by Violet Paige
“That’s what I’m hoping for.” Maggie settled back into her chair, and stretched her feet into the warm sand. She was hoping for that and maybe a little bit more, but she wasn’t ready to admit that to Blair yet.
Four
Justyn
Most summer nights the lights at the school were off, but tonight the landscape crew must have left them on by accident. It happened a couple times during his playing days.
Justyn passed by the school on his way to pick up some bait and called Reid.
“Man, go pick up the girls.”
“Maggie and Blair? What’s going on?” Reid sounded distracted.
“Yes, Maggie and Blair. What other girls would I be talking about? Go get them and meet me at the baseball field.”
“Man, I have a proposal I’m working on. I don’t have time. And why the baseball field?”
Justyn knew convincing Reid to step away from the project even for a night wasn’t going to be easy, but he needed it. Plus, he had been so busy painting all day he hadn’t called Blair. This was something they all needed.
“Cuz, just go get the girls. I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.” He hung up before Reid could argue with him anymore.
He pulled into the parking lot and stared at the ball field. There were only a few places he loved more than this. He slammed the door behind him and waited for everyone to show up.
“Batter up,” Justyn called from the mound of the Harkers Island baseball diamond. He couldn’t believe he had gotten all four of them together for a baseball game, but they were there, ready to play.
Reid stood behind home plate, gripped the bat, and turned to face his cousin. “This one’s a home run, man. You better get ready to run.” Justyn caught Reid’s wide grin.
“You talk way too much shit. You know I can strike you out.”
“Try it.” Reid anchored his feet against the plate, ready for the first pitch to soar through the air.
Maggie watched from the dugout. Blair was stationed in the outfield.
“Home run, sucker!” Reid started to laugh as he charged toward first base. Blair was frantically running for the ball that Reid had sent far into left field.
“Dammit.” Justyn spit from the mound. He wasn’t used to giving up pitches. Not even in a pickup game. He smiled as Blair hustled for the ball. “Just throw it here, hot stuff.” He winked and jogged toward the blonde.
Blair tossed the ball into his glove.
“You can actually throw a ball?” He smiled.
“Hey, I can do a lot of things. You shouldn’t act so surprised.”
“Ok, it’s one to nothing, with no outs,” Justyn announced from the mound. “You ready, G?” He was pretty sure he could strike her out, but he didn’t want to embarrass her in front of Reid. Things had been a little tense between those two.
Maggie walked past Reid, who was flushed from his run around the bases. “Get ‘em, tiger.” He playfully slapped her on the butt as she approached home plate. Justyn wasn’t sure if he actually saw that.
“Bring it, Justyn,” Maggie taunted.
“Whoa, Reid, do you hear her?” Justyn spun the ball in his palm.
Reid walked up behind Maggie. “I know you’ve got this. Need any pointers?”
“No. I can hit a ball, thanks.” She stepped forward and away from him.
Justyn smiled at his cousin. “Looks like I’m not the only one being challenged.” He laughed.
“Just throw the damn ball, cuz.” Reid walked backward.
Justyn lobbed the first pitch in her direction.
“Strike one,” Justyn called.
Maggie wiggled her feet in place along the baseline. The second pitch whizzed past her.
“Strike two.”
“Yeah, we can count.” Reid held up his hand toward the pitching mound as he approached the batter. “I know you said you don’t need my help, but try this.”
Reid’s arms encircled her frame.
“You see, grip the bat a little higher up, and when you pull it back, you’ll have a better angle on the ball.” Just like that, Reid released her from the coaching position and stepped away from the plate. Justyn didn’t know if any of Reid’s coaching would work. Maggie looked flustered whenever he was near her.
“It’s coming your way, Maggie.” Justyn hurled the ball toward home base.
Maggie reached back farther with the bat, and twisted her body, sending the full force of her shoulders forward. The ball took off on the ground.
“Run, run, run,” Reid cheered her on.
She had hit the ball just inside third base, but with no actual infielders, Justyn scrambled for the ball. Maggie headed for first base and laughed as she crossed the leather bag.
“Woohoo! A single!” She jumped up and down.
Reid shouted from home plate, “Maggie, I’m sending you home—get ready.”
Justyn glanced over his left shoulder. Maggie was crouched forward on her toes, ready to run as soon as Reid hit the next pitch. He couldn’t let her make it to second, and definitely not home.
He hurled the ball toward his cousin. Smack, he heard the bat make contact with the ball and saw Maggie take off for second base. Reid was urging her forward. “Right behind you. Keep going,” he yelled at her.
Maggie sprinted across home base only to be picked up and tossed in the air by Reid a few seconds later. He was laughing, and holding her close against his chest.
“Man, Justyn’s going to be pissed.” Reid smiled and placed Maggie back on the soil.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Stop all that celebrating, you two.” Justyn pulled the brim of his ball cap farther over his eyes. “I need to confer with my team for a second.”
Blair sauntered toward him with her hands on her hips. “So, how do we come back from this? We’re already down 3-0. And here I thought you were the big time college pitcher.”
Justyn winked. “Don’t you see what’s happening over there?” He looked over his shoulder. Reid took the cap from his head and placed it over Maggie’s curls.
“Oh,” Blair whispered. “Yeah, I do see.”
“So, don’t argue with this next part,” Justyn instructed.
“What part?”
Justyn grabbed Blair around the waist and balanced her over his shoulder. “Sorry, y’all. We’ve got an injury on our team. We need to forfeit. Rain check?” he announced while jogging through the chain-link fence and toward his truck before either Maggie or Reid could question what was going on.
“Smart. You don’t think Reid’s going to know what you’re up to?” Blair questioned as she fastened her seat belt. Justyn already had the truck in reverse, and he was peeling out of the school parking lot.
“Darlin’, I don’t care. I need Reid out of his shit mood, and I need some time with you. And now I have both.” He flashed her a smile. “I think it’s time I introduce you to Shell Point.”
Five
Reid
“Maybe I should go check on Blair and see if she’s really hurt.” Maggie watched as Justyn’s taillights faded on Island Drive. “Can you give me a ride?”
Reid chuckled. “I think we are the victims of one of Justyn’s many pranks, but sure, I’ll take you.” He picked up the bat and collected the handful of balls Justyn had brought to the field.
He had to give it to his cousin. The sour mood that he hadn’t been able to crawl out of was gone. Even better, he was alone with Maggie. Spreadsheets and data projections were the last thing he wanted to think about.
He led Maggie to his Jeep, making sure she was inside before closing the door behind her. He shook his head. Justyn had schemed this one just right.
A rabbit scampered out of the way as Reid turned into the gravel drive of the Buttons house. He watched the furry creature bound out of sight. The house looked dark and Justyn’s truck wasn’t in the driveway.
“Well, thanks for the ride.” Maggie unbuckled the clasp, hopped out of the Jeep, and made her way up the wooden s
teps. He couldn’t tell if she was upset or just nervous.
“Maggie, wait.” Reid cut the engine and slammed the door behind him. She was almost in the house before he caught her on the porch.
“Yes?” She pivoted on her heel.
“I know I owe you an apology. I’ve been slammed at work, and tonight is the first time I’ve been anywhere. You must think I’m a jerk. I swear I didn’t forget about making plans for us getting together. I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.”
“Don’t worry about it. I know you’re busy.”
“Really, I am sorry.” He cut the distance between them. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and playing with her hair. “Work really sucks right now.”
“It’s ok.” She smiled.
Reid leaned down and brushed his lips across hers, waiting just a second. He wanted to give her a chance to accept his apology, but being this close to her was too tempting not to kiss her. She leaned into him, relaxing her body in his embrace. It had been a few days since he had touched her like that, but his skin instantly fired up, as if it was the first time. More, he wanted more.
Reid felt the urge to pick her up and take her upstairs. After all, they had had the friends with benefits talk. Right now, everything she was doing was giving him the green light—the way her hands pulled on his neck, the little moans coming from her throat. He knew she wanted him. Then he remembered the look on her face when he knocked on the door to pick her up tonight for the baseball game. She had been upset with him, and it was completely his fault. He was responsible for the disappointment in her eyes.
Slowly, she stepped back and smiled at him. “Want to come in?”
“Uh, I better not.” There was that look he didn’t want to see again. “Big day tomorrow. But, how about I call you when I wrap up tomorrow? Maybe we could see a movie or something.”
The last thing he wanted to do was leave her like this, but he knew the way this kiss was going it could only lead to one thing. Try as she might, she hadn’t completely convinced him she was the kind of girl who could carry on a no attachments relationship. She was a good girl.
She wrapped her arms around his neck again, and pecked him on the lips. “Yes, I would love to.” Before retreating to the house, she turned around. “You’re going to follow through this time, right?”
He laughed. “Of course. I told you. I’m not a jerk. Good night, pretty girl.”
“Good night.”
Six
Maggie
Maggie slammed the oven door shut and shook her head as she stared at the pouring rain out the kitchen window. Rain, in huge, steady drops, had been falling from the sky for three solid days. She sighed and went over to the kitchen island to stir her second batch of cupcake batter. Three days of rain. Three days since she’d heard from Reid. Not that she was counting, but if she were, she would report that there had been no phone calls, no messages, no texts, nothing.
No entanglements is what they had agreed on, but she thought she would have at least heard from him. He had promised to call and even asked about taking her to a movie. This was worse than when he hadn’t followed through after their morning on the pier. She sighed again, smiled, and then tried to shake away that tingly little feeling that seemed to creep into her belly every time she thought about the sunrise encounter. Another deep breath and she stirred the strawberry-laced batter more vigorously with her spatula.
“Girl, whatcha trying to do? Whip those poor strawberries into nothing?” Justyn asked as he loped into the kitchen.
“She’s been like this for days.” Blair trailed behind him with a knowing smile on her face. “She’s been beating around in the kitchen since the rain began. Grumpy and baking up a storm.”
“Not grumpy,” Maggie responded with a glare. “Just bored. Seriously, aren’t you two tired of the rain? Wait, don’t answer that question. You’ve been holed upstairs for days. I don’t want to know.”
“Jealous?” countered Blair.
“Not fair,” Maggie said, and walked back to the refrigerator. “Now where did I put that cream cheese?”
“Seriously, G, he hasn’t called?” Blair asked. “A text?”
Maggie shook her head, then cut her eyes to the left where Justyn was propped against the bar polishing off a second cupcake. She mouthed, “Not now.”
“He probably doesn’t even have a clue what we are talking about,” Blair said, walking over to Justyn and kissing off a tiny bit of frosting that had landed on the bottom of his chin.
“What? Don’t insult me, darlin’,” Justyn said. “You are dealing with Mr. Perceptive.”
Both girls were reduced to a fit of giggles for a couple minutes before When she recovered, Maggie saw her friend giving Justyn a playful smile.
“Well, enlighten us, Mr. Perceptive,” Blair said pointedly. “Why hasn’t sweet Maggie here heard from your best buddy in the past several days? He promised to call and take her to the movies, and then promptly dropped off the face of the earth.”
“Well, you know I don’t like to get involved in other people’s personal business,” Justyn said, reaching for a third cupcake.
Maggie swatted his hand. “No more, mister, until you enlighten us. Like Blair said.”
“You would deny a growing boy his baked goods?” he said with mock horror. “And they are mighty fine baked goods, Maggie, if I haven’t already mentioned it.”
“Stalling, stalling,” Blair said, shaking her finger.
“Ok, if you must know,” Justyn said. “Reid was in a pretty foul mood today. He got back from Raleigh this morning. He had a business meeting with investors. He said he’d tell me later. When I saw him before I came over, his nose was buried deep in a bunch of reports.”
“See? He was out of town,” Blair said, smiling at Maggie.
He didn’t even tell me he was leaving, and it sounds like an important meeting, Maggie thought. No entanglements, no entanglements, she reminded herself. Why would he tell her about a business trip?
“He also gets testy when he can’t get outside and swim or at least go fishing,” Justyn said, jolting Maggie back to the present conversation. “I could tell the numbers were irritating him, but I know not to bother him until he’s straightened it all out in his head. He has to burn off some steam somehow to process everything and work out his frustration. Although, if the rain keeps up, I doubt the computer will hold up for much longer. Can I have my cupcake now?”
“Of course,” Maggie said. “Here’s one freshly frosted.”
“Wait a minute,” Blair said. “Work out his frustration, you say? Something physical?”
“Yep,” Justyn responded. “Like the baseball game the other night. He has to get back to swimming, but the rain needs to let up.”
“Swimming miles in the sound is not the physical activity I have in mind,” Blair said, rounding the island and grabbing Maggie by the wrist. “Come upstairs now. I’ve got a plan.”
Seven
Blair
Blair was digging through Maggie’s armoire, tossing aside sundress after sundress. “No, this won’t do. You need to make more of a statement,” she said, tossing aside Maggie’s favorite pink striped tank dress.
“What kind of statement am I looking to make?” Maggie asked.
“You’re going to march over there, rip Reid from his computer, and seduce him before he knows what hit him in the spreadsheet,” Blair said.
“But clearly he doesn’t want to be bothered,” Maggie said. “He hasn’t texted or called since Saturday. He’s got more important things to think about. You heard what Justyn said about the business meeting and the investors.”
“Never mind that right now,” Blair said, moving over to the chest of drawers. “We have to find the perfect rainy day Tuesday, come-hither outfit. Wait, what is this?” She grabbed a piece of bright red lace poking out from under a heap of tank tops.
“Remember, I bought this at the beginning of last semester,” Maggie blushed as she tried to
grab the candy apple red bra from Blair’s hand. “But you know what a disaster that turned out to be. Ungrateful college boys.”
“So you saved it for the perfect occasion?” Blair asked. She poked around in the drawer some more. “Aha! Here it is. The matching bottom,” she exclaimed, waving around the accompanying lacy bikini over her head and beginning a victory dance.
Maggie started toward her in an attempt to grab the garment from her hand, but Blair proved faster as she dashed left for the bed.
“This little ensemble and your khaki London Fog raincoat, and you are good to go. Mr. Frustrated-by-numbers will be speechless and drooling. He’ll be putty in your hands.”
“Absolutely not,” Maggie said. “First of all, I’m not going along with this preposterous plan of yours, and even if I was considering it, I would wear something ... more ... something more ... You know ... with clothes. But cute, of course,” she squeaked out.
“See? You are considering it. Now, hear me out. You said the morning on the pier was great, right? Hot?” There had to be a way to convince Maggie to do this.
Maggie nodded.
“And you definitely want more? Aren’t you always beating yourself up about not taking the bull by the horns and living life? Isn’t that what this summer is supposed to be about? Fun on the island?”
“No entanglements,” they said in unison.
Maggie giggled. “Ok, say I was going to go along with this plan of yours. Do I just show up on his doorstep in my raincoat, bra, and panties, and say, what?”
“You really don’t have to say anything.” She winked. “Just open up the coat. Have you seen yourself this summer? The tan and running agrees with you. The boy won’t know what hit him.”
“I don’t know,” Maggie said. “The payoff’s tempting, but I’ve never done anything like this. It’s crazy.”