9 Ways to Fall in Love

by Caroline Clemmons

  "For starters, not being here when you needed me after the funeral."

  "A strong shoulder would've been nice." She walked to the door, faced him, and smiled sadly. "Truthfully, you have no clue how hard it's been for me, or how many times I wished you were here."

  "Maggie, I'm…"

  "Never mind, Graeme, there's a reason we're both here now." She offered her hand to him and when he took hers in a handshake, she said, "Hi, I'm Maggie Benning and I just moved into the neighborhood."

  He followed her lead. "Graeme McAlister. If you ever need anything, I'm just a phone call away."

  She stepped inside and closed the door firmly behind her. The sincerity from eyes the color of a Texas sky just after sunset almost undermined her resolve to remain independent. It would've been so easy to step into his arms and allow him to erase all her problems and insecurities. But she wouldn't give in to her wants and desires. No matter what it took, she would stand strong.

  Looking around, memories flooded over her, some good, and some bad. Mostly the ten months of dust and heat grabbed her attention. The air was stifling. On her way to the storage closet for cleaning supplies, she turned on the air conditioner then set about turning this house back into a home for herself and Andy. It was time she put stability and consistency back into her son's life.

  * * *

  Graeme mounted Buddy and headed to the back pasture and a tank he'd frequented as a kid. Maggie had put his emotions through the wringer and he needed time to process what she'd said, to cool down, both literally and figuratively. He figured the horse would appreciate a drink, too.

  After a few minutes ride, he found the tank he remembered but, due to the drought, the water level was severely low. The entire country was in the middle of a heat wave. Texas, though, had been hot and dry for several summers. Three-fourths of the state was in the middle of water restrictions and a burn ban because of it.

  He dismounted and led the horse to the edge to let him drink. Unfortunately, the level was too low for him to safely drink from, so he dunked the handkerchief from his back pocket to place around his neck. Reaching up for the cloth bag looped around the saddle horn, he retrieved the bottled water he'd grabbed on his way out of the barn and took a long swig.

  A little to his right sat the remains of the dock he and his brothers had built to fish from when they were just boys. The edge of the water was several feet from the dock now, but it still butted up close to one of the two remaining cottonwood trees. It was scraggly shade, but shade none the less. Finding a couple of planks that looked like they'd support his weight, Graeme sat, looking out over the vast expanse of land surrounding him.

  After searching for so long, he finally had a handle on what he needed to be happy. He realized he'd let INTERCEPT become the focus for his life, when what he really craved was right here--land and a good woman to stand beside him. He wanted Maggie. He'd thought he had her all those years ago, until she'd married his brother. When Wyatt died, Graeme had fancied coming back and sweeping her off her feet. The state of the world and his job in it hadn't allowed that to happen. And now it was clear that Maggie didn't think she needed him. It was up to him to change her mind.

  The conversation they'd had earlier pushed back into his conscious thoughts. He'd wanted to pull her into his arms there on her porch and tell her everything would be okay, that if he could redo their past he would. He wanted to ask her why she hadn't waited for him to come home, why she'd married Wyatt without any explanation and why it felt like she didn't want him around now. He knew he'd been partly to blame, hence the apology, but she hadn't given him a chance. Again.

  Buddy sidled up and nudged him on the shoulder. He reached up to pat the horse's muzzle. "Time to head back?" Buddy answered with a snort and a paw to the ground. Graeme chuckled. "Okay, boy, let's go see if anybody's home."

  He let the horse lead them back to the main house which took him beside the fence line bordering Maggie's place. When her house came into view, he saw a box truck parked in the driveway that he assumed was the moving van. He hadn't asked if she had anyone coming to help her unload, but he didn't see any cars parked in the driveway. Since it wouldn't be neighborly to ride by without offering his assistance, he decided to take Buddy back to the barn so he could eat and cool down. Then he'd grab a sandwich and some gloves and head that way.

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, Maggie unlocked the back door of the rented moving truck, grabbed the handle on the single door and pushed it open. Two boxes teetered, then tumbled out onto the ground, along with her favorite ceramic table lamp, which busted into a zillion pieces at her feet.

  "Oh, for crying in the mud." Hands on her hips, she spoke directly to the shambles at her feet. "Okay, so I shouldn't have tried to make the move in one trip. Would it've killed you to stay where I put you?" She'd only wanted to unload a few easy to reach boxes until Dinah arrived, now she had to dig for the broom and dustpan.

  Climbing up onto the back of the truck, balanced on the balls of her feet, Maggie spied the red broom handle propped against the refrigerator. She considered waiting but it wouldn't cool down for quite some time. So, with no other viable option before her, she started climbing over furniture and boxes.

  Ten minutes later, with bruises in places she'd never be able to show anyone, Maggie balanced tightrope-like across the bed headboard, two box fans and a quilt rack and stretched out her arm, fingers almost reaching the broom handle. Just a little bit farther, reach, stretch…

  "Maggie, are you in there?"

  Graeme's voice startled her so she lost her balance. If not for Andy's portable basketball goal, she would've landed headfirst into the small space beside the broom.

  "Yeah, I'm here. Give me a minute, will you?" Maggie quickly assessed her situation, a quality she'd developed from her years as an ER nurse, and realized maneuvering out of here would take a touch more finesse than she'd needed to climb in. As carefully as possible, she started to back out of her precarious position. Left leg, right leg, left… "Huh?" Suddenly, strong fingers gripped her ankles with vise-like pressure. "What in the world?"

  Turning slightly, she saw Graeme pulling her toward him with determination and brute strength. But instead of being grateful for his help, mortification overtook her at what his view of her derriere looked like heading right toward him. In her haste to turn around, she shifted the boxes beneath them both. Graeme tumbled backward pulling her with him. She landed on top of him with her breasts smashed against his face.

  "I'm s-sorry, I…" she stammered. She frantically searched the immediate area for a hand-hold, something to leverage herself with, but there was nothing sturdy to push against except the rock solid length of him and the more she wiggled, the deeper they sank.

  Suddenly Graeme grabbed her shoulders. Voice gruff, he spoke sternly, "Maggie, stop moving. Just be still."

  When she complied, their predicament became even more awkward. Granted it had been a while, but she hadn't forgotten what an arousal felt like pressed against her belly. Embarrassment paralyzed her.

  Carefully, he eased her off the top of him. When they were side by side, he stood, pulled her up and walked her strategically over more boxes to the opening at the truck's back, never letting go of her hand. Breaking contact, he jumped to the driveway below then reached up to assist her. She ignored his extended hand, scooted off the edge and landed in front of him with such force she fell right into his chest.

  Graeme's arms encircled her in an effort to keep them from falling. The heat that radiated between them was either embarrassment or the result of the one hundred twenty degree temperature inside the truck. Graeme guessed the former had more to do with it than the latter.

  In his defense, any man would've had the same reaction when suddenly finding himself the recipient of Maggie's lush curves. The fact that he'd wanted her since he'd first seen her in the barn all those summers ago, mucking out stalls in a tube top and Daisy Dukes, hadn't changed. Seeing her again yesterda
y afternoon had compounded his desire.

  He had to be careful though. If he wanted to preserve their tenuous friendship, he first had to get a grip on his baser emotions. Maggie had married his brother, not him. She'd never been his, and, if he didn't handle this correctly, she never would be.

  After she found her balance, he removed his hands from her shoulders. "What were you looking for that couldn't wait until you had some help?"

  She waved her hand over the busted boxes and the ceramic slivers of the broken lamp lying at their feet and smiled with chagrin. "I threw those in at the last minute, just before I closed the door. Since I could see the broom and dust pan, I didn't think it a big deal."

  "You could've hurt yourself."

  "You're right," Maggie conceded, obviously struggling with herself. "I suppose I should thank you for rescuing me for the third day in a row."

  "You're welcome."

  "Rescue? What'd I miss?" Dinah walked up beside Maggie from the opposite side of the truck and dropped a designer duffle bag on the ground. Smiling, she gave Graeme a once over adding, "Or should I say who?"

  "I'm Graeme, Maggie's brother-in-law." He offered his hand.

  "Dinah Horne, Maggie's friend," she said shaking his hand. "I didn't know you were going to be here this afternoon."

  "She didn't know I was coming. I'm afraid I surprised her."

  "He was just leaving." Maggie took Dinah by the arm and started toward the house. Over her shoulder, she said in dismissal, "Thanks again."

  "Umm,yeah," Graeme stammered. Not ready to leave, but realizing Maggie needed her space, he decided not to complicate their situation any further. He'd see her soon enough. "I'll talk to you later."

  * * *

  "Holy mackerel, where'd tall, dark and delicious come from?"

  Thankful Dinah waited until they were inside the house, Maggie explained, "I've told you about him. I hadn't planned on seeing him today, though."

  "You have mentioned him, but you never said he was so good looking." Fanning herself, Dinah added, "He is hot."

  "Yes, he is."

  "Are you still mad at him?"

  "Not so much. When he apologized this morning, I decided to be a grownup."

  "Wow, and he's only been back one day. I think you should cut the guy some slack."

  "Maybe." Maggie massaged her temple and thought back to their conversation on her porch. "The heat may be getting to me, but he seemed sincere."

  "While Andy's gone, why don't you two get reacquainted?"

  Maggie hunched her shoulders up around her neck and shuddered. "I don't know if I can face him after what happened in the truck. I'm too embarrassed."

  "I noticed you were red in the face. I just thought it was the heat."

  "Yeah, well…" Maggie hedged, knowing full well Dinah would demand an explanation, but wondered how little she could get away with telling her.

  "Okay, give. I need details." Dinah waggled her eyebrows and sidled up beside Maggie. "Tell."

  "Oh, Lord, I'd rather not talk about it."

  "Too late, now give."

  Maggie managed to give an abbreviated version of what happened inside the truck then waited for Dinah to comment. When that didn't happen, she continued, "How do I handle this?"

  "It's a little tricky, but it's not like you're strangers. You said y'all were pretty close back in the day. And it sure didn't look like he was stressed over having your boobs in his face. You gave the guy a boner for goodness sake."

  "Oh, thanks for that."

  The space between Dinah's brows crinkled as she thought. "You know, I can't remember the last time I had that effect on a man."

  "Oh, please." Maggie shook her head at Dinah's lament. "He's Wyatt's brother for Christmas sake."

  Dinah reached into the cooler to grab two bottles of water and handed one to Maggie. "I don't have the answer to your dilemma except to say, just put on your big girl pants and go with it. You'll do the right thing, you always do."

  "Well, I don't know about that, but what I do know is this isn't getting any of that stuff from the truck into the house."

  "Yeah," Dinah groaned. "Thanks, by the way, for sending away the muscle. He could've been real handy."

  "Whiner," Maggie scolded as she headed to the front door dragging Dinah by the hand

  Chapter 4

  Maggie plopped onto the couch still in the middle of the living room floor, and rested her feet on top of a box marked 'kitchen stuff'. Everything was finally out of the moving truck and inside the house. Whether the boxes were anywhere close to where they belonged was anyone's guess.

  She looked up as Dinah came through the front door carrying a box sealed with patterned duct tape.

  "There you are. I found this one in the front floorboard under the steering wheel." Dinah blew out the words with a whoosh, while balancing the container on the arm of the couch to get a better grip. "There's no label, so where do you want me to put it?"

  "Oh, shoot," Maggie put her feet on the floor and stood slowly with a groan. Her muscles rebelled with every move she made. "I set it up there then forgot."

  "This sucker's heavy. What's in it? Gold bars?"

  "I wish." Maggie grinned. "It's all of Andy's games and tech stuff plus, at the last minute, I threw broken toy parts into the top half. I don't know what works and what doesn't." She grabbed the side closest to her and lifted. "I'll help you put it in Andy's room. I'll have to go through it before he comes home, so he won't see what doesn't work and want to keep it anyway."

  Dinah picked up her end. "He gets pretty attached, doesn't he?"

  "Yes, he does and, since Wyatt died, it's worse. He bought most of Andy's computer games and . . . well, I know how hard it is to lose a parent. He's so little. At least, I had time to make memories with my dad."

  They carried the box into the back bedroom and set it in the far corner. Maggie surveyed the mess. A mattress and box springs leaned against a wall with the rails and headboard, the boxes of toys and clothes were stacked along another.

  She followed Dinah to the hallway and glanced around one last time at the task that awaited her. She envisioned her son's toys and books on the floor-to-ceiling mahogany bookcases arranged on either side of the wall-sized magnetic chalk board, the wooden toy box under the window, and his favorite pictures and artwork framed over the bed.

  All in due time, Maggie thought, sighed and closed the door.

  Her cell phone rang as she entered the living room, and she smiled when she read the caller ID.

  "Hey, fella! How are you?"

  Andy spewed out words so fast Maggie couldn't understand a thing he said.

  "Whoa, sweetie, slow down. I didn't get anything you said after, I rode the plane."

  "I said," he exaggerated, "I had juice, I played with that boy in front of me, I went potty in the closet, watched the clouds out the window, and got my bag off that big roundy thing."

  "Wow, you were busy. How's Nanny? Are you being a good boy?"

  "Yeah. Well, I gotta go, we're gonna go get a McDonalds Happy Meal and play. Bye!"

  "Slow down, Andy, have fun and have a nugget for me, okay?"

  "Sure, bye, love you." He gave her their parting smack and a grunt that passed as a kiss and a hug and he was gone.

  Maggie looked at the now silent cell phone in her hand and smiled. "I love you, too, sweetie."

  She would call her mother later and check on them after they'd settled into their room for the evening. While thinking how tired her mom and stepdad must be, her cell rang again. She answered on the first ring without looking at the caller ID. "Hi, mom, I was going to call you later."

  "Maggie, ummm, this is Harry down at the Bigger Jigger?"

  "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry. I thought you were mom calling." Harry Barksdale was the assistant manager of the bar and grill her mom and stepdad owned and operated in McTiernan. He was temporarily in charge until Nancy and Ed returned. "How's it going?"

  "Well, that's just it. I'm short staffed tonigh
t with two waitresses out and the bartender's late. It's a little crazy down here and I was wonderin' if you'd be able to help out. Now, I know you're busy what with moving and all, but . . . your mom said I could call if I needed anything."

  Maggie had known Harry for the few years he'd worked at the Dine Inn and Ed's Bigger Jigger and knew to wait for him to say all he had to say before she answered. Since she didn't have Andy, she didn't need to think about it for very long.

  "I'd be happy to help out, Harry. I can tend bar if you like, and I know someone to help out in the diner."

  "I'd be grateful."

  "We'll see you in an hour or so." Once again she held a silent phone. Looking at Dinah who'd sprawled on the opposite end of the couch, she asked, "Want a free dinner?"

  "Just what will this free dinner cost me?"

  "Must you always be so skeptical?" Maggie glanced at Dinah under a raised left brow.

  "Yep. Fool me once . . . "

  "I thought maybe you could refresh your waitressing skills for a chili cheese burger."

  "You do drive a hard bargain." Dinah's forehead wrinkled as she tapped her chin and rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'll do it, but it'll cost you.

  "What?"

  "I demand onions."

  "Deal." Grinning, Maggie levered herself off the couch to shower and don clean clothes.

  They arrived within an hour. The bar and grill occupied a large lot on the north end of town. The Bigger Jigger sat on the corner that had the most room for parking and the Dine Inn sat behind it closest to town. A few years back, Nancy and Ed had joined the two businesses by putting a door between them, making it easy for customers to access both facilities. If they were so inclined, folks could have a good meal and two-step the night away without ever going outside.

  After getting Dinah set up, Maggie took her place behind the scarred, antique oak bar. She tied a worn bleached-white apron over her jeans, gathered the empty glasses and bottles and swiped a bar towel over the sticky remnants of beer and mixed drinks spilled earlier in the afternoon.