“I came to ask you to remind your customers that parking along Main Street is only for thirty minutes and never in the fire lane. Ever.”
“You want me to police the streets of Paradise?”
“A friendly reminder when they come in. That’s all.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Maggie said as she tossed the rag in her hand down.
“You do that.”
Maggie gritted her teeth at the laughter that underlined his words.
“Look, I’ve had a really bad morning, Chief. To top it off, I spoke with my parents earlier. They felt the need to reiterate their platform, which is, of course, that I should move back home like a good little girl.” She slapped the counter with her open palm. “I won’t do it.”
“Whoa. You’re full of surprises, Maggie.”
“Am I?” She frowned. “Not really—normally I’m as uncomplicated as vanilla ice cream.”
“I like vanilla ice cream.” He leaned closer to the counter and waggled his eyebrows. “Quite a bit as it happens.”
She pointed to the door. “Stand in line.”
“You’re not good for a man’s ego.” He glanced over at the duffel bag and sneakers in the corner. “Those your running shoes?”
“Yes. Sometimes I go running after work.”
“Really? Care to go for a jog with me sometime?”
“You run?”
“Yeah. What do you say?”
“Maybe.” She gave a noncommittal shrug as she rested her arms on the counter. She couldn’t think. Her mind was swirling in a thousand directions at one time.
“How about this Sunday, after church?”
“I don’t know.”
“Maggie, I’m not asking you to marry me. It’s two friends getting together to enjoy the great outdoors.”
Two friends.
Was that all they were?
Then she remembered her conversation with Bitsy. Maggie shot straight up and slapped her forehead.
“Are you okay?” Jake asked.
“I almost forgot.”
“Forgot what?”
Here she was discouraging Jake, when Bitsy wanted her to encourage him. She swallowed, gathering courage. The important thing was to not mention Bitsy. Jake had a knee-jerk reaction when Bitsy’s name was mentioned.
“Maggie, are you in there?”
“Yes. Yes.” She mustered up a smile. “Maybe you could help me.”
“You’re smiling. What’s up?”
“My life is spinning out of control and I really want things to settle down. I’d like to go back to flying under the radar and living my life without complication.”
“And that involves me...how?”
“You said we’re friends, right?”
“Ye-e-ss.” He said the word slowly, almost as if he realized that they were about to step into dangerous territory.
“You do things alone and I do things alone.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Maybe we could do some things together. Friends and all.”
His head jerked back a tad at the unexpected words. “But you just said... Wait a minute. Are you asking me out?”
“No,” Maggie huffed. “Oh, never mind.” She waved a dismissive hand through the air. “I knew this was a ridiculous idea.”
“Hang on there. No need to get all worked up. Give it to me one more time. I’m a little slow today. Chuck had an emergency last night.”
“Is Chuck okay?”
“Yeah. Turns out he managed to pull the laces off my boots and swallow them.” Jake winced. “Everything came out all right eventually, according to the vet.”
“Glad to hear that.” Maggie grimaced. “I think.”
“So run that by me again,” he said.
“I’m asking you to be my escort around town. Join me for dinner and such.”
“I didn’t know you could cook.”
“That was a hypothetical example. I can do carryout, you know.”
“Right. And toaster pastries.” He shook his head. “What’s going on, Maggie?”
“I need my life to return to normal.”
“Define normal.”
“I want that line outside to go away. I want people to say ‘Maggie who?’ when my name comes up in conversation.”
“This is Paradise. Good luck.”
Jake crossed his arms and stared thoughtfully at her. “However, we are friends and I am willing to give your plan a shot if you think it will be good for your mental health. Because when you’re distracted trouble always follows.”
A delicious shiver raced over Maggie as he stared at her; then reality slapped her in the face.
Jake MacLaughlin was now on Team Maggie. She’d be spending more time with the man who ignited crazy sparks of unfamiliar emotions inside her. She took off her glasses and rubbed the throbbing place in the middle of her forehead.
Two friends helping each other out. That’s what she told him. Now all she had to do was convince her heart that’s all they were.
* * *
Jake washed his hands in the sink before reaching for the truck keys. His stomach growled and the thought of a nice thick steak made him quicken his pace in anticipation. Monday meant the surf-and-turf special at the Prospector.
He was out the door and unlocking his truck when he remembered his conversation with Maggie this morning and her crazy idea about hanging out together to quash her suitor problem.
Thinking about Maggie went deeper than her goofy plan. Maybe even deeper than that kiss on Saturday, though he’d given that some thought, too. It had been a chaste kiss, as far as kisses went. Still, once his lips touched hers and he’d tasted the softness, the sweetness, the goodness that was Maggie, he realized he was in trouble.
They’d avoided discussing the kiss, but eventually it would come up again, because he couldn’t help but want more even with the sirens and warning lights blazing all around the woman.
Yet, with Maggie it was more than the possibility of kisses. He enjoyed her smiles and the way her eyes lit up when she laughed. Enjoyed their conversations. She was one smart woman and kept him on his toes. Made him forget that he was nearly eight years older than her.
He wracked his mind trying to think of a legitimate excuse for dropping by the little house. Should he call? No, that would sound premeditated. Though she was the one who said they should do their alone stuff together. Dinner more than counted, right?
“I was in the neighborhood.”
He practiced the line several times before rejecting it as lame.
Okay, he’d head over there and hope he thought of something really clever before he arrived.
When he pulled the truck to a stop in front of the cottage, he spotted her sitting on the front porch. “Hi,” he said, strolling up the drive.
She looked up from the stack of papers in her hands and smiled.
Definitely a welcoming smile. He’d take that as a good omen.
“I thought we were going running on Sunday?”
“We are, but I was hungry for a steak. Can you take a break from your work if I promise you the best steak this side of the Rockies?”
She glanced at the paperwork and set it aside. “Your offer sounds better than an evening of paperwork.”
“Great. I’m thinking the Prospector restaurant in town. They have twice-baked potatoes the size of melons. Oh, and the salads. Fresh and crisp, with their secret ingredient—the house dressing.”
“Stop,” Maggie demanded. “You’re torturing me.”
Jake grinned. “Good. So you’re on board?”
“Like this?” She glanced down at her jeans and blouse.
“Overdressed. This is a down-home place. Just a bunch of Colorado cowboys.”
“Let me grab my hat and saddle up my horse.”
Jake laughed. And kept laughing, all the way to the restaurant. Maggie kept the conversation going throughout the meal, as well.
“Did you have enough to eat?” he asked when s
he slid her plate aside.
“Yes. I’m stuffed. Thank you.”
“That was local beef and local fish.”
“Delicious.”
“Ever do any fishing?”
“Fish? Sure, summers with my uncle.”
Jake nodded and raised a brow. “Live bait?”
“Of course.” Maggie smiled triumphantly.
“Bait your own line?”
“Do I look like a sissy to you?” She wiped her mouth with her napkin and leveled a haughty look at him.
“No, ma’am. No sissies here.”
The waitress cleared their table and took an order for the dessert of the day. Peach cobbler.
“I will forever think of Bitsy Harmony when I hear the word peach.”
“That’s too bad,” Jake said, frowning.
“How long has Bitsy lived in Paradise?”
“She’s a newcomer, only been here thirty-five years or so.”
“Thirty-five years?” Maggie sputtered.
“According to Mack, she came to Paradise to take care of her grandmother. Bitsy was a friend of my mother’s, too.”
“Oh? Was Bitsy ever married?”
“I have no idea.”
“Don’t you ask?”
Jake shuddered. “Are you kidding? Why would I do that? I don’t want to know any more about Bitsy than I absolutely have to.”
“Oh, that’s hilarious, Jake. You’ve known the woman all your life and you have no idea if she is single, married or divorced?”
“Yeah, and that’s the way I like it. Our paths cross a lot professionally, but Bitsy and I don’t need to know any more about each other’s lives than what’s necessary to get our jobs done.”
“Why is it you dislike her so much?”
“I don’t dislike her. I’m just bothered by her. Regularly.”
Maggie folded her hands on the table. “Bothered is sort of vague.”
“I’m a private man, and the woman hasn’t figured out that she needs to keep her business out of mine.”
He lowered his voice. “One thing you need to know about Bitsy is the more information you share with her, the more she figures she’s got carte blanche to meddle in your life.”
“Still, aren’t you a teeny bit curious about her?”
“I didn’t say I don’t know stuff. What I said is I don’t need to know. There’s a difference.” Jake shook his head and took a long swig of his iced tea.
“I see. I’m learning there are a lot of characters in this town, and life in Paradise is certainly not boring,” Maggie said after the waitress served dessert and coffee.
“Never that.” He pulled a piece of warm crust off his cobbler and popped it in his mouth.
Maggie looked around the restaurant. “This place is busy. I guess that’s good for me.”
“I don’t follow.”
“The Paradise grapevine,” she said.
It took Jake a moment to process her words. Once he did a heavy cloud of disappointment hovered over him. “Oh, your little plan.”
“This will help the situation. Don’t you think?”
“Yes. I do.” Jake reached out and covered her small hands with his.
Maggie startled in her chair, her gaze meeting his.
“Enhancing the scene,” he said.
She carefully slipped her hands from beneath his. “You’re quite the actor, but I need my hands to eat.”
“Right.”
An awkward silence stretched between them.
“You know what you need?” Jake asked.
“What’s that?” Maggie asked. Her eyes were curious as she waited for his response.
“A dog.”
“Wow. That was totally random.”
“Passing thought.”
“You should have let it pass right on by, because I’m really not a dog person.”
“Then what about a cat?” he asked.
“No cats.”
“No dogs. No cats. I’m guessing you think you’re not a people person, either, and yet, everyone loves you.”
She looked taken aback. “How do you know that’s what I think?”
“Oh, I’m a little more intuitive than you’ve pegged me for. I may be the fire chief in a town the size of a postage stamp, but I get around.”
Maggie laughed. “Seriously? That’s your defense. You are possibly one of the smartest and shrewdest men I have ever known.”
The waitress interrupted to refill their coffee cups.
“Besides,” Maggie added, tapping a finger on the table, “my landlord might balk at the idea of a dog or a cat.”
Jake waved a hand. “You’ve got an inside with the landlord.”
“I don’t know. Owning an animal sounds like a huge commitment.”
Jake smiled slowly. Yeah, that’s exactly what it sounded like to him.
“Why the random pitch?” she asked.
“Animals are good protection.”
“Ah, so this is about my little accidents.”
He shrugged. “I’m thinking about your safety. Maybe you should, too.”
Maggie sighed and picked up her mug. She sipped her coffee and stared past him, absorbed in thought.
“How long is your contract with the high school?” he asked.
“Basically, one school year. That will carry me through May. The teacher I’m replacing is having...”
“Triplets. First triplets in Paradise. Talk of the town until you arrived and stole the limelight.”
“I didn’t... Well, never mind. What I’m getting at is that she’s utilizing the Family Leave and Medical Act to take an extended leave.”
“Family is important.”
Maggie nodded.
“You plan to have kids someday?” he asked.
“Yes, but I thought growing up and having a life of my own should come first, though.”
He scooped up a forkful of cobbler. “Good plan in theory.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means that sometimes the Lord hands you a different road map.”
“That’s true.”
“Paradise is beautiful in the winter,” he said.
“You’re just full of random observations tonight.”
“I guess. Ever ice-skate? There’s a pond outside of town. Of course, we give it a little help.”
“I never had the chance to skate. Do you?”
“All my life. We like a friendly hockey game around here. Beat the pants off those young kids every time.”
Maggie grinned.
“And you should see how they light up the park in the town square for Christmas.”
“I imagine it’s a scene out of Currier and Ives,” she said on a wistful note. With a finger she traced circles through the condensation on her water glass.
“When they can’t find a willing stand-in to play Santa, Mack does it.”
Maggie gave a wry smile, obviously picturing Mack in a red suit.
“So you’re here for a year. Then what?” He knew he was rambling, but seemed unable to stop himself. Despite his desire to not look down the road, Jake felt an obstinate urgency to know exactly what path Maggie’s future would take her down.
“I honestly don’t know.”
“Couldn’t you ‘not know’ right here in Paradise?”
She smiled and cut a piece of cobbler with her fork. “Pretty good cobbler, isn’t it? Not as good as Bitsy’s pie, but pretty good.”
“Nice try,” he said, referring to her segue.
Maggie arched a brow, and then winked. “A little trick I learned from dealing with my parents.”
He nodded and took a bite of his dessert, chewing thoughtfully. When he set down his fork, he looked her in the eye. “Just so you know, that trick won’t work with me.”
“I was afraid of that.”
Chapter Nine
“Morning, Maggie.”
She jumped and turned around, nearly dropping her bike. Jake appeared from around the corner. He wore a bal
l cap high on the back of his head. When he smiled at her, her heart did a funny little dance.
“Jake, what are you doing here? It’s only six o’clock in the morning.”
“I got a message I was supposed to meet you at the hardware store at six sharp.” He glanced at his watch. “Right on time.”
“I didn’t leave you a message. I would never be so presumptuous with your time. Especially on a Saturday.”
“Where are we going anyhow?” Jake asked.
“I’m driving to Denver to get my stuff.” She paced on the cement parking lot. “I don’t understand. Your father rented me the truck yesterday and I told him I’d pick it up this morning.”
“Oh, that explains a lot, since he’s the one who left me the message.” Jake removed his cap and slapped it back on. “Driving by yourself?”
“I’m perfectly capable.”
He held up a hand. “I know you’re capable. In fact I believe you are capable of pretty much anything, Maggie. What I’m getting at is that it’s smart to have help. Since I’m already here, I’ll tag along.”
“Don’t you have things planned for today?”
“Chuck and I were going to the drive-in tonight. That’s pretty much it for my social calendar.”
“What about the hardware store?”
“My assistant is in charge.”
“Mack?”
“Yeah. The worst he can do is put everything on sale or buy free muffins for all our customers. I’ll survive.”
Maggie laughed. “Okay, then, thanks. I’d appreciate the company.” She paused and looked at him. “You and Chuck are really going to the drive-in?”
“Lassie marathon. Chuck loves Lassie. Why? You want to come, too?”
“Let’s see how this trip goes first. After three hours to Denver and three hours back, in a small truck cab, you might not want to do anything with me except to say ‘so long.’”
“You’re sort of a pessimist, aren’t you?”
“I’m a realist,” Maggie said.
“That explains everything.” He kicked at a stone on the ground. “You know the difference between a realist and a pessimist?”
“No.”
Jake met her gaze. “Not a darn thing.”
“Thanks for that bit of morning wisdom.”
“Anytime. What say I drive through the mountains and then you can drive in the city?”
“Deal.” She pulled her backpack from the basket of the bicycle and handed him the keys.
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