“I just assumed you didn’t care,” Maggie said honestly. “That it wasn’t important to you.”
“I’m sorry, Maggie. I didn’t realize how much you really did, how important you are to every aspect of our family’s life as well as the lives of so many others. Work, school, and home. You do so much more than I gave you credit for.”
“What exactly are you trying to say, Andrew?”
“I’m sorry I took you for granted all these years. I’m sorry I only thought of myself and what I wanted, and didn’t give any thought to whether you were happy or not. You were so involved with the kids and their lives, I blamed you for pulling away from me, but the truth is, I was the one pulling away. Instead of helping you, I just thought about how you weren’t giving me the time I deserved. I made it about me, not about you or the kids. I made excuses to justify doing as I pleased, because you were too busy to pay attention to me. But now I know you were here all along. I was the one who checked out. I’m sorry.”
Maggie was stunned. What would she give for him to have said that a year ago? But now, was it too little, too late? The fact was, there was more to be said, much more. One apology just couldn’t wipe away all that had happened between them these past few years.
“Maggie? Are you still there?” Andrew asked.
“Thank you for what you said,” Maggie said softly. “I do appreciate it. But there’s so much more wrong between us. I don’t know if we can fix it with just an apology.”
Andrew sighed. “What more do you want me to say, Maggie? I’ve apologized for taking you for granted. I’ve apologized over and over for the affair. I’ve meant every word of it. What more can I possibly do?”
Maggie’s heart felt heavy, and tears filled her eyes. “You’ll never understand, will you, Andrew? Yes, you’ve apologized, and you ended your affair with that woman. You promised it wouldn’t happen again. But that was it. How could you think everything would go back to normal between us again with a simple apology? You broke my trust, Andrew. You broke our vows, and you broke my heart. How can all that be fixed with just words?”
“Maggie, I don’t understand what more I can do. I chose you. I chose our family. I stayed with you,” Andrew said, exasperated.
“Yes, you chose to stay with your family. You chose to stay with me. But that was it. You stayed, and so did your resentment and your anger at having been caught and having to give up something you weren’t ready to give up. You brought all that into our home, and things haven’t been the same since.”
“I never loved her, Maggie,” Andrew said honestly. “I promise you, that’s the truth. It was a stupid fling. Nothing more. I came back to you willingly. You have to let it go.”
“But you never tried to win me back, did you, Andrew? You thought an apology was all you needed to find your way back into my heart. The affair hurt. It hurt me deeply. But do you know what hurt more? The fact that even after you’d made your choice, you didn’t do anything to fix us. You didn’t want me enough, or love me enough, to fight for me. If you’d really loved me, you’d have tried harder to bring me back to you. Your anger, resentment, and indifference are what hurt me the most.”
“I’m sorry, Maggie. I truly am. At the time, I didn’t realize I was doing any of that. I want us to start over and put this all behind us. I want us to feel like a family again. Please, Maggie. Give me one more chance. We were so good together once. We can be again.”
Maggie wiped away the tears that streaked her face. She wanted so much to believe Andrew. He was her first love and the father of her children. She wanted to believe they could start again. But they’d been through so much, she was afraid it was too late.
“I’m not sure anymore that we can fix this,” she said honestly. “Give me a little more time. I’ll call you later. Good-bye, Andrew.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Maggie composed herself, then walked downstairs and met up with Rob in the kitchen, with camera in hand. It was after ten o’clock by then, and she hoped she hadn’t ruined his plans for the day by coming down so late.
“There you are,” Rob said with a huge smile. He was freshly showered and dressed casually in a polo shirt and jeans. Maggie walked over to him and accepted a mug of coffee. Standing so close to him, she could smell the spicy scent of his aftershave.
“Sorry I’m late,” Maggie said after sipping her coffee. “I had a call from home, and it took a little while.”
“Everything’s fine there, I hope,” Rob said.
Maggie nodded. “Everything is fine, at least with the kids. Andrew . . . well, he’s another story.”
Rob cocked his head to one side and stared at Maggie. “Do you want to talk about it? I’m a good listener.”
“Thanks, but no. I’ll leave it for another time. Right now, it looks like a beautiful day outside, and I’d rather go enjoy that instead.”
They sat at the table out on the veranda and enjoyed their coffee and the light, flaky croissants that Emma had made earlier that morning before Maggie was even awake. She couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of contentment when she bit into the delectable treat smothered with butter.
“These are incredible,” Maggie said as she buttered a second croissant. She looked up and saw Rob grinning at her, his eyes sparkling. “What?”
“It’s nice to see a woman actually enjoy food,” he said. “Most women I’ve known won’t touch bread or butter, or anything that’s the slightest bit fattening. You manage to not only enjoy it but continue to stay looking gorgeous.”
“Don’t be silly. I look like someone who eats bread and butter. But I don’t care. I’m not going to insult Emma by not eating her croissants.” Maggie looked around. “By the way, where is she? I didn’t see her when I came down.”
“She’s already gone. She came early this morning, and then headed out. She’s taking care of a little errand for me.”
After breakfast, Rob led Maggie out to the garage. He entered a code and the garage door opened to reveal his motorcycle and a big ATV.
“I thought I’d drive you around the property today on the four-wheeler,” Rob said. “There’s too much land to cover on foot.”
“That sounds like fun,” Maggie said. As she walked into the garage, she saw four vehicles parked side by side: two convertibles, a black SUV, and a pickup. “Wow, look at all the cars. Your insurance bill must be a doozy.”
Rob laughed. “What can I say? I love cars.”
“Do you have a chauffeur hiding around here somewhere to drive you around in all these vehicles?” Maggie asked, teasing.
“Very funny,” Rob said, grinning. “Hop on.”
They drove down the driveway and then took off on a dirt road that wound around the many acres of vineyard. At intervals, he’d stop and point out the different types of grapes. One section held grapes used to make Chardonnay, and another section was specifically for Pinot Noir. There were more grapes in different parts of the vineyard for making a variety of other red and white wines. Most of the vines had already been harvested. In one section where grapes still hung on the vines, Rob explained that they were harvested last, for the sweeter wines.
“For someone who doesn’t make wine, you sure know a lot about it,” she told him.
“Well, you can’t live around here and not learn something about the wine business,” he said, grinning again. “Tonight, we get to sample some of the wines made from these very fields.”
The day was gorgeous, with the temperature in the high seventies and a cooling breeze rolling off the ocean a few miles away. Whenever they stopped, Maggie snapped pictures of the colorful fields and rolling hills.
After a time, Rob drove up a hill to a gazebo that overlooked the fields. In the gazebo was a picnic table with a cooler sitting on it. “Emma left us some lunch up here,” he told Maggie. He offered his hand and she accepted it as she stepped off the four-wheeler.
They walked toward the gazebo and its welcoming shade. Maggie was aware that Rob hadn’t let go of her hand.
“Wow. Emma is everywhere, isn’t she?” Maggie said. “I wish I had an Emma of my own. Maybe if I’d had help at home, I wouldn’t have felt like running away.” The words came out before Maggie realized what she was saying, and she pulled her hand away from Rob’s and pursed her lips. “Sorry. Too much information.”
“I don’t mind,” Rob said casually as he began to unpack the cooler. Emma had packed sandwiches, strawberries, grapes, pasta salad, a bottle of red wine, and two glasses. There were also two bottles of water in the cooler.
“Wine?” Rob asked, looking over at Maggie.
Maggie nodded. “Sure. Why not?”
He opened the bottle and poured two glasses, and then they sat down at the table and began eating.
After a few quiet moments, Rob spoke up. “You can talk to me about anything,” he said as he took a sip of the wine. “As I said earlier, I’m a good listener.”
Maggie didn’t doubt that he was a good listener, on top of all the other things he seemed so good at. He was kind, warmhearted, and caring—that much was certain. He’d already found a small place in her heart, but she had to be careful not to let him get too close, or she might find herself doing something she’d regret.
“It’s not a very interesting story,” she said, looking out over the fields at the tall pines in the distance. “In fact, it’s probably the most clichéd story there is. Two people get married, have children, run into trouble, one cheats, and the other has a midlife crisis and runs off. I’d tell you the ending, but I don’t know it yet.”
Rob stood and walked over to Maggie’s side of the table. He sat down beside her, lifted her hand, and placed a light kiss on the back of it. “It may be an old story, but it hurts just the same. I hope your story has a happy ending,” he told her.
Maggie turned to face Rob. She cocked her head, eyes questioning his. “Why have you never married? You have everything a person could dream of, except someone to share it all with. I can’t imagine why someone hasn’t scooped you up yet.”
Rob laughed. “You give me too much credit.”
“Has there ever been anyone special?” Maggie wanted to know.
Rob looked up, then out into the horizon, his expression suggesting he was deep in thought. Finally, he turned back to Maggie. “There was someone once. It was a long time ago, before Matt and I sold our business. All those years I worked night and day, and I loved it. Work was my life. I had a girlfriend then, but she hated that I was married to my work. I couldn’t help it—I loved what I did, and I just knew that Matt and I would succeed. Finally, she left. A year later, we sold out. I think if she had just waited a little longer, we might have ended up married.”
“Did you ever contact her again?” Maggie asked.
“No. I heard she was married and had a couple of kids. I’m sure she’s happier with someone else.”
“Now you have time for someone in your life,” Maggie said softly.
Rob sat there, still holding Maggie’s hand, unconsciously rubbing his thumb back and forth across her palm. He looked up, meeting Maggie’s eyes. “Unfortunately, the right woman hasn’t come along,” he said.
The longing in Rob’s eyes was too much for Maggie. She broke away from his touch and stood, turning to stare out at the vineyards. From behind her, Rob’s words came through the air and landed softly on her heart. “I feel sorry for your husband. He doesn’t truly understand what he’s losing.”
Andrew sat on the bed for a long time after his conversation with Maggie. She was right. He had been angry at being caught like a child with his hand in the cookie jar. He’d resented ending the affair and blamed Maggie for it. So instead of coming home and begging her forgiveness, as he should have done, he’d masked himself with his anger and gone about his daily life without acknowledging what he’d done and trying to fix it. But he hadn’t done it on purpose. He hadn’t realized his whole being was reflecting how he felt.
“I’m not sure anymore that we can fix this,” Maggie had told him. Had he already lost her? Could he blame her if he had? She’d waited a long time for him to apologize, and he finally did. But was he too late?
Andrew stood and walked over to the wall of family photos in their room. The one that stood out was the one of Maggie and him together on the beach at Lake Tahoe when they were still in college. They had been so young then and so much in love. What had happened? They’d grown so far apart over the years that he hadn’t even noticed it had happened until he started looking at other women. But then he’d justified his actions by telling himself that Maggie wasn’t paying enough attention to him, and he deserved attention.
“I’m an idiot,” he said aloud in the empty room. “I sacrificed everything for a cheap affair.”
Andrew lifted the framed photo off the wall and sat once more on the bed, staring at the picture. Maggie had stayed with him even after she’d found out about the affair. At the time, he hadn’t realized how much she’d gone through to keep the family together. Now, he understood. It wasn’t only to give the kids a stable home. She had stayed because she’d believed that he would eventually feel some remorse for his actions and ask for her forgiveness. She had stayed because she still believed in him, even after everything he’d done. But now, she was gone. And at this very moment, she was with another man. A man who might have so much more to offer than he ever would. A man who might see in Maggie everything that Andrew had ignored for years.
“It can’t be over. Not yet,” Andrew said to the photo in his hands. “I love Maggie. I’ve always loved Maggie. I was too blinded by my own ambitions to see how good I had it all along.”
Suddenly, Andrew knew exactly what he had to do.
Downstairs, Kaia was eating breakfast and watching Saturday-morning cartoons that she was much too old for but enjoyed nonetheless. Andrew smiled at the sight of his daughter, sitting there in her pajamas, eating cereal and staring at the television. He wanted to remember this moment. The exact moment he’d decided he would do whatever it took to fix his family.
“What?” Kaia asked when she saw him staring at her.
Andrew walked over to the table and gave Kaia a hug from behind. She didn’t resist, but she turned to him afterward and looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.
“What was that all about?” she asked.
“Do you think you could stay with your friend Megan for a few days?” Andrew asked her.
Kaia shrugged. “I don’t know. I can ask. Why?”
Andrew grinned. “Because I’m going to go find your mother and bring her home.”
Maggie and Rob rode home on the four-wheeler in the late afternoon after touring a large portion of the property. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable back there,” Rob said as they both slipped off of the ATV in front of the garage.
Maggie shook her head. “No. It’s okay.”
“I’d hate for you to miss the party tonight because I said something that upset you,” Rob told her. “Do you still want to go?”
“Of course. I’ll go clean up. What time does it start?”
Rob smiled. “I think the tourist bus comes around five o’clock, so we can go down anytime after that.”
Maggie nodded, and then headed inside the house and up the stairs. When she entered her room, she was surprised to see a black sleeveless dress hanging by her closet. Below it was a pair of shiny red pumps. She slipped out of her sneakers and socks and tried on one of the shoes. It fit perfectly. She hoped the dress would, too.
Forty-five minutes later, Maggie headed back downstairs. The black dress fit like a glove. The bodice and waist were fitted, and the skirt flared out slightly from her hips down to just above her knees. The red shoes gave the outfit a pop of color, and were surprisingly comfortable. She didn’t know how Emma knew he
r sizes, or where she’d found the dress and shoes, but she was grateful she had. Maggie had left her hair down, styling it the way Bobbi had taught her, and was careful to do her makeup just right. She felt beautiful as she entered the family room, and the look on Rob’s face told her that he thought so, too.
“My goodness, you clean up nice,” he said with a grin.
Maggie smiled up at him. Rob looked handsome in tan trousers, a blue shirt and striped tie, and a navy blazer. “You don’t look so bad yourself,” she told him.
They walked down the driveway to the small house below. The party was in full swing when they arrived. A string quartet played softly in the background while waitresses mingled among the guests, offering glasses of wine as well as trays of cheeses, meats, crackers, and a variety of hot hors d’oeuvres.
Maggie gazed around the lovely little building. Outside on the veranda, ivy grew up the posts and twinkle lights were strung all around, creating a romantic effect. Inside, the room was a soft mustard-yellow, with terra-cotta tile floors and a cozy brick fireplace that was crackling with an inviting fire. Against another wall stood a long curved bar of gleaming oak, with padded stools lined in front of it. Behind the bar was a wall-length mirror with rows of sparkling wine glasses on shelves. There were tables and chairs strewn about, with a space left clear in front of the band for dancing. The guests were already enjoying the food and wine, and laughter filled the room and veranda.
Rob picked up two glasses of red wine off a server’s tray and handed one to Maggie. “We’ll start with their Pinot Noir, and then try some lighter wines,” he said. They clinked glasses and each took a small sip.
“Delicious,” Maggie said. “I’m not a wine connoisseur—in fact, I rarely ever drink alcohol—but this is very nice.”
“Then we’ll just sip, so you can try a few different ones. We don’t want you stumbling home, do we?” Rob asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Rob looked around the room, and then his eyes lit up. “I see the owners,” he said. “Let’s say hello.” Placing a hand on the small of Maggie’s back, he guided her toward his friends.
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