White Lace and Promises

by Debbie Macomber

  “That was something I thought we’d do together.”

  The sun burst through the heavy overcast and shed its golden rays on Maggie. He had offered her a way to Charleston and managed to salvage her pride. The tension flowed from her as her hand tightened around the receiver. “Glenn, don’t you think they’ll be offended if we wait much longer?”

  “They might,” he answered, unexpectedly agreeable. “I know it’s an inconvenience, but maybe you should think about flying—”

  “I’ll be on a flight out tomorrow morning.”

  Chapter Six

  Glenn was in the terminal waiting when Maggie walked off the plane the following afternoon. He was tall, rugged, and so male that it was all Maggie could do not to throw her arms around him. He looked wonderful, and she wanted to hate him for it. For nine days she had been the most miserable woman alive, and Glenn looked as if he’d relished their separation, thrived on it. Renewed doubts buzzed around her like swarming bees.

  Stepping forward, Glenn took the carry-on bag from her hand and slipped an arm around her waist. “Welcome to Charleston.”

  Shamelessly, Maggie wanted him to take her in his arms and kiss her. She managed to disguise the yearning by lowering her gaze. “I didn’t know if you’d be here.”

  She’d tried to call to give him her flight number, but his phone had gone directly to voicemail. She’d left a message and then later sent him a text. If he hadn’t gotten her message, Maggie wouldn’t have had a way of getting into Glenn’s condominium.

  “Of course I’m here. Where else would I be?”

  “I’m so glad to see you.” Very glad, her heart sang.

  “How was the flight?”

  “Just the way I like ’em,” she said with a teasing smile. “Uneventful.”

  Glenn’s features warmed, and he grinned at her answer. Captivated by the tenderness in his eyes, Maggie felt her heart throb almost painfully. His eyes were dark, yet glowing with a warm light. Although he hadn’t said a word, Glenn’s gaze told her he was pleased she was with him.

  “Your luggage is this way,” he commented, pressing a hand to the middle of her back as he directed her toward baggage claim.

  “I didn’t bring much.” “Not much” constituted two enormous suitcases and one large carry-on. Maggie had spent half the night packing, discarding one outfit after another until her bedroom floor was littered with more clothes than a secondhand store. She wanted everything to be perfect for Glenn. She longed to be alluring and seductive, attractive without being blatant about it. She wanted his heart as well as his bed and she realized how difficult that was going to be if Glenn was still in love with the other woman.

  The more Maggie thought about the other woman who had claimed his heart, the more she realized what an uphill struggle lay before her. Glenn wouldn’t ever give his love lightly, and now that he had, it would take a struggle to replace her in his heart. Maggie yearned to know more of the details, but wouldn’t pry. In the meantime, she planned to use every womanly wile she possessed and a few she planned to invent.

  The leather strap of her purse slid off her shoulder, and Maggie straightened it. As she did, Glenn stopped in midstride, nearly knocking her off balance.

  “Where’s your diamond?” he asked, taking her hand. Surprise mingled with disappointment and disbelief. “I thought you said the only time you wouldn’t wear it was when you were working. You aren’t painting now.”

  Maggie’s mind whirled frantically. She had removed the diamond the morning before the phone call and placed it in safekeeping the way she always did. Then, in her excitement about flying out to be with Glenn, she had forgotten to put it back on her finger.

  “Maggie?”

  Her fingers curled around the strap of her purse. “Oh, Glenn …”

  He took her hand and examined the plain gold band that he had bought her to go with the marquise.

  Maggie wanted to shout with frustration. From the moment they’d ended their phone conversation she had been carefully planning this reunion. Each detail had been shaped in her mind from the instant he picked her up until they dressed for bed.

  “Maggie, where is the diamond?” he repeated.

  “I forgot it, but don’t worry … I have it with me.” Her voice rose with her agitation. They hadn’t so much as collected her luggage and already they were headed for a fight.

  “You mean to tell me you packed a seven-thousand-dollar diamond with your underwear?” His voice was a mixture of incredulity and anger.

  “I didn’t do it on purpose, I … forgot I wasn’t wearing it.” Somehow that seemed even worse. “And furthermore it isn’t in the suitcase.”

  Glenn’s stride increased to a quick-paced clip that left Maggie half trotting in an effort to keep up. “Glenn,” she protested, refusing to run through the airport.

  He threw an angry glare over his shoulder. “Forgive me for being overly concerned, but I work hard for my money.”

  The implication being, she thought, that she didn’t work and the ring meant nothing to her. Little did he realize how much it did mean.

  Maggie stopped cold as waves of anger hit her. Few words could have hurt her more. She was outraged he would say such a thing to her. For several minutes she found herself unable to speak. Nothing was going as she had planned. She’d had such wonderful images of Glenn sweeping her into his arms, holding her close and exclaiming that after the way he’d missed her, they’d never be separated again. He was supposed to tell her how miserable he’d been. Instead, he’d insulted her in a way that would hurt her the most.

  Apparently, he was angry because she had forgotten to slip on the diamond ring he’d gotten her, finding her casualness with the diamond a sign of irresponsibility. She had the ring; she knew where it was.

  Glenn was standing outside the baggage-handling system, waiting for it to unload the luggage from her flight, when she joined him.

  “If you’d give me a second I’ll—”

  “Talk to me after you’ve gotten your ring, Maggie. At the moment, I’m worried about losing an expensive diamond.”

  “And you work hard for your money. Right? At least that’s what you claim. I don’t doubt it. It’s said that those who marry for it usually do.”

  Although he continued to look straight ahead, a nerve jumped convulsively in his clenched jaw, and Maggie was instantly aware of just how angry that remark had made him. “You know that isn’t true. I made sure you’d never doubt my motives when I made the appointment with the attorney.”

  “Can I have my carry-on?”

  Without a word, he handed it to her. He studied the baggage conveyor belt as if it were the center of his world. Maggie wasn’t fooled. Glenn was simply too outraged to look at her.

  Maggie knelt down on the floor and flipped open the lid. Her small jewelry case was inside, and the ring was tucked safely in that. With a brooding sense of unhappiness, Maggie located the marquise diamond and slipped it on her finger beside the plain gold band. Snapping the suitcase closed, she stood.

  They stood side by side, silent for several moments before his hand claimed hers. Right away he noticed the diamond was on her ring finger, he arched one brow expressively. “You had it with you all the time?”

  “Yes.”

  He groaned inwardly. He had been wanting Maggie for days, longing for her. And now things were picking up right where they’d left off, with misunderstandings and sharp words. He had wanted everything perfect for her, and once again this bad start had been his own doing.

  His fingers tightened over hers. “Can I make a new rule for this marriage?” he asked her with serious eyes.

  “Of course.”

  “I want you to wear your wedding set all the time.”

  “But—”

  “I know that may sound unreasonable,” he interrupted, “and I’m not even entirely sure why my feelings are so strong. I guess it’s important to me that your wedding bands mean as much to you as our marriage.”

&n
bsp; Slowly, thoughtfully, Maggie nodded. “I’ll never remove them again.”

  Looking into her eyes, Glenn felt the overwhelming urge to take her in his arms and apologize for having started on the wrong foot once again. But the airport wasn’t the place and now wasn’t the time. From here on, he promised himself, he’d be more patient with her, court her the way he should have in the beginning.

  They didn’t say a word until the luggage was dispensed. Maggie pointed out her suitcases.

  He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, and Maggie realized he was grumbling about the fact she claimed to have packed light for this trip. But he didn’t complain strenuously.

  The deafening quiet in the car was one neither seemed willing to wade into. Maggie wanted to initiate a brilliant conversation, but nothing came to mind and she almost cried with frustration. Their reunion wasn’t supposed to happen this way. She sat uncomfortably next to a man she’d known most of her life and whom, she was discovering, she didn’t know at all.

  Glenn’s condominium was situated just outside historic Charleston, with a view of Colonial Lake. Maggie knew little about the area. Her head flooded with questions about the city that Glenn had made his home for a decade, but she asked none. While he took care of her luggage, she wandered into the living room to admire the view. The scenery below revealed magnificent eighteenth-century homes, large public buildings and meticulously kept gardens. The gentle toll of church bells sounded, and Maggie strained to hear more. Charleston was definitely a city of grace, beauty, and charm. Yet Glenn was willing to sacrifice it all—his home, his family, his job, maybe even his career—to move to San Francisco.

  He must have suffered a great deal of mental anguish to be willing to leave all this, Maggie determined, experiencing an attack of doubt. Glenn had told her so little about this other woman, and Maggie had the feeling he wouldn’t have told her anything if it hadn’t been for the unfortunate scene the morning after their wedding. He was an intensely personal man.

  The condominium was far more spacious than what Maggie had assumed. The living room led into a formal dining area, and from there to a spacious kitchen with plenty of cupboards and a pantry. A library/den was separated from the living room by open double-width doors that revealed floor-to-ceiling bookcases and a large oak desk. She hadn’t seen the bedrooms yet but guessed that there were three, possibly four. The condo was much larger than what a single man would require. Her eyes rounded with an indescribable ache that came over her when she realized Glenn had purchased this home for Angie.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked, halfway into the living room, standing several feet from her.

  Maggie unbuttoned her coat and slipped the scarf from her neck. “No thanks, I ate on the plane, but you go ahead.” The lie was a small white one. The attendant had offered her a meal, but Maggie had declined. She’d been too anxious to eat when she was only a few hours from meeting Glenn.

  He hesitated, turned, then whirled back around so that he was facing her again. “I regret this whole business with the ring, Maggie.”

  A shiver of gladness came over her at his offhand apology. “It’s forgotten.”

  Something close to a smile quirked his mouth. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I’m glad to be here.”

  He leaned around the kitchen door. “Are you sure you’re not hungry?”

  A small smile claimed her mouth. “On second thought, maybe I am at that.”

  A sense of relief flooded through Glenn’s tense muscles. He hadn’t meant to make such an issue of the diamond. For days he’d been longing for Maggie, decrying his earlier decision to leave her in San Francisco. They had so few days together that he’d thought the separation would give her the necessary time to adjust mentally to her new life. Unfortunately, it was he who had faced the adjustment … to his days … and nights without her. Now that she was here, all he wanted was to take her in his arms and make love to her. The level of physical desire she aroused in him was a definite shock. He hadn’t expected to experience this intensity. All he had thought about since he’d known she was coming was getting her into his bed. He’d dreamed of kissing her, holding her and making love to his wife. She was the woman he’d married, and he’d waited a long time for the privileges due a husband. He doubted that Maggie had any conception of how deep his anger had cut when she had suggested that he’d married her for her money. That was a problem he had anticipated early on, and it was the very reason he had insisted they see a lawyer as soon as possible.

  Working together, they cooked their meal. Maggie made the salad while Glenn broiled thick steaks. Glenn didn’t have a housekeeper to prepare his meals, and for that matter, Maggie surmised, he might not even have someone in to do the housework. Now that she was here, she decided, she would take over those duties. Surprisingly, Maggie discovered she looked forward to being a wife. Glenn’s wife.

  Later, while he placed the few dirty plates in the dishwasher, Maggie decided to unpack her bags. She located the master bedroom without a problem and gave a sigh of relief when she noticed that Glenn fully intended that she would sleep with him. It was what she wanted, what she had planned, but after their shaky beginning, Maggie hadn’t known what to think. A soft smile worked its way across her face, brightening her dark eyes. Glenn longed for their marriage to work as much as she did, she thought. What they both needed to do was quit trying so hard.

  When Maggie had finished unpacking, she joined Glenn in the living room. It amazed her how unsettled they were around each other still. Glenn suggested they turn on the last newscast of the evening. Readily, Maggie agreed. She supposed that this time could be thought of as their honeymoon. They were probably the only couple in America to watch television when they could be doing other … things.

  After the news, Glenn yawned. Once again, Maggie was reminded that his daily schedule was set with the routine of his job. Staying awake until two or three in the morning, watching a late, late movie or reading would only cause problems the following morning. She would need to adjust her sleeping habits as well, although she had become a night person these past few years, often enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the early-morning hours to paint. Glenn didn’t live a life of leisure, and she couldn’t any longer, either.

  Funny, Maggie thought, the realization that she must now live according to a clock didn’t depress her. She was willing to get up with him in the morning and cook his breakfast and even do the dishes. She didn’t know how long this domesticated eagerness would continue, and vowed to take advantage of it while it lasted. In the morning, she would stand at the front door and send him off to the office with a juicy kiss. But from the frowning look he was giving the television, Maggie had the impression the good-bye kiss in the morning would be all the kissing she was going to get.

  Glenn’s thoughts were heavy. Maggie was sitting at his side and he hadn’t so much as put his arm around her. He felt as though he were stretched out on a rack, every muscle strained to the limit of his endurance. It was pure torture to have her so close and not haul her into his arms and make love to her. If she could read only half of what was going through his mind, she would run back to California, he thought drily. No, he wouldn’t take her that night. He’d bide his time, show her how empty his life was without her, how much he needed a woman’s tenderness. Then, in time, she would come to him willingly and desire him, maybe even as keenly as he did her.

  “Don’t you think we should go to bed? It’s after eleven.” Maggie broached the subject with all the subtlety of a locomotive. Sitting next to him was torture. They had hardly said two words all night. The thick, unnatural silence made the words all the more profound.

  Smoothly rolling to his feet, Glenn nodded. He hadn’t noticed that the news was over. For that matter, he couldn’t recall the headlines or anything that had been reported. Not even the weather forecast, which he listened for each night. “I imagine you’re tired,” he finally answered.

  “Dead on
my feet,” she confirmed, walking with him toward the hallway and the master bedroom. You’re wide awake, her mind accused. She was on Pacific time and it was barely after eight in San Francisco.

  Following a leisurely scented bath, Maggie joined him, wearing a black nightshirt that buttoned up the front and hit her at midthigh with deep side slits that went halfway up to her hip. The satin top was the most feminine piece of sleepwear Maggie owned. The two top buttons were unfastened, and she stretched her hands high above her head in a fake yawn, granting him a full glimpse of her upper thighs.

  Glenn was in bed, propped against thick feather pillows, reading a spy thriller. One look at her in the black satin pajama top and the book nearly tumbled from his hands. Tension knotted his stomach and he all but groaned at the sight of his wife. But witnessing her beauty and wanting her was torture he endured willingly.

  The mattress dipped slightly as she lifted back the blankets and slipped into the bed. Glenn set his novel aside and reached for the lamp switch. The room went dark, with only the shimmering rays of the distant moon dancing across the far walls.

  Neither moved. Only a few inches separated them, but for all the good it did to be sleeping with her husband, Maggie could well have been in San Francisco, she decided.

  “Good night, Glenn,” Maggie whispered after several stifled moments. If he didn’t reach for her soon, she’d clobber him over the head. Maybe she should say something to encourage him—let him know her feelings. But what? Listen, Glenn, I’ve reconsidered, and although I realize that you may still be in love with another woman, I’ve decided it doesn’t matter. We’re married. I’m your wife.… Disheartened, Maggie realized she couldn’t do it. Not so soon, and not in a condominium he probably bought with the other woman in mind.

  Glenn interrupted Maggie’s dark thoughts with a deep, quiet voice. “Good night.” With that, he rolled onto his side away from her.