9 Ways to Fall in Love

by Caroline Clemmons

  "Fuck off."

  She recognized something about the first voice when he cursed, but not enough to make an ID. A third man spoke and she swallowed a scream. The voice belonged to Nelson Widmore, the Benning family's trusted friend.

  "I sent you in here to wake her, what's the hold up?"

  "Your right-hand man gave her too much. She isn't waking up."

  "Riordon, it's your job to see she's able to join us in the main cabin. She's all the leverage we have."

  Leverage? For what?

  Mystery man spoke again. "I'll be out here if you need me."

  "Not fucking likely," Trevor whispered. Gently shaking her shoulder, he said, "Maggie, wake up, it's Trevor. We have to go sit with the others."

  She roused, wondering if she should let him know she'd heard everything said in the room, but decided against it. Instead, she questioned him. "Okay, spill it, dickhead. What's going on? Where am I being taken?" She rather enjoyed using one of Wyatt's favorite words to address this sorry excuse for a man.

  Struggling to sit on the side of the bed, she cried out when he lifted her by the arm to help. "Ouch! Careful. Could you remove the zip ties from my hands and feet? Or, at least, find some clothes, so I can get dressed?" She didn't want to think of Mystery Man's hands touching her or who else might have seen what the thin material revealed, what Trevor ogled right now.

  She hoped he might relent, but he thought about it too long and the door opened a fraction. "Hurry up in there," Mystery Man grumbled. Giving up for the time being, she wondered about Andy, Graeme, and everyone else, hoping they were all okay. Allowing herself a touch of melodrama, she wished she could see them one more time.

  * * *

  A little less than half way into the hour and a half flight, Graeme looked at his watch for the hundredth time. No word yet from Webster or Ben. Had he brought Maggie and Dinah to the ranch? Had they stopped somewhere? Had they forgotten to call? He'd posed the questions aloud for the earwigs, but received no response.

  "Why aren't they answering?"

  "I don't know, and you know better than to speculate." Gabe repositioned himself in his seat. "It's about time for you to fulfill Widmore's request for a mid-flight update and coffee break."

  "I'd like to hear from Joe first, but—"

  "Do you want me to go in your place?"

  "No, just keep trying to reach them, will you?"

  "Sure thing."

  He performed the necessary checks along with Gabe before leaving the pilot's seat to meet with Widmore. The request was odd, but nothing about this arrangement came across as normal.

  As soon as he left the cockpit, he gauged the atmosphere in the cabin. Widmore and Riordon sat on opposite ends of the white leather couch and seemed friendly enough. He sat in one of two matching barrel chairs placed across from them.

  Widmore poured him a cup of coffee, and leaned back into the cushions with his usual bourbon, served neat. "Well, so far, Graeme, I have no complaints. You've given us a smooth ride."

  "Thanks." Still concerned about Maggie's whereabouts, Graeme had no desire to sit back here and shoot the shit. He looked at his watch again. Not being in control sent him straight up the wall. "If that's all you need from me, I'll go back to flying the plane."

  "I do want to talk to you, Graeme, if you don't mind. I believe you have time before preparing to land."

  Curious about what Widmore wanted to say, Graeme remained in his seat. "Okay."

  "It's come to my attention you have some information I need to ensure this merger will conclude smoothly."

  "I don't know what information you're referring to, Nelson."

  "I think you do." Widmore leaned forward to sit his empty glass on the side table. "But for a minute, let's pretend you don't. I believe you've stumbled upon documents that could be either embarrassing or damning to me and our partners in El Paso.

  "I'd hoped to have this particular part of the business completed to surprise, Andrew, when he returns."

  I bet you do want it completed and I'm certain Andrew will be surprised. He waited a beat before he spoke aloud. "Andrew discussed Southern Star business with me in depth and he never mentioned a planned merger with a charter company." He watched the red of anger creep up Widmore's neck.

  "We began negotiations right before Wyatt's suicide and Andrew's heart attack. I'm sure he's forgotten."

  "I still don't see how anything I know could help you cement a contract." He stood to return to the cockpit. It was imperative he get back to the radio to reestablish communications with the ranch. Widmore glared at him, his face blazing crimson.

  "Sit down, McAlister."

  Graeme inched away from the seating, his senses on full alert. The Sig Sauer riding at the small of his back beneath his shirt giving him a modicum of comfort and confidence he could handle any situation that might occur. He wouldn't shoot and risk bringing down the plane, but hopefully no one would call his bluff.

  "Now." Widmore commanded.

  He complied, but sat on the edge of his seat ready to react quickly.

  "Son, I strongly urge you to be smart about this. I know you found all the files Wyatt downloaded to his computer and that you've had them unencrypted." He got up from the couch and took his glass with him to the bar, refilled it with three fingers of Jack Daniels. "We never convinced Wyatt to turn them over. That boy's stubborn nature cost him his life."

  "You killed him?" Graeme felt his own color rise as he waited for Widmore's confession to murder.

  Instead, he opened the door to the bathroom and escorted Jorge Mendoza, sporting two black eyes and a broken nose, tied up and gagged, to the chair beside Graeme. Sitting back down on the couch, he said to Riordon, "Trevor, would you ask our other guest to join us, please?"

  Graeme's attention focused on Riordon as he walked to the back of the plane and the location of the bedroom. When he returned, Maggie preceded him into the main cabin area. Hands tied behind her back, she wore some flimsy, practically see-through night gown. She'd obviously been taken from her bed. Riordon shoved her onto the couch beside Widmore, who then embraced her, pulling her close to his side.

  "Mr. Talmadge?" Widmore called out. Mendoza's other half and Junebug's probable murderer joined them. "Why don't you keep our first officer, Mr. Hardison, company while we sort this out?"

  When Talmadge opened the cockpit door and stood in the entrance, Graeme saw the gun Widmore held against Maggie's ribs. He barely kept himself under control. It was all he could do to keep from jumping in the middle of the man thirty years his junior and killing him on the spot.

  "Now, son, where were we before I interrupted you to include our guests in our game of "Truth or Consequences"?"

  "You know damn good and well where we were," Graeme answered. "I asked you if you killed Wyatt."

  "Of course not, Wyatt was my Godson. I was charged with taking care of him and, by extension, this pretty little thing when they married." Nelson hugged her tighter and patted her arm. "That's what I'm doing here, looking out for Maggie and Andy's well-being now that her husband is gone. I'm making sure their future is secure."

  Graeme noticed when Gabe initiated their gradual decent for landing in El Paso and so did Mendoza. He had roughly ten or fifteen minutes to gain control of the situation or give in to Widmore's demand. Either way, he had to keep Maggie safe. He'd promised.

  Suddenly, Mendoza lunged for Riordon catching him off guard with a head-butt and knocking him out cold. Widmore jumped off the couch either to aid Riordon or protect himself from Graeme, but due to slower reflexes and his age, Graeme reacted much faster. He grabbed Widmore's arm and gun hand hoping to wrestle the gun from him without pulling the trigger.

  In the scuffle, Graeme lost track of Maggie. He located her in time to see her draw her legs close to her body and kick straight out to the backs of Widmore's knees knocking him off balance. As he fell forward, the gun discharged, the bullet grazing Graeme's temple.

  With Widmore down for the coun
t, Graeme took advantage of the moment to cut Maggie's restraints with his knife, put her in his chair and handed her his Sig. "Can you use this if you have to?"

  "Yes," she answered confidently if a little shaky.

  He did the same for Mendoza, handing him Widmore's gun when he identified himself as FBI, then raced for the cockpit. Just as he reached the opening, the nose of the Seven-Thirty-Seven dropped. In spite of the negative forces, Graeme scrambled into the cockpit over Talmadge's lower extremities.

  "Get this ass-hole off me!" Gabe yelled, pulling on the yoke, struggling to regain control of the aircraft. "Who the hell's firing back there?"

  "Gun went off in the struggle." Graeme pulled the dead man out of Gabe's lap. Evidently the bullet from Widmore's gun had entered the cockpit and struck Talmadge in the back. The plane leveled out and he heard Gabe contact the tower. "I'll be back in a minute to help you, I have to go hand cuff a couple of guys." He pulled the zip ties from his bag and went to check on Maggie and Mendoza.

  He passed the ties to Mendoza then, lowering to one knee, he checked Maggie as closely as he could for any serious injuries. Finding none, he folded her into his embrace and hugged her chilled and trembling body. In a split second any number of things could've gone the opposite way. He might've lost her forever.

  Chapter 20

  Maggie clung to Graeme absorbing his strength, his warmth, his stability. In reality it was difficult to know who clung to whom the tightest. She told herself she should let him go. He still had to get them on the ground. When she gently pushed out of his embrace, she thought he trembled.

  He ran his hands up her back and down her arms, then he cupped her face between his hands. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

  "My shoulder's a little worse for wear, but yeah, I'm okay." She frowned and brushed the spot on his temple where the bullet from Widmore's gun had creased his skin. The bleeding had slowed, but still trickled down the side of his face. "You're hit."

  He went all 'aww shucks' on her and grinned. "The bullet just grazed me, you should see the other guy."

  "Please don't joke, we might've died today." Her voice caught. "Andy could've been an orphan."

  "I'm not joking, Nelson killed him when the gun went off." Intuitively, he picked up on where her thoughts were headed. "We're going to make it, honey. I promise I'll get you back home to Andy as soon as I can."

  He left her a moment and when he returned, he carried a fleece blanket which he placed around her shoulders. "Thanks." She smiled in gratitude.

  "Any extra pilots back there?" Gabe yelled. "We'll be landing soon and it may get interesting."

  Pain shot through her shoulder when she tried to fasten her lap belt for landing. Luckily, Graeme was still near and bent down to buckle it for her. "Thanks," she repeated looking up at him as he swiveled her chair to face the front of the plane. "You know, I may have to rethink this total independence thing."

  He touched the tip of her nose with his finger and winked. "When we get back home, maybe we can reach a compromise."

  Before he returned to the cockpit, he helped the man called Mendoza secure Nelson and Trevor into their seats and pulled the dead body into the main cabin. With another wink and a wave, he closed the cockpit door to set about getting them onto the ground.

  * * *

  Graeme pushed the mechanism to unlock Maggie's seatbelt in the back seat of the SUV when Elliott stopped in front of the main house at the ranch. As they started up the walk, the door opened and out poured practically the entire family, Andy leading the group.

  "Mommy, mommy," he screamed, running and jumping into her ready embrace. She caught him with her good arm, but nearly fell over backward from the impact. Graeme steadied her from behind. "Oh, mommy, I've missed you. I'm so glad you're home!"

  "Sweetie, I've missed you, too." She hugged him back and Graeme grinned as the boy squirmed and pushed against her to break free.

  "Mommy, you’re squeezin’ me."

  Maggie released him, smiling as she ruffled his curly blonde hair. "I'm sorry, sweetie, I didn’t mean to hurt you."

  "It's okay, Mommy, you didn't. Pops says I'm tough."

  "Well, he's right about that," Maggie agreed.

  He ran his small fingers over the shoulder brace. "What happened, mommy?"

  "I fell this morning, but I'll be better in a day or so."

  "Want me to kiss it for you?"

  "That'd be great, sweetie, would you?"

  "Sure." He leaned forward, puckered and grazed a kiss on the brace. "There, all better?"

  "You bet, thanks." With that, he ran off to play. She hugged her mom next who made as big a fuss about the brace as Maggie'd said she would.

  "Are you sure you're all right? You said your shoulder was fine."

  "It is, mom, it's just a sprain."

  Bridey started herding everyone inside the house. "Come on, let's all go in. The mosquitoes are big enough to carry us off."

  After she'd shooed them through the door, she latched on to Graeme's arm. "Is it over?"

  "For the most part, I believe so." He pulled her aside before joining the others. "Dallas County Deputies met us at DFW and made the exchange from El Paso PD to take Widmore and Riordon to jail. As soon as it's sorted out, you'll get the whole story. For now, you can focus on the charity shindig and getting back to normal." When he would've accompanied her into the great room, she kept him a beat longer.

  "I know it's quick, but we're holding the service for Junebug tomorrow morning."

  Her statement took him by surprise. "I hadn't expected the burial this soon."

  "It's what he wanted. We're burying him in the old family cemetery and Andrew is prepared to read the will at graveside."

  "I'll be there."

  "Good. Now let's join the others. Before long you'll need to get Maggie home so she can rest. Y'all have had a busy day."

  He agreed and, when he saw her on the couch, everything she'd been through today showed on her face. Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

  Kneeling beside her, he said, "Come on, it's time to get you and Andy home so you can rest."

  "Yes, I could really use a hot bath and sleep." She yawned. "Lots of sleep."

  They said their goodbyes, drove to Maggie's house and went inside. After her bath and Andy's snack, Graeme hustled them both into her bed, the boy emphatic he wanted to snuggle with his mom. He handed her a pain pill, placed a pillow under her left arm, kissed them both on the forehead and turned off the ceiling light prepared to leave the room.

  "Uncle Graeme?"

  "Yeah, bud?"

  "Can you sleep on my other side?"

  "Sure you won't be too crowded?"

  "No, I like being a sandwich."

  Graeme slipped out of his boots and lay down beside the fidgety little boy.

  "Mommy, I need something to sleep with."

  "No, you don't. Go to sleep, now," she crooned.

  "Yes, I do. Please?"

  Graeme reached into his right front pants pocket and pulled out a chain with an airplane charm on it that he'd planned on giving Andy at the barbecue. "Here you go. Hang on to this for tonight."

  "Cool, is this yours?"

  "No, it belonged to your daddy when he was a little boy like you."

  "But I'm a big boy."

  "Yes, you sure are and so was I when your daddy loaned it to me." He ran his thumb across the silver surface of the plane. "Once upon a time I needed something to sleep with and he gave me this. Now, I'm giving it to you."

  "Way cool, Uncle Graeme. Thanks."

  Within minutes, Andy stopped squirming and his breathing evened out. Graeme propped his head on his hand, staring at Maggie and her son, his heart full to bursting with love for this little family. He wanted to be a part of this.

  Right then, he made up his mind to get his job and financial affairs in order. As soon as he could manage it, he would ask Maggie and Andy to marry him.

  Maggie opened her eyes with a start, as Graeme drif
ted off to sleep. He looked so peaceful and Andy, laying beside him, flat on his back with a smile on his face, the necklace held tightly in his fist. He was always happiest when surrounded by his peeps. She'd missed being part of a small close-knit family and meant it earlier when she'd mentioned rethinking total independence. He'd given her heart goose bumps when he said they could reach a compromise. That might just be the thing to do.

  * * *

  Graeme shook hands with a few of the neighbors and old timers from town after the graveside service. He knew Junebug had lived here a large part of his life, but until today, hadn't realized the man's far reaching connection to the county.

  When everyone but ranch family had filed out of the chain linked enclosure, Andrew stepped up beside the preacher.

  "A few years ago, J.T., or Junebug as he's become affectionately known, came to me with a few special requests in the event of his death. One of them had to do with me to be the executor of his last will and testament. Another was to divide a portion of his estate among the ranch hands." He passed envelopes to the men standing off to one side. "I'm going to ask you boys to wait over by the truck if you don't mind."

  After they'd filed out, he spoke directly to Graeme, as he handed him an envelope. "This is for you, son. It's the remainder of his estate and while he felt like it wasn't enough, he hoped it'd help in some way."

  "Thank you, sir." Graeme took the packet with his name written on the outside. He shook hands with Andrew and hugged Bridey before they left with Elliott to go back to the house.

  Kneeling beside the grave, he said a final goodbye. "You taught me most of what I know and rode my ass to keep me out of trouble. If not for you, I wouldn't be where I am today. While your stubborn streak saved me as a kid, it probably helped to get you killed and, for that, I'm sorry. I'll miss you, you old coot." He swiped at his misty eyes and smiled as he imagined Junebug beside him saying, "Hogwash."

  Anxious to get started on tying up all his loose ends so he could get back to making his life with Maggie, he folded the envelope, shoved it into his hip pocket and headed back to the house to pack for D.C.