“Maggie?”JenniLynn Garrett walked out of a nearby classroom.“How are you?”She hugged her.
“Good.”She hugged the woman back—she’d always liked JenniLynn.She was one of those rare individuals who was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside.“It’s been a while.”
“I’m so glad I ran into you.I was actually planning on calling you this week.”She took a deep breath.“I heard through the grapevine that you’re not working right now?”She paused until Maggie nodded.“That’s great news because I need you on my staff.”
“On your staff?”Maggie wasn’t even sure what JenniLynn did for a living.
“You’ve always been one of the most organized and driven people I’ve ever known.How many clubs did you run?And your mother told me how your last job was all about coordinating fine details and getting things done.I need that.I need you.You see, I’m running for mayor.”She shook her head.“It is still so weird saying that.”
“You are?”Maggie smiled at the woman.“That is the best news.”
“I hope the rest of the town thinks so.”She smiled.“I’m looking for someone to be my volunteer coordinator.It’s a lot of scheduling, mostly.”She gave Maggie a breakdown of what she was looking for.“Will you think about it?Or are you going back to your old job and traveling again?I guess I should have asked that first.”
“I don’t know.”Which was the first time she’d admitted that to herself.It was just…her promise to Angelique.Could she really live with herself if she broke her word?“I will think about your offer.”
“You will?”JenniLynn hugged her again.“You have made my day.Really.”She glanced beyond Maggie.“Braden Parker, stop eavesdropping and join the conversation.”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping.”Braden brushed her arm as he came to stand at her side.“You two are having a conversation in the middle of the elementary school hallway.”
“Fine.”Jennilynn’s phone started ringing.She glanced at it, then Maggie.“Okay, I’ll call you in a day or two.Think about it.”She paused to text.“There are a lot of perks, you know?Working with me to better Tenacity.Fromhome.I’m sure your family would agree.”
Maggie’s parents would be over the moon.Mike and Cody, too.“Thanks for thinking of me, JenniLynn.”
“You were the first person I thought of.”She glanced at Braden.“Help me convince her, okay, Braden?I’ve got to go.”She waved before answering her phone and hurrying out the front door.
“You should take the job.”Braden stared down at her.The stubble along his angular jaw made him sexier than ever.When that crooked grin started, the corners of his blue eyes creased just right.
No matter how tempted she was, she would not pounce on him in her son’s school hallway.She was pretty sure the school administrators would not approve.She took a deep breath.“You did your due diligence, now you’re off the hook, Braden.I’ll tell her you tried to convince me.”
He kept right on staring at her.Not his usual desire-laden stare, but a gentler, sweeter and far more emotionally charged and unnerving stare.
“Stop,” she whispered.
“Stop what?”He stepped closer.
She closed her eyes.“Looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”There was a smile in his voice.
She took a step back, slipped on something and started to fall—
“Gotcha.”Braden’s arm was strong and heavy around her waist.“Might want to keep your eyes open, Maggie.A runaway crayon almost took you down.”
Her eyes were open now and glued to his face.She was very aware of the rock-hard chest she’d been caught against—and the rapid beat of his heart beneath her palm.His heart was beating almost as fast as hers.
“Are you okay?”A teacher came running out of her classroom.“I saw you falling.Good thing you’ve got such good reflexes, Mr.Parker.Last week, one of our first-grade teachers tripped over a backpack and there wasn’t anyone there to catch her.”She looked back and forth between the two of them.“Well, then.I’ll get back to my class.You two…take care now, you hear?”And she left as quickly as she’d appeared.
Maggie stepped out of his hold and hoped she’d stay upright.Really, didn’t he know what he did to her?After the way she’d wrapped herself around him on Saturday night, surely he did.Thinking about Saturday was a big mistake.Now, she was remembering his kisses and scent and the press of his hand against her back.She took a steadying breath.“I… I should go.”
“Let’s go.”He walked with her to the door, held it open and followed her to her car.
“Are you trying to keep me flustered?”She fumbled with her keys.
“Do I fluster you?”Was he concerned?The way his brow furrowed and his mouth turned down, he seemed to think this was bad news.
“Yes.”She glanced around the parking lot.There was no one around, so why was he standing so far away?Where did that come from?“You make it very hard for me to focus on anything other than you.”
His frown grew.
