‘No.’ Emily raised her head to look at Maggie, her eyes dark with pain.
‘Why not?’
‘Because I haven’t told him,’ she rushed on, ‘I was going to after today’s wedding but now there’s no point.’
Of course there’s a point. He’s the father. He’s as responsible as you are and you’ve got to talk about this together.
‘If he doesn’t love me for myself then I don’t want him to stay with me out of pity or duty,’ Emily murmured, her words quiet but firm. ‘You won’t tell him, will you?’
‘Not if you don’t want me to, but I wish you’d reconsider. This is his baby as well as yours and he has a right to know.’
Her sister’s features hardened into a stubborn mask. ‘I’m not talking about it any more today.’
Maggie knew from bitter experience that when Emily dug her heels in nothing would budge her. She picked up the teapot and poured out another cup, adding milk and plenty of sugar before setting it quietly down in front of her sister. ‘Try that.’
‘Thanks.’
It was the closest she’d get to an apology. A wave of tiredness swept over her and all she wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for a solid eight hours.
‘I know I can be a bitch,’ Emily murmured and fixed her wide, blue-eyed gaze on Maggie.
How was she supposed to respond? She was too tired to lie, but the truth might set off another meltdown and she couldn’t cope with any more today.
‘Don’t say anything. Not now. I’m off back to bed,’ Emily declared and pushed her chair back to stand up.
Maggie nodded and let her sister go. She didn’t move straight away but simply sat there, listening to the rhythmic ticking of the kitchen clock and wondering how much harder her life could get.
Chapter Eleven
Chad finished his second cup of coffee and picked up the phone. It was ten o’clock and he couldn’t wait any longer to call Maggie. ‘Good morning, beautiful.’
‘I’m grateful we’re not on Skype. I’m not even dressed yet.’
The mental picture of Maggie – warm, rumpled and wearing whatever skimpy attire she slept in didn’t do his overwrought body any good. ‘I’m trying to be a gentleman so I won’t comment on that.’
‘Did you get back okay last night?’
Her swift change of subject made him smile and Chad quickly assured her the walk hadn’t killed him. ‘Did you get a good night’s sleep?’ An odd silence filled the line.
‘Sort of,’ Maggie sighed. ‘Things got more complicated after you left.’
He kept quiet and waited for her to explain.
‘Is your offer still open?’
Which one? Chad mentally smacked himself. ‘Lunch? Of course it is. Are you free?’
‘Emily says she’ll be fine so I’m taking her at her word.’
Bet that doesn’t happen often. ‘Great. I booked a table for one o’clock if that suits you?’
‘Sure of yourself, weren’t you?’
‘Hey, a guy’s got to eat. If you’d deserted me I’d be having a miserable, solitary lunch.’ He relaxed again when Maggie laughed ‘I’ll pick you up about twelve forty-five.’
‘There’s no need, I can …’
‘Stop. Please. I was raised a good Southern boy and if I don’t collect a lady properly for a date and return her safely afterwards my mother and daddy will haunt me forever.’
‘Oh, did you lose your parents too? You never said.’
Chad groaned. ‘I was teasing. My parents are fine.’ This was getting worse by the minute, now he’d made it sound as if them being dead would be a joke. ‘That didn’t come out right.’
‘Look, I’ll be ready. See you later.’ Maggie stopped his rambling in her usual decisive manner.
Next thing he was holding a dead phone and smiling to himself.
Maggie dragged out an armful of clothes and flung them all over the bed. She hadn’t been on a date for so long she didn’t have a clue what to wear. Maybe she’d ring back and cancel. She could claim she’d been struck down with a sudden illness.
‘It’s only lunch.’ Emily breezed in and dropped down to sit on the bed. ‘Don’t over think everything.’
Someone has to and you never do. ‘How’re you feeling?’
‘Sick. Pregnant.’ Emily nibbled on a cracker, dropping crumbs all over Maggie’s clothes and idly brushing them away. ‘And don’t fret about whether you can leave me alone.’
‘But …’
‘But nothing.’ Emily picked up a multi-coloured skirt from the pile. ‘God, this is ugly. Please tell me you’re not wearing this hideous thing?’ She selected another dress, an old summer floral Maggie loved and screwed up her nose. ‘This does nothing for you. For God’s sake give it to the charity shop.’
‘For heaven’s sake pick something.’ Maggie gave up, throwing her hands in the air.
‘Try these.’ A black wraparound skirt and short-sleeved bright pink jumper, both bought recklessly in a sale but never worn, were tossed at her.
Maggie peeled off her bathrobe and picked up the skirt to step into it.
‘Stop right there.’ Emily’s horrified shriek nearly made her wobble over. ‘Please tell me you weren’t going out in that awful ragged underwear?’
She gave an embarrassed glance down over her worn out grey bra and stretchy granny knickers. ‘What difference does it make? We’re simply having Sunday lunch together and I’m not planning to be dished up as the pudding.’
‘I would assume not, but you can’t feel good wearing those disgusting things,’ Emily persisted. ‘Decent underwear gives you confidence from the inside out. Do you have anything that fits and isn’t ten years old?’
Maggie opened the top drawer of her dresser and rifled around. ‘How about these?’ She held up a black lace bra and panty set she’d bought once in the hope of finding someone worth wearing them for.
‘Not bad. They’ll do. Get dressed.’
She did as she was told because it was easier than arguing.
‘What about shoes?’
Maggie picked up the sensible ones she’d worn to yesterday’s wedding and showed them to her sister, waiting to be vilified again.
Emily sighed and shook her head. ‘You can fit into a size six can’t you?’
‘Maybe.’
‘I’ll lend you my Manolo Blahniks if you take care of them.’ She hurried out of the room before Maggie could protest and soon returned, placing a pair of strappy black high-heeled shoes on the floor. ‘There you go. I suppose my feet will be too puffy to wear them soon anyway,’ she groused.
They were a little tight when she put them on but she didn’t dare to complain.
Emily peered at her face. ‘Are you wearing any make-up?’
‘Enough.’
‘At least let me find you a lipstick that matches.’
‘Okay.’ She waited patiently while her sister disappeared again and returned brandishing two tubes of lipstick. ‘Sit.’ Emily applied a rich dark pink layer to Maggie’s lips and added a coat of shiny gloss. ‘Stand up and look at yourself in the mirror.’
Maggie did as she was told, surprised by her reflection. ‘Oh.’ It was still her only more so.
‘Much better, isn’t it.’ Emily smirked. ‘You should make an effort more often. Now go and wait for your handsome suitor to arrive.’
‘Thanks.’ She hugged her sister, unable to express her gratitude sufficiently but hoping Emily might guess. The sisters-helping-each-other thing was an unknown experience for them and Maggie didn’t want to break the fragile, new bond.
Chad’s jaw dropped and he struggled not to ogle Maggie like a dirty old man. The softly draping skirt and pink top highlighted her feminine curves and her high heels drew his attention to a pair of shapely legs that’d been hidden under yesterday’s ugly dress and apron. If her sister wasn’t standing there like a Victorian chaperone he’d have already kissed the glossy pink layer off of Maggie’s lush mouth.
‘Do I
have something stuck between my teeth?’ Maggie asked and he managed to shake his head. ‘Then why are you staring?’
Because you’re the most beautiful woman on the planet and you don’t have a clue how lovely you are. He caught Emily’s eye and was surprised to receive a satisfied nod of approval. ‘You look different without the apron.’ Lame, but the best he could come up with so as not to humiliate himself in front of a woman he’d barely known for twenty-four hours.
‘I would hope so.’ Maggie’s pithy remark made him smile. ‘Are we going?’
‘Of course.’ Chad replied and then felt obliged to ask Emily to join them.
‘Thanks, it’s kind of you to offer but no. I’ll be fine with my ginger ale and crackers.’
Weird, but he didn’t comment, grateful to be turned down.
‘Maggie will explain I’m sure, now off you go.’ She shooed them away and disappeared towards the kitchen.
Chad led the way out to his car and helped Maggie in. Apart from thanking him she didn’t say a word and all his attempts at conversation during the ten minute drive to the pub failed.
‘This is the oldest pub in the area. I believe it dates back to about 1780,’ Maggie said as they got out and walked inside.
He wasn’t sure how to reply but thankfully the barman spotted him and asked them to go through to the dining room. Somehow they stumbled through choosing between roast beef, pork or lamb and decided on their drinks without really talking to each other.
Chad tried to think what topic of conversation to try next. His obvious admiration earlier must’ve freaked her out. ‘Are we still on for tomorrow?’ She threw him a puzzled look. ‘Tea with the dragon lady.’ When Maggie cracked a smile he almost cheered.
‘It’s practically a royal invitation and if we don’t turn up on time and decently dressed it’ll be the tower for us.’
‘Your head is far too pretty to be stuck on a pike,’ he joked, relieved when she joined in with his laughter.
Their appetisers arrived and when the waitress left Maggie stared down at her breaded mushrooms.
‘Have I upset you somehow?’ Chad needed to get this out in the open, whatever this was.
Chapter Twelve
Maggie didn’t know where to start without blubbering. Chad wanted pleasant, undemanding company for a few days not all the angst filling her life dumped on him. But the way he’d looked at her earlier had thrown her sideways. No man had ever done that before.
‘No, you haven’t done anything wrong.’ Except be a lovely man who’s out of my reach.
Chad gave her a shrewd, sweeping glance. ‘Yesterday we got on well and I was looking forward to getting to know you better. I thought you felt the same, but maybe I was mistaken?’
She shook her head and swallowed hard.
‘We both know I’m leaving on Wednesday, but that doesn’t have to stop us … does it?’ He picked up her hand, idly stroking her trembling fingers. ‘Maggie.’ His soft drawl lured her in again. ‘Don’t assume anything about me.’
‘One beef and one lamb.’
Maggie jerked her hand away and struggled to pay attention to the waitress, holding out two plates and waiting for them to speak. ‘The lamb is mine.’
For the next few minutes they had to tolerate being fussed over while sauces were fetched and glasses refilled until they were finally left alone again.
Chad tucked into his roast beef. ‘This is delicious. British food is obviously much maligned.’ A mischievous grin crept across his face. ‘Well, except in the case of Scotch eggs.’
‘Emily told me you weren’t a fan.’ Maggie smirked.
‘That’s an understatement, honey.’ He put on a fake shudder and she found herself laughing again. ‘That’s much better.’
‘What is?’
Chad rested his hand on her cheek. ‘I love your laughter. It’s so unrestrained and full of life.’
‘You mean loud and common.’
His broad smile warmed her all the way down to her toes. ‘Oh, Maggie Taylor, there’s nothing common about you. You’re unique.’
‘I meant common as in uneducated and badly brought up,’ she protested. ‘You are such a lawyer, tying me up in knots.’
Chad’s tawny eyes glowed and she couldn’t make herself look away from him. ‘I want you to be honest with me, whether it’s by laughing at something you find funny or telling me why you’re upset.’
She laid down her knife and fork. What did she have to lose? Her dignity. They wouldn’t see each other again after Wednesday so what difference did it make?
‘Emily’s pregnant.’ Maggie blurted it out and watched his eyes widen. ‘She hasn’t told Jonathan because she doesn’t want him to come back to her out of pity. I don’t know how I’m going to cope. Emily’s acting differently towards me, nicer I suppose I’d say, and I’m not sure about that either.’ She sucked in a deep breath. ‘My life has enough complications without the fact I really like you.’ Her voice trailed away and she wished she could crawl under the table and hide.
‘I’ve always been one for complicated, and I really like you too so it’s all good.’ Chad lowered his voice. He couldn’t resist reaching across and pressing a soft kiss on her flushed cheek, the hint of vanilla and warmth rising from her skin making him ache for so much more. ‘How about we finish lunch and take our coffee out in the garden?’ He gestured subtly towards the older couple at the next table flagrantly listening to their conversation.
‘Oh, yes, fine.’ She caught on and started to eat again.
‘What’s this?’ Chad prodded at a crispy, golden-brown puffed object on his plate and Maggie grinned.
‘It’s a Yorkshire pudding and traditionally served with roast beef. It’s made with a batter, rather like pancakes.’
He took a bite and was relieved to find it light and delicious so it didn’t have to join Scotch eggs on his list of British foods to be avoided. ‘It’s good.’ Maggie launched into a long explanation about its origins, describing how in Yorkshire it would be baked in a large tin instead of individual servings.
‘You’d get a square of pudding served with gravy before the meal, it was supposed to fill people up when there wasn’t much beef to go around.’
‘Makes sense. Southern cornbread served pretty much the same purpose I’m guessin’.’ Chad glanced over to see their table neighbours had lost interest and winked at Maggie. ‘I think we’re safe,’ he whispered.
They chatted happily and finished their meals.
‘Dessert? Or should I say pudding?’ he teased.
‘You can call it what you like but I don’t want any, thanks,’ Maggie insisted. ‘That was delicious but I’m stuffed.’
He appreciated the fact she’d enjoyed her food and had answered his question honestly. ‘Me too. I’ll ask about coffee.’
Ten minutes later they’d retreated to a quiet corner of the pretty garden, well away from the wooden picnic tables full of families enjoying the warm summer day. Chad sat back and let Maggie pour their drinks before he said anything.
‘Tell me about Emily.’
Maggie’s eyes widened. ‘Goodness. I don’t know where to start.’
‘The beginning? It’s usually the best place.’
‘Right, well here goes.’ She attempted to smile but it didn’t reach her worried eyes.
Chad listened. He was an expert at that, but having to sit still and hear about the burdens placed on this lovely woman was still tough. She’d been steered into becoming responsible for her sister as a child and although they were now adults the two women kept to their same assigned roles. Maggie told him everything about her conversation with her sister the previous day before she ran out of steam, going very quiet and staring off into the distance.
‘I don’t know either of you well, so take what I say with a pinch of salt, but I’m guessin’ she’s starting to question the way things are between you as much as you are.’
Maggie sighed. ‘We’ve been this way for all our lives. I
’m sure neither of us would know where to begin making changes.’
He only hesitated for a second. If things were normal and he’d met Maggie in Nashville he could’ve taken his time but Chad’s normal way of going on hadn’t worked well with other women so maybe it was time to change things up. ‘It sounds as though Emily’s making a start already. I totally get why the idea freaks you out.’
‘No, you don’t, so please don’t say so just to come across as sympathetic.’
Chad ignored her and ploughed on. ‘My only brother, Josh, is ten years older so we were never close as kids. We didn’t argue or fight but just drifted apart and now don’t seem to have anything in common.’
‘How do you know if you never see him? I’m sure you’ve changed since you were a child and he must’ve done too.’ She pinned him down in one moment.
‘He came home for a visit after leaving the army last year, but we didn’t talk much.’ Understatement. ‘He moved out to Colorado, bought a few acres of land and doesn’t see anyone much,’ Chad muttered, staring at a knot in the table instead of meeting Maggie’s far too perceptive gaze.
‘He sounds like a man in need of a good brother.’ Her quiet, precise words struck at his core and Chad swallowed down the painful emotions tightening his throat. ‘Perhaps you should go and visit him whether he invites you or not?’
‘Yeah. I’d pretty much decided to do that when I get back. Recently I’ve done a lot of thinking about Josh and a ton of other stuff.’ He picked up her hand, needing the reassuring contact. ‘I’m not always the man you see now, Maggie.’ She raised her eyebrows but didn’t comment. ‘Back in Nashville I’ve got a reputation as a hard-working, hard-partying bachelor who’s determined to stay that way. My last girlfriend told me I was a flash, selfish bastard – too charming and handsome for my own good.’
The Wedding Reject Table (Choc Lit) (Nashville Connections Book 2) Page 6
