Part 11 (1/2)

Why hadn't he told her? She was his best friend. Maybe he really did love Wendy.

”He doesn't want you to take pity on him. Maggie, he's spent his entire adult life trying to get over you.” Stains of scarlet appeared on Wendy's cheeks. ”I'm sorry. I saw you back in town and become so jealous of you. You have the best of both worlds. You left Grandberry Falls and pursued your dream. I was too afraid to leave.”

”I...” Maggie wanted to stop her.

”Wait. Please let me finish.” Tears filled Wendy's eyes. ”I didn't have that courage until I went out of town. I admire you for that. I thought about you when I was in the hotel rooms. You gave me the strength in what I want to do with my life. I want to go to New York, be a buyer, and make a go of it.”

Maggie couldn't believe what Wendy was saying. This whole time, she believed that Wendy thought she was nuts for moving away.

”Mitch and I were expected to get married. We were pleasing everyone. It was like kissing my cousin.” Resting her chin in her hand, a bemusing smile crossed her face. ”He loves you. Just like you love him.”

Maggie's eyebrows shot in surprise. ”No. I'm getting over a heart break.”

”I know you almost as good as I know Mitch, and you weren't in love with someone Hazel didn't approve of. I know it and you know it.” Wendy's expression grew still and serious. ”Now, you need to figure out a way to save that farm, and get that antique ring on your finger where it belongs.”

Without another word, Wendy got up and told everyone goodbye.

Why hadn't Mitch told her? Maggie wondered. She had to think it was because of his pa.s.sion for saving the farm, but it was a big issue to overlook. Especially since he had the opportunity when they got in their little fight.

”Get to work.” Beth laughed when Wendy shut the door behind her. ”I can't believe how much she loves going out of town. If I didn't know better, I'd think she'd leave Grandberry Falls in a heartbeat.”

”Without Mitch?” Belle questioned and shot a curious eye over at Maggie.

Maggie smiled. Even without Mitch.

Chapter 25.

A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you. ~ Unknown Having Maggie close to him all day played havoc on his emotions. He was already an emotional wreck that she was anywhere near Grandberry Falls, but in his office was a little too close for comfort.

Her perfume was enough to send him through the roof and Susie keeping her eyes on them didn't help matters. Maggie didn't ask him anymore questions about Wendy or the engagement, which was a relief. She scoured every paper they had received from Van Meter and a.s.sociates and had some great questions written down for him to ask Patricia Van Meter.

”So how was *girl's night in', last night?” Mitch asked.

Tommy had told him that some of the girls came in to top off *spa night in', making it *spa night out'. He said that Maggie hadn't joined them, and he knew she was probably at Hazel's going through all the paperwork. . .again.

”It was fun.” Maggie wiggled her glittery blue nails in the air, and laughed. ”Do you think Patricia Van Meter is going to like my nails?”

”What do you think Patricia is going to do when she finds out that you are on the case?” He asked.

He tried to keep all conversations on the professional level. He could picture Susie on the other side of the door with a gla.s.s held up to it listening in. Thank G.o.d, she didn't have internet on her computer, or she'd be on Facebook changing her status to something like, Mayor Dozier is in deep water and in need of saving.

Maggie put her hair up in a pony tail with one of his rubber bands off his desk. Her tried and true shampoo filled the puff of air she created sending Mitch's senses into a tizzy.

”I think they were going to give me this case. When I didn't show up, they fired me. This would be a big winner for them.” Maggie thumbed through the file.

Mitch pretended to listen, but he was having a hard time. He hadn't spent this much time with her in years. This eminent domain problem had to be solved and quickly, before it destroyed his life both professionally and personally.

”Granny would call this fate.” She tilted her head towards him. Her big brown eyes dug into his soul.

”Ummm...” He wasn't sure if she meant them being together or her being here. ”What?”

He had to have time to think, his head was cloudy with crazy thoughts swirling around.

”This.” She picked up the doc.u.ments. ”I got fired because I wouldn't have been able to take my Granny's land. Fate.”

Maggie went back to looking things up on the computer that he had no idea about. d.a.m.n her! He loved watching her in her element. She was a great lawyer. Pa.s.sionate and caring. She still had the same qualities Hazel Greenlee had instilled in her and they were brightly s.h.i.+ning today. This only confused the situation even more.

”Mitch, it's getting late and I have to go.” Susie zeroed in on Maggie, but Maggie didn't pay any attention to her as she continued going from doc.u.ment to doc.u.ment and typing things on the computer.

Mitch looked up, towering over Maggie, with his chin almost touching the top of her head. He didn't appreciate Susie's dipped eyebrows and frown. Wendy mustn't have told her friends, because Susie would've asked him first thing. He looked at his watch. Time seemed to fall away when he was with Maggie.

”Okay. Go ahead.” He shook his sleeve back over his watch. ”We won't be much longer. I'll lock up.”

Hesitant, Susie gave a slight nod and curled her lip.

”Bye.” Maggie chirped with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

When Susie shut the door, Maggie busted out laughing. G.o.d, how he's missed that smile she does only when she laughs. His heart fluttered at the open-mouthed giggle.

”People are so worried about me being near you.” Her features hardened. ”You're off limits-right?”

If she only knew, she was one touch away from him being on limits and he was a single man. He reminded himself she was vulnerable. Wasn't that what women said when they landed in bed with their ex after their current relations.h.i.+p crumbled? He continued to picture her and Grady in New York City to keep him from grabbing her and kissing the senses back into her.

”Why don't we go grab the late night showing of your favorite movie?” He avoided her comment that had turned into a question. He wasn't able to answer her honestly and he wasn't going to start lying now.

He might be a politician, but an honest one if there was such a thing.

Chapter 26.

If gra.s.s can grow through cement, love can find you at every time in your life. ~ Cher Great idea, Maggie thought letting her nerves calm down. If he stood over her any longer, she wasn't sure she'd be able to stop herself. Memories of their night took over her imagination.

”Are you okay?” Mitch's hand radiated heat on her shoulder. He leaned over and looked at her.

No, she was definitely not okay. Nothing was right in her life. She couldn't exactly pinpoint where it went wrong as she played the last week in her head.

She thought she loved Grady-well, what she considered love was a working companions.h.i.+p. She thought Mitch Dozier was long in her past and Hazel was doing great in Grandberry Falls. Little did she realize she was relieved not to be getting married. Mitch was still a big part of her life, and the farm was getting sucked up right from under her.

No, she definitely wasn't fine.