by Jeannie Moon
“It’s snowing. Oh, my God.” Not being able to suppress her laughter, Maggie enjoyed every chuckle and giggle along with each and every flake.
It was magic, and Maggie couldn’t help thinking that being home, and meeting Will, was at the heart of it all.
Chapter Seven
‡
A DATE. SHE was going out with a really nice, really hot guy and she hadn’t told anyone except Bree, whose closet was a gift from the gods. There was no keeping it secret for long, because Will insisted on picking her up at home. That meant her mother, father, and her siblings were going to give her the business; hopefully, it would be some happy teasing. Hopefully.
One of the things she’d been looking forward to since being fitted for her first prosthetic was being able to wear beautiful shoes and boots again. With all the advances in biotechnology, it was no longer out of the question. Maggie may have been a naval officer, but she was also a woman—a woman who was a total shoe whore.
Finally, after an adjustment with her prosthetist today, Maggie got the go-ahead to wear a gorgeous pair of brown riding boots. They zipped all the way down to the heel, so getting them on was easier than pulling on her jeans. Thinking about it, everything was easier to get on than jeans.
Checking herself in the mirror, she had to say she didn’t look bad. The navy blue sweater dress fit her perfectly and showed off her figure enough that there was no doubt she was a girl. After curling her hair and putting on makeup, Maggie found a really nice wrap in the closet that had a riot of winter colors. A pair of dangling earrings were the final touch.
“Maggie!” her father called from downstairs. “Time for supper.”
Pulling her bedroom door shut, she had no idea what anyone would say, but she was fairly sure shock would be the primary emotion. And after that, there’d be a thousand questions.
Making her way toward the kitchen, she heard the familiar sound of her family sitting down to eat. Her father’s shifts rotated, but as a rule, her family ate dinner together, a definite oddity in this day and age.
As soon as she took a step into the kitchen, the conversation stopped.
“Wow,” Matt said. “You look nice.”
“Mary Margaret? This is, um…” Mom didn’t know what to say. “You look lovely, honey.”
“Thank you. Borrowed clothes. Except the boots. I bought those.”
Her dad looped his arm around her shoulders and grinned. “You didn’t need to dress up for dinner. It’s just meatloaf.”
“I kind of did. I, ah… I have a date.”
Whoosh.
All the air left the room. No one said a word. The only sign of emotion was when her mother brought her hand to her chest.
“A date.” Her father was in shock. The only dates she’d ever had when she lived home were in high school for formal dances or the prom. And then, she never had a boyfriend, just male friends.
This was a first for her dad. A boy was coming over to pick her up.
“When did this happen?” Her mother took a step closer and fiddled with her hair. “Is it anyone we know?”
Nodding, Maggie tried to remain calm. Nonchalant. This should be no big deal. “Yes, actually. It is.”
Right then, the doorbell rang.
“I guess he’s here. Whoever ‘he’ is. Time for me to be the dad.” Her father headed toward the front of the house before she had a chance to move.
Showtime.
* * *
WILL WAS NERVOUS. He stood on the path leading up to the Bensons’ house and wondered how he was going to negotiate the situation with her family. He’d taught the twins, he was Matt’s coach and teacher, and here he was taking Maggie on a date.
And there was no denying, after the kisses they’d shared, after the time they’d spent together, this was definitely a date.
The Bensons lived in a grey-shingled three-story house that was placed halfway between the town square and the harbor. It was a good sized home, including the pretty front porch where he’d found Maggie on Thanksgiving, a yard that must have been full of color in the summer, and a load of character. It was a family home. A place where memories were made.
Thanksgiving had been very memorable, as had the parade, and every other time he’d seen her since. When she came to the two home basketball games this week, just knowing she was up there in the stands felt good. It was like being in high school again; knowing the girl you liked was up there sent a rush through your system. Even if you never said a word to her, the thrill was still there.
Figuring he had to get moving, Will climbed the three steps to the front door and prepared himself for the looks and questions. Once he rang the doorbell, it wasn’t long before he heard heavy footsteps approaching.
When Jim opened the door, his jaw dropped. “Coach?”
“Nice to see you again, Mr. Benson.” Will shook hands with Jim, hoping this wouldn’t continue to be awkward. He didn’t hold out much hope for it, but you never knew.
“You’re Mary Margaret’s date?”
“Yes, sir. Is she ready?”
“Yes, I am.” Maggie approached from behind her dad with a broad smile and looking prettier than he’d ever seen her, if that was possible. It was a stark contrast from the woman he’d met just a few weeks ago. “Hi.”
“Hey. You look beautiful.”
Color stained Maggie’s cheeks. “Thank you.”
The two of them exchanged smiles, but around them—silence. It was like the calm before the storm people always talked about.
“Well,” Will said, rocking back on his heels when he noticed they had a very attentive audience that even included two cats who perched on the steps. “How is everyone?”
“You’re dating my sister?” Matt’s voice shocked Will. Even during the most trying times, be it Maggie’s recovery, a tough game, or personal problems, the kid was level and easy going. Not tonight. That moment, the only thing he’d heard from his star player was anger.
“We’re going out to dinner,” Will said flatly. He hoped if he didn’t make a federal case out of it, the shock would die down. It didn’t seem to matter; Matt walked out.
Maggie caught Will’s gaze and he could see that they were having similar thoughts. This wasn’t good. Her family had definite opinions. “I’m going to get my purse.”
Will stuffed his hands in his pockets and wondered if he should try to make small talk with her parents. Mary Pat was twisting her fingers, Jim’s arms were folded.
“She’s been through so much, Will,” Jim said sadly. “I don’t know if she’s up to this.”
“We’re going to dinner. That’s all.” That was the only reason that really mattered, and the only thing he would share with her parents.
“But what about Matt?” Mary Pat was stunned by her younger son’s behavior, and while Will understood teenagers being self-absorbed, he didn’t completely get where her parents were coming from. He wasn’t a serial killer. Everyone in the family seemed to like him well enough. He was respected in town. He was even considered a good catch. Maggie liked him. And shouldn’t her feelings matter in all this? Above all else?
“What does this have to do with Matt?”
Before either of the Bensons could answer, Maggie returned with a warm wrap draped over her arm and a purse in her hand. “I’m ready.” Her face was tight, her lips narrow, her eyes flat. Without so much as a look at her family, she yanked open the front door. “Don’t wait up.”
“Mary Margaret…” Jim warned, his tone a bit softer.
“Dad…” She tugged on a pair of leather gloves as she spoke, while Will took the wrap from her arm. “I’m thirty years old, and it’s not 1955.”
Jim was a good father who was only trying to protect his daughter. But Maggie, for all her problems, didn’t need protecting. Will figured she never did.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “Have a nice time.”
By the time Will had helped her on with her wrap, he could feel the tension in her shoulders. She w
asn’t done letting her father know what she thought of his objection.
“Thank you,” she began. “And, you might want to tell Prince Matthew that young men who intend to be army officers shouldn’t be throwing temper tantrums.”
“I heard that!” Matt yelled from the other room.
“Good!” Maggie called back. “Stop being a spoiled brat.”
Will almost laughed at the exchange between the siblings, loving that Maggie wasn’t afraid to give her brother a hard time like any older sister would. He kept quiet and managed to squelch his laughter.
Once she was settled in the car, he could see that the apologies and banter didn’t take away the sting. She may have spoken up for herself, giving her brother a piece of her mind, but her family’s reaction had bothered her. He knew he shouldn’t try to fix anything, not that he’d know where to start. Ultimately, that would just get him in trouble, along with everyone else.
Buckling his seat belt, she reached over and took the hand he’d rested on the console between them. “I’m sorry about that. I should have met you at a restaurant.”
“No. I’m glad I was there, but what the hell got into them?”
“I have no idea.”
His fingers wrapped around hers and he gave a little squeeze. It was all he had for her at the moment. If she needed to talk, she would, but for now, he was going to give her time to wrap her head around what had gone down. Maggie was used to getting her family’s support and understanding. Not this time.
The restaurant where he’d made reservations was in the tiny hamlet of Port Jefferson, on Long Island’s north shore. It was close to an hour’s drive, and he hoped it would give Maggie time to calm down.
“It’s a bit of a drive, so get comfortable.”
Nodding, Maggie offered a weak smile, and turned toward the window as he pulled out of her street.
For the first twenty minutes of the ride, the holiday music station was the only sound filling the sporty BMW. She kept hold of his hand, but her eyes were focused at the darkness on the side of the road.
That is, until Maggie started telling her story. He had no idea what made her do it. Maybe it had to do with him sharing a little about himself, maybe she needed to vent. He didn’t really care about the reason. He’d listen to her as long as she needed him to.
“I have a degree in Aerospace Engineering. I worked my ass off, graduated with honors. I was in Navy ROTC, and after I was commissioned, I went to Pensacola, and graduated at the top of my flight school class. I worked hard. Pushed myself. All I wanted was to be the best. My classmates called me ‘Summit’. It stuck.” The shuddering breath let him know this wasn’t easy for her. “It was more than just flying. I wanted to go fast. I’m so competitive, it’s almost a little sick. But the power of flying something like an F-18? There’s nothing in the world like it; sure it has risks, but that wasn’t even a consideration for me. I received the assignment I’d dreamed of, and started jumping off carriers for a living.” She chuckled. “I must sound crazy.”
“Nope. Keep talking.”
“I loved it. The rush was amazing. But my mother hated what I was doing. I guess I understand, but it was the only place I wanted to be.
“That day, I was flying a patrol. There was nothing aggressive on my part, nothing out of the ordinary, but the rebels who fired at us didn’t see it that way. The missile just clipped me. I honestly didn’t think I was going to have to ditch at first, but I got to open water as fast as I could. As I was limping back toward the ship, the fire broke out. No one knows exactly why it happened, but it did and it was a quick mover.”
“I can’t even imagine how you kept your wits.” Will was in awe of her, but his heart broke for her at the same time.
“I didn’t. I panicked. I’d always been so Zen about the dying thing, but when I actually had to face it, I was terrified. I punched out as soon as I could. My flight suit was fire resistant, thank God, or I’d have been in even worse shape. After that, I was pretty much out of it until I woke up in Texas. There’s a special unit that’s dedicated to dealing with combat related burn victims. They sent a special medical flight crew that met me in Germany and transported me home. I don’t remember any of it.”
“Wow,” he whispered. “I don’t know what to say.”
“There’s nothing to say. Treating the burns took a year. I thought I was through the worst of it when the infection set in. My foot and ankle had the worst burns, and no matter what they tried, nothing worked.”
She gazed out the window as they passed through the endless stretch of pine trees known as the Pine Barrens. Twenty years before, there was a fire that wiped out thousands of acres of trees, but like with all things in nature, the area adapted and recovered. He wanted that for Maggie.
“I almost didn’t let them take my leg,” she said so quietly he barely heard her. “I got so depressed, so fast, I didn’t want to live. Initially, I said no to the surgery. My mother begged me, my father and sisters pleaded with me, and Matt cried, so I finally agreed to go through with it, as long as they left. I didn’t want them to have to see me go through one more thing.”
Will whistled through his teeth. All of a sudden, her family’s protectiveness, the doting, made more sense. It also helped him understand Matt a little better.
“You were alone?” He couldn’t imagine it. His parents had been with him through everything when his career crashed to earth.
“Completely. But after a while, with time and good therapy,” she tapped the side of her head, “I realized that wasn’t making me better. Misery like that is exhausting. So, I made a commitment to work toward being happy, to healing inside as well as out. That’s why I came home.”
“Your family loves you. There’s no doubt about that. I think even Aunt Brigid loves you in her way.” Aunt Brigid had become a bit of a running joke between them.
“Oh, I know. I’m trying to get better for them as much as for me, because I love them so much. Aunt Brigid, too. But they don’t know what to do with me. I’m not the Maggie they knew. I’m not the Maggie I knew.”
Drawing a deep breath, she shut her eyes tight, trying to compose herself. This woman was tough, but he wished she would let herself go.
“Really? I think you’re very much the person everyone described to me. Brave, smart, open. Thinking more of others than yourself.”
“You’ve only known me a couple of weeks. I put on a good front.”
He felt like he’d known her a lot longer. Will wasn’t the type to get involved in a serious relationship easily—he tended to let friendships develop with women, believing that love was something that grew. Falling in love, feeling that crazy emotional high, was something he’d never experienced.
Until now. With Maggie, his heart was getting hammered. Emotions that Will wasn’t totally comfortable with were ruling his decisions. It was insane, and for the first time in his life he wasn’t overanalyzing every move he made. He wasn’t trying to be perfect.
She made it easy to be himself.
She was right, though. They’d only known each other for a short time, but in spite of that, he felt more connected to her than he did with his ex-wife or his ex-fiancée.
“Is that why you’re sharing your story with me? So I can see the ‘real’ you?”
“I guess. You should know what you’re getting into. You’ve been so wonderful, Will. On Thanksgiving… I…” She took a deep breath. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been emotional, not like that anyway, and you just handled it.”
“You were hurting. I’m glad I could be there for you.”
“Hurting? I fell apart. Like I said, I’m a mess.”
Will pulled the car off the road into the public parking lot in Port Jefferson. “The restaurant is a short walk, but before we go, why don’t you tell me what I’m getting into. I’d like to hear your take on it.”
“Uh, well. I’m a disabled, disfigured vet, with a touch of PTSD, who’s trying to figure out where she
fits in this world. I came home because Holly Point, and my family, have always centered me. But I’m feeling more than a little lost, and I’m scared.”
“Anything else?”
“Isn’t that enough?” She laughed. “You should be turning right around and attempting to break land speed records to get me home.”
“I’m not a daredevil like you.”
“Well, you see where that got me.”
“Come on. Let’s walk a bit.” He got out of the car and met her as she got out of the passenger side, immediately taking her hand. Maggie turned her face to his, and Will felt the thump square in his chest. She affected him more than a little, and he realized he could be in big, big trouble.
Chapter Eight
‡
WALKING WITH WILL through the picturesque waterside village made Maggie feel that coming home was the right thing to do. Drama happened in every family, and hers was no different. The good thing was she knew it would pass. The town was decked out for Christmas with pine garlands on all the storefronts, and lighted wreaths on each lamppost. It was beautiful and festive. Magic. And it’s one of the things that made her want to come home. Long Island loved Christmas. From the towns on the north shore to places like Holly Point, there were traditions that made the villages special.
Being with Will also made her feel special. Part of her wondered if she just wasn’t reacting to the fact that he was an extremely handsome man with an incredibly kind heart. Looking at his profile as they walked down the block to the restaurant, she took in the details.
His jaw was angular and strong, giving a line to his face that would age well. His skin was ruddy, and possessed a five o’clock shadow, even though she could see he was freshly shaved. His dark hair had a few flecks of gray at the temples, and his blue eyes fluctuated between a bright electric blue and a color so deep it reminded her of a lapis lazuli stone she came across at a market in Karachi.
“Will? How old are you?”
He glanced down, and the grin that teased his mouth made her stomach flip. “I’m thirty-nine. I’ll be forty in March.”
