by Lara Lacombe
“Did you like that?”
Rose nodded once. It was probably just a coincidence, but it made Maggie smile to think the horse had actually answered her question. She expected Rose to retreat back into the quiet sanctuary of her stall now that there was no more food on offer, but she stayed put, taking the opportunity to sniff Maggie’s shirt, hair, hands and face. Maggie held still during these explorations, trying not to laugh as Rose’s nose grazed a ticklish spot on her neck.
Apparently satisfied, Rose pulled back to study Maggie, her soulful brown eyes aware.
Something about the horse’s quiet, patient demeanor put Maggie at ease and she started talking to Rose. At first, she made meaningless small talk, offering simple platitudes as she stroked Rose’s neck, cheek and mane. But as she sat there, the world seemed to shrink to the pair of them. And Maggie found herself telling the horse everything—about her long-standing crush on Thorne, their ill-advised encounter, the months of silent treatment. The destruction of her car and the surprise of her pregnancy. Her worries about taking on this new role of mother. And her naive hope that Thorne might still have feelings for her, despite all evidence to the contrary.
The words came pouring out of her, as if they’d been bottled up under pressure for so long they could no longer be contained. Fortunately, Rose was the perfect listener; she stood there, her head pressed to Maggie’s chest as she talked, her eyes kind and her demeanor relaxed and nonjudgmental. It was as if the horse understood the extent of Maggie’s turmoil and instinctively knew how to help.
Maggie came to the end of her story and sat in silence a moment, feeling simultaneously drained and effervescent. She was surprised at how much talking had helped loosen the tight knot of emotion she’d been carrying in the center of her chest ever since she’d slept with Thorne. Even though Rose hadn’t offered any advice or suggestions, her quiet presence had been enough. Just the act of sharing her thoughts and feelings with a witness had brought Maggie a sense of relief, and she inhaled deeply, feeling like she could breathe freely for the first time in months.
“She’s a good listener, don’t you think?”
Maggie’s heart leaped into her throat, and she whipped around in the direction of the voice. Startled by her sudden movement, Rose jerked her head back and neighed apprehensively.
“Jade! You scared me.” Maggie’s alarm faded rapidly, replaced by a growing sense of happiness at the sight of Thorne's sister. She considered her a friend, even though she wasn't as close to her as she was to Amber and Sonia. She reached for Rose, stroking her nose and murmuring softly in an attempt to soothe her. Rose calmed under her touch, and Maggie felt honored that the animal already seemed to trust her.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Either of you.” The young woman approached slowly, her hand extended for Rose to sniff. “How are you doing, pretty girl?” she said softly. “Ready to have that baby yet?”
Maggie watched Jade interact with Rose and had to smother a laugh as the horse sniffed at Jade’s pockets, clearly on the hunt for another treat.
“I don’t think so, mama,” Jade said. “I have it on good authority you’ve already had your apple for the day.”
Rose nickered in response, and Jade reached up to stroke her ears. “Have you enjoyed your visitor?”
To Maggie’s great surprise, the horse nodded her head. She turned to glance at Jade, expecting her friend to find the coincidence amusing, but Jade wasn’t laughing.
“I’m glad to hear it,” she said, her tone indicating she took Rose’s gesture seriously. And maybe she did. Maggie knew Jade had a way with horses, the same as Thorne. It was a trait that seemed to run in their blood, thanks to Livia’s penchant for bedding ranching men—Thorne’s father, Mac, was also good with animals, and Jade’s father had been a horse breeder. It was quite possible the pair of them were simply more attuned to the creatures than the rest of the world, which would certainly explain why the horses appeared to love them so.
“And how are you?” Jade asked, turning her attention to Maggie. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too,” Maggie responded, stepping from the stool so she could give her friend a hug. Jade always made her feel like an Amazon—she was about four inches shorter and considerably smaller, her petite frame compact compared to Maggie’s generous curves. Now that she had a baby on board, Maggie felt positively Godzilla-like next to her friend.
“I heard about your car,” Jade said, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry.”
Maggie shrugged. Truth be told, her car was the last thing on her mind these days, what with everything else going on. She knew she’d have to address the issue soon, but it paled in importance to her thoughts of the baby and her musings about Thorne. “Thanks. It was quite a shock, to say the least.”
Jade nodded sympathetically. “I can imagine. Not exactly the kind of thing that happens every day. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”
“Not much, anyway.”
“So I hear you’re staying with Thorne,” Jade said, her tone deceptively casual.
Maggie rolled her eyes. She’d known news traveled fast in Shadow Creek, but Thorne’s siblings seemed to take gossip to new levels. “Is that right? Did you hear anything else?”
Jade blinked her brown eyes, the very picture of innocence. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
Maggie snorted inelegantly. “Who told you?”
Jade didn’t respond right away and, unless Maggie missed her guess, her friend was trying to decide which sibling to throw under the bus. Several of them could have been the source of the gossip: Knox, Claudia, or even Thorne himself. Although if Thorne had told his sister, it wasn’t really gossip, she mused. The baby was just as much his news as hers.
“I stopped by Claudia’s boutique yesterday—apparently I just missed you and Thorne. She was practically dancing in excitement.”
“I see,” said Maggie, smiling at the thought.
“To be fair, she did try to keep the news to herself. But once Leonor and Josh showed up, she couldn’t hold it in any longer.”
“Leonor was there?”
Jade nodded. “Yeah. She and Josh were scouting wedding locations. By the way, have you seen Leonor’s ring?”
Maggie shook her head. “I bet it’s beautiful, though.”
“It is,” Jade confirmed. “But I think it’s way too big to be practical.”
Maggie laughed. “Your sister doesn’t work with her hands the way you do. I doubt it will get in her way.” For a brief second, Maggie felt a pang of longing for a ring of her own. She knew Thorne wasn’t the type to propose with a huge diamond, but part of her wondered what kind of ring he would pick out. Doesn’t matter, she told herself, brushing the question aside. She would drive herself crazy if she focused on hypothetical situations instead of reality.
“You’re probably right,” Jade said. “But back to you. Is it true?”
Maggie hesitated for a heartbeat. Jade was Thorne’s sister; shouldn’t she hear the news from him first? But she just as quickly reconsidered. Jade was more than a client, she was her friend, and it would be nice to tell someone who would be happy for her. “It’s true,” she confirmed. “Rose isn’t the only one who’s expecting around here.”
Jade let out a small squeal and launched herself at Maggie, grabbing her and hugging her tightly. “I’m so excited for you! Claudia said you’re due in November, is that right?”
Maggie nodded and laughed as Jade came in for another hug. "How are you feeling?” she asked, glancing up and down Maggie’s body. “You look great!”
“Thanks.” She appreciated the compliment, and knew Jade wasn’t just telling her that to be polite. “I’m tired, but mostly okay. My stomach gets a little queasy now and then, but it’s nothing too bad. At least not yet.”
Jade’s eyes pract
ically glowed with excitement. “You’re going to be a mom.” Her voice was tinged with awe. “Can you believe it?”
Yes, I am. The thought never failed to fill Maggie with joy. Despite her worries about her abilities as a mother, the fact that she was going to have a baby still made her almost giddy with anticipation. She couldn’t wait to meet the little one growing inside her.
“I’m still adjusting,” Maggie admitted. “Some moments, it doesn’t seem real.”
“I can imagine.” Jade raked her fingers through Rose’s mane, skillfully detangling the strands of hair. “I was pretty shocked when Claudia told me. I had no idea you and Thorne were even an item.”
“We, uh, aren’t. Not really.” Maggie felt her face heat and was grateful for the dim lighting in this portion of the barn. “It was kind of a onetime thing.”
Jade’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious? What happened?”
“I don’t know if you remember, but we had a big storm roll through here in February.”
Jade nodded. “Yeah. The winds knocked down a few fence panels and spooked my horses.”
“Well, I was out here doing Mac’s books. My car wouldn’t start, so I called a tow and was all set to wait. Thorne saw me sitting in my car, and he invited me inside for dinner. And...well...”
“Okay,” Jade said. “But you’ve had a crush on Thorne for forever. Why didn’t it last?”
“You knew about that?” Maggie’s stomach dropped. She’d thought she’d done a good job of keeping her feelings under wraps, but apparently she had broadcast them for all the world to see.
“Only because you’re my friend,” Jade assured her. “I saw the look on your face once, after Thorne had passed by. That’s how I figured it out.”
Maggie nodded, relieved to know she hadn’t been pathetically obvious after all. “After that night, Thorne pulled away. At first, he kept giving me excuses as to why he couldn’t see me or go out with me. He took longer and longer to respond to my calls. Eventually, I got a clue and stopped trying to talk to him.”
“What the hell?” Jade crossed her arms and frowned. “That doesn’t sound like Thorne. Mac raised us better than that.” She looked ready to storm out of the barn in search of her brother, her expression making it clear she wanted to give him a piece of her mind.
Maggie’s heart warmed to see Jade ready to defend her, even against her own brother. “He said he was trying to protect me. That he was worried about what people would think of me if they knew we were together. He claimed he didn’t want Livia’s reputation to stain mine.”
Jade snorted. “That’s about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Men can be so pig-headed. Did I tell you about my boyfriend?”
Maggie shook her head. “I don’t think so—I didn’t even know you had one.” Guilt bloomed in her chest. Had she been so wrapped up in her own problems she’d missed this new development in her friend’s life?
Jade waved her hand. “I don’t. Not anymore. He broke it off after Livia escaped. Said he didn’t want to be involved with my family and its problems.”
“I’m so sorry.” Maggie’s heart clenched for her friend. How unfair for Jade! “On the bright side, it sounds like you’re better off without him. A man that would leave you over something like that is not someone who deserves you.”
“Thanks,” Jade said, smiling briefly. “It hurt at first, but I’m over it now. But my point is that Thorne isn’t the only ridiculous man out there.”
“That’s for sure.”
Rose whickered softly, as if to add her agreement. Maggie and Jade both laughed, and Maggie reached out to pat the horse’s cheek.
“It sounds like things are improving between you two, though,” Jade observed. “Has Thorne come to his senses?”
“Not exactly,” Maggie said. “He asked me to stay with him because he’s worried someone is trying to hurt me.” She told Jade about the snakes in Mac’s office. “So you see,” she finished, “he wants me close because he’s worried about the baby, not because he has feelings for me.”
Jade put her hand on Maggie’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry,” she said quietly, her voice full of sympathy. “My brother is an idiot if he doesn’t realize how wonderful you are.”
Maggie swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat. “Thanks,” she said. “It’s hard, because I still have feelings for him. But I’m learning to manage them. I want this baby to know its father, so I’m going to have to find a way to be around Thorne without letting my emotions get in the way.”
Jade pulled her in for a hug, this embrace gentle in comparison to her earlier, enthusiastic ones. “Hang in there. You’ll get through this.”
I hope so, Maggie thought. I really do.
Chapter 15
Thorne stood rooted in place, shock locking his muscles so that he couldn’t move. Maggie’s words swirled around in his brain, playing on a seemingly infinite loop.
He wants me close because he’s worried about the baby, not because he has feelings for me... I still have feelings for him...
He hadn’t set out to eavesdrop on Maggie and his sister. He’d been pulling weeds next to the barn when he’d heard the women’s voices floating out from the open window above him. The idea of Maggie visiting with Rose had made him smile—it was good to know his girls were getting along so well.
At first, he hadn’t been able to make out their conversation. It was just a light, lilting hum in the air, a nice accompaniment to offset the drudgery of his task. But then the wind had shifted a bit, and Maggie’s words had come through loud and clear.
Dad was right, he thought. The confirmation of his father’s statement filled him with both relief and sadness. Relief, because now he knew what was truly bothering Maggie. But his heart ached to know that she really thought he didn’t care about her for herself.
Not that he could blame her. He’d been so worried about keeping her safe from Livia and her goons, he hadn’t taken the time to convey his true feelings. He’d tried to change after Mac had pointed out his mistake, but clearly he’d been too subtle in his efforts to convince Maggie he wanted her for her own sake.
He had to do better. She deserved more. And his child deserved parents who were happy together, not two people who kept each other at arm’s length.
Thorne stood and brushed the dirt from his knees. Determination welled in his chest, edged with a faint twinge of guilt for having eavesdropped on what was clearly meant to be a private conversation. Should he tell her what he’d heard? Or would it be better for him to redouble his efforts without Maggie knowing he’d heard her confession to Jade?
No. He dismissed the latter option almost as soon as the thought entered his head. If he and Maggie were going to build a relationship, it had to be based on honesty and trust. And while keeping this a secret would spare them both an awkward conversation, it was not going to help them move forward in the long run.
His mind made up, Thorne reached down and scooped up the bag of weeds, then set off around the side of the barn. He and Maggie needed to talk, and he wasn’t going to put this conversation off any longer.
* * *
“I can’t believe you actually talked Mac into updating his records!” Jade shook her head, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “You know that’s a sign of just how much he likes you, right?”
Maggie laughed. “To be honest, I think he just felt sorry for me, knowing I was stuck in Thorne’s apartment with nothing to do. I think he figured working on his office would keep me out of trouble.”
“And has it?”
“For the most part, yes. Except for the snakes, but that wasn’t really my fault.”
“True. I have to say, I don’t know how you can handle all this excitement—first your car, then the baby and the—” Jade broke off, and a second later, Maggie heard the sound o
f heavy footsteps that had distracted her friend. They both turned to look, and Maggie’s heart leaped into her throat when she caught sight of Thorne headed their way.
“I think that’s my cue,” Jade whispered, winking at Maggie before facing her brother. “Hey, you,” she said. “I was going to come say hi after I checked on Yellow Rose. But I got a little distracted.” She slung her arm around Maggie’s shoulders and pulled her in for a half hug.
Thorne smiled at his sister. “No problem,” he said easily. “She’s better company, I’m sure.”
“Most definitely,” Jade agreed. “Rose is looking good. I think this baby will make an appearance next week, for sure.”
“Uh-huh,” Thorne said absently. He nodded at his sister’s observation, but his eyes never left Maggie’s face. She fought the urge to squirm a little under his scrutiny. Why was he watching her so closely? There was an element of conviction in his expression she’d never seen before, like he was a man on a mission.
And she was his target.
Her stomach fluttered and she found herself wishing they were alone. As much as she enjoyed Jade’s company, she could tell Thorne had something to say and she knew he wasn’t going to talk in front of an audience.
“I should get going,” Jade said, her glance darting between Maggie and Thorne. “I need to say hi to Mac, and then I should get back to my own horses.”
“Thanks for stopping by,” Thorne said. The words were polite, but his tone made it clear he was ready for his sister to leave.
Jade laughed softly, apparently undeterred by his dismissal. “My pleasure, brother. Call me when Rose goes into labor. I’ll come by to help.”
