by Tracey Smith
“I take it you’re a fan of The Flintstones?” Aaron surprised her with his insightfulness.
“It was the only cartoon I ever watched as a child.” Maggie surprised herself even more with her admission.
“The only one?”
Maggie nodded. “My mother didn’t approve of my watching television,” she explained. “But our housekeeper, Mrs. Burton, drove me to school each morning, and when Mother would leave for one of her club meetings Mrs. Burton would allow me to watch The Flintstones on the small TV in her room before we left for school.”
“So where’s Wilma?” Aaron accepted her story without judgment or question as his blue eyes danced with mischievous laughter. Maggie rolled her eyes and laughed.
“There’s no Wilma,” she insisted, smiling. There was no way she would ever admit that she’d named her car Betty!
~6~
“Chicken and dumplins. If you’re going to live in the south it’s kinda required that you know how to make this,” Andi informed her. “Goes great with Strawberry wine.” She smiled and nodded to the bag she’d left on the counter.
“Where do you find this stuff?” Maggie asked as she retrieved the bottle of wine and stuck it in the fridge to chill. “Or is that top secret since this is a dry county?” she teased. She still couldn’t believe something like a dry county still existed in this day and age.
“My brother makes it,” Andi laughed. “And don’t worry, he lives a county over so we’re not technically breakin’ any laws. He’s actually planning on opening his own winery someday,” she said proudly.
“Really? If he ever needs a taste tester you know where to find me,” Maggie offered playfully. Andi paused for a moment and studied Maggie as if she was considering something, but whatever it was she didn’t share it.
“So Lacey Buchannan came into the store today.” She quickly changed the subject, falling into her usual habit of updating Maggie on all the local gossip. “I swear she looks like she’s about to bust! She’s gonna have that baby any day now,” Andi predicted.
“It was so adorable watching her waddle through the store with her little ones walking behind her in a perfect row, looked just like a mama duck,” she laughed. “If someone had told me in high school that Lacey would be on her fourth baby by now I’d’ve never believed it. But I guess when you have a husband that looks like hers you just can’t help it. Those blue eyes.” Andi held her hand to her forehead and pretended to swoon. Maggie couldn’t help but laugh at her friend’s dramatics, but the reference to blue eyes immediately brought Aaron to mind.
In truth, in the few days since she’d last seen Aaron he hadn’t really left her mind. She kept analyzing their conversation in the kitchen. Had he been flirting or was he just being polite? He’d made her laugh and feel completely at ease, aside from those few times when their eyes had met and butterflies had erupted inside her. Had he felt that connection too or was it just her?
Obviously she found him gorgeous, but what did he think of her? She just couldn’t tell. She’d really enjoyed their conversation and he seemed to be enjoying her company as well, but once he’d finished his lemonade he’d politely excused himself, wished her a good day, and left without any indication that he wanted to see her again.
“Travis was the biggest flirt in high school,” Andi continued and Maggie snapped back to the present. “But he seems totally devoted to Lacey now. They really are a cute couple.”
“What was Aaron like in high school?” Maggie blurted out the question before she’d even realized she was going to ask it.
“Who?” Andi stopped short as she was serving up their dinner.
“Aaron Miles?” Maggie asked timidly.
“He’s not from here,” Andi replied as she placed the dinner plates on the kitchen island.
The girls had located some bar stools in a game room which they had moved to the kitchen. They preferred to eat there rather than in the formal dining room.
“Where’s he from?” Maggie asked as she grabbed the bottle of wine and joined Andi at the bar. Barney promptly curled at her feet beneath the barstool.
“Look, sweetie, I know he’s gorgeous. Trust me, I’ve seen him. But I think you should stay away from him.”
“Why?” Maggie’s heart fell at Andi’s words.
“I don’t know much about him,” Andi admitted. “He got here just before you did, but he keeps to himself. No one really knows much about him, but I’ve heard…” Andi trailed off as if she was contemplating whether or not to say what she knew which wasn’t like her at all. Maggie could feel her anxiety building.
“What?” She prodded.
“He’s an ex-con.” Andi sounded apologetic.
Maggie’s mind immediately rejected the possibility. Not her Aaron. Andi must be mistaken. But then again he wasn’t “her Aaron,” was he? She barely knew him. Could it be possible?
“What did he do?” Maggie found herself whispering.
“I don’t know,” Andi admitted. “My uncle is the Sheriff. He overheard me talking about how cute I thought Aaron was the first time I’d seen him at the store. And he told me that he wasn’t supposed to tell anyone because the records were sealed, but that he’d definitely been in some serious trouble in the past and he wanted me to stay away from him. He said he was dangerous. That’s all he could tell me.” Andi shrugged sadly.
Maggie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She didn’t want to. She couldn’t reconcile this man Andi was describing, a loner with a sordid past, with the man she’d met. Aaron was sweet and funny, he was polite and charming. There was no way he could be an ex-con. This had to be a mistake.
~∞~
The next morning Maggie woke to an awful revelation. She was out of coffee. This day was not off to a good start. She had a horrible headache, probably a result of the bottle of wine she and Andi had polished off the night before. Plus she hadn’t slept well. She couldn’t stop thinking about Aaron.
In truth, she didn’t know him. Perhaps Andi was right. Maybe it was best to stay away from him. That thought coupled with the lack of coffee left her feeling very defeated. She considered going upstairs and crawling back into bed. To make matters worse, without a car driving to town wasn’t an option. Why had she sold her car? She really hadn’t thought that through.
Barney sat at the backdoor crying to be let out. Even he seemed in a bad mood this morning. With shoulders slumped she crossed the kitchen to the backdoor and opened it to let the cat out. She was greeted with a surprisingly cool morning. The sky was overcast and a brisk breeze was blowing. It wasn’t hot at all. Maggie considered the walk to Sweetwater. It wasn’t really very far and with this weather it might be kind of nice. There was coffee in Sweetwater.
With a renewed spirit and a plan she headed outside to the garage in search of a basket or something that she could carry with her to bring back a few groceries from town. To her delight she found an old bicycle with a basket on the front. This day was steadily improving.
Maggie hadn’t rode a bike since she was a kid, but by the time she’d reached the end of the driveway and was turning onto the dirt road that led to Sweetwater she had the hang of it again.
It didn’t take her long to reach town, and as she rode her bike through Sweetwater she took a minute to really appreciate the quaint little town. The historic downtown buildings were bustling with people coming and going and waving as they went. The columned city hall boasted a large town clock that towered over the main square where a farmer’s market was set up. Nearly every corner held a steepled church and the large central park was filled with beautiful magnolia trees.
Maggie was drawn to a small cafe by the rich smells of coffee and cinnamon rolls. She sat outside on the patio and enjoyed her breakfast and a very large coffee as she watched the small town of Sweetwater. The town was bustling with energy, but the people were smiling. They were waving and taking the time to stop and greet each other on the street. The stress and anxiety of her life before had bee
n left behind. This was exactly what she needed and she was once again glad that she came. She began to consider the idea of staying in Georgia permanently. Maybe she could get a job at one of the downtown shops, find a small place to rent. It was a far cry from the life she’d once planned, but the idea was very inviting.
After breakfast she decided to walk around town and explore some of the shops. The weather was still pleasantly cool, the sky shrouded with a heavy cloud layer. She walked downtown and meandered through a few antique stores, mentally shopping for items she might stock a home with if she were to move to this town permanently.
She bought a few summer dresses at a cute little boutique and some aromatherapy bubble bath at another shop. She also stocked up on several bags of gourmet coffee. She found herself nodding to passersby who smiled at her as she walked through the streets.
At the farmer’s market she selected some fresh produce and made small talk with some of the townspeople. She noticed a young blonde woman sitting at a table with a stack of homemade cookbooks for sale. She crossed to her stand thinking how proud Andi would be of her for buying a cookbook. As she approached the table she also noticed three small children behind it. A blonde little girl was coloring in a coloring book while her dark haired brother played with his toy cars in the dirt. A toddler was sleeping peacefully in a stroller beside them. That’s when she noticed that the young woman seated behind the table was very pregnant.
“Oh, you must be Lacey,” Maggie said, smiling with recognition. Lacey looked a little taken aback that she’d known her name and Maggie made a mental note to allow people to introduce themselves first. But Lacey quickly recovered and smiled.
“You must know Andi,” she laughed and Maggie smiled with relief.
“Yes,” Maggie admitted sheepishly. “I’m Maggie,” She added quickly.
“It’s nice to meet you, Maggie.” Lacey smiled kindly. “Welcome to Sweetwater.”
“Thank you. It’s a wonderful little town,” Maggie enthused. The place was really growing on her.
“How long will you be staying?” Lacey asked pleasantly.
“At least for the summer.” Maybe longer, Maggie added to herself.
“Then you’ll definitely need to come back next week for the Fourth of July barbeque. Everyone gets together in the park, it’s just a big potluck, everybody brings something and there will be tons of fireworks,” she told her.
“That sounds wonderful! I wouldn’t miss it.” Maggie was really beginning to picture herself living in this town permanently. “Thank you.”
“Well, we’re happy to have you. It’s nice to see crazy old Ms. Devereaux bringing some nice people to town.” Lacey’s tone was kind, but there was an undertone that was undeniable and Maggie couldn’t help but wonder if she was referring to Aaron.
As Maggie left the farmer’s market the Sheriff approached her.
“You must be Maggie.” He smiled as he politely tipped his hat.
“There really are no secrets in a small town, are there?” Maggie laughed nervously as she smiled in his direction but continued walking toward her bicycle.
“Not in a town where my niece lives,” the Sheriff joked as he strolled alongside her. “I’m Paul Rutledge, Andi is my niece,” he explained kindly.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Maggie replied as she reached for her bike.
“Andi tells me you’re staying at the old Devereaux place.” Sheriff Rutledge seemed to be getting at something.
“Yes, Sir,” she confirmed.
“Well, for the most part this is a very safe town,” he assured her “But in recent years we’ve had a few more… transient residents.” He seemed to be choosing his words carefully “It’s my understanding that you’re not the only guest on the Devereaux property, and I just want you to know that I’m only a few minutes away if you need anything.” He handed Maggie a card with his name and phone number on it. “Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”
“Thank you, but I’m sure I won’t need to bother you,” she assured him as she accepted the business card. “Everyone I’ve met has been very kind,” she emphasized as she climbed onto her bike. It seemed obvious to her that he was referring to Aaron and she wanted to defend him. But what could she say?
She left town with mixed feelings. She really shouldn’t take such offense to the opinions people held about Aaron, she barely knew him. But she couldn’t help but think they had to be wrong. Even if he had been in some trouble in the past, he couldn’t possibly be dangerous, could he? But what if he was? Should she stay away from him?
As she rode her bike down the quiet dirt road lost in thought a loud clap of thunder boomed overhead. Seconds later rain began to pour down in sheets. It was raining so hard she couldn’t see to ride and had to pull over. She was soaked to the skin within minutes as she walked her bike along the road with her head turned down against the onslaught. She didn’t even hear the truck pull up alongside her over the roar of the rain.
“Get in!” She recognized Aaron’s voice and her head snapped up to see him jumping out of his truck and reaching for her bicycle. She felt both relieved and little scared all at the same time. She’d just spent the last ten minutes contemplating whether or not this man was possibly dangerous and now here she was on a deserted dirt road in the middle of a thunderstorm being told to get into his truck. She mentally kicked herself for her hesitation. This was the same man who’d she’d invited into her kitchen for lemonade and who’d helped her name a cat. He wasn’t dangerous.
She climbed into the cab of the truck as he lifted her bike and put it in the back. He jumped into the cab with her and slammed the door against the rain. He shook the rain out of his hair laughing.
“Nice day for a ride,” he teased as he started driving down the road.
“At least it wasn’t too hot,” she defended playfully. Aaron laughed heartily.
Aaron had such a carefree laugh and contagious smile. Maggie immediately felt at ease, just being in his presence again dissolved all the questions that had been raised by the people of Sweetwater. Whatever they believed about him was wrong. In that moment Maggie decided that it didn’t matter whether or not Aaron had a troubled past, she wasn’t going to let that stop her from getting to know him. She liked him.
“So where’s your car?” Aaron asked.
“I sold it,” Maggie admitted sheepishly.
“Really? Why?”
“It broke down and it was going to cost more money to fix than it was worth,” Maggie explained. “I know I’m going to need to get another one,” she added quickly. “I just haven’t figured that part out yet.” As she said it out loud Maggie realized how ridiculous it sounded. Who sells their car without a backup plan?
“I’m sure you’ll figure something out. In the meantime just let me know if you need anything,” Aaron offered. His confidence in her was reassuring. He didn’t sound at all judgmental about Maggie’s rash decision to sell her car instead he simply offered his help. “I’ll leave you my number. My place is just a couple acres from the main house. So, you know, I’m close if you need me.”
“You live on the property?” she asked, confirming her suspicion that Sheriff Rutledge had in fact been referring to Aaron when he’d said she wasn’t the only guest on the Devereaux property.
She hadn’t really considered how close he lived to the house. She’d been walking the property every morning. The thought that she could’ve stumbled upon his house was kind of exciting.
“It’s actually an old barn, but it was converted into living quarters for the groundskeeper a long time ago. Ms. Devereaux’s letting me stay there in exchange for maintaining the property. But I’m working on building up a few more clients, and once I do I’ll be able to get my own place.”
“So you’re trying to start up your own landscaping business?” Maggie asked.
“Well, yeah, I guess. I hadn’t really thought of it like that. I’m just looking for work,” he said humbly, and Maggie
liked him just a little bit more. He didn’t try to boast or impress her, he was real, and for the first time in her life she felt like she’d found somebody that she could be real with too, somebody who wouldn’t judge her or hold her to an unrealistic expectation.
The rain had slowed to a drizzle as they pulled up to the house. Maggie didn’t really want to say goodbye.
“You can just put the bike in the garage,” she told him as he lifted it out of the back of the truck. She realized that he already knew exactly where the garage was, but she led him there anyway, suddenly very aware of her movements as he walked behind her.
She entered the dark garage and turned around to face him. He’d just leaned the bike against the wall. She took a step closer.
“Thank you.” She was breathless with anticipation. This was the moment. This was when she would figure out if he was interested or just being kind. She had a feeling he liked her too, but she needed to be sure. She looked up into his eyes expectantly. Her pulse was racing and her breathing shallow, but for the first time it was a welcome feeling.
He looked down at her and she saw the desire in his eyes. She was sure he was going to kiss her. She wet her lips. He reached over and gently brushed the damp hair from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. It was the simplest gesture, but extremely intimate. Her breath caught in her throat. Her lips parted slightly and his gaze fell to her mouth. A pained look crossed his face.
“I’d better be going,” he said solemnly as he bowed his head. He stepped away, his eyes darting up to hers one last time. She knew he could see the confusion there and she thought he looked apologetic. Without another word he turned and left her alone in the garage and it was then that Maggie realized just how dangerous he really was. If she let him, he had the power to break her heart.
~7~
