by Lara Lacombe
“Nothing’s wrong. Why do you ask?”
Mac lifted one eyebrow and shook his head. “I know you, son. I can tell when something is bothering you. If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. But could you at least quit sighing like a moody teenager?”
Thorne couldn’t help but smile at the description. “That bad, huh?”
Mac nodded, turning back to the blue roan mare he was brushing. He smoothed a callused hand over her silvery-gray coat and she nosed him affectionately, huffing a breath as she searched his pockets for a treat. “Fine, fine,” he said, laughing as he pushed her questing head away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small apple, which he offered to her. “Here you go.” The mare’s lips moved delicately as she plucked the treat from his palm, and he resumed brushing her while she chomped happily.
“So what’s it going to be then?” he asked, his eyes on the horse. “Want to share? Or would you rather pretend everything is fine?”
Thorne considered the question for a moment as he brushed the horse in front of him. He normally didn’t like to talk about his feelings, but if he was going to share, Mac was the person he’d choose to listen to him. His father had been a great sounding board throughout the years and it would be nice to get his take on things. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have another opinion on the subject.
“I’m worried about Maggie,” Thorne said finally. “I think something is bothering her.”
“Have you asked her?” Mac said reasonably.
If only it was that simple! “I have. She says nothing is wrong.”
“Maybe you should take her word for it.”
Ordinarily, Thorne would agree with him. But this was Maggie—he couldn’t simply ignore the situation when his gut was telling him something was wrong.
He shook his head, trying to find the words to articulate his feeling. Maggie acted like she was fine, but ever since he'd impulsively kissed her there was a sadness about her he hadn’t seen before, a melancholy air that seemed to cling to her, dulling the normal shine of her blue eyes.
He wished she would confide in him, but she probably didn’t trust him enough for that yet. She said she had forgiven him for his actions, but he knew it would take time to rebuild their relationship.
In the meantime, how could he help her?
“Haven’t you noticed how quiet she’s been lately?” he asked, trying a different tack. Mac was an observant man—surely he had noticed the signs as well! “In the two days since we found the snakes in your office, she seems to have withdrawn into herself, like she’s trying to shut out the world.”
“Maybe she is,” Mac offered. “A lot has happened to her recently. Her car exploded, she finds out she’s pregnant, then she’s nearly bitten by an angry rattler. That’s enough to make anyone want to pull the covers over their head and hide.”
“I suppose,” Thorne said. He set down the currycomb and picked up the hard brush, then set about removing the dirt and loose hair from the horse. She shifted a bit as he moved down her neck, but he didn’t see any troubling marks or bites. He lightened his stroke and she stilled again, relaxing once more under his hands.
“You don’t sound convinced,” his father observed.
“I just feel like there’s something more going on,” he said finally.
Mac was quiet for a few moments, and Thorne figured he had moved on. He relaxed back into the rhythm of the work again, the sun warm on his shoulders. At least the weather was nice today...
“What are your intentions?” Mac’s voice floated softly above the birdsong, calm and soothing.
Thorne frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” his father replied, a slight edge on the words, “what are your intentions toward Maggie?”
“Oh.” For a second, Thorne was dumbstruck, unsure of how to answer the question. “I care about her, of course,” he said. “After all, she’s carrying my child.”
“Is that all there is to it?” There was a note of disappointment in Mac’s voice, as if Thorne had failed an important test.
“What do you mean, Dad?”
Mac sighed and dropped his arm. “I thought I raised you better than that,” he muttered.
Thorne reeled back, bewildered. “What the hell?”
“Watch your mouth,” Mac said automatically. He shook his head and turned to face Thorne. “So that’s it, then? You only care about her because she’s pregnant with your baby? She’s just some kind of vessel to you?”
“Well, no,” Thorne stammered.
“Then stop treating her like one.”
Thorne was incredulous. “When have I ever acted like she’s just a-a-an incubator?” he finished.
“Every time I’ve heard you talk to her, you only ask her about the baby. You don’t seem to care about how she’s actually doing—just how her health is affecting the pregnancy. It’s no wonder she’s pulling away. You’re making her feel like she’s nothing more than a walking uterus!”
Thorne opened his mouth to refute his father’s words, but as he thought over the last few conversations he’d had with Maggie, he realized Mac was right. He had emphasized the baby, but not out of any desire to erase Maggie’s identity. It just seemed like a safe topic of conversation, something they both shared and could discuss without any hurt feelings.
“You may have a point,” he said grudgingly.
Mac accepted his acknowledgment with a nod. “Now back to my original question,” he said, returning to the horse. “What are your intentions regarding Maggie? Do you simply want to maintain the status quo, or do you want to have a real relationship with her?”
“I want—” Thorne began, but then he stopped. How could he put into words his hopes for his relationship with Maggie? How could he explain their complicated past to his father? He was still embarrassed by the way he’d treated her, and Thorne knew Mac would have several choice words if he found out about it.
Mac gave him a moment, then spoke again. “I’m going to assume you had feelings for her at one point, given her current state.”
“Yes.”
“And I’m going to further assume that given the awkwardness between you two now, something unfortunate happened?”
Thorne swallowed. “Yes. I—”
Mac held up his hand, stopping him from saying anything more. “Son, I think it’s best if I don’t know the details. That’s for you and Maggie to work out.”
“I thought we had,” Thorne said, feeling miserable. “But now I’m not so sure.”
“You want my advice?” It was a rhetorical question, and they both knew it. “You need to focus on Maggie for a while, let her know you care about her not just because of the baby, but because of who she is.”
Thorne gave the horse’s hindquarters a wide berth as he walked around to her other side and began brushing down her neck, working his way to her shoulder. His father’s words were an echo of Knox’s earlier advice, a coincidence he would have found amusing under different circumstances. As it was, maybe the universe was trying to tell him something. He was certainly willing to listen—he’d always felt more comfortable around horses than people, so he didn’t always say the right thing.
But hopefully he could learn before it was too late.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Mac observed.
“Just thinking,” Thorne said.
“Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Thanks, Dad,” he said dryly.
“You know I love you,” Mac said. “Things might be tough right now, but you’ll get through this. You and Maggie both.”
The horse in front of him grew blurry, and Thorne blinked to clear his eyes. “Thanks, Dad,” he said again, his voice husky this time. His father’s faith in him meant more than he could express and renewed his confidence that he could patch things up with Maggie.
And he knew just how to start.
Chapter 12
Maggie leaned back in Mac’s desk chair and lifted her arms above her head, stretching out the knots in her shoulders. She’d been working steadily for the last couple of days and, bit by bit, the piles of paper that were stacked here, there and everywhere were beginning to shrink. There was still a lot of work left to be done, but she felt a flare of satisfaction as she glanced at the plastic recycling bin, which was now overflowing with the shredded scraps of invoices she’d scanned and entered into the digital system. If she continued working at her current pace, she could probably have all of Mac’s records digitized and organized in about a week.
Which would hopefully coincide with her return home.
She had a doctor’s appointment in eight days, and she was hoping to get the all clear to return to her normal life. There was nothing wrong with Thorne’s apartment, but now that Maggie knew he cared about her only because of the baby, it was too hard to live with him. Every day brought new reminders that she had no real place in his life, and never would.
She’d tried to put on a brave face, but she could tell by the way Thorne looked at her that he thought something was wrong. He’d asked her several times if she was okay, and each time she’d smiled and said yes, lying through her teeth in the hopes that he would leave her alone.
After all, what could she say? I’m sad because I had hoped we might get back together, but I realize now that’s not a possibility. Definitely not—she had some pride left.
Maggie couldn’t hold Thorne’s feelings, or lack thereof, against him. He’d been honest with her and he hadn’t tried to lead her on or make her think his attentions were anything more than a man worried about his unborn child. It was her own heart that had leaped to conclusions and looked for meaning that wasn’t there. She’d let her expectations get the better of her, and now she had to deal with the reality of her situation. It hurt, but she’d get over it.
Eventually.
Working on Mac’s books had helped. Keeping her mind engaged had prevented her from wallowing in self-pity and had given her something to look forward to every day. And Mac had been kindness itself, aside from some good-natured grumbling about teaching an old dog new tricks. He was only teasing her, though; despite his protestations, he was already well on his way to mastering the new system.
“Wow” came a voice from the doorway. “You’ve made a lot of progress already.”
Thorne’s voice washed over her, making her heart kick and her stomach flutter with awareness. It was the same reaction his presence always triggered, but she refused to let it show. Maggie took a deep, bracing breath and turned to greet Thorne. “Thanks,” she said simply. “I’m enjoying the work, and so far it’s going well.”
He nodded and pushed off the doorjamb, taking a few steps into the room. “It’s going to look like a whole new office when you’re done. I wonder what Mac’s going to do with all the free space?”
“Probably expand his collection of photographs,” she said, eyeing the already large group of pictures crammed into every available space. Most of them were photos of Cody, but there were a few of Thorne and his siblings interspersed throughout, along with a couple featuring horses that must have been especially important to him. It was an interesting mix, and soon he’d have one more family member to add to the assembled images.
Boy or girl? she wondered, not for the first time. Maggie didn’t have a preference either way, as long as the baby was healthy. But she was curious. She glanced at Thorne to find him examining the pictures, a half smile on his face as he took in the moments his father deemed important enough to display in his office. She tried not to enjoy his unguarded expression and the sexy curve of his lip as he moved from one picture to the next. But she found herself wondering about his thoughts all the same. Did he want to know the sex as well, or would he rather be surprised? She hadn’t thought to ask him before. But regardless of his preferences regarding the big reveal, they would have to start thinking about names soon; she definitely didn’t want to leave that decision until the last minute.
“Can you take a break?” His question interrupted her musings, and she jerked back to attention.
“Ah, a break for what?” she asked, curiosity sparking to life. Did he have something planned? Or was he just worried she was overexerting herself and possibly harming the baby?
“I need new boots,” he began. Maggie laughed, cutting him off.
“Do you need them, or are you just too chicken to wear your old ones because of possible snake cooties?”
He adopted a wounded look. “Do you think I’m that much of a coward?”
Maggie held her tongue but raised one eyebrow as she regarded him. After a second, he sighed. “Okay, yes. I want a new pair because of the snakes. Happy now?”
She giggled and nodded. “Yes. Are you asking me to help you pick some out?” Looking at work boots wasn’t exactly her idea of fun, but it would be nice to get off the ranch and see some new faces. And maybe the shoe store would have something in her size as well—or rather, her new size. Her feet were already expanding, another one of those unexpected joys of pregnancy.
“Well, no, not exactly.” Maggie’s stomach sank and the smile slid off her face. It seemed she had once again misread his intentions. When would she learn?
“Oh.” She didn’t try to hide her disappointment, and Thorne’s face took on an alarmed expression.
“Ah, the thing is, the boot store is just down the street from my sister Claudia’s boutique. She’s having her grand opening in a few days, but I know she wouldn’t mind if we stopped in and looked around. I thought you might like to visit with her while I did my shopping.”
The invitation was so unexpected that for a few seconds she simply stared at him, not at all sure she’d heard him correctly. Was he really going to take her into town? Since the explosion, the only time she’d been off the ranch was when she’d gone to her follow-up OB appointment a couple of days after her trip to the ER. It would be good to go shopping for a bit, to do something normal again.
“That sounds nice,” she said, her excitement building as she thought more about the opportunity. She’d never met Thorne’s sister Claudia. She did the books for his sister Jade, and she considered her to be a friend, although they weren't terribly close. A new face would be a welcome change of scenery. “When can we leave?”
He smiled, his light brown eyes warming as he looked at her. “Whenever you want.”
* * *
Thorne cut the engine and glanced over at Maggie, who was practically vibrating with excitement in the passenger seat. It was good to see her so lively again; her cheeks had taken on a rosy hue, and her eyes had regained their usual sparkle. She seemed happy for the first time in days, and Thorne felt a burst of pleasure at the knowledge he had contributed to her change in mood.
“Ready?” he asked with a smile.
She nodded and took a deep breath, a flicker of unease marring her eager expression.
“What’s wrong?”
Maggie blinked, apparently taken aback by the question. “Why would you ask that?”
He shrugged. “For a second there, it seemed like you were uncertain about something. Maybe I’m just seeing things.”
“No,” she admitted, glancing down into her lap and her folded hands. “You’re not. I’m a little nervous about meeting your sister.”
“You don’t need to be,” he said. “Claudia is a sweetheart, and I know she’ll love you. I think the two of you will get along great.”
A glimmer of hope shone in her eyes. “I hope so. It would be nice to make a new friend in town. My two best girlfriends stay pretty busy with their families, so we don’t get to spend a lot of time together.”
“I’m sure Claudia would enjoy hanging out with you,” he said. "J
ade would too, come to think of that. And I know they’ll be thrilled to find out she’s going to be an aunt.”
“You haven’t told them yet?” Maggie eyed him curiously, and he knew she was wondering why he’d kept such big news to himself. Truth be told, he’d wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but aside from Knox and Mac, no one else in his family knew about the baby yet. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his siblings—he just didn’t want the news to get out. The less Livia and her goons could find out about the baby, the better.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to either of them yet,” he said, feeling a little guilty at glossing over his true reasons for keeping things a secret. But he didn’t want to scare Maggie with talk of Livia; she was in such a good mood, he hated to spoil it and ruin her enjoyment of this shopping trip.
“Then this will be quite the surprise for Claudia,” Maggie remarked, reaching for the door handle. Thorne slid from his seat and rounded the hood of the truck in time to offer his arm as Maggie climbed down. She landed on her feet with a quiet “oof,” squeezing his biceps as she balanced herself. Even though there was nothing remotely sexual about her touch, the feel of her hand on his arm sent a thrill of sensation through his limbs, as if he’d grabbed hold of a live wire.
He ignored his body’s reaction and took a step back, putting some distance between them. It was enough to clear his head again, and he locked the truck and gestured for her to walk before him as they stepped over the curb and onto the sidewalk that ran in front of the buildings. Claudia’s boutique was almost at the end of the block on Main Street, wedged between Marie’s Salon and Spa and The Secret Garden, a flower shop.
Thorne had to admit the building looked good, its cream paint and brown trim making it stand out from its neighbors. When Claudia had first announced the location of her boutique, he’d been skeptical. The building she’d chosen had been abandoned for a while and had fallen into a state of disrepair. But where he had seen problems, Claudia had seen opportunities. And thanks to Rafferty Construction, run by Knox’s new wife, Allison, the space had been renovated and now looked better than ever.