by B. J Daniels
He was going to ask Maggie to marry him. He was going to do it this weekend. He’d already made a dinner reservation at the local steak house. He had the ring in his pocket. Now it was just a matter of popping the question and hoping she said yes. If she did... Well, then, this was going to be the best Christmas ever, he thought and smiled.
CHAPTER TWO
EVERY DAY THAT Maggie didn’t run into Flint’s ex in the small town where they both lived was a great day. In fact, it had been so long since she’d seen the woman that Maggie was beginning to think that either Celeste had left town or become a housebound recluse.
So it was no surprise when her luck gave out. She was starting down the produce aisle at the only grocery store in town when she smelled the woman’s perfume and made the mistake of looking up.
Celeste made a beeline for her. Dressed in a navy-and-white suit with matching spectator shoes and bag, the blonde looked like something out of an old movie. This was Gilt Edge, where no one dressed up except for weddings and funerals.
Maggie, of course, was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers since it was her day off. Her long curly auburn hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Nor was she wearing any makeup. She hadn’t even put in her favorite earrings, a pair of silver hoops Flint had given her on her birthday.
“I was just picking up a few things on my way home from the park planning committee meeting,” Celeste said, as if Maggie had asked.
Her blond hair was cut in a perfect bob that was short enough it didn’t hide the large diamonds at her ears. She blinked her big green eyes, clearly waiting for Maggie to respond.
Taken by surprise and feeling as if she’d been ambushed, Maggie had no comment. She put the cantaloupe she’d been holding into her cart and simply smiled at Celeste. She’d been raised to not be rude, so it was hard for her, even with Flint’s ex.
“Well,” Celeste said in that bubbly way of hers—at least around Maggie. “I thought for sure I’d be hearing you and Flint were getting married.” She cocked her head a little as she stared at Maggie’s left hand resting on the edge of the grocery cart. “But I don’t see an engagement ring on your finger.” She lifted a brow as if to ask, “What’s up with that?”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Maggie said and told herself to leave it at that. But, of course, she couldn’t. “We’re taking things slow, for obvious reasons.”
All the bubble left Celeste’s face. “His first marriage wasn’t that bad, no matter what he says.”
“I was actually referring to your inability to let him go so he can be happy.”
The woman looked taken aback. “Is that what he thinks?”
“It’s what we both think. Why else would you have vandalized my beauty shop or tried to burn down my house?”
Celeste shook her head. “If that were true, wouldn’t I be behind bars? Anyway, your house didn’t burn down.”
“No thanks to you. Lucky you didn’t leave any evidence or you’d be in jail right now.”
Celeste shook her head as if sad. “As I told Flint, I haven’t done anything to keep the two of you apart. Maybe one of you is using it as an excuse. If you wanted to be together, I couldn’t keep you apart no matter what I did. Flint sure didn’t have any trouble asking me to marry him.”
The woman always had to remind Maggie that she’d had Flint first. She bit her tongue, afraid of what might come out, and willed Celeste to walk away before it was too late. But, of course, she didn’t.
One of the woman’s finely honed brows lifted. “So if Flint is dragging his feet, it isn’t because of me. Maybe he’s realized what I’ve been telling him, that the two of you are wrong for each other, nothing personal. Then again, Flint has never listened to any advice I ever gave him. Why would he now?” With that, Celeste let out a light laugh and said, “Merry Christmas!” and turned and left, her high heels tapping briskly as she rounded the corner of the aisle.
Maggie stood, shaking violently with rage. Why did she let the woman get to her like that? Because Celeste was determined to keep her and Flint apart, no matter what she said. It wasn’t that long ago that Celeste had stopped by the beauty shop as she was closing and warned her to leave Flint alone. She might act innocent, but she was far from it.
Feeling sick to her stomach, Maggie leaned against her grocery cart and tapped in Flint’s number. For weeks, she’d been the one dragging her feet.
“I want to move in with you,” she said into the phone when he answered now.
He laughed. “Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
“Well, whatever made you change your mind, I couldn’t be happier. When?”
“I think I’ll bring a few things over today.” She knew if she put it off, she might change her mind again.
“Great. We’re still on for our date Friday night, though, right?”
“Absolutely,” she said, feeling herself calm down a little. Flint had that effect on her. She loved this man and had for some time. If it wasn’t for Celeste they would have been together long before this.
As she disconnected, she reminded herself that when Flint had suggested they move in together it was right after an incident at her beauty shop. Maggie had said she wasn’t going to let Celeste run her life and be the impetus that had them living together. Had she just let Celeste force her into this?
She sighed and looked into her nearly empty grocery cart. Her refrigerator was almost as empty. She really needed to shop, but her heart wasn’t in it. She was moving in with Flint. As much as she’d tried, she couldn’t work up any enthusiasm about it because...she’d let Celeste goad her into it. This was definitely not the way she wanted her relationship with Flint to go.
Maggie almost called him back, but stopped herself when she saw Celeste at the end of the aisle. Had the woman overheard her phone call to Flint? She groaned at the thought. Now if she called Flint back, Celeste would still think they were moving in together, so the damage was already done. And Flint would think she’d lost her mind for changing it again.
Maybe she had lost her mind, she thought, because she should be happy. She realized a part of her was happy. She wanted to be with Flint. She had let Celeste keep them apart too many times. Moving in was the right thing to do. She took her time shopping, hoping if she dragged it out long enough, Celeste would have left the store. She wasn’t up for another run-in.
It had been months since Celeste had done something to interfere in her relationship with Flint. If Celeste had overheard the call, then now she knew. Better to hear it from Maggie than from the local gossips. Maybe this would all turn out fine, Maggie told herself as she took her full cart and headed for the checkout. She’d bought something special for dinner tonight—at Flint’s.
* * *
“I’M A LITTLE worried about Flint,” Lillie said when she found her brother Darby behind the bar at the Stagecoach Saloon, the bar and café they owned together.
“This is something new? What did he do? Arrest Dad again?” her handsome brother asked, not sounding worried.
“No, but only because Dad has been up in the mountains since our joint wedding,” she said. “Which reminds me—where is Mariah?”
“She went into town. She thinks we need more than one set of sheets.”
Lillie laughed. “She is going to domesticate you yet.”
He grumbled under his breath. “So what is up with Flint?”
“He’s going to ask Maggie to marry him.” She climbed up on a stool and he poured her a cola. Having shared the womb together, she and Darby often communicated without a word. Lillie loved how close they were, so close that they’d had a double wedding.
“So he’s finally going to do it,” Darby said. “Good luck with that.”
She took a sip of her cola and frowned. “What?”
“Just
that word will get around. Isn’t he worried about Celeste, given her former reactions to him and Maggie? The woman always did seem...unhinged.”
“I know. Flint’s worried, considering what Celeste has done to keep them apart. But he isn’t going to let her stop him. Why does she have to be like that? It makes me want to go over to her house and—”
“Punching her in the mouth probably wouldn’t be helpful, but please be my guest. I suspect she just can’t let go of him. She certainly took him on a wild ride when she was married to him. She always has to get her way. I often wondered if she wouldn’t go over the edge if Flint ever found someone else. Maggie is perfect for Flint. I’m just glad he realizes it.”
“They deserve a happy-ever-after.”
“You’re such a romantic,” Darby said with a shake of his head, but he was smiling. “Maybe we’re all worrying for nothing. As far as I know, Celeste hasn’t done anything crazy for a while.”
“No, but Maggie and Flint haven’t moved in together, either. Once he pops the question and puts that big diamond on her finger...” Lillie shrugged and finished her cola. “I have a doctor’s appointment.” She slid off her stool and patted her tummy, grinning. “How is Mariah feeling? When I talked to her she hadn’t had any morning sickness yet.” Lillie mugged a face. “I wish I could say that. Too bad it isn’t only in the mornings.”
“So far so good,” he said, tapping the top of the wooden bar. “I can’t believe you two might give birth just days apart.”
“Days, ha,” Lillie said. “I’m going into labor when she does. I want our kids to be close. We couldn’t have planned this better.”
He shook his head. “Knowing you, you probably will go into labor when Mariah does. Once you make up your mind on something...”
“I hope Maggie lets me help with the wedding,” Lillie was saying, having already shifted gears. “Where do you think she’d want to have it?”
Her brother threw up his hands. “I’m not talking wedding with you. Go find Mariah. Or better yet, go see what Hawk and Cyrus would suggest for the wedding.” He laughed. Their brothers were rancher bachelors who hardly dated. They’d had a hard enough time getting through the recent double wedding and reception since they spent more time with their cows than people.
“Maybe I will go visit Hawk and Cyrus. Did you see Hawk talking to that old girlfriend of his at our reception? I think there is still something there.”
The front door opened and two couples came in. Darby looked relieved to get out of that conversation as he headed down the bar to serve them.
* * *
MAGGIE DIDN’T SPEND any more time worrying about her decision. Moving in with Flint had been impulsive, but now that she’d said she would, darned if she wasn’t going to do it. She hurried home and began to pack.
She would haul over just a few things to begin with. She’d taken Flint by surprise on the phone. She hoped he was happy about this. The more she thought about it, the more she thought it really was a good idea. She’d never let herself think about the future with Flint. It seemed too good to be true.
Now, though, she let herself consider it. She had one desire that she’d never shared with anyone, maybe especially Flint. She wanted children before her biological clock ran out. She and Flint had never discussed it, but maybe they would now. He would make such a great father.
Once inside the house she rented, she loaded a few things into an overnight bag and took them out to her car. She slowed as she started to go back inside for more, feeling as if someone was watching her. Looking around, she didn’t see anyone. It was a quiet street, the houses on large lots with pine trees providing privacy. She’d always liked that about the neighborhoods in Gilt Edge.
But right now, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Someone was watching her. The thought made her feel foolish. She blamed it on running into Celeste at the grocery store earlier. The woman gave her chills. To the rest of the townspeople, Celeste might seem normal, but Maggie and the Cahills all suspected she could be more than vindictive. She could be dangerous.
Back inside the house, she threw a few more things into a bag, excited about the special meal she’d make for Flint tonight. It would be their first night together in his home. Their home. It would be a surprise—just like her moving in had been.
Getting excited about the idea of them being together all the time, she went to the freezer for the shrimp she’d picked up at the market. It didn’t take her long to put all the ingredients she would need into a small cooler. As she did, she was mentally making lists in her head.
She had to let her landlord know that she was moving. She’d have to see about getting some time off from work so she could move in properly. She didn’t want to have a bunch of boxes sitting around Flint’s house. It would be an adjustment for them both, but maybe especially for Flint.
Celeste seemed to think that Flint had talked to her about his first marriage. But it had been just the opposite. He’d made a point of avoiding the subject. Whatever problems they’d had, Maggie knew nothing about them. Which was good because she hadn’t wanted to talk about her past, either. She just hoped that she would be a better wife to him.
The fact that she was even thinking about the woman made her grit her teeth. But unfortunately, Celeste had been a factor since the beginning. Maybe now, though, all that was behind them. She had to believe that. She loved Flint. Didn’t love conquer all?
As she took the rest out to the car, she still found herself looking around. She tried to shake the feeling that someone was watching her, but it was too strong. Sliding behind the wheel, she started the car and pulled out. As she did, she glanced in her rearview mirror.
Maggie knew she was looking for Celeste’s huge dark SUV. There was one like it parked way down the block, but she couldn’t be sure that was hers. Closer, she spotted a brown van parked on the street a couple of houses back. It was hard to tell with the sun glinting off the windshield, but it appeared someone was sitting behind the wheel.
Probably just a repairman waiting for one of her neighbors, she told herself. She had to quit this. For so long, she’d been running scared. She liked to blame Celeste, but Maggie suspected her real fear was of losing Flint. She loved him so much. What if she moved in with him and he realized he didn’t feel as strongly about her? Maybe Celeste was right. Maybe there was a reason Flint hadn’t asked her to marry him. Maybe he never would.
With a curse, she shifted her car into gear, angry that she’d let Celeste back in her head. She had to stop always thinking something terrible was going to happen when she and Flint were together. She had to believe in the two of them. She also had to believe that she could overcome her past.
Sometimes their future seemed like a brass ring suspended in front of her. All she had to do was grab it—and not look back. But her life hadn’t been easy, far from it. A part of her wondered if she deserved to be happy.
As she drove down the street, she noticed all the Christmas decorations in the yards. Red, green and white lights twinkled in the afternoon light. From one yard, a huge snowman waved to her in the breeze. She smiled and tried to relax. It was almost Christmas. She needed to be thinking about what she was going to get Flint. It would be their first Christmas together. They should get a tree and decorate it together, she thought as she drove, her mood lifting.
At the stop sign, she couldn’t help herself. She glanced back in her rearview mirror. The brown van was two vehicles back.
The moment the light changed, she peeled out, burning rubber as she took off. She thought about calling Flint. And telling him what? I saw a van on my street and now it’s behind me?
In a town this size, that wasn’t unusual. But as she neared Flint’s street, she noticed the time. Maybe he’d get off work early knowing she was going to be there. Maybe he’d be at the house waiting for her. It would ruin her dinn
er surprise, but she didn’t care. Sometimes she just needed his arms around her and right now was one of them.
The van was still behind her. Only one car back now. She still couldn’t see the driver for the glare of the setting sun. She turned onto Flint’s street and glanced in the mirror, afraid she would see the van turning in behind her. Instead, it sped on past and disappeared around the next corner.
She pulled into Flint’s drive and slumped against the wheel. What was wrong with her? She couldn’t keep going like this, making trouble where there wasn’t any. She thought about her past relationships and the mistakes that she’d made. She wasn’t going to do that with Flint. She’d learned her lesson. Wasn’t that why she’d moved to Gilt Edge? She’d wanted to be someone else. Anyone but the Margaret Ann Thompson she’d been born.
She shut off the car engine and looked toward Flint’s house in the pines. The place fit him. It was secluded with the nearest neighbor back up the street and hidden in the trees. The house sat on a slight hill, the empty lot behind it falling to the next street in a thick grove of pine trees.
Maggie was sure that the seclusion had been part of the charm. The house itself was small and neat, nice inside, though basic. She thought of ways she could make it more homey. Make it more theirs, since he’d lived in this house with Celeste. But that had been a long time ago, so she wasn’t going to let that bother her.
Excitement filled her as she grabbed a couple of her bags and headed for Flint’s back door. As she did, she saw one of the neighbors down the street out at her mailbox. The neighbor waved. Maggie waved back, feeling as if she’d finally come home.
Flint had given her a key last time they talked about moving in together. She’d never used it. But she doubted she would have to now. He always left the back door unlocked. Just like a sheriff, she thought with a smile. He wasn’t worried about anyone breaking in.
She’d been worried when he’d told her. “What about Celeste?”
“She took everything she wanted when she left,” he’d said with a laugh. “Trust me, she has no reason to return.”
