“You’re having a heart attack?” Polly gasped.
“I don’t know. Maybe. I saw Ethan outside.”
There was a heavy pause before Polly repeated, “You saw Ethan?”
Maggie nodded, swallowing hard, as if that could somehow dislodge the lump in her throat. It didn’t. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t swallow. That was what the man did to her.
Polly shifted closer, voice lowering. “And?”
“It wasn’t just him. It was his team. Connor, Ryan, Joel, and Zac. I tried to leave but he followed me and grabbed my arm.” She touched her arm, right over where his fingers had wrapped around her. She could still feel him there. The heat from his callused palm. “I don’t think either of us knew what to say.”
Whatcouldshe have said?I’m sorry I broke up with you with barely an explanation, but maybe you should have called me back that night?
That was history now. Plus, he was dating someone. So even if in some crazy world they did want to pick up where they’d left off, they couldn’t.
Argh, even saying that in her head felt delusional. Her therapist would have a field day.
“I have to get used to the fact that we’ll run into each other every so often.” And she had to do that without having a mini heart attack or whatever was happening to her right now.
“But…”
The person on the other side of Polly said something, and she turned to them.
Maggie took the opportunity to breathe. She glanced around the room, catching sight of Joe Ferris on the other side of the aisle. He was smiling and talking to locals. Rodney Ward sat on the other side of the walkway a few feet down from her and Polly, eating a chocolate-glazed donut.
Maureen Faulkner dropped into the seat on the other side of her. The older woman had silver hair and wore an orange Bohemian dress with big silver hoop earrings.
“Maureen, hi.” Maggie dropped her hand from her chest, because the town psychic did not need to know she was in crisis mode.
Maureen smiled at her. “Hi, dear.”
Maggie’s brows flickered. She hadn’t seen Maureen in over eleven years, and the other woman said hi like Maggie being here was a normal occurrence.
“How have you been?” Good. There was no tremble in her voice. Maybe the other woman wouldn’t suspect the whole heart-pounding, temple-sweating stuff.
“I’m great. Anthony recently got in these big beautiful tomatoes, so I can make my tomato soup.” Mauren bumped her shoulder. “He has some Hidden Valley Ranch too.”
Maggie pulled away. How did Maureen know that Maggie’s latest obsession was adding ranch to everything?
Before she could ask, Ferris moved to the front of the crowd.
Polly leaned in close. “He looks suspiciously happy tonight.”
“He must have exciting news to share.” And she hoped like hell it was that the missing women had been found.
“Hmm.” Polly didn’t trust people easily. Especially men. But if you were going to trust anyone, it was Ferris. He was like a big teddy bear.
“Good evening, everyone.” Ferris smiled at the crowd. When his eyes settled on Maggie, they widened. “Maggie Sinclair. You’re back?”
Her cheeks bloomed, and she suddenly wanted to sink into the floor. Attention wasnother friend.
“What a nice surprise,” he continued.
Polly, being the best friend in the universe, shouted, “What about me? I’m back too.”
“You never went anywhere.”
“So I have to go somewhere to get a big hello?”
