caught as he left her lips and kissed along her jaw until her reached her neck. He nipped at the pulse point and she dropped her head back.

“God, I’ve missed you,” he murmured against her skin.

Her hands tunneled in his hair and he groaned in appreciation. “I missed you, too,” she said, “and I’m so sorry.”

He pulled away and framed her face with his hands. “I know. I’m sorry, too, for everything.” He laid a finger over her lips as she made to protest. “I am. I shouldn’t have acted like I did. You needed support, and I failed in a big way. I won’t do it again.”

“I promise I’ll tell you when I need help,” Maya said, leaning into the warmth of his palm. “I love you, too.”

Toby kissed her, deeply and thoroughly. “Now that we have that settled, I would very much like to take you upstairs and show you just how much I love you.”

Maya shook her head and brushed his lips with hers. “I don’t need to go upstairs.”

“Good, I didn’t want to either.” Toby pressed himself against her and she bit her lip and gasped as she felt him, hard under his jeans.

Maya turned her head and sucked Toby’s thumb into her mouth. His eyes grew dark and serious as he watched her. When she released his thumb, he pulled her to him and captured her mouth in a searing kiss.

She reached down and started working his shirt up, anxious to feel him against her. He let go long enough to pull his shirt off, then did the same to hers. Maya ran her hands over his shoulders and arms and chest, refreshing her memory of how he felt. While she was preoccupied, Toby unclasped her bra and slid it off, then leaned forward and took one nipple in his mouth.

Maya gasped and ran her fingers through his hair as he sucked and teased on one side and then the other. She felt every tug and nibble through her whole body, and felt the warmth and wet pooling between her thighs.

Toby started to work her jeans down, and she stood up to do it herself while he shucked his own jeans. He pulled her back to him but she braced herself on his shoulders and shook her head.

“What?” he asked, his breath ragged.

Maya stood between his legs, his hard cock against her, and leaned down to run her tongue along his neck. He groaned and his hands gripped her hips. She worked her way down, kissing his shoulders, and dragging a fingernail lightly over his nipples. He hissed out a breath as she followed her nail with her lips and tongue.

She kneeled on the floor and kissed lower, on his abdomen, and he shuddered at the contact.

“Maya, what are you doing?” His eyes were bright.

Maya laughed and then took him in her mouth and he dropped back in the sofa. She skimmed her tongue along his length and stroked him. The skin was hot and tight under her hands, and his cock twitched when she slowly slid her lips over the head. She found a rhythm, sliding up and down his length and matching his short thrusts.

“Enough,” he managed. “Please. That’s not how I want to finish.”

“No?” Maya was breathless herself.

“No.” Toby leaned forward and put his hands on her waist, urging her up and onto his lap. He grabbed a condom as she straddled him.

“I love you,” he said against her lips.

“I love you, too.” She kissed him and laid her hands on his shoulders to steady herself; as she slid down over him, they both moaned in relief.

Maya bit her lip as they found a pace and moved together, savoring the feeling of him inside her, gasping as their movements hit her center, driving up the need and excitement she felt. Tension built in her body and she tried to hold it back.

Her head fell forward and rested on Toby’s shoulder. “I can’t--oh, Toby, I--”

He dragged a hand down her body until he found the spot between her legs and began stroking. “Don’t wait,” he said. “I can’t.”

Maya gripped his shoulders, digging her hails in as he thrust harder. He pressed his hips against her as he came with a guttural sigh. Maya cried out as her tension reached a peak and she shuddered as it broke in waves. She lay panting against Toby as he rubbed soothing circles on her back and his own breathing slowed down.

“Let’s not do that again, okay?” Toby said, pressing a kiss to her hand.

“Why not? Didn’t you like it?” Maya asked.

Toby’s laugh rumbled through his chest. “Okay, that we can do again.” He tilted her chin up. “I don’t want to fight like that. I hated feeling like I’d chased you away. I promise, you can tell me anything, and I will always be on your side.”

“Thank you.” She covered his hand with hers. “I promise I’ll tell you when I need help. I won’t try to handle everything myself.”

“Good.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

Under the covers and curled up next to Toby, Maya covered a yawn.

“I am so tired,” she said, unable to keep her eyes open. “This emotional turmoil stuff is exhausting.”

“That makes two of us.” He tightened his arms around her. “From now on, we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.”

“Deal,” she said, before dropping into the most restful sleep she’d had in weeks.

Toby woke up early the next morning, annoyed that he was awake. He started to grumble, then remembered Maya was next to him and stopped so he wouldn’t wake her up. She was curled up, facing away from him. Carefully, he moved closer, pleased when she snuggled back against him.

He toyed with the ends of her hair and studied her as she slept. She looked relaxed, which he was glad to see. He felt better himself, he realized. He’d been more upset in the short time between Maya running out of the house and showing up at his place tonight than he could remember. His thoughts and mood had been dark, and he’d felt like he was surrounded by gray clouds.

When Maya had said she loved him, the clouds had dissipated. Toby knew there would be bumps in the road, but he was confident they could get past them. He didn’t think either of them wanted a repeat of the last few days, and he knew he’d work to prevent it. He was pretty sure Maya would too.

He smiled as she sighed in her sleep. The cool colors he’d seen in his mind when he’d first met her were no longer what he thought of when he looked at her. He saw warmer colors, maybe not bursting out, but they were there.

Toby lay for a while longer, ideas for a picture floating through his mind, and he decided he needed to try and get it on canvas. He hated leaving his bed while Maya was in it but he would try to be quick.

An hour later, he was deep into his painting and jumped when Maya knocked on the door to the room he used as a studio.

“Hi,” she said. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay.” He smiled as he took her in. She’d put on one of his t-shirts, which hung halfway down her thighs, and wrapped herself in a blanket.

She bit her lip. “Hope you don’t mind I found a shirt. All my clothes are downstairs.”

“No, help yourself.” He liked her in his shirt.

“I just wanted to say hi. I can leave you to this if you want.”

“No.” He shook his head and held a hand out to her. When she came over, he put his brush down and pulled her against him, her back to his chest. “Mmmm.” He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck and liked it when she shivered in response. “Morning.”

She turned her head up and kissed him. “Morning. What are you working on?”

“You.” He tightened his arms around her.

Maya laughed. “You have a one-track mind.”

“I’m shocked,” he said. “I am a serious artist. And your mind went there.”

“I’m so terribly sorry.” Maya snuggled against him. “I take it back.”

“I’ll let it go this time.” Toby kissed her cheek. “But it’s true. This is, well, how I see you. In these colors.”

“Oh, wow.” Maya studied the canvas as she leaned back against him.

“Sorry,” Toby said. “I wish I did more realistic stuff, but that was never my strength.” He’d never thought about it before, but now he did wish that he could do a lifelike portrait of Maya to capture her eyes, and her smile.

“No, no, I like it.” Maya gripped his hands. “It’s like you’re painting how I feel. I’d rather that than how I look.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I know we both have to work later,” said Maya, “and I have to see Allie and Gabe before they go, but we should find some time to talk.” She turned to face him. “I know it might not do any good, but I want to take all this stuff with Dean to the police, or maybe a lawyer. Or both. We should get Lacey, Krista and Jackson in on it, too.”

“Good idea. Have you thought about asking Landon what he thinks?”