Carefully spooning some potato salad onto her plate, I kept my voice low so no one else could hear me besides her. "Him being good-looking is beside the point. You know as well as I do that some of God's most beautiful creations can still be rotten on the inside."
"But he's not rotten, is he?"
"No," I said immediately. "Not even close."
Her eyes were knowing.
"You stop that." I pointed the serving spoon at her. "I took this job because I was sick of having my family run my life."
"You took that job because my brother is an overbearing pain in the ass. You took that job because it was high time for you to step out into something bigger and better, Magnolia Marie."
"Want anything else?" I asked.
"One of those rolls, if you please."
I did as she asked, then handed her the plate. "I know why you're pushing me, Aunt Julianne."
"Because I love you and want you to be happy and would desperately like some little ones to love on before I die, which just might be any day now."
I smiled sweetly. "I'm so glad we haven't resorted to guilt trips at this point in our life."
"I don't have anyone else to spoil, Magnolia. You are it. My sons haven’t found women to put up with them, and your daddy found the only woman in existence who would." At my laughter, her face softened. Her eyes went bright with unshed tears. "Someday, you'll have a family, honey, and you'll know the special kind of love that children bring into your life. Your parents being of the age they were when they had you … you’re as good as my own granddaughter, the way I look at it. I’ve always felt that way about you, since our momma and daddy passed away. Seeing you find happiness in whatever you do brings a different joy than anything else I know. And I want to see you loved, really loved, while I'm still here to experience it."
Coming around the island, I wrapped my arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "I know."
"I'll stop, I promise." She cupped the side of my face. "But just know, all our crazy, and we have a lot of it, comes from such deep love. We want the world for you. Your daddy and my parents did. Your momma’s parents did too, God rest their souls."
The conversation was over when she started on her food, and that was fine by me.
Nothing Aunt Julianne told me was new. Nothing I didn't know.
I knew they wanted to see me happy and loved. Tucker breaking up with me was hard on my family too because they absorbed my hurt like it had happened to them.
I knew what Grady was. Not just to me but in general.
And even though all our interactions through the holidays, save the texts on Christmas Day, had been completely professional in nature, it was all I could do to tamp down my excitement at being back in the office with him.
Maybe that was the strange ache behind my chest.
I missed all those things about him that made him attractive, the things that had nothing to do with the chiseled features or bright eyes or wide smile.
That he watched Home Alone by himself on Christmas Day, just like I had.
That every day that dawned with dry, sunny weather made me wonder what piece of nature he was out discovering.
That when the clock struck midnight the night before, I found myself glancing around the room for that tall head full of golden-colored hair, elephants and butterflies and all sorts of animals fighting for the number one spot. And when I didn't see him, that ache I was now feeling took root.
Kissing him at midnight in front of the entire town was a horrible idea, but it was all I could think about. For the first time in my life, I'd found myself thinking simply about what I wanted down to my marrow instead of what was the safest course of action.
It was a new year. Starting fresh.
And maybe simply being single at the same time wasn't a reason to see if Grady might be thinking about me in the same way I was thinking about him, but all those other things might be.
I saw my momma eating from her plate out on the dock and thought about how all the ways my parents were different. How those differences were what made them fit together so well.
Fire and water, I'd always thought of them. Nobody chose for them, based on the things that made them similar.
Maybe that was where I'd gotten it wrong with Tucker. He was so like me that we hadn't worked. And instead of feeling embarrassed, all I could do now was think about what that held for my future.
How some nameless, faceless man might complement me, simply by being himself. How I'd complement him, by being me.
I was done having people choose what was right for me.
Maybe all along, the key to my happiness wasn't in the safest choice, or the one that made the most sense, or in the path of least resistance.
Maybe my happiness was in knowing that I could take whatever leap I wanted to, and no one would have to push me from behind.
Because I was Magnolia fucking MacIntyre, and I was ready to take the choices in my own hands.
Starting with Grady.
Chapter 18
Grady
At the time, it had felt like a good idea to get out of bed at six and do a twelve-mile hike for research purposes before going into the office.
The effect that a couple of hours of physical activity had on my mood was undeniable, especially as the days had passed over the holidays without seeing Magnolia. I'd see her at the office when I arrived, and I tried not to care that I'd be looking like I'd just hiked twelve miles after barely sleeping.
When I made it back to my car in the empty parking lot by the Abrams West trail, I realized that it was no longer a novelty to see puffs of white when I breathed out. The California boy liked hiking in the high-thirty temps that those Tennessee winter mornings started in.
I liked seeing a waterfall go over the dark rocks, knowing that if I stuck my hands under the water, they would feel ice cold in a matter of minutes.
It would be a great hike for a family who could handle intermediate trails but didn't need a lot of elevation gain.
I got in the driver’s seat and peeled the banana that I'd grabbed off my kitchen counter, taking notes on my phone while I shoved the fruit in my mouth. When I got back to the office, I'd have Magnolia type up another package.
As I tapped out another bullet point, a message banner scrolled down on the top of my phone.
Tucker: Are you at the office? I wanted to swing by to grab that VA shirt for the hike you've got me scheduled for next Tuesday.
Immediately, my mind raced. Was Magnolia at the office yet? Was I supposed to give her a heads-up that he was coming? It was hard to set aside the protective instincts when it came to her, but I let my head fall back against the headrest. Even if she was there, she didn't need my help in dealing with Tucker. They got along just fine.
In fact, everyone seemed fine except me.
I was the one freaking out.
Me: Not yet, but I will be in about twenty if you can wait. Not sure if M is there yet or not.
There. That looked like a completely professional answer. Like I didn't just shove the keys into the ignition and practically burn out my engine while peeling out of the parking lot. It was one of the first times leaving a hike, a good one too, when I wasn't basking in the scenery, when I wasn't thinking about how freaking amazing it was that I was finally making this happen.
All I could think about was her.
As I drove, I forced my attention to the roads. To the mountains. The trees.
These were the things that had made me uproot my life and move across the country.
So as best I could, I tried to slow the stress building like a slow thunderstorm under my skin. Even if Magnolia was there, she'd be fine. She'd more than proven that she didn't need me fighting her battles for her.
My phone rang, and I smiled when I saw her name.
"Hey," I said.
"Grady," she said, smile clear in the sound of her voice. "I just got to the office, and you are in so much trouble."
I winced. "Did
I put something away wrong?"
"Nothing I can't fix, but there is a pile of boxes here that makes my soul weep a bit because I'm not sure we have room for ..." She paused. "Five tents?"
"Ohh, yeah, sorry about that. Remember the guy from the convention? He was showing us that tent with the separate screened-in room?"
She hummed. "Room is a very generous term, but yes. I remember the tent because I also remember him saying six people could sleep in it, and I think I could smell the sulfurs of hell when he uttered that egregious lie."
I laughed deeply. My life would be complete if I could get that woman camping and have her admit that it was freaking awesome.
"What do these giant boxes that I have no room for have to do with him?"
"He sent me a few samples. I told him about wanting to eventually build up to some overnight trips, if we could manage it."
Magnolia hummed again. "All right. I can work on finding some room today but no more big surprises, Grady Buchanan. Otherwise, you can rearrange all these shelves yourself."
"Yes, ma'am," I answered around a smile. "I'll be there shortly."
"I'm glad." She paused, and my smile widened at how happy she sounded. "I mean, that's good. You can do the heavy lifting."
Before she hung up, I said her name again. "Just a heads-up because I'm not sure how I'm supposed to manage this, but Tucker is going to stop by for something. He needs one of those long-sleeve shirts with the logo on the chest. The dark blue one."
She let out a deep breath. "Well, we might as well get this out of the way. Thanks for letting me know."
"I'll see you in a few minutes," I promised.
If I sounded like a worried husband, she didn't say anything, but I felt like one. By the time I turned down the street, my whole body was tense. Whatever relaxation I'd earned during that hike was long gone. The fact that Tucker's big truck wasn't parked in front of Valley Adventures meant nothing because he could have easily walked the few blocks from the law offices.
Throwing the gear shift up to park, I snagged my stuff from the passenger seat, jumped out of the car, and jogged to the front door, so eager to see her that I felt slight tremors over my entire frame.
When I pushed the door open, heard that bell, and saw her look up from the desk with a wide, sunny smile on her face, I fought not to lay my hand over my chest.
This was why I could hardly pay attention to the scenery on the drive over. Because nothing in God's greatest creation came close to rivaling Magnolia MacIntyre when she smiled.
"Hi."
I sounded like an idiot.
She gave me a peek of that dimple when her smile deepened. "Hi, yourself."
The door swung shut behind me, closing us off to the world. Since Thanksgiving, I'd hardly seen her at all and hadn't had any time alone with her. And I wanted nothing more than to grab her face between my hands and take her mouth in a deep kiss, which was exactly why I kept my feet planted right where they were.
"H-How was your New Year’s?"
Her smile softened, and she took a seat behind the desk. "Just fine. Went to the party at the community center."
"I know," I said without thinking, then froze.
She did too.
"You were there?"
My hands tingled with inexplicable panic. "I ... no. Yes. Sort of."
"Sort of?"
File that under Questions I could definitely not answer honestly. "I got there and just ... didn't feel like being around people."
Like she had on the phone, Magnolia hummed. As she did, her eyes glowed a molten gold. "I looked for you."
"You did?"
Slowly, she nodded.
My mouth opened to ask her why she looked for me when the bell jingled, and the door swung open again.
I moved aside, noticing how her facial expression slipped from warm smile to something more polite, a bit more tense, at the arrival of Tucker.
He glanced between us. "Grady, Magnolia."
"Tucker," she greeted, sweet and polite, as she stood from the chair.
Awkward quiet descended into the space like a punch to the gut.
"Have a good time at your folks’ yesterday?" I asked him.
He nodded, looking grateful for the harmless question. "Yeah, we did."
"Good."
Tucker glanced down at the boxes by my feet, all the tents. "Those are nice. You figure out some overnight packages?"
I nodded. "Working on it. Met the supplier at the convention in Nashville a couple months ago, and he said he'd send a couple for me to try after the first of the year. Thought I'd take one out to that campsite by Abrams West. I hiked it this morning, and if the group is fine with rustic camping, it would be perfect."
"It would." He knelt to look at the picture of the tent on the side of the box. "You could also go over to Beaverdam Creek over by Backbone Rock if you wanted something a bit more accessible."
"That's a good idea," I said, pulling out my phone to make a note.
As she shuffled through some papers, Magnolia piped up. "You could connect with the guys that run that rafting company too. Set up something for the group if they wanted to catch a little bit of everything. The easier you make it for people, the better."
"Great idea." My fingers flew over my screen.
Magnolia came around the desk, and my eyes were drawn to her, quite helplessly. My fingers froze when I was supposed to be typing. I wanted to catalog everything about her. She handed Tucker a manila file. "Here's for your hike on Tuesday. It's got the waivers they need to sign before you start and all the information about their family. Their son has a peanut allergy, which I noted on the order for lunches from Daisy's, but if they ask to verify anything, don't take it personally."
The file went under his arm, and he nodded again. "Thanks, Maggie." Her face took on the slightest edge, but he held up his hands immediately. "Sorry."
"It's okay." She turned around and walked to the shelf where we kept the shirts. "XL, right?" she asked.
"Yeah." His cheeks flushed just a little.
My hands curled into tight fists. At the nickname. At the fact she knew his shirt size. Not because of her past with him, not really, but because in the face of it, I felt like it was something we'd never be able to get over.
An impossible mountain to breach, full of peril and pitfalls, the kind that even seasoned hikers would warn you against.
"Looks great in here, Magnolia," Tucker said.
His warm smile in her direction made me want to punch him in the fucking face.
It was unfair. It was inexcusable.
He'd done nothing except meet her first, and for just one moment, I absolutely hated him for it.
As she handed him the shirt, she thanked him, her smile coming more easily.
I should've been happy to see them overcome this first moment working together. It should've heralded some breakthrough to be celebrated.
But the only thing I felt inside me was an awful, sinking realization.
Tucker said his goodbyes, and I must have managed something resembling a smile because he didn't look at me strangely or ask me what was wrong. But he wasn't my sister. He didn't know me well enough to feel the discomfort coming off me in waves.
The bell chimed at his departure, the door closing us in together again.
Magnolia sensed it. On at least some level, she sensed what had changed in me.
She leaned against the desk, primly crossed her legs, and pinned me in place with those eyes. "What just happened?"
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
"With Tucker." Her voice quieted, softened. "Something changed in you, like he flipped a dimmer switch just by walking in the door."
My face was hot, my hands tingling. This was not the way. This was not how I could talk to her about this. Not how I should talk to her about this.
Rubbing my forehead, I tried to focus on anything except her face. The tents she'd called me about were in boxes at my feet, and I pointed at one. "Do yo
u need me to help you put these away?"
"Grady."
Not now. Not like this.
"We should get back to work," I begged.
Magnolia straightened from the desk. I'd never seen her look more confused.
Teeth clenched, resolve in place, I strode past her.
Her hand shot out and caught mine before I could.
I dropped my chin to my chest.
"Why did you look at him like that?" she whispered.
If I looked at her, I'd lose whatever shaky grip I had on my control.
But even not looking at her, I could smell her. Something sweet.
Not only could I smell her, but I could still feel her. Losing the sense of sight in no way diminished Magnolia’s effect on me.
With her hand gripping mine, I knew how strong those long, graceful fingers were. I knew that her palms were soft.
Even if I pinched my eyes shut and cut off my sight, it wouldn't matter.
"Like what?" My voice was rough. Nothing about it sounded like me. It sounded like it came from a dangerous man, someone on the edge of his sanity. Someone backed into a corner, where even the slightest push would result in an explosion of action.
She tugged me closer. "Like ... like you were jealous."
My eyes snapped to hers. It wasn't hard because I was so much taller than her. I'd be able to curl myself fully around her. It would take no effort, if my body stretched on top of hers, to feel every inch of her.
"Magnolia," I said, my head shaking slightly.
"You're not denying it." Her other hand hovered over my chest, like a butterfly afraid to land.
She tilted her chin up, and my eyes landed unerringly on her mouth. The tip of her pink tongue darted out to moisten the full curve of her bottom lip.
I wouldn't lie to her, so instead, I kept the words stuffed down.
But in full view of that front window, I knew I didn't want this to be our first kiss either. I started pulling back.
"We shouldn't do this," I rasped.
Magnolia let me back away, but the disappointment was clear on her face. "Shouldn't isn’t the same as not wanting to."
Steal My Magnolia (Love at First Sight Book 3) Page 15