Two

Stay

My breath hitches in my throat as I take in the sight of Maud, she looks absolutely stunning standing nervously in the doorway to my kitchen, I can't help but stare at her as Hailie introduces her to her sisters and Maud drags her eyes slowly away from mine to talk to my girls.

I walk over to her, her perfume wrapping around my mind and heart “Hey" I say softly, “Thank you for coming to dinner, can I take your jacket?” She shrugs out of jacket, handing it to me, I feel a spark as our fingers touch briefly and I walk out to hang it in the closet and I take a second to get my feelings back in hand.

Don't fall for her Marshall!

I'm kidding myself at this point though and being a bastard to her doesn't seem to be putting her off me at all, maybe I should try this with her, see what happens. My mind and my heart are at permanent war with one another.

I walk back in the kitchen surveying the scene the girls have put Maud to work and she looks bewildered stirring a pot on the stove while they bombard her with questions about living in LA and does she know any famous people there.
She's good willed enough to be patient and answer everything thrown at her until Whitney asks her a question that makes her shoulders tense up “You've been working with Dad all week? Do you like our Dad?” All three of them stop what they are doing and gather around her, I stay hidden and listen in, interested in her reply.

“Your Dad has been amazing, I've learnt so much from him this week. I wouldn't change this experience for anything” she sounds genuine and like she means it and as bad as I have been towards her all week I have tried to help her as well, I feel guilty about the way I've been treating her.

“That's nice, but not what we asked!” My youngest child stands with her hand on her hip waiting for Maud to respond.

Maud laughs at her “Yes Whitney, I like Marshall" they all laugh and I make a noise walking back into the room

“You guys finished cooking yet, it's taking forever, and I'm wasting away" they all scoff at me except Maud who smiles shyly. It's a fun evening the girls are loud and playful as usual while Maud is quiet, I expect she's waiting for the ticking time bomb that is me to explode at any minute.

I wish I could put her at ease but I don't want to show any concerns in front of the girls, nothing that they could anything read into anyway. After we've cleaned up, it's quite late and Hailie leaves to take Whitney back to her mom's. Alaina stays a little longer talking to Maud and I about her next travelling adventure until she to decided to leave “Maud would you like a lift back to the hotel”

My heart thumps in my chest not wanting her to leave yet as she looks like she's about to answer I do it for her, saying the first thing that pops into my head “Actually Maud and I have some work to go over" Maud smiles at Alaina thanking her for the kind offer and I walk my oldest child out to her car.

Back inside Maud stands up as I re enter the room “Why am I here Marshall?”
“Because I wanted you here!” it's the simplest and truest answer there is, she walks over towards me stopping a few steps away, my fingers reach out and take a piece of her newly brunette hair between my finger tips “So soft Maud" I whisper “You look so beautiful" my hand caresses her cheek and she leans into my touch closing her eyes and sighing.

My heart surges in my chest, hammering against my rib cage as all of the emotions I've tried to keep at bay flood forward, making me gasp.

Her eyes snap open and she pulls away from my hand, letting it drop once more to my side. “Stay" I ask her afraid that she'll walk away after how I've treated her this week.

“Marshall I.....” I stop her from finishing her statement by gently pressing my lips against hers, my arms wrap around her and I hold onto her.