Staying Grounded (A Rocky Harbor Novel Book 1) Read online

  “Not right now. I’ll swing back through before my next flight, though.”

  “Yes, sir. No need to wait if there’s a line.”

  “Captain.” A group of flight attendants nodded in his direction as they walked by.

  “Crushed ego?” Maggie snorted again.

  Graham returned his gaze to hers and smiled. “Professional courtesy. The uniform gets me all sorts of special favors.”

  “I bet.” She knew he didn’t mean in the sexual nature. He’d been upfront with her about separating personal and professional life, and from what she’d seen of both, he had been telling the truth.

  He took her hand in his and led them down a side corridor. “You still haven’t explained the ‘Eh’.”

  “I was referring to the company.”

  “My company is ‘eh’?”

  “You look ridiculous every time you say that.”

  “Eh?”

  Maggie laughed. “Not that you need any more compliments, but I was referring to my seatmate. You were much more fun to flirt with than the seventy-year-old woman. I’d rather have you next to me than up front. Actually, I liked it best when we were in the two-seater flying over Kauai. I got to have you as my pilot and I could still touch you.”

  Graham pulled her hand sharply to the right and pinned her against the wall. “You can’t say things like that when we’re in public.” He crushed his mouth down on hers, took her breath away, and dove in deeper.

  As quickly as it started, it ended. “Damn.” He licked his lips and dropped his gaze to her moist mouth. “I love…your mouth.” Her insides quivered and she wanted more. So much more. “Come on. We can hang out in the lounge before your next flight.”

  He took her hand again and she quietly followed him to a secure, private room meant for pilots, flight attendants, and the elite.

  “Hey, Riley. Haven’t seen you since you’ve been back. You’re looking good. Nice tan.” A tall elderly man, a captain or co-pilot, Maggie couldn’t tell the difference, shook Graham’s hand and glanced curiously at her.

  “It’s good to be back.”

  “Hear you took McCafferty’s flight back from Hawaii. Bastard’s having a fling with some woman on the island while his pregnant wife is home with their two kids.”

  She felt Graham’s hand tighten around hers. “Had I known, I wouldn’t have offered to cover his flight.”

  “I figured.” The pilot glanced between Graham and Maggie, waiting for an introduction. She felt Graham’s palm begin to sweat.

  “Tom, this is Maggie. She’s…uh, Maggie, this is Tom. Best pilot I’ve ever worked with.”

  “Nice to meet you. Graham was my co-pilot for quite a few years before he earned his own stripes. ” Tom held out his hand and Graham quickly released hers so she could shake it.

  “You too. You must have a lot of patience to put up with this guy. I wonder how his ego can fit in such a tiny cockpit, much less one of those ridiculously small bathrooms.”

  Tom looked like he wasn’t sure if he should be appalled or laugh. Graham’s chuckle seemed to set him at ease and he smiled and shook his head. “Very nice to meet you, Maggie.”

  “I never know what to expect with you.” Graham guided her to a leather sectional and sat down next to her.

  “Ditto.”

  “So, your flight to Boston leaves in two hours, but I need to get to my next flight pretty soon. Will you be okay in here?”

  Maggie looked around the luxurious waiting area. Complimentary beverages and snacks were laid out on a table in the corner, leather chairs and side tables were scattered around the large, open space like a welcoming living room, and a pretty flight attendant stood behind a counter in the back, waiting to take drink orders.

  “Yeah, I’m good.”

  “Hey, Riley.” Another captain approached them and made small talk, all the while eyeing her speculatively.

  While he chatted with his colleagues, Maggie picked at the label on the water bottle the woman had brought her.

  “Sorry about that.”

  Maggie shrugged. “I’m fine.” She cringed as the two little words escaped her lips. Two words she asked her patients to avoid. Never was someone fine. They were good, bad, happy, sad, comfortable, uncomfortable, but never fine.

  “I hate to leave you, but I have to go.” He leaned in to kiss her, looked around, and sighed before sitting back.

  “I understand, Graham. This is your workplace. You shouldn’t be seen making out with a woman in the lounge.”

  “I’d ask you to walk me to my terminal but you won’t be able to get back in here.”

  Good. The place made her uncomfortable. Every Global Air employee had given her weird looks and she felt like she was under a microscope. “I’ll walk with you.” She stood and reached for the handle of her suitcase.

  “You sure? You have a long wait and those chairs aren’t very comfortable.”

  “They’re good enough for everyone else, they’re good enough for me.”

  He leaned in again, but stopped himself before making contact, rubbing his hand across his face. “Let’s get out of here.” They walked in silence, this time not holding hands. When they reached his terminal they faced each other and she looked deep into his stormy eyes.

  “Thank you for taking me away. I really needed this.”

  “You’re welcome. I didn’t realize how much I needed it either.”

  She knew he wouldn’t kiss her out in the open, in front of the passengers who were waiting to board his plane and his flight attendants standing behind the counter.

  “Have a safe flight then. I’ll uh…see you around.”

  “Maggie.”

  “Yeah?”

  Struggling to make eye contact, he darted his gaze over her head and around the terminal. “I’ll call you. Okay?”

  “Sure.” She didn’t know why this seemed like goodbye. What had happened between Graham crushing her mouth with his against a wall and this awkward farewell? The curious looks from his colleagues and his attraction to her scared him, she knew. He needed his wings to fly, literally and figuratively, and having Maggie attached to him like saran wrap had to be suffocating him.

  Maggie plastered on a fake, friendly smile. “Don’t forget your coffee from Miguel. Have a nice flight.” She turned and walked slowly and steadily to her terminal, not looking back to see if he followed her with his gaze. Instead of finding a seat, she headed to the ladies room and splashed cold water on her face. The irony of starting and ending her trip with tears in a bathroom was not lost on her.

  The flight home was uneventful and she tried everything from reading, to napping, to playing a game of Sudoko. Nothing helped to alleviate the all-too-familiar heavy anvil crushing her heart.

  She couldn’t avoid the barrage of questions Mackenzie threw at her when she picked Maggie up from the airport, and did her best to placate her friend.

  “Love the tan. Hawaii really brought out your freckles, although I thought you’d be spending most of your time in the room. And you didn’t send me a single text. Graham must have kept you busy. Tell me about sex in Hawaii. Details now, while I fight my way through Boston traffic.”

  While Kenzie maneuvered her vehicle in and around the busy lanes, Maggie told her everything from running into Ashley to their hike up a volcano and the majestic waterfalls hidden throughout the island.

  “Did you guys skinny dip under the falls? Oh, so romantic.”

  They did, but some details she kept to herself. “Since when did you become a romantic?”

  “Not for me, gah! I don’t want any of that crap for me. That’s the kind of love you’ve been looking for, though.”

  “We swam in the falls, yes.”

  “Naked?” Yes.

  “Shut up.” Maggie lightly swatted her friend’s arm. “We did a lot of exploring—”

  “Of bodies.”

  Maggie laughed. It helped to take away the serious feelings she had for Graham. They talked about town gossip
, the new owner of the Rocky Harbor Inn and her son moving in, and planned a day to welcome her to town.

  “I can’t believe she won the Inn in an essay contest.”

  “I know, right?” Kenzie turned off the turnpike once they reached Maine, and onto Route One. “Mrs. Parsons won the inn twenty-five years ago the same way. I think it’s pretty cool that it’s been passed down that way.”

  The town was dark as Mackenzie drove through, all the shops closed up for the night, their owners home with the husbands and wives…or picking up their best friends from the airport. In a few hours it would be bustling again with tourists spending the final days of summer in the small town, buying souvenirs, taking pictures, bumping into the man of their dreams in a coffee shop.

  “Thanks for taking care of Sweetie Pie,” Maggie said when they pulled into her driveway.

  “No problem. She’s a good girl.”

  “Thanks for picking me up too. Sorry you have to get up so early. I owe you. Big time.”

  “I don’t need much sleep anyway. And you’ll repay me with more detailed stories of your sexcapades. Don’t think I’m letting you off the hook.”

  When Maggie entered her house she was greeted with doggie licks and yips, making her feel missed and loved and appreciated. Too bad her parents and Graham didn’t treat her this way.

  Maggie tossed and turned all night, visions of their sexcapades replaying through her mind in high definition detail. She woke sweaty and aroused and went to work extremely annoyed.

  “Hey, how was your long weekend?” Tiffany asked as she handed Maggie a stack of messages.

  “Good.” Maggie flipped through them, noting nothing marked as urgent.

  “You look good. Like you’re sun-kissed or something.” Tiffany wanted more information, like where she went and who she went with; her hedging wasn’t missed on Maggie, but she’d kept their conversations completely professional while in the office. “You have a potential new patient this morning. She wouldn’t leave me any information and said she’s seen a therapist before. Wouldn’t give me any specifics. I told her you would do a consultation with her this morning, to see if you two are a right fit. Sorry I don’t have any more than that. And she’s your first.” The old mahogany door in the entryway creaked. “Actually, there’s the front door. I’ll go get her.”

  Tiffany handed her a nearly empty file. Maggie flipped it open while walking to her door to greet her new patient. Rachael Riley. It couldn’t be…

  “Dr. O’Fallon, Rachael Riley is here.” A thin, blonde woman entered, her hands tightly clutched around a worn purse.

  “Thank you, Tiffany. Miss Riley, nice to meet you.” She stuck out her hand and Rachael eyed it before placing her limp, sweaty palm in hers.

  “Thank you for seeing me.” The woman wouldn’t look at Maggie, and kept her head lowered, her long, blonde bangs falling over her eyes.

  “Come. Have a seat.” She led them to the sitting area. “Can I get you a cup of coffee? Tea? Water?” Rachael shook her head. Maggie studied the timid woman, wondering if she knew about her connection with Graham. “So, Rachael, how did you hear about me? Was this a personal reference, did another doctor or therapist recommend you to me? Or just an online search?” Those were basic questions Tiffany would have already asked, but the line on the form remained blank.

  Rachael swallowed and toyed with the strap to her purse. “I.” She cleared her throat. “You were recommended to me.”

  “I’m honored. Would you mind telling me who referred you to see me?”

  Rachael looked up for the first time, her large, sad, blue eyes blinked rapidly with hesitation. “My brother. Graham.”

  Maggie nodded and slowly wrote the information on the form. “I’m assuming you’re his sister?” Rachael nodded. “Did he tell you…that he only visited my office twice before seeing a different therapist?”

  Rachael wrinkled her forehead in confusion. So she didn’t know about their personal connection. Crap. “I need to be honest with you before you share anything personal. Your brother and I…I started his treatment before he decided it best to see a different therapist.”

  “Why?” Rachael finally released the straps, but her hands continued to fidget. “Is he okay?”

  “We…we’ve gone out on a few dates. We ended our professional relationship first.” Sort of. An inkling of a smile formed on the Rachael’s lips. Maggie didn’t know if that was progress or a sign of trouble. “He’s told me a little about your family.” Rachael tensed. “He never said anything too personal. All I know is that you were adopted by Doreen and Keith Riley when you were little.”

  “Eight.”

  “And that you were living in California for a short period of time before moving back to Maine. I know you were in an abusive relationship but Graham never said anything more than that.” Maggie let the information sink in before continuing. “If this makes you uncomfortable, I understand and can refer you to someone else.”

  “I understand.” Rachael lowered her head again.

  “This is your choice, Rachael. I’ll gladly listen and help you in any way I can, however I needed to be upfront with you about my…connection with your brother.”

  “Are you two still dating?” A tiny spark of life emanated from her eyes.

  Not sure how to answer, Maggie perfected her professional mask. “We’re friends, yes.”

  “You’re the reason he stayed in Maine so long. The reason he didn’t come home some nights?” Rachael smiled for the first time.

  Classic avoidance tactic.

  “Are we here to dissect my relationship with your brother or to help you with—?”

  Rachael grabbed the straps of her purse again and pulled it tight against her chest.

  “I’m sorry, Rachael. I didn’t mean to sound harsh, but this hour is for you and I’d like to help you, if you want me to.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

  “No need to apologize. Now tell me, what brought you to my office? Besides your brother’s referral.” Maggie smiled at her last question, hoping to relax her timid patient.

  “I’ve been home for six months, living with my mom, barely leaving the house. I know I worry her and that she wants me to get out, to get my life back. I want to…I want to be the person I was before…before I took off with Dylan. I’m not ready…not ready to face the world yet.”

  “What are you afraid of?” Maggie wouldn’t push her, simply guide her along. Baby steps.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you think you have agoraphobia?” This, Maggie could relate to. Her mother rarely left the house for entirely different reasons, yet the fear, the insecurities may be the same.

  “My mom asked me the same thing. No, I’m not afraid to go to the grocery store, as long as I have a detailed list in hand, but to go somewhere without…a specific purpose.”

  “What is it you’re afraid of?”

  Rachael picked at the hem of her shirt and avoided eye contact. “Dylan liked to…to control every move. What I wore, who I talked to, what I bought at the store. Sometimes I feel like…like he’s watching, waiting for me step out of line and then…”

  “He’s still in jail, right?”

  She nodded. “I know and that should be comforting.”

  “Do you think you could meet a friend at a restaurant or for a cup of coffee?”

  “I don’t really have any friends.” Rachael settled into the couch and removed her purse from her lap. Progress.

  “Do you get along well with your family?”

  She lifted her head and nodded, her sad eyes happy once again. “My mother is the best person in the world. She doesn’t push me, and I know she worries and wants me to start my life again. I want her to be proud of me, especially after all I’ve put her and my family through. And my brother Luke, he and his fiancé live down the road. They’re great. Sage is a little rough around the edges, but she’s sweet to me. I’m a little intimidated to go out with her alone, t
hough.”

  “Why is that?”

  “She’s a free spirit. Like I used to be.”

  Really? Maggie never would have guessed. “And Luke?”

  “He’s the best.” Rachael’s smile was genuine. “He’s more like a dad to all of us. Since our dad died a few years ago Luke’s the one everyone turns to, so we don’t stress Mom out. Now he has Sage and I don’t want to interfere. Graham and I have always been the closest. He’s usually away except this summer…well, he’s been around more. And he’s changed. I think that has something to do with you.”

  The sister was at it again, trying to pry or play matchmaker, Maggie couldn’t tell. Avoidance was a Riley trait. And an O’Fallon one as well.

  “You have another sister who is local, right?”

  “Yeah, Lucy. She’s just like Sage. I’m a little intimidated by her too. She joined the family five years ago. I was living in California then with…so, uh, I don’t know her as well. We’re kinda nervous around each other.”

  “And your brothers are spread out across the country.”

  “And overseas.”

  “That’s right, Colton is in Afghanistan.”

  They covered the family dynamics, all which Maggie already knew. It would most likely take quite a few visits for Rachael to feel safe enough to talk about the ex-boyfriend. There was an abusive relationship in the past that she’d need regular counseling for, if she was ready for it. Rachael needed to take the first step. Showing up on her doorstep was a great beginning.

  “My boyfriend tried to kill me.”

  Well, I guess we’re done beating around the bush. Maggie hid her surprise and waited for Rachael to continue.

  “He’d turned into that guy from Sleeping with the Enemy. You know, that old Julia Roberts’ movie? I couldn’t go anywhere unless he knew where and why. I wasn’t allowed to have any friends and had to give him my paychecks every week.”

  “Was he physically abusive as well?”

  Rachael nodded. “He never hit my face, and never enough to break any bones…until the last time. When I tried to leave him. That’s when Luke and Graham came to get me.”

  Maggie handed her a box of tissues and waited for Rachael to regain her composure. “My family has avoided asking me specific details. They’re waiting for me to break down and tell them everything, but I can’t. I won’t. We all came from abuse and neglect, but I’m the only dumb one who found her way back to it. I’m stupid and a disappointment to my family.” Rachael bent over and sobbed.