At a few minutes before ten o’clock, Maggie heard the door open and close. Giggly girl voices filled the other room, and she knew it was Angie and Dina, best friends she met last August, who had hired her on the spot. They were in each others’ weddings and had scheduled them three weeks apart, so Angie, the first to marry, could return from her honeymoon in time to share in all the bridal shower and bachelorette party fun. They were both sweet girls, and Maggie was looking forward to their weddings.
Sarah had already taken their coats when Maggie emerged from her office.
“Hey, girls.” She greeted them with a smile.
“Maggie!” They both screeched and quickly crossed the room.
She laughed as they simultaneously squeezed her.
“We are so excited.” Angie’s shoulder length blonde curls bobbed up and down as she spoke.
“This is going to be amazing having you at both our weddings.” Dina took a seat on the leather sofa. “I can’t believe we’re down to like four months until Angie’s wedding already.”
Maggie took a seat on her “throne”.
Both girls had folders filled with information on locations, times, timelines of the day, seating charts — the works. Maggie was impressed by their thorough organization.
The three of them spent more than an hour going over all the details for both weddings. Angie and Dina were very much alike on the surface, but their wedding plans could not have been more different. Angie’s church wedding would be pink with tons of pink roses everywhere followed by a country club reception. Dina had something different in mind — chocolate brown and ivory, with blue hydrangeas, white roses and lilies, with ceremony and reception held at the public museum in downtown Grand Rapids. Maggie was excited for both weddings. Client meetings always got her itching to get out there and shoot.
Dina turned to Maggie as they gathered their coats. “I saw there’s a new photography studio opening up down the street. Will that hurt your business at all?”
“Nah.” She shook her head and tried to sound confident. “They’ll do a lot of in-studio portrait work.”
“No weddings?” Dina asked.
“There will be a wedding photographer there, but he has a completely different style than mine. He does a lot of posed pictures in more of a fashion magazine style.”
“Oh, really?” Angie was intrigued. “I’ve seen some weddings like that online. I love those.”
Maggie pursed her lips and nodded. She glanced over at Sarah, who was watching and listening intently from her desk.
“Oooh, I would love to have that done,” Angie continued. “Maggie, would you be offended if I hired him for a couple hours for my wedding?”
“Angie,” Dina tapped her arm. “That’s rude.”
“No, it’s fine.” Maggie’s throat felt tight as she spoke. “If that’s something you’re interested in, we can meet with him and talk about it. I can set it up if you want.” She spoke before she thought about what she was saying.
Angie replied with a hug. “Maggie, you are the best. I still want you to do your thing, and I wouldn’t want this to get in the way of that. It would just be so cool to have some pictures like that, too.”
“You should probably make sure something like that’s in your budget before you get all excited about it, right?” Dina interjected.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Angie agreed.
The girls started laughing. Maggie faked a laugh and looked again at Sarah, who sadly stuck her bottom lip out.
Maggie wished the girls a nice afternoon as they headed out. The thought of calling Simon made her uneasy. She had a feeling he wasn’t going to agree to the meeting until she admitted that he was right about everything. She grabbed her coat and headed next door to the Walldorff Brewpub & Bistro for her lunch meeting with DeDe.
“I feel like such an idiot.” Maggie shared the entire story with DeDe, from the drink at the bar to their conversation at Christmas. “I know he’s probably right, and I let how I feel about him cloud my judgment.”
“How do you feel about him?” DeDe raised her eyebrow.
“Not like that,” Maggie replied. “He’s always been such an arrogant jerk, so the idea of promoting his business was the last thing I ever wanted to do. But just today, I had my June brides ask me about his studio, and when I told them about his fashion photos, they went crazy. Now one of them wants to hire him to do some couple shots at their wedding. My couple shots. I’m gonna be sick.” She stirred the ice cubes in her drink with the straw. “I want my brides to be happy, though, so if this is what she wants then I’ll make it happen. I just never thought I’d actually have to work a wedding with Simon.”
“Maybe he won’t be available on that date.”
She got a huge smile on her face. “Oh my gosh, De! I hadn’t even thought of that. I knew there was a reason you’re my friend.”
DeDe chuckled. “So, what else is new? Are you seeing anyone?”
Maggie laughed out loud at the absurdity of the question. She was far too busy for dating.
“You’ve gotta get back out there, Mags.”
“Can’t I just live vicariously through my brides?” She wished DeDe had never brought it up.
“For a while, maybe. But I know you. You’re gonna want to be the bride someday.”
She shook her head bitterly. “It didn’t serve me well last time.”
“And you’re better off for not marrying Ben,” DeDe reassured her. “You should be thanking God every day that you didn’t.”
Maggie sighed. “It’s been almost five years.” She didn’t want to think about Ben. She had gotten very good at pretending he had never existed in the first place.
DeDe rifled through her purse looking for her Blackberry. “Let’s see. Who can I set you up with?” She clicked through her contact list.
“Put that thing away,” Maggie insisted. She grabbed for the Blackberry, knocking it out of DeDe’s hands. It flew up in the air and landed in DeDe’s purse as if on target.
“I totally planned that,” Maggie said with a laugh.
After lunch, Maggie drove north to Grand Rapids. She usually enjoyed driving to meetings. It was a peaceful time to listen to her favorite music, get out of the office for a while, and clear her head. But this drive was torture. One mention of Ben and she could not get him out of her mind. She wished DeDe had never spoken his name. The memories began to seep back in, and she did her best to stop them. But it was too late. He was there, riding shotgun, the radio cranked up, singing along, pretending the dashboard was a drum. She missed listening to him sing and singing along to their favorite songs.
She couldn’t clearly remember his face any more, and that brought her a strange kind of comfort. It had been so long since she’d last seen him that she could no longer recall the exact color of his eyes, the shape of his nose, or the way his mouth curved up at the corner when he smiled at her. It was there, buried deep down, but she preferred to leave it there indefinitely.
Maggie arrived at the Panera Bread on 28th Street ten minutes before her scheduled meeting. She scanned the room for couples, but none appeared to be waiting for her, so she went to the counter and ordered something to drink.
“Come here often?” A sudden tap on her shoulder startled her.
She turned to face Simon’s crooked grin.
“What are you doing here?”
“I had a meeting,” he replied. “What about you? Here for a late lunch?”
“Don’t you usually meet people at your studio?” She was annoyed to see him.
“I do.” He nodded. “But my couple had another meeting here, so I came to them.”
She suddenly had a sick feeling in her stomach. “Another meeting? Oh, no. I can’t believe this.”
“What?”
“I think I’m their other meeting.”
His eyebrows raised in surprise. “Will and Jackie?”
She nodded sadly.
Simon laughed hysterically.
S
he crossed her arms and stared at him. “This is so not funny.”
“It kind of is.” He could not control his laughter.
“Stop laughing.” Her eyes narrowed.
“Sorry.” He patted her on the arm in mock comfort. “Want me to stick around for moral support?”
Maggie’s eyes spoke for her.
“They’re over there by the window. Good luck, Canon.” He turned and walked out, laughing all the way.
Unbelievable.
It was dark by the time Maggie returned to Hastings. The meeting had gone well, but she felt unsure of herself the whole time, thinking Simon had probably wowed them. Her mood was too foul for dinner at her parents’, so she returned to her shop to work on the album design instead.
When she arrived, the lights still shone through the front window. Sarah usually left by five and never forgot to turn off the lights, so this surprised her. She was even more surprised when she walked through the door and found Tom standing by Sarah’s desk.
“What are you doing back here?” Maggie asked. “I thought you had to work.”
He smiled at her and faked a cough. “I’m feeling a little under the weather.”
“Nice.” She grinned. “Have you been waiting long?”
“Oh, uh.” He glanced over at Sarah, then looked at Maggie uncomfortably. “I wasn’t waiting for you.”
Maggie smiled knowing she wouldn’t have to intercede after all. “OK. Well, I’m gonna get some work done then.”
She disappeared into her office and closed the doors to give them privacy. Sarah’s laugh occasionally echoed in the other room. Maggie was happy they had connected. Her brother had dated a few girls in the past, but never anyone special. Sarah was an amazing person, and Maggie hoped this was the beginning of something wonderful for them.
There was a soft knock on the door, and Sarah peeked in. “I’m heading out.”
“With my brother?” Maggie asked even though she already knew the answer.
Sarah blushed a little. “See you tomorrow.”
She loved the thought of her brother and her best friend together. Her mind wandered to the two of them dating, falling in love, and getting engaged. But her thoughts soon turned to the night Ben asked her to marry him. It was hard to think about those happy moments when they were so overshadowed by all that came after. She remembered their engagement picture in the newspaper announcing the wedding that would never be, the boxes and boxes of unused decorations, the pile of wedding invitations that, luckily, were never sent.
Her eyes burned and her chest tightened as the tears threatened to fall. “No!” Her voice echoed back at her in the empty office. “I will not cry over you again.”
So she shoved the memories into a room in the deepest, darkest corner of her heart and locked it up with chains and the biggest padlock she could conjure. It was the way she had dealt with the breakup five years ago, not to deal with it at all. The pattern continued.
February 13, 2009
Friday the 13th
“I booked your Vegas ticket today.” Sarah handed Maggie a hot cup of coffee. “Wish I could go with you and escape this nasty winter.”
“I know,” she sadly replied. “I wish I could take you with me, too, but who would hold down the fort?”
“Things would crumble if I wasn’t here to hold it all together,” Sarah declared confidently.
“Are you and Tom going out again this weekend? Celebrating Valentine’s Day maybe?” She winked.
“It’s only been a couple weeks, Maggie.” She blushed a little.
“But you’re going out, right?”
Sarah smiled shyly. “Yeah.”
Maggie chuckled, then almost spit her coffee out when she saw what was on her computer screen.
“Oh my gosh!” She erupted with laughter.
“What is it?” Sarah ran around the desk to get a better view.
On the screen was an email attachment with the famous Uncle Sam poster, except Simon’s face was superimposed. Large red lettering across the top and bottom read, “SIMON WALKER WANTS YOU. IN VEGAS.”
“Apparently, Simon has booked a big suite at the hotel in Vegas, and he’s inviting people to come party with him the last night of the convention.”
Sarah wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. “Are you going?”
“As if.” Maggie gave her best impression of Alicia Silverstone from the movie Clueless.
“Well, he did invite you even after everything that happened at Christmas.”
“I’m sure he sent them to every photographer in his contact list.”
Sarah nodded. “You’re probably right.” She paused to take another look at the invite, then giggled all the way back to her seat.
Friday the thirteenth was probably the worst day to set a meeting with Simon Walker, but nevertheless, it was the only date Angie had available to discuss Simon’s fashion photos for her wedding. Instead of calling him to set it up, she had taken the coward’s way and emailed. He replied immediately and was more than happy to oblige.
Maggie sat nervously in her office tapping her fingernails on the desk, bouncing her knee, clicking a pen. She was uncertain how this would go. Simon would soon arrive, and she had no control over how he would act or what he would say. This made her more than a little uneasy.
She could no longer sit still, so she made sure there were clean glasses on hand to offer drinks. She tidied up the meeting area, which was normally Sarah’s job, but she had taken a long lunch to find a dress to wear for her Valentine’s date with Tom.
The door opened fifteen minutes early. She was not surprised to see Dina tagging along with Angie.
“We’re a little early.” Angie removed her coat and placed it in Maggie’s outstretched hand. She took the same seat on the sofa she had taken two weeks before. “I’m just so excited.”
“That’s OK. Mr. Walker should be here soon.” She wasn’t sure why she had referred to him as “Mr. Walker”. It sounded strange as the words rolled off her tongue, but it seemed like the professional thing to say.
The girls chatted until Simon strode in a few minutes later with portfolio in hand.
“Mr. Walker.” Angie jumped up. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
“Oh, call me Simon,” he stated with outstretched hand.
Angie shook his hand. “OK, Simon.”
He glanced at Maggie, who was seated in her usual spot in the wingback chair.
Simon shook Dina’s hand then took a seat on the ottoman next to Maggie. “Hey, Canon,” he spoke quietly.
She held her hand out toward his portfolio, signaling him to proceed.
He opened the black leather case, and the girls ooh’d and aah’d over his fashion formals.
“So, which one of you lovely ladies is interested?” He gave them both a killer smile.
Maggie felt awkward sitting in her chair while Simon sold himself and his work to her clients. Part of her wished the girls had met with him alone at his studio, but she wanted to be there to make sure he didn’t talk them into something crazy, like hiring him to work the entire wedding with her.
The phone suddenly rang. “Sorry.” She excused herself for a moment to answer it.
“Magnolia Photography. This is Maggie.”
“How’s it going?” asked Sarah.
Maggie turned her body away from her guests. “It’s weird,” she whispered. “I don’t like this at all.”
“What’s happening?”
“He’s being all nice and charming and they’re eating it up. He’s really good at this.”
“So are you, Maggie,” Sarah reminded her. “Don’t let him steal the show.”
“I know.” She paused for a moment, thankful that Sarah was such an encouragement to her. “Where are you?”
“I found the dress for tomorrow night. I’m so excited. I hope Tom likes it.”
“Awesome. Are you coming back now?” Maggie was excited for Sarah and Tom, but at the moment all she could focus on was
what was happening across the room.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. Don’t worry, OK?”
She turned in time to see Simon standing outside holding the door open for the girls. “Oh, this can’t be good. I gotta go.” She abruptly hung up.
“Done so soon?” she called after them. “What did we decide?”
“Simon’s gonna show us his new studio.” Angie wrapped a scarf around her neck as she walked out the door.
“You don’t mind, do you, Maggie?” Dina’s voice trailed off as she exited the building and hurried down the street behind Simon and Angie.
They left without another word or even an invitation to join them. Maggie sat in her favorite chair and stared at the door. She was in shock. Simon had completely taken over the meeting and had them all to himself now. She knew this was a bad idea from the start, but she went along with it anyway. And now she was left feeling completely defeated and betrayed. It probably shouldn’t have surprised her that he would do something so inconsiderate, but it did. The decent thing would have been to ask her. But Simon didn’t have a decent bone in his body.
She sat and stared at the door until Sarah returned some time later.
Sarah slowly approached and waved her hand in front of Maggie’s face. “Mags? What are you looking at?”
Her gaze shifted to Sarah. “He took them.”
“What do you mean he took them? Where?”
“Away.” She loosely waved her hand toward the street.
“They left with him?” Sarah’s eyes widened.
“Yep.” Maggie felt numb.
“Are you kidding me? And you didn’t follow them?”
She shook her head. “I froze.”
Sarah walked out the front door and looked toward Walker’s studio. “Are they coming back?”
Goodbye, Magnolia (Cornerstone Book 1) Page 5
