"You might've put up your feet and retired, Jack, but I have a job, and it's full time."
He crossed his arms. "Is working for your father where you want to be?"
The question took her aback but she recovered. "It's no different than you insisting you belong here."
"I belong here because this is where my heart is. Is your heart in Tyler Advertising?"
"You grew up with shearers. I grew up with jingles and slogans. It's all I know. My father took the time to groom me." It's what she'd told herself for years, and yet now she knew she was trying to convince herself.
"Your father will still love you whether you work for him or not. You don't stop loving someone because they choose a different path from the one you'd wanted them to take."
"But you might stop talking to them." Like you stopped talking to Dahlia. And suddenly she had to know. She'd believed it a few days ago. Had things ever changed?
Despite shaking inside, she injected a note of calm into her voice. "Would you cut me off, Jack, if I walked away now?"
His eyes turned to ice. "You'd be the one leaving. Not me. I have no control over that."
Maddy held her stomach. How could she argue? It seemed useless to try.
Every day he lived regretting that he hadn't been able to control certain situations and people, and yet he'd let her walk away now without an argument. And if he thought that way, surely that validated what was obvious. Dreams were nice, but that's all they were. She didn't belong here. Even as much as she loved and wanted to be with Beau, there was simply too much against it.
Obviously Jack was of the same opinion because he drove both hands through his hair, holding them there before his arms dropped to his sides. When he looked at her again, his face was blank.
"So what about Beau?" he asked.
Her gaze landed on the Bible on a shelf behind him and a well-known story came to mind.
"Say I did stay. Beau and I would grow even closer." When she waited, he conceded with a curt nod. "If it didn't work out between us and I decided to leave, would you consider sharing custody?"
His presence seemed to swell and intensify before her eyes, like an otherworldly force taking on immeasurable power. But as quickly as it had surfaced, that tension left his body and a different strain appeared. Stubborn pride.
"No," he said, no hint of remorse in his voice. "I'll never give him up."
Twelve
Jack was not in a good mood.
Two nights ago, he and Maddy had come to an understanding. Of sorts.
He'd dealt his hand and had asked her to stay. She'd countered with the obvious: she couldn't give up her lifestyle. Why was he surprised? You could take the girl out of the city, but …
He kicked his heels into Herc and the horse galloped harder.
Dammit, he was better off without her.
The sun was rising as he rode Herc into the yard. He yanked up so hard on the reins, hooves ploughed up a swirling cloud of red dust that filled his lungs. He swung out of the saddle and his boots hit the ground with a thump.
If he were lucky he'd have missed Maddy's early departure. That would be best. Everything there was to say had been said. He had Beau. His memories. His station. If he had to say goodbye to her … Ah hell, he'd said goodbyes before.
He clapped Herc's flank and the horse reared off into the stables.
When he spun around, she stood at the bottom of the steps. Jeans, white top, pale hair pulled off her flawless beautiful face … so beautiful, he could barely breathe.
Emotion-both raw and bleak-booted him in the chest. Coming back to earth, he stuck his hat more firmly on his head and strode over.
"Thanks," he said formally, "for staying with Beau when he needed you."
"Thanks," she said, just as blandly, "for letting me stay."
Neither looked away. It was as if whoever broke first, lost. Or maybe it was because this was truly the end but there was still that maddening urge to carry her back inside and lock her in until she came around. A hundred years ago he might've done it.
The thought was still hovering when the sound of an engine in the quiet morning pulled his head around. A dusty Yellow cab groaning up the ruts.
Cait appeared at the top of the steps, the baby propped in one arm. She descended as if she were performing a funeral march. On top of everything, he didn't need that. The cab braked at the same time Cait joined them.
She tried her best to smile. "Baby Beau wants to say goodbye."
Maddy's slim nostrils flared but she managed to smile over the moisture filling her eyes. She cupped the baby's face, her hand pale against his cheek, and brushed her lips over his brow. "Be good, Beau darling." Jack caught her barest whisper, "Remember me."
She didn't look at Jack as she turned toward the opened cab door and slid inside. And then she was gone. In the cab, down that endless track. She didn't look back. Not once.
Cait lifted sympathetic eyes to his but Jack only growled beneath his breath. He wanted to take Beau from her, comfort him-feel the connection-but he wasn't sure that was such a good idea right now.
Instead he stormed up the steps. He strode into his room and slammed the door, so hard that the walls rattled. The photo on the drawers wobbled and crashed to the floor. The ring fell, too, bouncing with a tinkle on the wood. Then it rolled over the timber boards until it stopped and dropped at his boots.
A burning arrow tore through his heart and he flinched. Hunching over, Jack pressed the butts of his hands hard against his stinging eyes. Every muscle in his body felt wound tight enough to snap. He wanted to yell. Wanted to put his fist through that door.
He wanted back what he'd lost.
After a few moments, he blew out a shuddering breath and hunkered down. He reached for the wedding band. The gold felt warm, felt familiar. Keeping it close to him these past years … was it commitment?
Or was it time?
Jack wasn't sure how long he sat on the end of the bed, holding that ring and working through things in his mind. When Cait tapped on the door and asked if he was okay, he told her not to worry.
His hands were steady when he unclasped the chain from around his neck. He moved across the room, collected the photo off the floor and slid open the top drawer. Closing his eyes, remembering and cherishing it all, he kissed the frame then put the photo and both rings safely away.
Thirteen
Maddy's cell call connected at the same time the regional airport loudspeaker announced her flight was ready to board.
She'd checked in her luggage, had grabbed that coffee. Now she needed to do something that would lift a great weight. She was tired and done with carrying it.
Her father's smooth voice filtered down the line from Sydney.
"Madison, you said it was urgent. I meant to get back to you sooner." Papers shuffled. "I've been busy."
On Monday she'd left a message that she didn't know when she could get back, that the baby needed her and he should find a replacement account executive for the Pompadour account. A lot had happened since then.
"Dad, I need to resign."
"I've already taken care of that. Gavin Sheedy's taken on the Pompadour account-"
"I need to resign from Tyler Advertising."
Maddy pressed her lips together as the silence at the other end stretched out.
Drew Tyler's voice was deep and wary. "You're in love with that man, aren't you? I spoke with a colleague the other day. He said he saw you at a-"
She cut in again. "Jack Prescott has nothing to do with my decision." And as the words left her mouth she knew it was true. "Daddy, you love what you do. I wanted so badly to make you proud. I wanted to prove to us both I could make it." Be strong. Survive. No matter what. "But since I've been gone … " There was no easy way to say it. She sucked in a breath. "Advertising isn't what I'm meant to do. It's not who I want to be."
"I see." His tone was reflective, calm. "And what is it you do want to do?"
Her gaze wandered around the busy terminal, people arriving from exotic destinations, families flying off to find new adventures. She saw the shining opportunities and experiences glowing around them like auras.