by Jeannie Moon
Oh yes, Will Fitzgerald. I absolutely want to hear from you again.
* * *
WILL DRIBBLED BACK to the three point circle, and with the nice soft wrist he’d been known for in his playing days, sank the basket without even hitting the rim.
Cooper Sammis grabbed the ball as it came through the net, did exactly what Will had done, and missed the shot, the basketball bouncing right off the rim.
“Shit.” Coop grabbed the basketball as it bounced toward him. “I don’t think I’ve made a three pointer in my life. Maybe once before I die.”
Will chuckled and headed toward the bench. Practice had ended an hour before and Cooper, who had become a good friend over the past few years, stopped in every now and then for a little one on one. The distraction was welcome because his mind had been on Maggie and her sweet defense of their kiss all day.
All damn day.
“Where’s Ethan?”
“He had something to do. I think he said something about buying five thousand lights for the boat parade.”
“Five thousand? His boat’s going to look like a whorehouse crossed with a carnival ride.” Cooper snorted.
The boat parade was this weekend, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and while he hadn’t said anything, Maggie was supposed to be riding with him on his boat, as the parade VIP.
It was a holiday tradition in Holly Point, which was the stereotypical waterside town. It seemed almost everyone had a boat. So when it was time for Santa to arrive, he came by boat. In the meantime, residents decorated their boats with lights, trees, and Christmas characters. It was a good time, with everyone taking a lap around the harbor.
Which she wouldn’t want to do at all, so he’d have to make it fun somehow.
Wiping his face with a towel, Will grabbed his phone from the bag. He really wanted to take Maggie out, but he felt like it was too soon. The big question was why? Dating was the way people generally got to know one another, why did it feel like she was different? Thanksgiving at her house would be one opportunity to dig a little deeper, but then what?
The boat parade. Maybe a drink after.
She did say she’d help with his Paralympic kids.
This was nuts.
Nerves or not, it was going to be a date. He was going to have to ask her out, and hope she would say yes.
“What’s on your mind, my friend?” Cooper parked himself on the bench next to Will’s gym bag and took a long swallow from a bottle of water. “A pretty blonde, perhaps?”
Bastard know-it-all. Cooper Sammis was one of Holly Point’s old guard. His family had been part of the landscape in town for generations and would be for generations more, as long as Cooper and his three brothers got off their asses and found wives.
But so far, no one had gotten her hooks in him. “If you like her, Will, you could always take her out.”
“Why are you fishing? I’m not talking about this.”
“You should. I might be able to help.”
“Help?”
“Look, I’ve known Maggie a long time.” Cooper bounced the basketball in the area in front of them. “She was two years behind me in high school and was at Maryland when I was there. I know what she’s like, how she goes into relationships, and I can tell you this, her bullshit detection is top notch.” Coop gulped water. “Some of my lacrosse teammates wanted her bad. She wasn’t interested, asking me to keep my ‘bros’ out of her orbit. If I couldn’t get them to back off, she managed fine. I think they were a little scared of her.”
Will laughed. He could see Maggie torturing frat boys and college jocks with that gorgeous smile, then shooting them down without a second thought.
“I like her. I want to get to know her better, and there’s no bullshit about that.” Will couldn’t be any more truthful. When he thought about Maggie, thought about touching her, he ached. There was no bullshit there, either.
Coop shrugged. “She’s tough, but at the same time, soft as goo on the inside. She hurts easily. You’d think Grace would be the one with the soft heart, and she’s compassionate, but Maggie is a total mush.”
“I need to think this through.”
Cooper nodded in agreement. “Be really careful. She’s been through a lot, and that kind of stuff scars.”
“I know.” He’d never want to cause Maggie any more pain, and he didn’t know if she wanted to get involved. She wanted to kiss him, that was pretty obvious, but other than that, he was in the dark.
“I get that I can’t fully understand what she went through, but I can on some level.” This was one of those times when Will had to choose his words carefully. He wanted to be perfectly clear. “I know she feels like a fish out of water. How she doesn’t know where she fits in.”
It was a year after his own injury before he was able to start making plans for his future. He’d lost his dream of playing pro ball because he’d done something stupid.
“Does Maggie know your story? I mean, she could Google you, but that’s not really her style.”
“Our conversations haven’t gone that deep, and definitely not about anything that personal. I wouldn’t even know what to say.” The last thing Will wanted to do was upset her. Cooper tossed the basketball to him and he bounced it a few times out of habit before tossing it back.
“I guess, but there’s no one else in town who could even come close to understanding. Maybe you should try.” Cooper dribbled the basketball nervously.
Will let his friend’s words sink in. The truth was, he didn’t think he had any right to compare his experience with Maggie’s.
He was twenty-five, and a rising star in the NBA. He’d married his college sweetheart, bought them a huge house, and enjoyed all the perks that came with his career. Eliza, his wife, enjoyed them, too.
But on a Wednesday morning after a practice, Will was messing around with his teammates, executing a slam-dunk like he’d done a thousand times before. This time though, he hot-dogged it, and everything went wrong.
He hit the back of his head on the backboard, knocking himself out. When he fell on the hardwood floor, he landed flat on his back, traumatizing his spine.
Will would never forget the doctor’s words three days after he’d hurt himself.
“You’ll be fine, and be able to lead a normal life, but your range of motion will be limited. You were very lucky, but I can’t see you ever returning to your playing career.”
He’d broken three vertebrae, damaged a disc, and the surgeons fused his spine to stabilize his back. On top of it, he had a traumatic brain injury. Will had to learn to control his limbs all over again.
More than once people told him it could have been worse, and he knew that was true. The TBI could have been worse, he could have been paralyzed from the back injury, but regardless of what he knew, Will could only think about what he’d lost.
For a long time there was no bright side. His career crashed, and his marriage went south right after. No perks meant no Eliza.
He’d heard a few people at the football game the previous week saying the same things to Maggie. How she should look on the bright side. That she should feel lucky…
It was all bullshit as far as he was concerned. He didn’t feel lucky, and he knew Maggie didn’t either.
But maybe Cooper was right. Maybe they could help each other. Sometimes knowing you aren’t alone can change everything.
Chapter Five
‡
THANKSGIVING BEGAN EARLY at the Benson house, so by the time noon rolled around, and the corn and clam chowder was simmering on the stove, the family had been up for hours. The day was all about tradition—from the freshly baked monkey bread that her mother had been making for as long as she remembered, to watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade in their pajamas, to the donation of a cooked turkey to the church soup kitchen—it was the perfect way to kick off her favorite season of the year.
Maggie hoped that being with her family would help bring back the child-like joy she always felt this time of
year. Everything about Christmas made her happy.
Cookies, shopping, snow, even the holiday cups at Starbucks made her downright giddy. But mostly, she loved being with her family.
Her sisters, in spite of having their own places close by, stayed over last night. The three of them stayed up late, drinking wine and watching holiday movies. It was the first time the twins had seen her without her prosthetic, and the sight of her residual limb brought poor Claire to tears.
That morning, Maggie made sure to wear a pair of yoga pants so she didn’t traumatize anyone, but there was nothing to worry about. Claire just hugged her.
“I love you, and if that ugly-ass leg of yours means you get to stick around, I will pose with it when I get married.” Claire smiled. “You’re so brave, Maggie. Thank God you didn’t give up.”
For the first time in a long time, Maggie was glad she hadn’t given up either.
Once it was time to get ready for company, jeans and sweaters were the order of the day. Thanksgiving was all about enjoying each other, not dressing up. So with a mug of fresh chowder, Maggie ventured out onto the front porch in her most comfortable jeans, a thick sweater, and settled in to enjoy the crisp fall weather.
Her parents had followed the trend of making the outdoor spaces into rooms, and the hard wicker furniture had been replaced with a long cushioned outdoor couch, a deep chair, a table, and a porch rug. Surprisingly, the yellow and orange mums were still thriving, and filled the front of the house with color. Maggie was in love with the space and had spent more than a few evenings out here since she’d arrived home, reading or just thinking. The last few nights in particular, she’d done a lot of thinking about a certain man.
A man who would be there in a few minutes.
The steaming chowder was thick and fragrant, made with fresh clams, bacon, milk, potatoes, and sweet corn. Her mother had balanced the herbs and spices perfectly over the years, and it was one of Maggie’s favorite holiday treats. Coupled with hot mulled cider, there was nothing better.
Taking her first spoonful of soup, she sighed. She’d definitely missed her mother’s cooking.
Her waistline hadn’t missed it, but her taste buds had.
Digging into her soup, Maggie tried to relax. There was no real reason to be nervous, but her stomach was jumping a little. Most of the relatives who were coming hadn’t seen her in almost three years. She knew they would fuss, that there would be questions, and at least one aunt and a cousin would be giving her the side eye.
“Big deal,” she muttered to herself. “Why are you worried about those two?”
“Worried about who?”
Looking up, there stood Cooper. She’d forgotten her sister Grace had invited him because his family had all gone out of town. Cooper must have been in heaven. He’d been in love with Grace for years, she just didn’t know it. Her sister was an absolute doll, but she was more clueless about men than Maggie.
“Hey Coop. Just a couple of relatives who get under my skin. I’ll be fine.”
“It wouldn’t be a holiday unless there was some drama.” Taking a seat at the other end of the couch, he smiled. “You shouldn’t let anyone get to you, though. Period.”
“And why is it you’re here today?” Maggie teased.
Yes, his family had gone out of town, but the reason Coop didn’t go was all rooted in some serious family drama. But the Sammis family was always dealing with one crisis or another, and the whole town usually knew about it.
Rising, he gave her a sly smile. “I’m going to head inside and say hello to everyone.”
“Not answering the question?”
“No. Smart ass.” He dropped a kiss on her head before going inside.
What beat all is that cool, collected Cooper Sammis was headed inside where he was about to face Domestic Grace, that part of her sister Grace that cooked like a dream, corralled kids, and looked beautiful while sporting a messy bun and flour on her clothes. The combination, along with her brains and kind heart, was guaranteed to bring the majority of men to their knees.
Cooper was already putty in Grace’s hands, so he was pretty much a dead man walking. She should probably go in because the show would be fun to watch, but that would mean abandoning her soup, her cider, and her spot on the couch.
And if she did that, she wouldn’t be there when Will arrived. Yes, she was acting like a teenager, but there was something about him that made her feel almost giddy. The memory of the kiss was still with her, and over the past few days they’d had some very flirty text exchanges and one two-hour phone conversation late into the night.
They talked about everything—family, friends, hometowns—because Will made it so easy. They laughed at the same things, were affected by the same things, and she especially loved listening to him talk about his work, his students, and his teams. This man was devoted to the kids in his charge, and Maggie didn’t know if there was anything more wonderful than that.
Truly, she didn’t know what the hell she was doing. A relationship with Will was out of the question, and she was just setting herself up for horrible disappointment. He might like her well enough, and she was sure this thing between them could progress. But when they reached that point of no return, the point where sex came into play, what then?
There was no way… she couldn’t let him see… why would he want her?
Why would anyone?
The sound of a sporty engine slowing down and then stopping made her look up. As soon as she did, Will emerged from the driver’s side of a very hot looking BMW. With his arms propped on the top of the open door, he flashed an easy smile and waved. Then, bending into the back seat, he came out with a bag that appeared to be filled to the brim. Peeking out of the top was a bouquet of fall flowers, no doubt to charm her mother.
Will was not only a gorgeous man, a kind man, he was also a very smart man.
Putting her soup on the side table, she rose to meet him. With his long legs three steps became one, and Maggie’s heartbeat picked up as she caught his familiar scent, reminding her once again of the kiss a few days ago.
Not caring who might see, Will leaned in and kissed her cheek. It wasn’t a friendly peck either, he lingered, his hand cupping her neck while his lips warmed her cheek.
“I’ve been thinking about you.”
Looking up, her eyes locked on his. The brilliant blues shone in the sunshine, and Maggie couldn’t believe he was looking back at her, smiling and holding her hand.
She’d come home hoping Holly Point would give her a miracle. The town was magic around Christmas, and Maggie wanted some of it for herself. She wanted to feel again.
What she didn’t count on was that her heart would start beating again. And she didn’t know if that was the miracle she was looking for.
* * *
THERE WAS PRETTY, there was sexy, there was gorgeous, and then there was Maggie. She looked like an angel, standing on the front porch, a soft yellow throw draped around her shoulders and her blonde hair tucked behind her ears. Curls tumbled down her back, and the sun, high in the sky, lit her up.
She was beautiful. So, so beautiful.
The conversations they’d had this week showed him that the beauty went deep, too. She was so much more than a job, or a pretty face. This woman, who felt she didn’t know where she fit in, could offer so much.
She lifted her face to his and her eyes held questions, probably the same ones he had. Since Will met Maggie, all he had were questions.
In the two weeks they’d known each other, Maggie was never far from his thoughts. Three nights ago, they’d spent over two hours on the phone, hanging up past midnight.
They’d talked about everything and nothing. He still knew very little about the crash, about her injuries, but he learned a little more about what made Maggie tick. She was all about friends and family. She was whip smart, a little sarcastic, and could break a problem down to its smallest bits to find a solution. There was nothing simple about this woman. And as he started
dozing off, the connection still open between them, Will knew that he could fall asleep with the sound of her voice in his head for the rest of his life.
He was in serious trouble with this woman, and they hadn’t even gone on a date yet. He was going to rectify that situation this weekend.
“This is a great porch. Have you been sitting out here?”
“Mom and Grace run the kitchen like a military operation on crack. It’s a little bit insane in there. I take care of the table and help with clean up, and stay out of the way during food prep.”
“You don’t cook?”
“I actually love to cook,” she smiled. “I just haven’t had the opportunity to do it very often.”
“Well, I want to say hello to your parents and everyone, is it safe to go in there?”
“For you? Absolutely.” Maggie looped her arm through his, and smiled. “Mom has been talking about you joining us for days, like visiting royalty. My stock has completely dropped because you’re here.”
“Stop it.” There was the wit, the sarcasm. She was teasing him.
“Stop what?” she said innocently, her brown eyes going wide.
He couldn’t help himself. Leaning in and whispering in her ear, Will gave it right back to her. “You’re being a brat.”
“Hmmph. Brat, indeed,” she said as she led him through the front door. “You’d better be nice or there will be no more kisses for you, Coach.”
She was a damn tease, and he couldn’t let that pass. Stopping her in the foyer, Will pulled her around the corner to just inside the formal living room. It was empty, as most formal spaces in homes tended to be. Without much effort, he pressed her back into the wall and pinned her there with his hips. There was a real chance he was taking his life in his hands, playing these games with a trained killer, but what a way to go.