Page 43 of Deserving Maisy
Paige reached for her and hugged Maisy hard. Since they were about the same height, she could easily whisper in her ear as she did so. “Go. Get as far away from here as you can.”
Maisy pulled back and asked, “What about you?”
“The second you’re free, I will be too. I’ve only stayed because of you.”
Her words almost brought Maisy to her knees. Knowing that this woman had been looking out for her for almost thirty years had a profound effect on her. She could stay, but that would mean Paige would too, and that wasn’t fair. “Love you,” she told Paige.
It was the other woman’s turn to get teary eyed. “Love you too, child. Your secrets are safe with me. Now, go upstairs and get ready for your outing with your man. I’ll have a basket ready for your picnic when you come back down.”
“Thank you.”
But Paige shook her head. “I knew this day would come. Prayed for it. And you have no idea how thrilled I am that it’s almost here.”
Maisy wasn’t sure what to say about that. She had no plans. No idea how her escape from this house wouldwork. Anywhere she went, Jason would follow, of that she had no doubt. He wouldn’t let anything come between him and the money that was almost his. He needed her to sign the papers after three months of marriage had passed in order to get the funds released. After that…she was as good as gone.
She turned and opened the pantry door, relieved when the kitchen was still empty. She blew a kiss to Paige then headed up the back stairway toward her room. Thankfully, she didn’t encounter her brother on the way. He’d probably take one look at her face and know something was up.
She slipped into her bedroom and smiled when she heard Jack humming in the bathroom as he brushed his teeth. Closing her eyes, she memorized the moment. It was so…normal. In a life wherenothinghad been normal, it felt amazing.
The water came on and she heard him spit into the sink. Then a moment later, he was standing in the doorway of the bathroom.
“I didn’t hear you come in,” Jack said with a smile as he walked toward her.
Pushing off the door, Maisy had a sudden need to touch him. To reassure herself that he was real. That he was here. She collided with his chest and hugged him hard, resting her cheek on his shoulder.
“You okay?” he asked as he returned the embrace.
Maisy looked up at him. “I am now,” she blurted honestly.
He studied her for a long moment, just as she did the same with him. One of her hands moved into his hair and she stroked his nape. “Your head still hurt?”
Jack shrugged.
Maisy frowned. “Did you take something?”
“Yeah.”
“This isn’t normal. We need to get you to the doctor.”
“I’ll be fine,” Jack said.
Maisy didn’t like that he was still having headaches so long after his head injury. Her brother’s contact had hurt Jack, badly. Had hit him hard enough for him to have a concussion and cause him to lose his memory. The fact that his head still hurt now, weeks later, had to be a bad sign. “Maybe a doctor will be able to have some explanation as to why you haven’t regained your memory. Or will be able to tell you if it’s permanent or not.”
“I don’t want anyone messing around with my head,” Jack said firmly. “My memory will come back or it won’t. It’s not going to change anything.”
Maisy couldn’t hold back the wince. His memory returning would changeeverything.
“I’m good,” Jack told her, misinterpreting her wince. “Promise. I’ll tell you if I think something’s wrong and I’ll go to a doctor. Okay?”
She’d have to be all right with that. She nodded.
“Good. Go do what you need to do to get ready. Paige still okay with packing us a picnic?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool. We’ll grab that on our way out. Maisy?”
She looked up at him.
