by Lara Lacombe
So this is how families are supposed to act, he’d mused, filing the scene away. At least his child would have one grandmother who actually cared...
“You still there?” Knox’s voice broke through his reverie, and Thorne shook free of the memory.
“Yeah, I’m here.” He turned back to the counter and the half-assembled sandwiches and resumed his task. Maggie needed to eat, and he did, too.
“So how’d you talk her into staying with you?” Knox sounded curious and a little bit amused.
“Her choices were either me or her mother.”
“Is the woman that bad?”
“Hardly,” Thorne said. “I think she can be a little overbearing, but it’s clear that she and Maggie have a good relationship.” He flashed back to the look on Maggie’s face when her mother had insisted on either taking her back to Houston or staying with her. Maggie had stared at the woman, annoyance and affection warring for equal dominance of her expression. But underneath her exasperation, Thorne had detected a fierce love and knew this was a family that supported each other, no matter what.
“I wonder what it’s like to have a mother who actually acts like one,” Knox mused, apparently reading Thorne’s mind.
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
They were silent a moment, each lost in his own thoughts. Then Knox cleared his throat. “I don’t really know Maggie all that well, but for what it’s worth, I think she’ll be a good mom.”
“I do, too,” Thorne said. Even though he didn’t doubt Maggie’s maternal abilities, it was nice to know his brother had the same opinion.
“Get some rest,” Knox said. “You’ve both had a crazy day.”
“Thanks for everything,” Thorne said. “I appreciate you following up on the investigation.”
“No problem. I’ll let you know if I hear anything new. In the meantime, just keep your eyes and ears open. Livia might be in Vegas now, but she won’t stay there forever. She has too much unfinished business here in Shadow Creek.”
Thorne said goodbye to Knox and hung up the phone, trying to ignore the sense of dread his brother’s parting words had triggered. Would he be able to keep Maggie and the baby safe? Would she even let him try?
He shook his head, trying to cast off the pessimistic thoughts that were sprouting like mushrooms after a rain. He was exhausted, drained emotionally and physically from the day’s events. Maggie had to be feeling the same way. A little food and some sleep, and things would look better in the morning.
For both of them.
Chapter 8
Four days later...
Maggie sank into the warm water with a sigh of pleasure, leaning back to immerse her shoulders in the hot suds. For the past few days, she’d been careful to adhere to her doctor’s orders to rest; she’d stayed either in bed or on the couch, whiling away the hours with copious naps. Under any other circumstances, she would have welcomed an excuse to relax and do nothing. But between her mother calling to check on her every five minutes and Thorne tiptoeing around the place like a nervous horse, the time had not been as peaceful as she had hoped.
At first it had felt a little strange to be staying in his apartment, but over the past few days the place had started to feel like home. Thorne’s decorating style was minimalist, to say the least, but the furniture he did have was both practical and comfortable. Her favorite feature in the place was a faded, worn quilt hanging on the wall of the den. It was the only embellishment in the apartment, and she was sure there was a story behind it. Maybe tonight she’d ask him about it.
Even though Thorne hadn’t had much to say over the past few days, she felt more connected to him simply by virtue of living in his space. In truth, a small part of her was thrilled that he had insisted on taking her home with him. Even though he’d given her the cold shoulder after their night together, her heart still held out hope that he had feelings for her. She was trying to keep her expectations in check, but it was hard not to think he might have brought her here because he still wanted her.
The idea was appealing, especially since there was now a baby involved. But Maggie didn’t want Thorne as a partner if he was only there because of their child. She deserved someone who wanted her for her own sake. She’d spent a good chunk of the last few days lying in bed, trying to figure out if Thorne was that man.
She had to admit the forced inactivity had been good for her brain, but her muscles now ached from lack of use. Since she didn’t want to risk taking anything that might harm the baby, the heat of the bath was a welcome relief, easing the tension in her back and hips and shoulders.
Aside from that minor physical annoyance, she was feeling much better. Her bruises had faded to a sickly yellow, and looked worse than they felt. Her headache was gone, and her ribs only pained her when she took an especially deep breath. Overall, she was quite happy with the pace of her physical recovery.
Now it was time to do something about her mental state. There was only so many naps a person could take before going insane from boredom.
Maggie figured she had reached that limit about two days ago.
She wanted to go home, but the obstetrician had nixed that idea at her follow-up appointment yesterday. “I’m concerned about your blood pressure,” Dr. Owens had said. “And given your recent trauma, I want you to stay on modified bed rest a little bit longer.”
“How much longer?” Maggie had asked, her stomach dropping with the news.
“At least until your next appointment” had been the doctor’s reply.
So she was stuck here, at least for the next two weeks. And since her laptop had been destroyed in the explosion, she couldn’t get any work done. Although maybe Mac would let her use the computer in his office... It was on the older side, but all her client files were stored in the cloud so she should be able to access them. She made a mental note to ask Mac about it the next time she saw him. It was time for her to get back to work—not only would it help combat the boredom of forced rest, but she couldn’t really afford to take more time off. Not only did she need a new car, but she had to start saving for the baby.
Maggie let her mind wander as she soaked in the tub, tallying up bottles and blankets and onesies. Just how many diapers does a baby go through in one week? she wondered. And what’s the best kind? She’d seen all the different boxes in the grocery store, their pastel packaging making a rainbow on the shelves as she walked past the aisle. She’d never really paid attention to the details before, but that was going to change soon. Hopefully Sonia and Amber could give her some tips.
She still hadn’t told her friends about the accident or her pregnancy. Not that she wouldn’t, soon. But for now, she liked keeping the information to herself. It made it seem even more special somehow, this secret knowledge of the miracle inside her.
She stayed in the bath until the water turned cold, determined to wring every drop of enjoyment out of the experience. Moving carefully, she stood up and closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness hit. Maybe she wasn’t quite as recovered as she thought...
The towel rack on the wall was just the right height for her to grab, and she used it as support while she climbed out of the tub. She moved like an invalid, but it was better than going too fast and falling down for her efforts. If Thorne found her lying in a heap on the bathroom floor, she’d never hear the end of it.
There was a knock on the door just as she pulled her T-shirt over her head. That was interesting—Thorne didn’t bother to knock, and he hadn’t had any visitors since she’d arrived. Either he’d asked people to stay away so as not to bother her, or he lived as quiet a life as she did.
Maggie walked over to the door, her curiosity peaking. Given the apartment’s location above the supply building, it was unlikely her caller was a solicitor of some kind. That meant whoever was here knew her or Thorne and specifically wanted to s
ee one of them.
A prickle of unease made her pause before answering the door. Had Sheriff Jeffries come back to ask more questions? Knox had said she was no longer a suspect in the investigation, but perhaps the sheriff was determined to give her grief because of her connection to Thorne and his family.
Let him try, she thought, squaring her shoulders. She’d been shocked and in pain when she’d seen him in the hospital. She wouldn’t be so easy to push around now.
The doorknob was cool in her hand and she took a deep breath before twisting it to open the door. If the sheriff was on the other side, she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of appearing flustered or upset by his presence.
She needn’t have worried. Mac stood on the stoop, his hat in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other. “Hi, there,” he said, smiling down at her. “Thorne got held up out in the back pasture, so he asked me to stop by and check on you and make sure you had something decent for lunch.” He lifted the bag and jiggled it a little in illustration. “Hope you like turkey.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Maggie said, stepping to the side to welcome him into the apartment. “Thanks for thinking of me.”
“My pleasure,” Mac said as he brushed past her. “But like I said, Thorne was the one who mentioned it.” He seemed intent on making sure his son got the credit for this act of kindness, and Maggie nodded her understanding. In truth, she was a little touched that Thorne had thought about her. He could have simply called, but he’d chosen to go above and beyond and instead had sent Mac to check on her in person. It was a sweet gesture, the kind of thing a man did for the woman he cared about.
Or the mother of his child.
Just accept it, she told herself, determined not to read too much into his actions.
She smiled at Mac. “I’ll make sure to thank him when I see him later tonight.”
Mac nodded and set the bag on the round Formica table just off the kitchen. He pulled out one of the chairs and gestured for her to sit, then bustled about the kitchen retrieving plates, napkins and a couple of bottles of water. Maggie squirmed a bit in the chair, feeling a little uncomfortable being waited on by Thorne’s father in Thorne’s apartment. It was one thing to stay here out of necessity. Quite another to let the men of the family treat her like some kind of delicate porcelain doll. But true to form, Mac waved away her offer of help. “Just rest,” he said, patting her shoulder absently as he walked by. Coming from anyone else, it would have sounded patronizing. But Maggie knew Mac was genuinely concerned for her health, so she leaned back and tried to accept the attention with good grace.
After getting everything together, Mac sat across from her and reached into the bag, withdrawing two large, paper-wrapped sandwiches and two bags of chips. Maggie felt her eyes widen at the sight of all that food. Her nausea had improved somewhat, but her appetite had yet to return to normal. Mac apparently read her mind and chuckled softly. “Just do the best you can,” he said. “You can save the rest for later.”
“It looks wonderful,” she said, hoping her enthusiasm would make up for her lack of hunger.
“It is,” he said, taking a healthy bite. He took a moment to chew and swallow, then said, “A Rye for a Rye is the best deli in Shadow Creek. Don’t tell me you’ve never eaten there before?”
Maggie shook her head and took a bite of her own sandwich. It was good; even her apathetic taste buds approved. She moaned involuntarily, and Mac nodded knowingly. “Glad you like it,” he said.
They ate in silence for a few moments. Maggie was cautious at first, uncertain how her stomach would react to the influx of food. But the sandwich went down easily and, by some strange alchemy, it settled well in her system. As the threat of vomiting grew more unlikely she relaxed, and she began to actually enjoy eating.
Mac took a sip of water and eyed her appraisingly. “So how have you been? Settling in okay?”
Maggie shrugged. “I suppose. It’s kind of Thorne to let me stay here, but I have to say I’m ready for things to go back to normal.” She’d be able to think better once she was back in her own apartment, no longer sleeping in a bed that smelled of Thorne and seeing the man every day.
Mac nodded. “Don’t blame you. Your life got turned upside down in short order. It’s only natural to resent the changes.”
“I don’t know if resentment is the right word for it.” Maggie frowned slightly, trying to articulate her feelings. “I certainly don’t resent the baby. But I do wish I still had my car and that I wasn’t stuck in bed all day.”
“I might be able to help with that,” Mac said. He took another bite, keeping her guessing for a few seconds as he chewed. “Not with the car,” he said, a little apologetically. “But I could use some help in the office. Filing, organizing paperwork, that kind of thing. Nothing too strenuous. What do you think?”
Maggie’s mind raced as she chewed her food. Mac’s offer was right up her alley—it was as if the man had read her mind. But would a filing project really fill the hours until she could go home?
Mac mistook her silence for rejection. “I’d pay you, of course,” he said. “I’m not trying to use you for free labor.”
Maggie shook her head. “I didn’t think you were,” she assured him. “And I’d be happy to work on your project. But I want to take it a step further.”
“What do you mean?” A note of wariness entered his voice, as if he was bracing for an unpleasant request. Maggie couldn’t help but smile.
“I want to update your system so everything is digitized.”
Mac’s eyes went wide. “Wait a minute—”
“I know it’s a big change, but this will be good for you in the long run. It will make it easier for you to find invoices and files—”
“I don’t have any trouble finding them now,” he grumbled.
“And it will free up room in your office—”
“I like it the way it is.”
“And once we digitize everything, I’ll be able to complete your books online, rather than driving out here once a quarter.”
“Maybe I like the company.”
Maggie merely tilted her head to the side and looked at him, and after a moment, Mac’s expression softened. “Okay, fine. But remember, I’m not a computer guy. So you’re going to have to make sure this new system is simple enough that I can use it.”
“That won’t be a problem,” she promised.
“If I let you do this, I have a condition of my own.”
“Let’s hear it.”
Mac leaned forward. “I don’t want you to be a stranger. I always liked you, Maggie. And now I have an even greater reason to enjoy your company.” He nodded ever so slightly at her belly, his meaning clear.
Tears pricked the back of her eyelids, and she blinked them away, touched by his words. She knew without a doubt that Mac was going to be a wonderful grandfather, and she’d known he would want to spend time with the baby. But it was nice to hear he wanted her around, too.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said. “I want this baby to know its family.”
He nodded, his expression serious. “I’m glad to hear you say that. Thorne’s family isn’t perfect, by any stretch. His mother—” Mac stopped abruptly and shook his head. “Well, the less said about her, the better. I did the best I could while he was growing up, but a mother’s presence is so important in a child’s life.” His dark brown eyes took on a faraway look, as if he was reliving moments from long ago.
Maggie remained still, not wanting to disturb him. This was the first time she’d heard anything about Thorne’s childhood, and her curiosity was piqued. She’d read the newspaper articles and blog posts about Livia and her crimes, and she’d driven past the woman’s abandoned compound. But she hadn’t asked Thorne about growing up with Livia as a mother. If the look on Mac’s face was any indication, she
hadn’t exactly been a candidate for mother of the year.
Maggie’s heart clenched as she imagined Thorne as a boy: a tall, slender kid with long, lanky legs and big brown eyes. Anyone could see his resemblance to Mac, and not just because of his skin color. He had Mac’s nose and the same slope to his jaw, and even though Thorne’s eyes were a lighter brown, they had Mac’s shape. There was no doubt he was unique among his siblings, and Maggie had to wonder if Livia had treated him any differently than the rest of her children. The thought made her blood heat, and she felt a pang of sympathy for Thorne.
After a few seconds, Mac shook himself free of his memories. “The things I could tell you...” he trailed off with a sad smile. “But that’s not my place. Those are Thorne’s stories. You should ask him about them.”
“Do you really think he’d talk to me?” Maggie had her doubts, and just the thought of asking him such a personal question was enough to make her stomach quaver. But they were going to be parents in a few months. They needed to work through their differences, to at least become friends again, if not something more. They owed their baby that much.
Mac nodded thoughtfully. “I do. He’s a tough nut to crack, but if you give him a little time, I think you’ll be surprised.”
I hope you’re right. Maggie glanced down at the table and ran her finger along a fold of the sandwich wrapper. Truth be told, she missed Thorne. She’d gotten a glimpse of the man underneath that quiet exterior and she’d felt a true connection to him. That’s why she’d been so upset at his about-face in the days after their encounter. Even though they hadn’t spent that much time together, when he’d pulled away she’d felt like she’d lost a good friend.
Would she be able to find him again? Or was he lost to her forever, locked away behind a door that had no key?
One thing was certain—they couldn’t keep dancing around each other. She was going to be living with him for the next two weeks, and beyond that, he would always be a part of her life. It was time to smooth things over between them.
