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 responsiblefor 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 thepainful 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.’
‘Are you warning me off?’
‘Isn’t that what you’re trying to do to me?’ He tossed the question right back at her, hating himself for using a legal tactic to avoid flaying himself wide open. Maggie was digging into places he preferred to keep locked up tight.
A flash of anger slid across her face and Chad knew if he didn’t take a leap of faith right now she was going to walk out. ‘I’m sorry. That was crass. I’m not good at this.’ With a wry smile he gestured at them both.
‘Nor am I,’ Maggie admitted. ‘It’s probably why we’re both considered Reject Table people in the first place.’
Chad burst out laughing. ‘You’re great for my self-image I must say,’ he jibed, ‘there’s no danger of ever getting an over-inflated ego around you. And I mean that in the best possible way before you get offended.’ She grinned right back at him, a wide glorious smile that sent a flash of desire zinging right through him.
Maggie glanced at her wristwatch and frowned. ‘I hate to say this, but I need to go and check on Emily.’
‘Don’t apologise. The best thing is that you said you hate the idea of leaving, so it’s all good.’
He ached to kiss her until they both forgot everything else. Timing. Chad. Timing. It’s lousy. Give the woman a break. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’
She gave a shy smile and shook her head. ‘You’ve no idea how much you’ve done already.’
Tell me. Chad yearned to pin her down and ask exactly what she meant but sensed she’d already gone further than she’d intended. Frightening her off was the last thing he wanted to do. ‘I’ll take you home.’
This time the silence between them as they left was comfortable and easy. Maggie rested her head against his shoulder as he drove as slowly as possible until they reached her house. He parked outside and she didn’t object when Chad got out to walk in with her.
Suddenly the front door opened and a black plastic bag flew out, bursting open as it landed at Chad’s feet and spilling men’s clothes all over the path.
‘Get out, and stay gone this time,’ Emily shrieked, pummelling on a well-dressed, blond-haired man who was struggling to hold onto her.
‘Oh, God, it’s Jonathan. Now it’s going to be World War Three,’ Maggie groaned.
