Maggie arrived in Paris late in the afternoon. She was traveling with her daughter, Sarah, and Sarah’s nanny, Flora Pedigrew, more of a member of the household than an employee.
After the long flight from the East Coast, they’d all slept late that morning, Flora in an adjoining room, Maggie in the room with Sarah.
When the phone rang, Maggie was the first to awaken. She snatched the receiver up and glanced over to find her daughter still fast asleep.
“This is Maggie.”
“Thought an old trooper like you would be up and at ’em by now.” She recognized Avery Whitfield’s too-loud voice.
“Good morning, Avery. I thought you were in Scotland.”
“Was till this morning. Only a hop, Shep, and a jump, you know.”
Yes, in your Gulfstream,she thought.
“Called to invite you to the little party I’m throwing in honor of the show jumping team. Dinner at L’Archestrate, a little drinking, dancing at Le Palace—all on me, of course.”
“I have a date. Can I bring him along?”
“Sure! The more the merrier, I always say.”
“Yes, so you do.” Maggie was already sorry she’d agreed to go, ashamed of herself for her perverse desire to flaunt her handsome escort in front of Jake Sullivan.
“Go back to your beauty rest,” Avery said. “See you tonight at eight.”
The day slipped past. As evening approached, Maggie dressed for dinner with more care than she had in months, pouring through her traveling wardrobe three times before deciding what to wear. She settled on a yellow chiffon dress that accented her hair, which she wore loose around her shoulders the way Jake liked it.
She hoped he ate his heart out.
“Will Jake be there tonight, Mama?”
Maggie looked down at Sarah and felt a rush of guilt for allowing him back into her thoughts. “I suppose so, honey. Shall I tell him you said hello?”
Sarah started to say yes, then shook her head. “I don’t think he cares.”
Maggie managed to smile. “Jake’s just been busy.” Every time she saw that forlorn expression on Sarah’s face, she wanted to murder Jake Sullivan. It was one thing for him to break Maggie’s heart, quite another to hurt a nine-year-old child.
“Sometimes I still miss him. Do you miss him, too?”
Maggie touched her daughter’s cheek, the face a miniature replica of her own except that Sarah’s shoulder-length blond hair was nearly platinum.
“Yes, honey, sometimes I do. But Jake has the team to think about...and running Pleasant Oaks. He just didn’t have time for us, that’s all.”
At least that’s what he’d told her. Maggie hadn’t believed him for a minute.
“He doesn’t love us anymore,” Sarah said.
“He sent Ransom down, didn’t he?” And Maggie hadn’t the heart to return Jake’s beautiful horse. Sarah had been hurt enough already.
Maggie had introduced Jake to Sarah when he’d first visited them in Tampa. Sarah had adored him from the start, the first person she had responded to after her father’s death. She’d been isolated and withdrawn, as if she didn’t want to risk loving someone then losing him again. With Jake she’d been different from the beginning.
Then Jake had called Maggie to say something had come up and he wouldn’t be able to see her that weekend. The same thing happened the following week. He made none of his usual calls in between.
When he finally phoned again, he sounded remote and guarded.
“Maggie, I might as well do this now,” he’d said. “There’s just no way around it. We’re going to have to stop seeing each other for a while.”
“I-I don’t understand.”
