until the time was right. Moving back here has been a good decision so far. And I’m working on expanding Whisper’s Edge with my son.”
“Whisper’s Edge?”
“A retirement community that my father owned. Tristan bought it from him last year when he ran into some financial difficulty,” she answered brightly, but something in her eyes told Rick that there was more to the story than a simple sale.
“So, you grew up here in Cricket Creek?”
Maggie gave him a rueful smile. “Yes, until I came home from college pregnant with Tristan. Let’s just say that my father didn’t react with . . . unconditional love. I moved out.”
“I’m sorry, Maggie. That must have been tough. I’m guessing no help from Tristan’s father.”
She studied the contents of her glass for a moment. “I never knew who he was,” she said softly. “I was at a college party and there was this punch that tasted like Kool-Aid, but I found out later that it was laced with Everclear. I don’t remember anything about that night.”
Rick felt rage bubble up in his throat at the thought of someone taking advantage of her. “My God . . . Maggie, this could have been date rape. Didn’t anyone investigate?”
“Let’s just say that my father didn’t believe my version of the story. My mother left him when I was a baby and he’d become a bitter old man. It wasn’t until I had a bout with breast cancer that he actually helped me one summer.” She sighed. “I was hoping my illness would bring us closer and he’d bond with Tristan, but it didn’t. Sad, but it’s his loss.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I was lucky. It was caught early.” She shrugged and then smiled. “We all have our journeys, our crosses to bear. Tristan was a blessing and I love him dearly. I couldn’t ask for a better son. And after surviving cancer—no relapses—I feel like I’ve learned to focus on the big picture and to try to be happy as best I can.”
“You put your dreams on hold for him.” He felt his heart lurch.
“Totally worth it.” Her eyes welled up with tears. “Even if I could go back and rewrite history, I wouldn’t change a thing. And now here I am in my fifties, getting to start a new adventure!”
“I admire your attitude, Maggie. I admire so much about you.” He looked at her with a sense of wonder.
She chuckled. “My attitude was all that kept me going for a long time. But Tristan was such a joy and still is.” He was sure that her radiant smile hid a lot of heartache. Rick was beyond impressed and even more drawn to her.
“Oh, don’t look at me like I’m an angel. I had my days of despair and crankiness. I still do, for that matter. And I guess living through tough times makes me appreciate the good times even more.”
“So, you’ve never been married?”
“No, I never really had the time for romance,” she scoffed, but her smile faltered for the first time.
“And you were a little bit scared?”
She stopped rocking and stared down at her glass again. Finally, she lifted her gaze to meet his. “Yes,” she admitted so softly that her admission blended with the evening breeze.
Not knowing what to say, Rick remained silent, wishing in some ways he’d never led her down this path.
“Of course, Tristan had questions, but as the years passed it became less important. The love we have for each other is really all that matters.” She lifted one shoulder. “I just sometimes have a tough time with trust.”
“Understandable.”
Her gaze flicked away and she started rocking gently. Rick studied her profile in the waning light. She was such a pretty woman, so full of life. What a shame that she held back from experiencing romance . . . love. Judging by the way she loved her son, she would be an amazing wife. Caring, funny, sexy, smart. He couldn’t ask, but he surmised that she hadn’t slept with a man in quite some time. Rick thought about all of the meaningless sex he’d had and it turned his stomach.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Richard. I didn’t mean to put a damper on the lovely evening.”
“You haven’t.” Rick reached over and took her hand. “Not in the least.”
Her eyes widened in a bit of surprise and then she smiled slowly, shyly. And while Rick knew he should withdraw his hand he simply couldn’t.
Maggie McMillan was both fragile and incredibly strong. He was drawn to her in more ways than one. She had just revealed so much of herself to him, and he had secrets. Perhaps he should simply tell her. . . .
“Hey, don’t look so serious,” she said with a low chuckle. “Let’s check on the potatoes and grab another glass of wine.”
Rick squeezed her hand and nodded. “While you do that I’ll get the grill heated up. Looks like we’re in for a beautiful sunset.”
“And you forgot to turn the music on. Put on something I can snap my fingers to,” she requested with a laugh. “Music will get us back in a festive mood.”
“So, you’re a music lover? What kind?”
“Absolutely. A wide variety, depending on my mood. But I have it playing most of the day and sing along in the car. You? I noticed a guitar leaning against the wall. Are you good?” She raised her eyebrows and waited while he tried to decide how to answer. “Oh, don’t be shy. I’ll even sing along.”
“I’m passable,” Rick finally answered, and hoped she would forget about her request, even though playing some of the new songs he’d been writing appealed to him.
As the night wore on there wasn’t anything about her that didn’t appeal to him. From her easy laugh to her knowledge of baseball and her intelligence, Rick found himself wishing the night would go on forever. She didn’t pick at her food and actually ate her steak with appreciation, unlike the women he was used to dining with, who for one reason or another eliminated just about every food group. Rick even enjoyed doing the dishes with her. When was the last time he’d done dishes?
“What are you grinning about?” Maggie asked with a tilt of her head.
“How you’re making me enjoy simple things.” He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. “I have a whole stack of self-help books in the den and you’ve inspired me more than all of them put together.”
“Really? Well, then, you need to tell me all about your life so I can be inspired over dessert and coffee.”
“I’m not all that inspirational,” he said and felt a flash of alarm. How would she react to his past?
Maggie suddenly put her hands to her cheeks. “Oh, I forgot to put the pie in the oven!” she exclaimed, and he was glad for the change of subject.
“That’s okay. We can have it next time,” Rick answered and just about held his breath while he waited for her response. “If, you know, you’d like to have dinner with me again,” he added. Rick couldn’t remember the last time he felt so unsure or so hopeful while waiting for an answer from a woman. The anticipation, the excitement, made him feel so alive! Going to a club or a four-star restaurant with some twentysomething never felt this good.
“I would be delighted,” Maggie answered.
Rick let out the breath he’d been holding and smiled. He wanted to pull her into his arms but didn’t want to go too fast. While he knew that sooner or later his secret would come out and that he would most likely move back to LA, for now he wanted to simply savor the time spent with her. “Would you like another glass of wine or an after-dinner drink? It’s still relatively warm outside and there’s a full moon, so we could head back outside.”
“I would but then I wouldn’t be able to drive.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip, and he realized that some of what she’d told him about her past must be running through her head. He despised the fact that she could even think about something so terrible while with him.
“Hey, I promised to be a gentleman and I won’t break that promise, Maggie.”
She swallowed hard. “Those trust issues are rearing their ugly head.”
“I understand.”
“I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Maggie.” It killed him to hear her apologize for her feelings. Rick shook his head and then put his hands on her shoulders. “I had a great time with you tonight. Let me walk you to your car,
