“Sorry I’m late,” Maggie says, her eyes traveling over our group, barely pausing on me. “Traffic was obnoxious.”
I haven’t seen her in months. Only caught flashes of her running in and out of Ben’s house, but after how everything went down in the grocery store that day, I decided she didn’t need me meddling in her life.
But now I feel like an ass for not checking on her sooner. Is her situation better? Is she making ends meet? Did she get those groceries from her neighbor that Johnny swore she’d deliver?
Maggie’s long, black hair is down and windblown. Her brown eyes are sparkly and bright. She looks so damn beautiful. And she’s wearing… Christ.
Vanessa clears her throat, and I feel a hot flush steal down my neck when I realize I’m checking out Magnolia in front of the woman I brought home to meet my family.
I place my hand on Vanessa’s back. “Guys, I want to introduce my…” Friend? Date? Girlfriend? Fuck. After an awkward silence, I regain my ability to speak. “This is my date, Vanessa.”
My sister makes a face at me. What? I mouth.
She turns to Vanessa and shakes her hand. Everyone is polite. Says hi. But the greeting is particularly reserved after how they gushed over Maggie.
My eyes gravitate toward her again. Gramps has one arm over Maggie’s shoulders and is telling her some joke that has her completely absorbed.
As we all move toward the elevators, I force myself to talk to Vanessa, but the whole time I’m trying to ignore the sight of Maggie in that form-fitting dress that puts all of her curvaceous assets on display.
Kayla gets my parents and Gramps settled in their rooms while Vanessa, Joe, Maggie, and I wait in the hall.
“It’s been a million years, Joe,” Maggie teases Joe. “Thought you’d be retired before you popped the question.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “I forgot how you love to bust my balls.”
Hell, I forgot they knew each other.
Maggie smiles. “Kayla used to talk about you nonstop when she’d babysit my little sister. She told me a long time ago that you were the one.”
His eyes grow soft. “I’ve always been in love with her.”
Kayla pops her head into the hallway. “You’d best be talking about me.”
“Who else could I possibly love to the point of obsession?” he says before he kisses her forehead.
They smile at each other in such a tender way, I have to look away. It feels like we’re intruding on a private moment. I glance at Vanessa, who’s shifting awkwardly and edging away from the group.
Maggie, though, hooks her arm through Kayla’s. “Y’all are sweet. Good thing you’re getting married tomorrow, or the stork might beat down your door before you make it to the minister.”
Kayla blushes and gives Joe a look, but before I can tease her, my sister clears her throat and ushers us to our rooms, which are just across the hall.
She swipes the key to mine and opens the door to suite 301. “I guess this is your room and, uh, Vanessa’s.” Kayla gives me a weird look. “And good news! Maggie is just next door!”
Maggie and I look at each other, and she gives me a big, fake smile. “Awesome.”
I don’t know what’s going on, but I have the distinct feeling I’ve done something I shouldn’t have.
7
MAGGIE
With a knot in my stomach, I watch the door to Michael and Vanessa’s room shut. What was I thinking? That he’d be by himself this weekend and excited to see me? That he’d want to hang out? That he’d fall at my feet once he saw me in Sienna’s dress? That we’d, what, have one of those hot wedding hookups I’m always reading about in the grocery aisle?
I let out a cynical laugh. I feel stupid. Like, ‘crawl under a rock and hide for the next year’ stupid. When did my hatred of him become this untenable craving? Why did he have to go and do nice things for me? I had him all boxed up as someone who didn’t give a shit about me. But then he went out of his way—twice—to help me. Only to later ignore my attempt to thank him.
Michael Oliver is literally making me go insane one slow interaction at a time.
“Sorry about that.” Kayla tugs me down the hall.
