My Cowboy with Benefits

Chapter 11

Maggie's P.O.V.

My birthday is tomorrow. I'll be 28. Never thought I'd be hiding in a cabin on my birthday. I guess I should call my mom tomorrow and let her know that I'm alright. It is the least I can do.

I'd call her today, but I just can't. I know that she'll end up talking me into coming home. Wherever that is. I'm sure I'll get an earful tomorrow, though. I mean, I haven't made contact with anyone in over a week. I'm sure my mom's worried. Maybe even Chelsea. That'd be about it.

I know I should have at least told them where I was going. It wasn't right of me to just up and leave. Then again, I had to get away for a while. A week and a half may be overdoing it, but I still don't know what to do.

Okay, maybe I'm kidding myself. I love Luke. I really do. Maybe I should give him chance to explain himself. After all, I wasn't being totally fair. He came over three days in a row to try and talk to me. I completely blew him off. Acted like I didn't care.

Then again, I saw what I saw. Rachelle kissed his cheek after her hand had been resting on his arm. What the hell was I supposed to think? Especially after what happened with Wyatt. Was there any other way for me to look at that? Like seriously, I thought my only option was to leave.

The front door opens and the devil himself walks in. Luke. He finally figured out where I was. I figured it would have been sooner than this, though.

"What the hell, Maggie? Do you have any idea how worried we've been? You can't just go and hide in a cabin for a damn week and a half."

"Well, hello to you too."

"No time for formalities. You've had us worried sick about you. Care to explain?"

"When you say us, who do you mean?"

He comes and sits on the couch at the end of my feet. I put my head down.

"For starters, your mom. She's been hysterical. I've had to comfort her more than once. Chelsea and Jordan have been calling me every five or so minutes asking if I've found you. They're probably going to smack you when they see you. Taylor and Landon have been driving around town. They're about at their wits end. Even Wyatt and Rachelle have been worried. They've been looking everywhere they can. And me."

I jerk my head up. "I've been going insane. I didn't know if you were safe or not. I kept having these dreams of you calling out for help and me not getting to you in time. I knew I'd never be able to forgive myself if anything were to happen to you."

"You're just saying that to make me feel bad. The only ones who were worried were my mom and Chelsea."

"You don't believe me? Fine. Turn on your phone. You'll see that everybody has called you. And I mean everybody."

I pull my phone out of my pocket and turn it on. Just like he said, there are calls from everybody. The majority of them are from Luke. I thought he didn't care.

"Told you so. Everybody has been calling you."

"Okay. You were right. Most of the calls are from you, though. Thought you didn't care."

"I never said that, Mags."

"Actually, you did. That day at the rodeo. You basically said you didn't care if I walked away from what we had. You said I couldn't expect you to wait forever. Even though you've told me that I'm worth waiting for."

I see the look of sadness and regret come across his face. Maybe he really does care.

"I'm sorry. I was just upset that I had hurt you. I knew there was no way to make you see things from my perspective. I knew I had screwed up what we had. That you'd probably never forgive me and I'd have to live with that. What I can't live with is you hiding from those who love you and it being my fault. You need to go home."