The Forbidden Groom_Texas Titan Romances

by Sarah Gay

  “Yes. Can I help you?”

  The girl’s mother held up a bouquet of fragrant white orchids as her eyes moistened. “We stopped by the fire station. When we told them who we were, they told us that we might be able to find you here.”

  “These are beautiful.” Maggie took the flowers, held them to her nose and breathed in their sweet floral aroma. “Thank you, but I’m at a loss—”

  “You pulled me out of the water,” the young girl said.

  Maggie’s heart raced as she blinked her eyes then studied the mother. It was the woman from the reservoir, but this was an entirely different version of the woman who had lost her daughter to drowning. This woman was whole.

  Maggie’s mouth dropped open and it took her a minute to comprehend what they were saying “How?”

  The girl’s mother took Maggie’s hand in hers. “It took forty minutes longer to resuscitate her at the hospital. The doctors explained it to me as her body sustaining what’s called a diving reflex in the cold water which most likely saved her. It’s where the body goes into a type of hypothermia to save the brain and heart.” She looked down at her daughter lovingly. “Then she was on life support for four days before she woke up and said her first words. She’s been asking to meet her hero ever since.”

  “Thank you,” the young girl said, wrapping her arms around Maggie’s waist.

  Overcome with emotion, Maggie leaned her head into the girl’s.

  “We’ll let you go to your party. But thank you for your service and prayers.”

  “Prayers?” Maggie questioned as the little girl released her grip of her stepped back.

  The mother nodded. “I saw you kneel down in prayer as we were pulling away in the ambulance.”

  “You’re welcome,” Maggie said with a smile. “But I think we all know who saved you that day.” She winked at the girl.

  “Yes, we do,” the girl responded as she turned and skipped away.

  Maggie stood for a minute alone in the parking lot, attempting to comprehend how the little girl that she mourned and cursed herself for not saving, now laughed and cried like every other little girl in the world. A modern-day miracle had occurred.

  It baffled Maggie why some people were the recipients of these miracles, while others were not. It didn’t seem fair. But the seeming inequality that she didn’t understand didn’t mean that miracles weren’t real.

  She walked straight through the restaurant to the kitchen in search of Pineapple, passing a few couples with small children winding around their legs. The parents looked to be about the same age as Pineapple, somewhere in their lower to upper thirties.

  Maggie smiled as she walked by Pineapple’s family; she couldn’t wait to see him. She hadn’t realized until she entered the restaurant how much she’d missed him and couldn’t wait to give him a big hug.

  When she stepped into the kitchen, a blast of yeast and sugar caused her mouth to water. Pineapple placed a pan of rolls, fresh from the oven, on the counter to cool.

  “Hey, Margarita!” He took off his oven mitts and enveloped her in his big bear arms. “What’s up?”

  “That’s funny, because I was just about to ask you, what’s cookin’, good lookin’,” she said.

  Their laughs were interrupted by the clicking of dress sandals strolling into the kitchen. They turned to the footsteps of a healthy sized Polynesian woman who was maybe ten years older than Maggie, about Pineapple’s age. Her eyes widened then fell to the floor before she turned to walk back out.

  “Kahoa?” Pineapple said with surprise, but she marched out without a word.

  “Who’s that?” Maggie questioned.

  “Kahoa,” he said with a sadness to his voice. “We dated about ten years ago, then she left for the islands. I haven’t seen her since.”

  “Well.” Maggie raised an eyebrow. “I think she still has feelings for you.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I think she got married.”

  “I didn’t notice a ring.” Maggie said matter-of-factly. “Do you want to know if she’s here to get back together?”

  He gave her an eager nod.

  Maggie’s entire face lit into a smile. “You got it.” She grabbed a hot roll from off the pan and shoved it in her mouth. “This is heaven in the form of a ball,” she moaned out. “And I haven’t been this excited about anything since…” She rubbed her palms together. “Since, I don’t know when.”

  “Hey, did you ever get together with my cousin?”

  “No,” she shook her head, avoiding Pineapple’s inquisitive gaze. “Maui, right? He texted me Friday night, but I was overwhelmed and then all I could think about was getting home yesterday, but we’ve exchanged a few texts.”

  “Maui?” Pineapple laughed out with a slap to his knee. “Is that what he’s going by now?”

  That was a strange question, considering that he went by Pineapple. Maggie had never even thought to ask Pineapple what his real name was, so why would it be odd that his cousin call himself Maui? “Why wouldn’t he go by Maui?”

  “You didn’t see him?” Pineapple tilted his head to the side and examined her as if he were deciding whether or not to believe her. “I thought you were at the auction?”

  “Huh?” Maggie wrinkled her brow, giving him a confused look. “Why would I see him at the auction?”

  “Hey Pineapple!” an elderly man called into the kitchen. “You coming with the rolls? We’re ready to eat.”

  “On my way!” He turned to Maggie. “Do you want to meet Maui’s parents. They should be here soon.”

  “His parents?” she whispered to herself as she followed Pineapple into the now full dining area.

  Maggie knew she had no reason to feel nervous; she wasn’t dating Maui. She had never even met him. She couldn’t explain why her nerves were tangled up like earphone cords after a long road trip.

  Pineapple set the pan of rolls down on a long serving table alongside the other food and instructed everyone to get started with brunch. He grabbed Maggie’s hand and lead her through the crowd as he introduced her to his family as a close friend, firefighter, and excellent chef. She found comfort in everyone’s laid back, accepting nature. About three quarters of the group were full Polynesian; the other quarter were split between half-Polynesian and full Caucasian. By the end of the introductions, she found herself completely at ease. Maui’s parents had pulled over for a bit because Maui’s dad had felt sick, but they were back on the road and told Pineapple to get started without them.

  There was one person who seemed to slip away when Pineapple and Maggie came near her: Kahoa. Maggie suspected that Kahoa had come to the brunch to rekindle her relationship with Pineapple and hadn’t been expecting to find Maggie on his arm.

  “Hey, Pineapple?” Maggie ventured.

  “You want to eat now?” he questioned innocently.

  “Almost.” Maggie had always been known to be direct. “Do you want to date Kahoa?”

  He wiped his forehead with his sleeve and shrugged. “She’s avoiding me.” He shook his head as his eyes fell to the ground. “I don’t want to be turned down.”

  “What would you say if I made it really easy for you?” she questioned with a wink.

  “I don’t know, Maggie.” He rubbed his chin. “I don’t think she’s interested.”

  “Trust me.” She rolled up on the balls of her feet and kissed his cheek.

  Maggie cast a sideways glance at Kahoa as she sat at Maggie’s favorite table with the mountain view. Kahoa returned Maggie’s attention with narrowed eyes. That solidified it in Maggie’s mind; Kahoa had eyes for Pineapple.

  They walked over to Kahoa’s table and Pineapple cleared his throat. “Kahoa, it’s good to see you. This is my friend, Maggie.”

  She took Maggie’s hand and gave it a firm shake, which affirmed to Maggie that Kahoa was up for a challenge.

  Maggie smiled. “I’ll arm wrestle you for him.”

  “What?” Kahoa blinked her large almond eyes as she twiste
d a tuft of her thick black hair in her fingers. Her hair was a similar shade of ebony as Maggie’s but full of silky curls.

  Maggie continued as she sat across from Kahoa, “Pineapple and I are friends, best friends in fact, so giving that up would be difficult, but I’m willing to arm wrestle you for him. Whoever wins gets to go on a date with him and claim him as her own.” Maggie looked up at Pineapple. “You good with that?”

  Pineapple’s eyes widened as he nodded.

  “Kahoa?” Maggie questioned. She took a gamble, but when Kahoa squared her shoulders, Maggie knew Pineapple would be holding hands with someone else tonight.

  Kahoa brought her arm up and dug her elbow into the table before giving Maggie a challenging smile. Kahoa, as it turned out, wasn’t one for talking, but she was one for action. Maggie liked her already.

  Maggie sized up Kahoa; she looked tough, but Maggie was almost certain she could take her if she tried. Pineapple’s family assembled around them and began placing their bets. One of Pineapple’s cousins knelt down next to their table and counted down from Three, Two, One.

  At One, Maggie pressed into her arm, utilizing the core muscles in her abdomen which traveled through her shoulder and down to her hand. Moisture beaded on her upper lip as she held Kahoa’s hand erect. Both of their arms began to shake as Maggie felt her arm begin to falter.

  Kahoa proved a worthy opponent. Maggie pulled deeper from her core, bending Kahoa’s hand back and pressing her arm down slightly. Kahoa grunted out her displeasure before Maggie felt pain in her strained wrist before her arm responded by letting off the pressure. Kahoa took the opportunity to slam Maggie’s hand back and into the table.

  Maggie shook her head and held out her hand to shake Kahoa’s across the table. “Well done. You’ve caught yourself a fine man.” She winked at Pineapple as she stood and motioned for him to take her seat. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Maggie bowed slightly. “I’m starving. I’ll let you two catch up.”

  Maggie made her way to the food table and licked her lips as she loaded up her plate. Eating food that she didn’t cook was a fabulous thing that she needed to do more often.

  She jumped at a terrifying shrill from a Polynesian woman bursting through the front door. Maggie whipped her head around as a man stumbled in behind the woman, clutching at his chest. He stumbled then fell to the floor. The man was Caucasian, but currently resembled a blueberry. Maggie had seen that color before, and it was not good. She threw her plate down on the serving table and pushed through the crowd assembled around the man. The woman who had entered with him fainted into the arms of another woman as someone yelled out that he was dead.

  “Pineapple, call 911!” Maggie yelled over the commotion. “Blue’s guys are on today.”

  She went down onto her knees and positioned the man onto his back to take his pulse and check his breathing. Nothing. She found the correct spot in the center of his chest and began chest compressions to the song “Staying Alive.” She sang along in her head to the fast lyrics as she pushed his chest into the floor.

  “I’ll do the breaths,” Pineapple insisted.

  According to new CPR standards, breathing is not required, but it couldn’t hurt.

  “What about your mask?” Maggie asked.

  Pineapple tilted the man’s head back and gave him two breaths. “He’s my uncle. I don’t need a mask.”

  Maggie returned to her task of performing the chest compressions until Blue’s crew burst through the door. As she sat back onto her knees to hand the chest compressions over to Dax, Blue found a pulse.

  “He’s back,” Blue sighed out. “Excellent, Maggie.”

  Maggie gave a quick, sincere prayer of gratitude before Pineapple reached his hand down and assisted her back onto her feet.

  “You saved my uncle,” Pineapple said with emotion, pulling Maggie into his chest in a firm embrace as Blue and his crew they loaded his uncle onto the gurney and started his IV before rolling him out to the ambulance.

  The crowd followed the paramedics into the parking lot. Dax and a firefighter Maggie couldn’t name jumped into the back of the ambulance and Stone climbed into the driver’s seat. With lights and sirens blaring, they took off down the road toward the hospital. Blue and Nikola stayed behind with the engine.

  Maggie squinted the sun out of her eyes as the unmelodic squawk of a nearby blue jay reminded her that parents around the world were having picnics with their children right now to celebrate Mother’s Day.

  Maggie brought her hand up to her forehead to block out the bright morning rays. “Are your cousins here?”

  Pineapple looked from side to side at all the people gathered around him. “Yeah, you met them, Maggie.”

  “No, I mean are your uncle’s children here? They’ll want to know he’s headed to the hospital.”

  “It looks like Maui just got here,” Pineapple responded.

  “Maui?” Maggie questioned, following Pineapple’s eyes to the fire engine where a muscular man had his back to them as he embraced Blue.

  Maggie’s heart raced. Turns out she’d be able to meet Maui after all. “Maui knows Blue?”

  “Sure.” Pineapple shrugged. “You didn’t know?” He motioned to the two men. “Blue and Cole played football together in college.”

  Maggie glanced back at Blue and Maui. “Cole? What does Cole have to do with Maui?”

  “Ahhh…” Pineapple drew out in a pained voice. “I’m guessing you don’t know.”

  Blue and his friend turned to face Maggie and Pineapple.

  “Maggie!” Cole’s deep voice shot through the parking lot as he ran to her.

  Cole stepped in between Maggie and Pineapple. “You saved my dad?” he questioned with excitement, lifting Maggie off the ground by her waist and twirling her around before setting her back down onto her unstable feet.

  Her mind couldn’t reconcile what it was seeing with what it knew. It refused to accept Cole, the football star it had last seen being auctioned off for almost three hundred thousand dollars, here in Park City. He belonged in sweltering Dallas, Texas, not here in the cool breeze, standing in front of Pineapple’s restaurant and holding her face in his hands. Her body shivered with warm chills as he gazed into her eyes.

  Her mind clouded as he touched her face and looked into her eyes with longing. She reached up and touched his smooth cheek. His milk chocolate eyes spoke silent words of affection to her heart moments before his lips pressed into hers.

  Her spirits lifted her off the ground and into the thin air where her head grew light and dizzy from his tender kisses with the slight taste of mint and honey.

  Good sense returned when her mind reminded her how she’d felt when he had dissed her in the market and then in front of his friend. “Stop,” she said, pulling back. “You’re just kissing me because I saved your dad.”

  “No. And yes. When I realized yesterday I was falling for you, I had to tell you, so I got on the first flight to Salt Lake. I hoped you’d be here celebrating Mother’s Day with Pineapple and the rest of my family.”

  “Your family?” Maggie seethed. “You lied to me this entire time, Maui? Does anyone even call you Maui?”

  “Yes. They do. I didn’t mean to lie to you.” He paused when she gave him a look of disbelief. “Okay.” He held his palms up to her. “Maybe just a little, but only until I could explain in person. Please go out with me,” he begged.

  “No.” Her hands fell to her sides. “I don’t even like you.”

  9

  “But you don’t even know me,” Cole argued. “We only met a few days ago.”

  “And what a meeting that was.” She glared up at him. “You showed me your true colors.”

  He felt a sudden pull to be at his father’s side. “I need to leave for the hospital. If we can’t part as friends, then let’s at least not part ways as enemies.”

  “I’ll give you a ride. I know the fastest route.” Maggie motioned for Pineapple to go with them as she continued talking to Cole. �
��You really should already be at the hospital with your mom.”

  Pineapple’s eyes grew wide. “Um. I need to lock up the restaurant.” He made it obvious he didn’t want to be in the middle of their argument. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  Cole’s guilt threated to consume him. He’d come to see Maggie, not his mom. And even though his mother had encouraged him to stay back for a few minutes, he should be speeding to the hospital. “My mom asked me to stay and thank you first. Half the family followed the ambulance like a procession to the hospital, so she’ll have more support than she’ll want. Look,” he attempted with difficulty to maintain eye contact with her as he jumped into the passenger seat of her jeep. “I’m sorry for taking your sandwich and poking fun at your event. I’m sorry that my buddies ate all of your food.” He reached for her hand resting on the steering wheel but withdrew, not wanting to experience the rejection if she didn’t accept his touch. “I’m far from perfect, but I try to be a good man.” He folded his hands in his lap and waited for a response.

  She drove out of the parking lot. “I hear such differing opinions of you that it’s hard to reconcile those contradictions, or even know who you really are.”

  “Who thinks I’m a good guy?”

  She tapped her nail on the wheel. “Pineapple, Silver’s in-laws, and you.”

  “And who doesn’t?”

  “Just me, I guess.” She gave a light laugh as if she found that amusing. “And I’m somewhat biased.” She wiggled her nose in the most adorable way. “I place a lot of weight on my own opinion.”

  “And what would it take to change your opinion of me?”

  “What’s the point, Cole?” She shook her head in defiance. “And why are you smiling?”

  “I just like to hear you say my name instead of jerk-face. It’s an upgrade. I’d say we’re making progress.”

  “Yes, we are.” She laughed. “I’m good at the friend thing with guys, it’s the more complicated stuff that doesn’t come so easy. But that doesn’t change the fact that my life is here. My job is here, and my friends are here. There is nothing for me in Dallas.”