Beautiful Sacrifice (The Maddox Brothers, #3)(83)

I nodded.

Phaedra shifted, trying to uphold her stern demeanor. “What does Taylor have to say?”

“I didn’t stick around long after that.”

Phaedra held out a set of keys and tossed them to me. I caught them, recognizing the key chain.

“There is also the matter of your parents dropping off your vehicle. You’ll have to move it. It’s sitting in customer parking.”

“What?” I asked.

“I told them you didn’t want it,” Chuck said. “The key is in the ignition.”

I looked down at the shiny metal in my hands. “My car is here? They just left it?”

“Lord, girl. Aren’t you listening?” Phaedra asked.

“Where should I … park it?”

Phaedra pointed in the general direction of the street. “Next to where Kirby usually parks. Well? Get goin’.”

“Why are you angry?” I asked, wiping my cheek with my wrist.

“I’m not angry, damn it! I’m worried. Beat it. I’ve got pies to make.” She whipped around, wiping her eyes as she marched to the back.

“Want me to move it?” Chuck asked.

I shook my head. “I’ll do it.”

“Falyn,” Chuck said, his voice soft, “Pete finding you on the floor like that is concerning. We wish you’d talk to us.”

“It just happened. I haven’t had time to talk to anyone.”

“You should have called.”

“I gave Taylor back the phone.”

“Does he know that?”

I nodded.

“So, he knows it’s over then.”

I gripped the keys in my palm, feeling the edges digging into my skin. “He has something far more important to concentrate on.”

I turned for the door, but Chuck called out, “Falyn?”

I stopped but didn’t turn around.

“You should let him decide if you’re his priority or not.”

“It’s not that I don’t think he would choose me,” I said over my shoulder. “It’s just that I couldn’t live with myself if he did.”





After work on Saturday and Sunday nights, instead of waiting for Taylor to come to the Bucksaw after his shift, I would get into my car and drive. I would keep my foot on the gas pedal until I was too tired to continue, trying to get lost and find my way back again.

Monday, I told myself that Taylor would know better than to show up at my place of work, but at eleven thirty, he and his crew arrived.

Kirby, already knowing what to do, sat them at the back table, and Phaedra took their orders. I did my best to ignore them, but Dalton made it a point to tell me hello.

I remained polite, only seeing Taylor from the corners of my eyes. He was staring at me, waiting for me to see him, but I passed by.

“Falyn! Order up!” Chuck yelled.

My feet moved even quicker than normal toward Chuck’s voice. There was no food in the window, so I knew he was allowing me a moment to collect myself. I slipped through the double doors and escaped to my countertop, letting it support my weight as I leaned against it.

“You okay, kiddo?” Chuck asked.

I quickly shook my head. I took a deep breath and then used both of my hands to burst through the swinging doors. If I looked unsure in my decision to end things or showed even a second of weakness, Taylor would be relentless until I gave in. If his post-island actions were any indication, he would never give me a moment of peace.

Taylor didn’t try to make a scene. He ate his food and paid his bill, and then they left.

By one o’clock the next day, I thought that I’d seen the last of him, but he arrived for lunch again—this time, with Trex in tow. Phaedra waited on them again.

I passed by their table, and Taylor reached out for me. “Falyn. For the love of Christ.”

Even though the desperation in his voice made me want to break down, I ignored him, and he said nothing else. Just a few of the closer tables noticed, but Phaedra frowned.

“Falyn, honey,” Phaedra said, “this can’t go on.”

I nodded, pushing through the double doors, knowing Phaedra was heading to Taylor’s table. When she returned, I looked at her from under my brow, ashamed that she had to deal with my problems.

“I told him he can still come in, but only if he promises not to cause a scene. He’s agreed not to bother you.”

I nodded, hugging my middle.

“Should I tell him not to come back?” Phaedra asked. “I hate to be mean to the poor kid. He looks like a lost kitten.”

“I don’t think he would take that well. It’s just for the summer, right? He can’t drive here every day when he’s back in Estes Park. By next summer, if they come back, he’ll be over it.”

Phaedra patted my arm. “I don’t know, baby. From where I’m standing, it doesn’t look like either one of you will.” She scrunched her face. “You sure you can’t try to work it out? I know it’s a mess, but it might be a little easier to fix it together.”

I shook my head and stood up straight before pushing through the kitchen doors and waiting on my tables as if my heart weren’t broken.

I lay in bed that night, swearing to banish every memory of Taylor—the way he’d held me, the way his lips had warmed mine, and the way his voice had softened whenever he told me he loved me.