by Megan McCoy
“Yeah, they’re amazing, aren’t they?” she said. “I’m so glad Mom is all better, they are going to have a great year.”
They got out and Simon raced them to the door, apparently wanting to go to his favorite bed in the laundry room.
Sebastian kissed her nose. “I need to go work for a while. Thank you for a wonderful day.”
Maggie threw herself in his arms and planted a big lingering kiss on him. “Thank you. I’m so glad you came today.”
She watched him walk down the sidewalk to his house and sighed. She really wanted him to spend the night, but knew he had to work. Working was a fact of life. School was starting and there would be many late nights and early mornings for her coming up. Complaining about him needing to work would not be a good way to start the school year.
In bed a while later, she wondered what it would be like to be married to Sebastian? Have his children. Would he spank her while she was pregnant? That would be awkward. Well, it was too early to even think about such things. They had only known each other a few months. She flipped the TV on. She needed some house hunting show to calm her mind. Things were moving very quickly. Ryan would have a sibling by this time next year. Her mom and dad would still be gone. There would be a stranger living in their house for a while. Would they keep the garden up? Maybe her folks would like France so much they wouldn’t come back? No, they would come for the baby.
Her phone rang early the next morning. “Sebastian,” she said sleepily. “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you, too. I was wondering if you could do me a favor tomorrow?”
I’d do anything for you, she thought, but said out loud, “If I can, of course.”
“I’ve talked to my new manager and he wants to see the farmhouse tomorrow. Your dad said he’d be there if you could run him out.”
“Oh, sure,” she said, disappointed his favor wasn’t ‘be naked in my bed when I get home’. Oh well, a girl could dream.
“What time and where do I pick him up?” she asked.
“My house about nine in the morning?” he said. “That way he can come work with me the rest of the day and you’ll have your day to do whatever it is you do.”
Maggie shook her head after she clicked off the phone. Whatever it is she did? What did that even mean? Making the decision not to be insulted, she started working on whatever it was she did every day.
Showing up at his house promptly at nine the next morning, she knocked, not wanting to use his key. That would be too obvious to whoever the new manager was. Not that she was a secret. Was she? Her brain was going wild today. Two nights without him were two too many. His fault. She was willing and wanting.
Logan, his brother, opened the door. “Hi, Maggie,” he said, looking her over.
“Hi, Logan, I didn’t know you’d be here,” she said. “When did you get in?”
“Couple nights ago,” he said. “Hanging with the big brother until I can get my own place.”
“You’re moving to town? Oh, are you the new store manager?”
Logan smiled at her, and when he smiled, she could see the resemblance to Sebastian again. “Did he leave that little detail out?”
She nodded, and he shook his head. “Yeah, he often doesn’t realize the world can’t read his mind, and doesn’t bother to tell us anything.”
Maggie laughed. “I’ve noticed that!”
Striding into the room, straightening his tie, Sebastian said, “I tell everyone what they need to know.”
Maggie and Logan both laughed. She wanted to fling herself in his arms for hugs and kisses but for some reason didn’t feel comfortable doing it. Did Logan know about her? She wished Sebastian had talked to her a little more before sending her off to spend the morning with his brother. She had no clue what he knew or didn’t, or what Sebastian even wanted him to know. His fault. He should have told her if anything was off limits. Since he didn’t, she’d assume everything was on limit. On limit? Was that even a phrase?
“Let’s go,” she told Logan as she turned to go to her car. “See you later, Bastien,” she said emphasizing his nickname. She caught his look and waved cheerily as she walked with Logan to her car.
“So, you been a manager before?” she asked him as they drove toward her parents’ house.
“Nope,” he said, “but I’ve done everything else. Bastien is going to help me out for a while, until I get my bearings. We all grew up in the stores and with the business, so it shouldn’t be too hard.”
She couldn’t imagine running a store with fifteen employees and hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment would be not too hard, but then she’d not grown up with it.
“Why would you want to live out here in the middle of the country, instead of in town where you could socialize and meet people and do things easier?” she asked him.
“I’m strange,” he said. “Lucas is the party animal of our bunch, not me.”
Maggie was dying to know more about his family but didn’t want to seem like she was interviewing him for a job. “What does Lucas do?”
“He just went back to school for his Master’s in business,” he said. “He also has most of the brains. He’s aiming for Henry’s job, but right now, he’s majoring in business and minoring in partying.”
“What would Henry do if Lucas took his job?” she asked.
“I don’t think Lucas has asked himself that, or that Hank is worried,” Logan said. “Looks like the roads are good out here.”
“Yeah, Mom’s a nurse and has to get out for work no matter the weather,” she said. “Dad has a snowplow and you might want to ask him about that, if you can drive a tractor.”
“I grew up on farm equipment,” he reminded her. “We all did.”
She never thought about suited up Sebastian driving tractors or combines around, but now that she thought about it, he would know how. What else would he know how to do that she had no clue about? She smiled, and realized that she liked what she did know well enough it was really a non-issue. He could surprise her for the rest of her life if he wanted.
They got to her folks’ house and she knocked and entered. “Mom, Dad? We’re here.” They both came from the kitchen and she made a quick introduction.
Then she said, “I’m going to let you get acquainted, and I’m going to go to the garden.” She grabbed a bucket to go pick okra she noticed was getting ready this past weekend and let her folks show Logan around the house. An hour later, she came back to the house with an almost full bucket, and saw her dad and Logan on the porch having a beer.
“Seriously? I’m out there busting my butt and you all are living the good life?” she teased.
“Someone has to work,” Logan laughed at her. “I was busy signing a year-long lease.”
“We’re going to let him move in, in two weeks,” her dad said. “That way we can show him things that need done and where everything is, and he can help us pack.”
“I didn’t know you needed help,” she said concerned.
“We’re shipping a few boxes to the house, so they will be there before we get there,” her dad said. “It will be handy to have another set of hands and we want to get to know him a little better before we go.”
That made sense. It had to be hard to leave the house you’d lived in for decades in the hands of a stranger. She and Logan headed back to town a little bit later. “So, you're stuck here for a year?” she asked.
“Guess so. Henry and Lucas like to be in one spot, but I’m becoming more like Sebastian. Go to a town for a year and then move on,” he said lightly, looking out the window.
Maggie felt an arrow through her heart. “That’s what he does?” she tried to say as calmly as she could.
“That’s his job,” he said, shaking his shaggy blond hair back. “He goes to a town for about a year, straightens out the store, buys a house to flip, renovates it and moves on. Do you know any good barbers? I need a haircut before I start work.”
She told him where her dad and
brother went, her mind whirling while it felt as if her world had crashed around her. Just as she suspected all along. He planned to use her and leave her. Sebastian was like a sailor with a girl in every port, or at least one in every small town. Why did she think she was special? She wasn’t. She was a small-town girl with a normal average body, a normal average job and a normal average family who for a very short time had an extraordinary boyfriend.
No more of that. She did not need a broken heart right when the school year started. She had a full schedule, was coaching the girls’ softball team as always in a few months, and this was the first year for a middle school volleyball team she was co-coaching. There would be papers to grade and a new niece or nephew to look forward to. She’d be going to whatever games her brother bullied Ryan into playing. See, she had lots of things to do. Needing a man? Nope, not on her long list of things to do, even if he was handsome, hot and fulfilled all her needs. Nope. Especially if he was planning to leave her soon. Which apparently, he was. Less than a year. Like he’d done before. Like he always did. That was his job. No reason for his brother to lie and she almost felt as if he were warning her, which she kind of appreciated. How much harder would it be for her to leave him in a year when he moved? She didn’t even want to think about it. She’d gotten so close to him so quickly that in another year, she’d be enmeshed in his life. It would be like cutting off her arm to give him up then. She had to do it now.
Dropping Logan off, she pulled into her driveway and went into the house, checking her phone as she went. Couple of messages, two missed calls. She didn’t care. Letting Simon out into the back yard for a potty break, she changed into soft cotton shorts and an oversized shirt and then let him back in.
“Let’s go to bed, baby boy,” she said, feeling depressed. Bed, her dog and some kind of reality show to distract her sounded perfect tonight. And it was just now early afternoon.
So, her brother was having another baby and who knew when or if she’d ever have one? The guy she was starting to—if she hadn’t already—fall in love with, was planning to dump her in a year. She wasn’t going to waste a year of her life on a player. Plus, wouldn’t it be nice to have someone in her life who didn’t spank her whenever he thought it was needed?
Not really, she sighed and flipped the TV on. Yeah, she wanted to watch a bunch of fit twenty somethings making out in swimsuits on a beach. Not. There should be a cooking show on, one where they cooked fully clothed and didn’t make googly eyes at each other. She was all done with googly eyes and anything else. She had a challenging career and a great family. She’d just focus on them.
Her phone rang, and she reached over to check the caller ID then turned off the ringer. There was no reason to talk to Sebastian anymore. Well, once more, but not tonight. Tonight, she was going to watch people create real food out of mismatched items. That was how she and Sebastian had been—mismatched. She wanted a real relationship with a real man like her dad and brother, not a player who had a girl in every town and loved and left them. No wonder he rarely showed any emotion and never talked, she was a disposable item. He’d already proven that a few times, when he’d not spoken to her for over a week after the first time they were together, then just the other day when he’d spanked her, made love to her and left her without speaking again. If they did get together, he’d drive her crazy in a very short amount of time by his lack of communication skills. She couldn’t deal with that.
Her phone lit up with a text and she looked at it. Two could play the ignore game, she’d just see how that sauced his gander. Rolling over, she started counting back by threes from six thousand. She’d have one thing to remember him by when he was gone.
Sebastian smiled. He’d had a productive day at work. The legal issue for the new store had been settled to his satisfaction, Logan started his first day as the manager for the struggling store and everyone seemed to respond well to him. The atmosphere in the store had changed totally when he had dropped in that afternoon. For all his youth and flighty behavior, he thought Logan would do great there. There was just one item to tick off his to do list, find out why Maggie was ticked off at him.
He thought back. They hadn’t had words. He’d satisfied her completely the last time they were together. He hadn’t even spanked her for a while. Was that the issue? Or was it something completely different? There was only one way to find out. Show up at her place and ask. He also couldn’t wait to tell her the good news. His lawyer had called earlier with the news that the slimeball creep had taken a plea deal and she didn’t have to go to court again. He stopped by a florist on the way home and picked up a small bouquet for her. Flowers never hurt but if florists were smart, they would carry chocolate too. Easy add on sale, if you asked him. Oh, hell. He stopped at a gas station and found an outrageously large candy bar. It was the thought that counted, right? When was the last time he’d seen her? A few days ago, when he’d asked her to take Logan to see the house. Today should have been her first day of school, if he recalled correctly. He hoped it was a good one, but the real question was why she wasn’t answering his texts or calls?
Why did he care so much about what this adorably naughty, extremely sexy, funny, intelligent girl next door thought? It wasn’t like he was planning to fall in love with her and spend the rest of his life with her now, was it?
Was it?
Of course not.
Was it?
His mind raced. Could he see spanking that sweet ass the rest of his life? Actually, he could. She would never bore him and would always challenge him. However, she was settled in this town, with her life and he wasn’t. He moved. It was what he did, and he loved his job and his life. And her. Yeah. Sebastian sighed, knowing that he could never lie to himself. He’d known her a few months and didn’t want to not have her in his life. Even being apart from her a few days was misery. Right now, she lived next door to him, what would happen when he moved?
That wasn’t an issue for a few years, but it would come up. The new store would be built, up and running in about a year, he’d have the house remodeled to flip, and the two other stores would be on solid footing. Then he’d move on. There were always stores to put back on the straight and narrow, that was his job and he was good at that. Stores and women. Different tactics but same results. He liked that Maggie didn’t have any major issues. She was a grown woman with her life together and a predilection for being spanked. She bratted once in a while to get one, which didn’t bother him a bit. Giving a good and proper spanking was something he quite enjoyed doing. He still couldn’t stop smiling over her opening his dresser drawers. It was ridiculous in a silly adorable sort of way. Was that the worst thing she could think of to do? He loved it. And her.
Taking a deep breath, he parked in her driveway, noting her car was there. School had to have been over a few hours. Knocking on the door, holding the candy and flowers, he waited for his future to open the door.
Maggie sighed, and finished putting her laundry in the dryer, then shut the door on Simon as she went to answer the door. It was too early for popcorn or cookie sales, so she knew who was waiting on the other side. School had been the usual first day chaos, and she was tired, emotionally and physically. Tonight, was not the night she wanted to deal with him, but she guessed it was the night she was going to and she would rise to the occasion.
Squaring her shoulders, she marched to the front door and flung it open, ready to tell him to go away. Damn. Flowers and candy. Who did he think he was, her boyfriend? Well, she wasn’t stupid, she was going to take them.
“Thank you,” she said, and took them, knowing he would follow her into the kitchen. Getting out one of her empty canning jars, she filled it with water and put the flowers in there, arranging them and smiling at their vibrant colors. Then she stuck the candy bar in the freezer for later. “That was very thoughtful of you,” she said, finally looking at him while she sniffed the flowers.
“You’re welcome,” he said, sitting in the chair and she deliberate
ly did not look at the wooden spoon back in the crock on the counter. Last time he’d sat there, he’d used it on her bare butt. She did not want that again. Did she? No. Probably.
“Well?” he said as if it were a question.
“Well?” she echoed, crossing her arms.
“How was school?”
He wanted to talk about work? Seriously?
“Stressful, like every first day,” she snapped at him. “How was work?”
“Pretty good,” he said. “Figured I’d take the prettiest lady I know out for dinner if she was free.”
“Free?” Maggie sighed and fought back tears. She didn’t want to be free, she wanted to be his.
“I don’t think so,” she said trying not to let her voice quiver.
“You have to work?” he asked as if he really cared. Dang him anyway. Who cared if she cried? Not her and not him apparently.
“I don’t think us seeing each other anymore is a good idea,” she said it as fast as she could, trying to get it out before she thought too much about why she shouldn’t.
“Because?”
“Because?” she said incredulously. As if he didn’t know he was leaving her in a few months.
“Because,” she glared at him, and the tears fell despite her efforts. “Because you are using me. You plan to make me fall in love with you and then leave me. Move on and never see me again, just like with all your other women.” Putting her hands on her hips, she gave him her best you better believe me when I tell you something teacher glare. She’d practiced it today, several times. He deserved it.
Well, apparently, he didn’t think he did, because in one fluid movement his large body moved, grabbed her by the arm and she was over his lap. Oh, hells to the no. She was not accepting this.
“What are you talking about?” His large hand slammed down on her cotton covered bottom and she bit back a squeal.
“You come to town…” She twisted and squirmed and tried to get away from his brutish self. “You find someone handy, use them until you move on.”
