Maggies Marriage (Cloverleaf #2)

by Gloria Herrmann

  “Yes!”

  “Let’s clean up, and I’ll call a cab,” Michael offered.

  ***

  A light drizzle tapped against the roof of the cab as they drove toward the waterfront. The cab driver dropped them off within walking distance of Pike Place Market, home of Seattle’s best chowder. They had used the last bit of their energy getting out of the cab.

  With bread bowls in front of them, each let out a satisfied moan. The evening lights danced on the surface of the water, and the pungent, salty scent of the sea hovered around them. The rain had passed, everything was damp, but they located a covered patio area outside with a great view that had remained partially dry. Michael and Maggie sighed in unison as they consumed the warm soup, taking in the sights of the popular tourist area.

  The waterfront was a well known boardwalk, with little shops and eateries that was usually packed full with out-of-towners during the warmer months. Locals knew the right time to visit and to shop in order to avoid the heavy foot traffic. Maggie had enjoyed taking Melanie shopping or going to visit the aquarium. She had enjoyed looking beyond the harbor, out into Puget Sound. Maggie suddenly felt a bit homesick; she would miss that part of Seattle. She wouldn’t miss the fast pace of living or the thick slough of people in rush hour traffic. But knowing the vast ocean was just beyond the line of boats that trailed in the distant horizon was almost magical.

  “You almost done, babe?” Michael asked as he gathered his trash.

  “Sure,” Maggie replied, scooping the last little bits of chowder out of the bowl. “That was so good.”

  “You’re welcome.” A playful, smug look was on his face.

  “Hey, it was a great idea, I’ll give you that.”

  “Well, I aim to please.” A wicked smile appeared on his lips.

  Maggie rolled her eyes. Her husband had an insatiable sexual appetite. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “I think you know the answer.” he winked as he grabbed the trash from her and threw everything away in a trash can a few feet away.

  “Is that all you think about?” Maggie asked as she watched him jog back to her quickly.

  “Pretty much, and food.” He leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

  ***

  Maggie flipped over to her side, the squishy air mattress heaved and moved. She grunted in frustration; she hadn’t slept well, but she had expected that. They had a long drive ahead of them, and would easily be on the road for six to seven hours. Maggie figured she might as well get up, no point in wallowing in her discomfort any longer. After pushing herself off the bed in a near gymnastic stunt, she was upright. She eyed a sleeping Michael, the sheet draped haphazardly over his body. She knew that he had next to nothing on, and the thought sent a zing through her. Apparently she wasn’t much better than him when it came to having insatiable desire. Maggie made her way to the bathroom to shower and dress for the day but couldn’t empty several naughty thoughts that were running wild in her mind.

  Emerging from a steamy shower that felt almost heavenly, she entered their bedroom and saw Michael sitting up in the blow-up bed. He threw her a happy smile.

  “You are up early,” he said as he yawned and stretched naked arms over his head. His dark, nearly black hair was messy and incredibly sexy. His brown eyes still sleep heavy.

  Maggie sighed as she took in the sight of her gorgeous husband. “I think I’m just anxious to get on the road.” She crept closer to the mattress as she spoke, still drying her hair in a thick towel and tightening the one that covered her body. Michael reached for her and pulled her down to his lap, causing her to squeal and playfully slap him away.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t sleep after how last night went,” Michael responded, wiggling his eyebrows.

  “Good grief, you know how much I hate air mattresses. They are just so darn uncomfortable, and you always take up most of it.” She poked him playfully in the chest.

  “Well, you shouldn’t have tried to sleep so far away, spoon with me next time, and you will have a lot more room,” he suggested as he started kissing her bare shoulder.

  “If I did that, you wouldn’t let me sleep. I know better than to spoon with the likes of you, mister.” Maggie grabbed his face and planted a soft kiss on his mouth.

  Michael let out a laugh. “The likes of me? Oh now you’re in trouble.”

  Maggie felt like they were on a second honeymoon, constantly touching, kissing, and basking in their love. She remembered when things weren’t that way, when she slept alone wondering where he was or when he would be home. That was all behind them, and their marriage was stronger and better than ever. The love had always been there, but now it shone brilliantly above everything else.

  ***

  The truck rattled and shook; it was heavy and weighed down with everything they wanted to bring to their new home. Seattle faded into the background as they headed east out on the freeway, crossing a bridge over a small body of water. The sensation of departing from their past life and moving in the direction of their future brought a sense of excitement and joy to Maggie.

  Their surroundings kept changing as they traveled, walls of mountains on either side of them becoming rolling hills, which turned into desert canyons as they inched closer to home. Washington’s landscape varied drastically, offering different terrain across the state. The drive along Interstate 90 was actually smooth, the traffic almost nonexistent, even with their late start and several rest stops along the way, they made remarkable time and were able to enjoy the trip. Michael and Maggie spent most of their time chatting about how they were going to decorate their new home and plans for Michael’s practice. They tossed around different baby names, and wondered what gender the baby might be. The future was open to so many possibilities.

  They cruised through the large city of Spokane; they were on the final push, the last leg of the tiring journey. Michael had driven the entire time, but Maggie’s body was starting to complain. They stopped in Spokane for something to eat, and the rest had been much needed. Once they felt rejuvenated and ready to conquer the road, they loaded themselves back into the massive truck.

  Birch Valley was a little more than an hour north of Spokane. The single lane highway that would carry them home had very few drivers on it. They sailed through several small towns along the way, with lakes on one side, shimmering with the sun’s beautiful light, and large fields with ancient looking barns standing alone on another. Homes lined Highway 395.

  As Maggie stared out her window, she took it all in, the sky cloudless and perfect, the best shade of blue, and the kind that painters dream of. Lilac bushes were in full bloom, lavender, magenta, and white flowers hung from hardy branches filled with thick, glossy green leaves. They only flowered for a short time, but their delicate fragrance was incredible. Wispy wildflowers speckled the surrounding hills; everything was brilliant, the colors bold and gorgeous. That was why she loved the area; the natural beauty was unmatched.

  Maggie could see the thick line of evergreen trees as they coasted down the hill that would lead them to Birch Valley. Maggie looked over Michael, and they both wore the same expression, happy to finally be home.

  Epilogue

  Patrick

  Patrick tapped his fingers hard against the steering wheel of his SUV. There was no music playing, no beat to drum them to. He was fidgeting purely from annoyance. The O’Brien women had crossed the line, and the main culprit was his sister, Maggie. He didn’t appreciate them sticking their nose in his business. Setting up an online dating profile just went against everything he was about. He knew Maggie, Rachel, and his mother all meant well; they were only trying to help. But the fact remained that he was still hurting. He missed Beth with all the last remaining broken shards of his heart. She had been gone almost four years. He would never forget, especially since the day she died was the same day Finn and Connor had been born.

  He could see something coming up in the road and started to reduce his speed. He had wanted to
go for a drive. He wasn’t headed anywhere in particular, but just wanted to clear his mind. People hardly traveled on the old country road, and as he pulled up he noticed that a car with a small trailer had its hazard lights on. A woman stood by the side of it, one arm extended high towards the sky, not to flag him down, but by the looks of it trying to get a signal for her cell phone. Well, good luck with that.

  Rolling his window down, he cautiously asked, “Excuse me, do you need any help?”

  What Patrick wasn’t prepared for was the most incredible eyes that stared back at him: they were a deep, sea green, helpless and lost. Her face had a hint of something familiar, but he couldn’t place it. Her long black hair laid against the middle of her back, and several strands were flying wildly with the swift breeze that was blowing.

  “Hi, thanks so much for stopping. We blew a tire on that trailer.” She pointed at the small rental trailer that was connected to the car.

  “Do you mind if I take a look?” Patrick offered.

  “I’d be very grateful.”

  He maneuvered his own vehicle off the road and parked behind the trailer. Patrick hopped out and met her by the shredded tire, bits and chunks of rubber were scattered nearby. He knelt down to see if there was a spare, luckily there was.

  “I can change this and get you back on the road,” he said as he assessed the situation. “I’m Patrick O’Brien, by the way.” He extended his hand to her after wiping it on the back of his jeans.

  Her mouth opened wide into a pleasant and grateful smile. “I thought that was you. I’m Amber Mills,” she said, but then shook her head as Patrick gave her a confused look. “I mean, I was Amber Herrick, my parents own the diner in town. You and I went to school together.”

  That’s where I know her from. I knew she looked familiar. Patrick was floored with how gorgeous she was. He didn’t remember her looking like that in school, he would’ve remembered her for sure.

  She stood a lot shorter than him, her curvy figure hugged in dark wash jeans, and a soft, red, cotton shirt. Patrick couldn’t explain the sudden attraction he felt toward her as he tried desperately to pull himself together. This wasn’t like him at all, easily stirred up by a woman.

  “So what brings you back to Birch Valley?”

  Amber bit her lip. Patrick tried hard to resist staring at her full mouth as she said, “Well, I’m moving back.”

  Damn.

  About the Author

  I was born and raised in southern California and relocated to beautiful eastern Washington state. The rural small towns that speckle this vast area have inspired my ideal setting for most of the stories I write. The pine and tamarack trees covering the towering mountains, the shimmering lakes and rivers, the abundant wildlife and a feeling of a time forgotten, stirs so many of my creative juices. I can’t thank my parents enough for dragging this city kid on long roadtrips up to this rugged foreign area, because now it is my home and I truly love my life here.

  Reading was something that spurred me to begin writing at a young age. I enjoyed creating characters, different settings, and describing anything and everything. Storytelling, I have found is something I have inherited from both of my parents. I love attention to detail, using words to fully bring the picture alive, that is something I got from my dad. Creating characters and figuring out their story and how to achieve their happy ending comes from my mom. Then there is the smell of a book, new or old, the weight of it in your hands as you balance it open, seeing all those beautifully typed words spun and woven into sentences, this was created by a writer. I knew that was what I wanted to be when I grew up.

  Over the years I fiddled with a story here and there, but it wasn’t until 2015 that I realized it was time. Time to get those dreams down on paper (or my laptop) and so The Cloverleaf Series was born. Coming from a family that is focused on being involved in each other’s lives as much as possible created a great deal of inspiration and ideas for The Cloverleaf Series. My family is one that has weathered several terrible storms and still somehow keeps propelling forward. During those sunny times we can be seen gathered around, eating good food, sharing memories, and laughing until we can’t catch our breath. We fight hard and love hard.

  Romance, I simply love it, that’s why I write it. I remember my mom giving me my very first paperback romance novel. It was a pretty exciting one filled with suspense and an overall excellent storyline, she had just read it and she felt it was suitable for my teenage eyes. That was it, I was hooked. I began to devour these romance stories that varied over the years from sweet to sultry, I consumed thousands of books and stories over the years. Each time I finished reading a novel, the desire to write my own grew stronger. As ideas for books swirled in my mind, it always had a romantic element to it, and I suppose it always will. What is there not to love about falling in love and finding that special person to share your life with? Who doesn’t wish for passion, butterflies in your stomach, and that happily ever after?

  As a reader, I can’t even begin to thank all of the writers that have created so many emotions for me, falling in love with characters, mourning their loss, sighing as I close the final chapter or smiling when everyone lives happily ever after. As a writer, I just want to do the same.

  Facebook:

  http://facebook.com/authorgloriaherrmann

  Twitter:

  http://www.twitter.com/@gloriaiswriting

  Website:

  http://www.gloriaherrmann.com/

  Goodreads:

  https://www.goodreads.com/authorgloriaherrmann

  Instagram:

  http://www.instagram.com/authorgloriaherrmann