by Dixie Land
“Oh, dear God, please don’t let him show up here,” she whispered.
ChapterTwelve
aggie managed to stay away from her apartment for the entire day Saturday. She stopped by the drugstore around three in the afternoon. Both Ross and Lil were working. They staggered Saturdays off, but both worked every other weekend together, and Ross was always on-call during his off time. He carried a beeper so that if an emergency occurred he could respond, but it wasn’t often that such an occasion arose. Maggie decided it was one of the unique perks of living in a small town.
“What brings you by this afternoon?” Lil wanted to know. “You’re not sick are you? You look a little peaked.”
“No, I’m not sick. I just can’t go home.” She told Lil about Michael’s call. Maggie had told her a little about Michael soon after they had become acquainted. She hadn’t gone into the sordid details, but the older woman knew enough that she would certainly help in any way she could to prevent him from finding Maggie.
Ross caught Maggie’s eye from the pharmacy at the back of the store and waved. “We’re still on for tonight, aren’t we?” he called.
“We are,” she called back.
“I’ll pick you up around six. I have a couple more things to do here, and then we’re going to close up. We haven’t had a soul in since lunch, except you.”
Maggie walked part way back to the pharmacy. “Let me drive over. I don’t want my car at the apartment tonight. I’ll tell you about it when I get there.”
Ross looked a little puzzled. “Okay. If you’re sure, but I don’t want you driving home alone at night, even in Serenity. I don’t live just around the corner like Lil does, you know. I’ll follow you back to town. Are you sure you can find your way out?”
“I’ve got a pretty good idea. Would you mind jotting down the landmarks?” Ross lived several miles from town in the county. He had told her a little about his place, but she’d never been there.
“I’ll draw her a map, Ross. You finish up what you’re doin’ there.”
“Thanks.”
Before she left the drugstore, Maggie called Caroline. “Any sign of Michael?” she asked.
“Not even a hair. Charlie’s stayed out in the garden most of the day. He’d know if Michael even rode by.”
“I’m coming home just long enough to change clothes, and then I’m going to Ross’s for dinner,” Maggie told her. “I’m going to leave my car around the corner.”
“You go on and pull it into our garage and close the door. Charlie has ours on the street.”
…
At 5:45, Maggie started out the door and was half way down the steps before she remembered the video and had to go back. By the time she was actually on her way, she was beginning to have a feel for what it’s like to be a fugitive, constantly looking over one’s shoulder and paranoid about one’s every move. It would be good to get away from town tonight and spend the evening in the country with Ross. She went into the garage and got into her car. Once out on the road, she turned right on Main St., then headed out of town
Fifteen minutes later, she was still driving. “I should be getting close.”
She was looking for a sign that read “Groves Picnic Shelter”, and she hadn’t seen it yet. She drove on a bit further and came upon the Revival Baptist Church. “Oh, oh,” she said aloud. “You’ve gone too far, girl.” She turned into the church parking lot and opened the map that Lil had drawn for her. It didn’t appear she’d overshot it by much. When she headed back there was no traffic behind her, and she was able to drive more slowly. When she did spot the landmark, she understood why she had missed it. It was a small, rusted sign with black lettering, and the sign had been bent in the opposite direction of the turn.
She drove a quarter of a mile down the rutted gravel road through a dense growth of trees, waist-high grass and weeds and patchy, light fog. This could be creepy in the dark, she thought to herself, and it seems so desolate. She was glad Ross had said he’d follow her home. She couldn’t help wondering what the attraction of this place was for him.
She bumped along for a minute more before going up a slight incline. At the top was a clearing. Then Maggie understood what had brought Ross out here.
Beyond her lay one of the most spectacularly beautiful settings Maggie had ever laid eyes on. Nestled among stately oak trees flaunting all the glorious colors of late October, stood an old two-story gray frame home. It had green shutters and an inviting front porch that rambled across the entire front of the house, down one side and around to the back. Smoke rose from the brick chimney and drifted over the peaceful rivulet to the right of the dwelling then spiraled upward until it became one with the billowing clouds. Autumn wild flowers dotted the water bank, and their reflections mingled with the majestic old trees to create a rainbow of fall colors on the silky water. Through the distant mist, Maggie could make out a graceful bridge arching across the narrowest part of the brook. A rowboat, moored at the end of a wooden dock to the side of the house, swayed ever so lightly in the softly rippling water.
As Maggie parked the car and turned off the motor, Ross opened one of the small-paned double doors and stepped onto the front porch.
“Maggie,” he called. Welcome to…”
“Paradise,” she finished the sentence for him.
“So, you like my old cabin in the woods, do you?” He looked very pleased as he reached her car and opened her door.
She grabbed the bag of vegetables from the back seat, picked up the video and got out.
“Let me take those,” Ross said, reaching for her bag. “Come on in. I’ll just deposit these in the kitchen.”
“Let me look around out here before I go in. This place is absolutely wonderful! It takes my breath away. Why didn’t you tell me how phenomenal it is?”
“I know how I feel about it, but not everyone views it as I do,” he said pensively.
She knew exactly who he was referring to. She walked to the water’s edge and stooped to smell the flowers. “I’ll have to admit, some of them look lots prettier than they smell.”
“You’re right about that. That’s why they stay outside on the riverbank. What do you think of my bridge?” he asked, gesturing downstream.
“You’re kidding, aren’t you? You didn’t really build it, did you?”
“Not alone. Seth from the hardware store helped me. Doc helped some, too, on the weekends. It took us a few weeks to finish, but it was good therapy for me.”
“How do you keep up with this place? It’s so large.”
“I have the upstairs rooms closed off, now. I live downstairs. I had hoped to fill the upstairs with kids, but things don’t always turn out like we want them to, do they?”
“No. They certainly don’t.” She tucked her hands into her pockets and continued walking. “How did you ever find this place?”
“I didn’t. It found me. It belonged to my grandparents. I spent all my summers here with them. I fished in that pond every day of every summer, and I helped my grandpa around the house and yard. They knew how much it meant to me, and, after my grandma died, my granddad told me he had put in his will that it was to be mine when he was gone. He died during my last year in college, and, when Melanie and I were married shortly after graduation, we moved out here. She never did see in it what I did.”
Maggie didn’t comment. She started around to the back of the house. “You have your own vegetable garden, don’t you?”
“I sure do. When you leave, you can take enough with you to restock what you brought with you tonight.”
“Between you and Charlie, I just might sprout pink ears and turn into a rabbit. I will take a few things home with me, see what kind of a farmer you are.”
They walked back around to the front of the house and started up the steps. “Some Saturday, when you aren’t working, I’d love to go out in that boat and fish with you. I loved it as a child, too. I haven’t been in years.”
He opened the front door for her
, and she stepped into his huge living room. The ceilings were so high, at least twelve feet, Maggie thought; they made the rooms appear even more expansive. The furniture, two massive brown leather sofas and two beige Lazy Boy recliners, looked comfortably masculine. The whole place had an ambiance of quiet strength that so personified Ross. Standing here, Maggie felt both safe and comfortable. A heavy oak coffee table was centered between the sofas, and a big screen TV stood at the far end of the room. A cozy fire crackled in the large, red-brick fireplace. Beyond the living room stretched a formal dining room furnished in antique cherry. The room looked spacious, even with a table and eight chairs, a hutch and buffet. She supposed that the furniture had belonged to his grandparents. The kitchen was at the back of the house.
“Your home is wonderful inside as well as out. ” “It’s comfortable,” he said with a smile, obviously pleased at her approval.
As they got closer to the kitchen, the aroma of the spaghetti sauce grew stronger.
“Hmmm, I’m just beginning to realize how hungry I am,” Maggie told him. “Is that a combination of curry and green pepper I’m smelling?”
“Among other things.”
The kitchen definitely had the look of a male cook. Bowls in need of rinsing, and pans, dishes and several glasses cluttering the counter tops. A soup kettle filled with the spaghetti sauce and meatballs steamed away on the stove. It had obviously been boiling for some time and had splattered about the range top. Maggie smiled and shook her head as she surveyed the mess. All men are alike in the kitchen, she thought to herself as she remembered her father and grandfather’s forays in cooking.
Ross picked up a long, wooden-handled spoon and began stirring his creation.
“I’ll grab a sponge and start the clean-up,” Maggie offered.
A few minutes later the kitchen was relatively neat, the dirty dishes had been put in the dishwasher, and they set about chopping and dicing the fresh vegetables Maggie had brought for the salad. Within thirty minutes of Maggie’s arrival, they were ready to sit down to their meal.
“Would you like to eat in the dining room or the kitchen?” “I’ll leave that up to you; either is fine with me.”
Ross got out plates and table service and took them into the dining room. “I don’t use this often, so we’ll eat in here tonight. He set his place at the head of the table with Maggie to his right. He went to the hutch and removed two smoke-colored, crystal wine goblets. He opened the bottle of Chardonnay he had chilling and filled his glass, then carried Maggie’s to the kitchen and filled it with milk.
When they were seated at the table, Maggie raised her goblet. “What shall we drink to?” she asked smiling.
“Well, let me see.” He thought a moment. “Let’s toast us. You’ve made an amazing difference in my life, Maggie.”
After he said it, Maggie noticed that his face and neck flushed a little.
“The feeling’s mutual. You’re special to me, Ross,” she added softly as their goblets clinked.
Dinner was very tasty. Maggie declined seconds, not because she didn’t like it, but because it was fairly spicy, and she knew she’d pay for it during the evening if she indulged herself now.
When the meal was finished and the dishes were out of the way, Ross asked, “Would you like to sit on the front porch for a while before we watch the movie?”
“I’d love to,” Maggie said, going into the living room for her sweater.
“I don’t know if you’ll be warm enough in that. Let me get you one of my jackets to put over it.”
He disappeared for a moment and returned wearing a navy flannel pullover and carrying a brown and tan checked fleece jacket for her. She was waiting for him at the front door. He slid the jacket around her shoulders, and his hands lingered for a moment. Maggie felt a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach.
They stayed outside only a few minutes. The temperature was dipping rapidly as is often the case in late October when the days are warm, but the evenings become quite chilly. “I think we’re supposed to get down close to freezing tonight,” Ross said, “and the way the temperature’s dropping, I think the forecast was on the money this time.” “I agree,” Maggie said through chattering teeth. “As much as I love this view and listening to these night sounds, I’m ready to go in,” she said rising.
Ross opened the door and put his hand on the small of Maggie’s back as they went into the living room. There was that sensation again. She tried to focus on something else. She walked over and sat down on the sofa that faced the television set.
Ross picked the DVD up off of the coffee table, put it in the player, went back to the sofa and sat down beside Maggie. With a click of the remote the movie began.
Maggie found it as engaging the second time through as she had the first. However, this time she thought she was in better control of her emotions and would escape without the tears. She was wrong. At precisely the same place in the movie, she felt the tears beginning to well in her eyes. She tried to take a deep breath and blink them away to no avail. Ross must have sensed it, for he reached for a Kleenex from the box on the coffee table and handed it to her.
“Are you crying this time too, Maggie?” He asked softly. “I’m afraid so.” She tried to laugh as more tears spilled onto her cheeks.
He reached for another Kleenex, moved a little closer to her and gently dabbed beneath her eyes. “Now that’s the sign of a really good movie. You know exactly what’s coming, and it gets you anyway.”
She looked into his eyes and smiled. Before she realized what was happening, he leaned over and his lips brushed hers. She leaned against his chest. His warm, moist lips covered hers. His arms encircled her.
“Maggie,” he whispered, his breath hot against her lips. “Maggie,” he whispered again, pulling her even closer.
She returned his kisses as she wrapped her arms about his neck letting her fingers caress the back of his head. Their bodies sank against the sofa pillow until Maggie was lying on top of him. She felt his arousal hard against her; her body responded. Pleasure surged through her. It was intoxicating to lie here in this man’s arms.
Quite suddenly, she came to her senses. What was she doing? She was pregnant, with another man’s baby! Ross had no idea. She now realized how much she had come to care for him. Her feelings when he touched her earlier this evening were clear to her now. And when he kissed her, both her mind and her body’s response to him made it crystal clear. But Ross had been hurt so deeply in the past. How would he react to her reality? She knew she had to tell him. But, not now. No. Now was not the time.
She pulled free of his embrace and rose. “Ross, I have to go. It’s nothing you’ve done. Please understand that. There are things… things that could hurt you.” She began to sob.
Ross looked bewildered.
She turned and took a few steps toward the chair and grabbed her sweater.
Ross was on his feet now. “Maggie, I don’t understand.”
She didn’t hesitate. She ran to the door and down the steps. She got into her car. She started the engine, turned around and headed back toward town.
ChapterThirteen
aggie’s car bumped and bounced down the gravel road through the dense growth back toward the main road. Even when she slowed to a crawl, it seemed a rougher ride than it had when she came. Before she reached the highway, she became aware of headlights behind her.
“Oh, what must you think of me?” she asked aloud. She hoped he would just follow her into town then return home. She needed time to think and sort out how she was going to handle this new situation. Fifteen minutes later she entered Serenity, and Ross continued to follow her.
When she got to her apartment and stopped, he pulled up beside her and turned off his engine. They got out of their cars.
“Maggie, I have to talk to you,” he said quietly. “Please, let me come up for a few minutes.”
“Please, not tonight. I agree that we need to talk. But, this isn’t a good time,” s
he pleaded, looking into his eyes.
“Maggie, please. I promise I won’t stay long, but we can’t part like this. I feel I need to explain what happened earlier.” He looked so dejected.
She hadn’t the heart to refuse him. She unlocked the downstairs door. “Come on, let’s talk.” She wasn’t sure what she was going to say. She had so many feeling to sort out. Suddenly, she felt spent, exhausted.
When they were in the living room, she asked, “Shall I put on some tea? Or, I can offer you a glass of milk?”
“I don’t want anything to drink, Maggie. I just want you to sit down and hear me out,” he said solemnly, taking a seat on her couch.
She sat down in the easy chair across the room from him.
“I owe you an explanation for my behavior tonight. I’ve had some time, before tonight, to think about what I’m going to say to you. I know it comes as no surprise to you that our friendship has become extremely important to me. I felt it was mutual. I’ve considered you trustworthy, and I’ve told you things I haven’t told anyone else. I thought you felt the same about me. I thought that defined our relationship until a wake-up call the night of your surprise party. Well, maybe it started even before that. I guess it began that weekend when Lil said Kevin was interested in you, and I found myself resenting the man without even knowing him. He really got under my skin showing up at the party the way he did, and I had no right to feel that way.” Ross’s voice was resonant and controlled as he continued.
“I was inexcusably rude to him. But it did start me thinking as to why I acted that way. And the only conclusion I could come to, no matter how many times I thought about it, was that, even though I never intended to, I was beginning to care for you. Tonight, it’s so clear to me. Maggie, I’m in love with you.”