The Man for Maggie

He found her standing at the kitchen counter, assembling two enormous sandwiches. “Can I help?”

“Sure. There’s a pitcher of lemonade in the fridge and glasses in the far cupboard.”

He grabbed the glasses and opened the fridge. One shelf was completely filled with labeled plastic containers.

Oatmeal Cleanser.

Banana-Honey Anti-Aging Mask.

Cream of Wheat Body Scrub.

Cream of Wheat? Oh, man. She really was something.

He closed the fridge door, his amusement tempered by pangs of guilt. Ten years ago this neighborhood had been filled with run-down old houses like this one. Thanks to the town council’s ambitious program to attract tourists, most of the houses had been restored to their original elegance. Many were still private residences but others had been converted into antique shops, art galleries and cafés. Renovating an old house in this posh neighborhood was a good investment but no matter how he looked at it, converting it into a food-based beauty parlor was the craziest thing he’d ever heard.

It’s none of your business, Durrance. She’s an adult and she can do whatever she wants with her money. He hated having anyone meddle in his life and he wasn’t about to meddle in anyone else’s. Although, he was curious how she thought she could make a living at this. And asking a few questions didn’t make him a busybody.

He poured the lemonade into the two glasses. “Have you ever heard of one these kinds of spas before? I mean, one that uses fruit and stuff to make…you know…stuff?”

“I’ve seen them in the city, but I knew Collingwood Station didn’t have one. That’s what makes it such a good idea.”

Interesting logic. “So you really think a natural spa will work here?”

“I’m sure of it,” she said, adding sliced tomatoes and carrot sticks to each plate. “Everyone likes to be pampered and to feel they’re doing something good for their bodies.”

“You’re probably right.” And if she wasn’t, well, it was no concern of his.

“Besides, I have a way with people. I think this town is a perfect place for the kind of makeovers I do.” She set the plates on the table.

After she sat, he took a seat and he raised his glass of lemonade. “Here’s to a prosperous business venture.”

She clinked her glass against his and smiled like Mona Lisa. “And to a successful makeover. I mean, renovation.”

Chapter Four

Nick was helping clear away the lunch dishes and wishing he could find an excuse to spend the rest of the afternoon at Maggie’s place when the annoying sound of Allison’s voice drifted down the hallway.

“Hello-o? Anyone home?”

The impromptu visit seemed to take Maggie by surprise. “Allison?” she called. “I’m in the kitchen.”

“Does she come here often?” he asked quietly.

“No, and she always calls first. Maybe she wants to see you.”

He couldn’t tell if she was serious or not and didn’t have time to ask before Allison sashayed into the room.

“Oh, Nick. This is a nice surprise.”

Right. As if she hadn’t noticed his truck parked in front of the house all morning. So why the pretense?

Maggie slid the plates onto a stack in the cupboard and closed the door. “Nick’s been working on an estimate for renovations I need. He has some great ideas.”

“That’s nice. When do you start?”

Allison’s attempt at small talk didn’t fool Nick for a minute. “We’re not sure.” She definitely wanted something. Information?

“Where are the kids?” Maggie asked.

“John’s taken the afternoon off and they’ve gone to the children’s zoo. He feels it’s important that he spend quality time with them.”

“That’s so sweet.” Maggie glanced at him. “Don’t you think?”

“Yeah. Sweet.”

“I received Leslie’s wedding invitation yesterday,” Allison said.

There it was—the motive for this unexpected visit. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “Even I’ve been invited to witness the event, if you can imagine.” And he now had one more reason not to go.

Maggie folded her dish towel and hung it up. “Leslie’s your sister, right?”

He nodded, wondering how she knew that.

“When’s the wedding?”

“Three weeks from Saturday.”

Allison bestowed one of her smug glances on him. “She’s asked me and Candice Bentley-Ferguson to be her bridesmaids. The subject of who you’ll be taking to the wedding came up.”

For once, he wished he wasn’t always right about these things. First he had his mother hounding him, now Leslie and Allison. Didn’t these women have anything better to do?

“Candice’s divorce was finalized last week and I know for a fact that she doesn’t have a date yet. You used to have a thing for Candice, as I recall.”

Give me a break! That had been in the ninth grade. One make-out session at Billy Jean What’s-her-name’s birthday party was hardly “a thing.”

Allison gave him a cool cat-that-stole-cream smile. “Candice said she’d go with you since you don’t have a date.”

How in hell did they know whether or not he had a date? “I hadn’t wanted to rush things but I’d planned to ask Maggie to go with me.”

Maggie’s beautiful brown eyes popped open wide. “Me?”

“Why not? It’ll give you a chance to…”

He stopped himself before he said, “wear those pearls.” Their earlier conversation about the pearls had been fun, even a little flirtatious, and Allison’s radar would detect that in a nanosecond. “It’ll give you a chance to meet some of Collingwood Station’s upper crust. Definitely a chance to improve your social standing.” As soon as he said that, he wished he hadn’t.

Allison gave him a steely glare.

“Thank you!” Maggie said. “I love weddings and I’d love to meet your family.” Her quick acceptance was a little surprising, especially after his unnecessary remark about her social standing, but at least he was off the hook with Candice.