Maggie scooped a forkful of equal parts waffle, whip cream, and strawberries. The flavors danced on her tongue. “So delicious,” she said with her mouth still full.
“Good, keep eating. You gotta try a little of everything.”
Maggie bit into a fluffy piece of cinnamon-infused French toast and savored the amazing sweetness. After swallowing she said, “So, will your family fly in to see you when you play at the Hollywood Theater?”
“Ah, I haven’t decided if I’m going to tell them about it. I guess I want to make sure it actually happens. I’ve always felt like they expect me to fail. I don’t want to get my hopes up or theirs if for some reason it falls through. Or what if I flop?”
Maggie took another bite of waffle, but never took her eyes off of Chase.
Chase explained further, “My older brother, Cam, has always been the golden child. High school quarterback that went on to play in college. Town hero. State hero. Family hero. That’s Cam. After college, he came back to our hometown of Mayorsville to run our family farm. He converted it to an organic energy efficient agro tourist attraction. He even buses inner-city kids out so that they can experience a farm in rural Alabama. Oh, and did I mention his perfect wife and two kids? I could never hold a candle to him.”
Maggie was surprised to hear so much sarcasm and resentment in his voice. “I’m sorry, that sounds hard.”
Chase shrugged and took a sip of coffee. Setting his cup down, he said, “Life can be complicated sometimes.”
Maggie nodded, thinking of her own complex family situation. “Life can definitely be complicated.”
Chase must have sensed there was more to her words because he quickly said, “Enough about me. I want to hear more about how you ended up in LA on a journey of… self-discovery.”
Maggie chuckled and took a deep breath. “Oh boy… Well, I was dating Elliot who is the perfect guy on paper. But, when I felt like he was going to propose I bolted to LA. My mom and dad are divorced due to my mom’s overbearing need for perfection. I tried to play peacemaker growing up and soon discovered, like my dad did, that I was never going to be good enough for her. But, not before the damage was done. Hence, the people-pleaser personality and health food freak.” Maggie pointed to herself.
“Elliot was the one thing my parents actually agreed on. He was a lawyer. He was handsome. They thought he was a ‘responsible and respectable choice.’” Maggie held up air quotes to emphasize their words. “So, when I left, I knew everyone would be disappointed in me. My dad and sister have reached out to make sure I'm not riding the crazy train, but I still haven’t heard anything from my mom. I’m not sure she’ll ever forgive me. Marrying Elliot would have helped her jump a few rings on the social ladder.”
Maggie looked up from the piece of bacon she had been staring at, “So, that’s my messed-up life.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that. You can’t live to make other people happy, right?”
Maggie nodded and then found his gaze. “That goes for you too. You’re doing awesome out here in LA whether your family sees it or not.” Maggie wanted to shred any hint of self-doubt that might be suffocating Chase’s heart. He was kind, talented, and genuine… and gorgeous. Not a combination she had come across yet in her twenty-five years of life.
Chase looked up from his cup of coffee and said, “Thanks. I appreciate that.”
After a moment, he peeked at his watch.
“Oh, do you need to get going?” Maggie asked.
“Actually, I was going to head to the 10:30 service at church. You’re totally welcome to come if you’re interested.”
Maggie thought for a moment. “What kind of church is it?”
“Baptist.”
“In LA? That surprises me.”
“Yeah, it reminds me of back home.”
“How long do you think it’ll go?” Maggie enjoyed attending church, but she also didn’t want to be stuck in a three hour long service.
“It’s usually about an hour or an hour and a half. Depending on if the pastor is on a roll or not.” Chase grinned. “Seriously, no pressure.”
“I’m game. It’s been too long since I’ve been. I had a church I really enjoyed attending in Minnesota, but since moving to LA, I’ve been too intimidated to go alone. Am I dressed up enough?”
“You look perfect. It’s pretty laid back.” Maggie nodded and smiled as Chase pushed back in his chair and held out his hand for her. His fingers were calloused, she assumed from strumming the guitar, and his palm enveloped hers. His grip was strong but gentle.
Chapter 21
Chase
Duringtheservice,Chasewas keenly aware of the fact that Maggie was sitting so close to him. Her presence brought him a sense of calmness. As much as he tried to focus on the sermon, his mind kept wandering back to life with Maggie.I wish I could spend the whole day with her… it’d be so much better than working at the bar.
