by Ann Everett
He glanced at the clock and his anger flared. Even the beauty eyeing him from across the room couldn’t keep his attention. Okay, stay calm. So smart girl decided to teach me a lesson. Five more minutes and I’m outta here. I’ll give her the same amount of time she gave me. Fair is fair.
As he finished the thought, Maggie rushed through the door in drab splendor. He wondered if she owned anything but sweat suits. Her fiery mane bounced around her face with each step, kinky ringlets flying in every direction.
Catching her breath, she said, “I’m so sorry. I got stuck at work and traffic was awful. By the time I got home and changed, I realized I’d be late, but I forgot to ask for your number. I tried calling and texting Sam to get it, but he didn’t answer.”
As she spewed the words, he eyed her top to bottom and tried to imagine a dancer’s body, but it was no use. Those damn baggy clothes hid even the smallest hint of any curves, although he could tell she didn’t have much in the boob department. His gaze traveled to her face. She locked eyes with him and swallowed hard. Damn, she caught me scoping her out.
He walked around the table, dragged a chair out and spoke into her ear. “So we’re even now, right?” The fragrance of her hair, a mixture of mint and vanilla assaulted him.
She sat, then put her backpack down and shoved her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Yes, we’re even.”
“You work?”
“Yes.”
He returned to his seat and pushed his laptop aside. “Where?”
“Covenant hospital. I’m a nurse.” She pulled papers from her bag and plopped them on the table. “Here’s a multiple choice quiz on the information I gave you last week. Let’s see how you do.”
This was the opportunity he’d waited for. Make points by showing interest and although he knew the answers to his questions, initiating conversation worked in his favor. “You’re a nurse? I thought you were a student.”
“I am. I’m working on my masters.”
“Oh, I thought you and I were the same age.”
“We are. I googled you. You were red-shirted your freshman year, so you’re a fifth year senior.”
“You googled me? That sounds sexy.”
Color rose in her cheeks, but she ignored the remark. “I was curious. Weren’t you interested in who’d be tutoring you?”
“Since I didn’t have a choice in the matter, no,” he lied, lowering his head. He thumbed through the test, scanned a few of the questions and smiled. I’ll ace it.
She retrieved a book from her bag and began to read.
He kept his head bowed, but rolled his eyes upward. She hadn’t done anything to improve her appearance since their first meeting, so she wasn’t trying to impress him. That was different. Most girls did.
She slanted a sideways glance. “What?”
“You have beautiful hair.”
Her face turned rosy again and Jace smiled. She wasn’t used to flirtation.
“Thank you.” She wrapped a curl around her finger, twirled it and went back to reading.
Score one for me. Twenty minutes later, he handed the exam to her. When she finished grading it, she smiled and widened her eyes. “You did well. You made eighty-seven.”
He frowned. Damn, he expected to make an A. “You’re surprised. Crap, Maggie. You think all I have going for me are my looks?”
“Oh. My. God.” Her mouth hung open and she blinked. “You are so conceited. How many hours a day do you stand in front of the mirror admiring yourself?”
“I meant how others see me—even you. Admit it. You based your first impression on my appearance and nothing else, right?”
“No. My judgment concerned your ego. You show up late reeking of perfume and give me a story about a flat tire and expect me to buy it. So yeah, I’m surprised you made an effort. But I’m also pleased.”
He went still. Until the last part of her admonishment, he’d been getting madder. But the minute she praised him, the anger went away. He relaxed back in his chair. This wasn’t going to be easy. He needed to amp up his charm. “You’re right. I lied.” He leaned forward and closed some of the space between them. “I know my reputation precedes me, but I’m not that bad. If you’ll give me a chance, we might even be friends.”
Before she responded, he turned his attention to a petite brunette. She sashayed to the table and walked her painted fingernails up from his elbow to his shoulder. The dark haired beauty’s red tank top stretched to its limit, and Daisy Dukes bordered Daisy Don’ts. She licked her pouty, frosted lips and fixed her chocolate eyes on him. Great. She shows up just when I’m gaining ground with Maggie.
“Hey, handsome. Have you been avoiding me?” What’s her name asked. Janie? Jill? Janet? Shit.
“Perfect, absolutely perfect,” Maggie mumbled and scowled. “I’m sorry, but Jace can’t play now. Could you come back later?”
The girl gave Maggie a go-to-hell look, then spoke to Jace again. “So this is your mom? Why don’t you introduce us?”
Maggie started to say something, but he spoke first. “This is my tutor, and she’s right. I promise I’ll call you later.” He winked and the girl walked away.
“Oh brother.” Maggie gathered her things and stuffed them in her bag like a mad woman on a mission. “This isn’t working. I’ll get Dr. Adams to assign you another tutor.”
He faked surprise. “I didn’t take you for a quitter.”
“I’m not a quitter. I think you’d be more productive with someone else. Someone who doesn’t have to compete for your attention. Perhaps a guy would work better.”
He shook his head and spit the words out just as he’d rehearsed them. “I agree the library isn’t the best place to meet. Way too many interruptions. I have a solution. We should meet at my parents’ house.”
She stiffened, and at first, didn’t say anything, but then eyed him as if weighing his words. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
He offered the smile he used to close the deal with countless women. “Relax. I’m not trying to lure you to a secluded location. We won’t be alone. My mom and dad will be there.”
This time she didn’t hesitate and went on the defensive. “Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not the problem. You and I aren’t a good fit.”
He might not excel in academics, but his seduction IQ was off the charts. Clearly, she didn’t know who she was dealing with. “Not true. We didn’t get off to a good start, but I want to change that. In one session, by suggesting mnemonics, you showed me a better way to study and it’s working. I almost made an A on the test. Why do you say we’re not a good fit? We’re perfect.”
She started to speak, but he held up his hand. “I know what you’re going to say and the answer is no, my parents won’t mind. They don’t live far from campus and we’d have plenty of peace and quiet there.” He widened his smile. “I’ll call my mom—my real mom and make the arrangements.”
Flattery will get you everywhere.
~Lynn Anderson
Maggie sat across from Sarah in their sunny kitchen, forked a piece of blueberry crumb cake and tried to devise a plan. When Jace suggested meeting at his parents’ house, he’d caught her off guard, but now after more thought, she was more determined than ever to end the arrangement. Of course, the too many interruptions excuse wouldn’t work anymore and she couldn’t tell him the real reason. He was a player in more than football. He was charming. Too charming. She knew his variety well, because she’d watched plenty of charismatic men use her mother. Maggie swore to never let that happen to her.
“So what do you plan to tell Jace?” Sarah asked.
“What if I claim I’m too busy?” She leaned forward, chin in hand, and hoped her friend agreed. “It’s true, I am busy.”
Sarah picked up a stray berry and popped it into her mouth. “You know what your problem is?”
“What?” She folded her arms and several frizzy curls fell into her face. Sarah pushed a sleek blond strand behind her
ear and Maggie regarded her with envy, but then remembered Jace’s remark. You have beautiful hair. When he’d said it, her heart had fluttered. What was up with that?
“You are so far out of your element. You have no first-hand experience with someone like him and considering your mother’s parade of dysfunctional relationships, getting involved with the same kind of guy isn’t such a hot idea. The minute you googled him and saw how gorgeous he was, you should have bowed out.”
“His looks have nothing to do with it.” Her throat tightened with the lie. Just because she had an IQ greater than her bust size didn’t stop her from appreciating a handsome man. She was human after all.
“Not now. But at some point, you’ll fall under his spell. You have book sense, but you don’t have any boy sense.”
Sarah’s words cut deep. Maggie had spent a lifetime of feeling unimportant while her mother had gotten so wrapped up in men like Jace, she’d forgotten she had a daughter. No, Maggie decided. Regardless of how beautiful he was, or the fact she was beginning to like him, Sarah’s advice was sound. Maggie couldn’t risk involvement. “Well, I’m ending it tonight, so no worries.”
An hour later on the way to his house, she practiced the speech she planned. His suggestion of meeting there surprised her, but she wouldn’t let that happen again. First, she’d engage him in casual conversation to put him at ease, then make her move. Easy-peasy. Dr. Adams could find another study partner. Plenty of girls would give their right arms to spend time with Jace. Well, they’d be willing to give more than their arms. A lot more. Her face flushed at the thought.
Sarah was right, of course. There was something magical about him. That damn wicked grin of his and those electric blue eyes could trick a girl before she realized what happened.
Butterflies fluttered in Maggie’s stomach and she wished for a glass of wine. That always calmed her nerves. Not to mention, research now proved a daily drink or two improved your health. Sucking in a deep breath to settle her jitters, she made the last turn.
The Sloans’ lived in a beautiful two-story colonial on Elmwood Avenue, where majestic oaks lined each side of the street. Most of the homes in the neighborhood, already decorated for fall, displayed mums and pumpkins in their yards, a temporary distraction from Maggie’s thoughts.
She pulled into the drive, killed the engine and made her way to the front porch. But before ringing the bell, Jace opened the door. She frowned. “Why are you staring at me? Didn’t you remember our appointment tonight?”
He reached for her backpack. “Sure. Wow, you look great. Did you dress up for me?”
She adjusted the tee-shirt molded against her. “Uh, no. I assumed I’d meet your parents, so I wanted to look nice.” She told herself there was a smidgen of truth to the statement, but what he thought mattered too. She wanted to get on with it. Tell him the study relationship was over, skip introductions of his parents, and get the hell out of there.
She lost focus. How could he look so good in ragged jeans and a plain tee-shirt? The butterflies gained altitude and were having a fine time.
“Well, you do. I like your hair down. Did you have any trouble finding the house?”
“No. Is there a reason the street is lined with oak trees, but named Elmwood? That’s strange.” She regretted the question. God, she hated how she turned into a babbling fool. She needed to remember he was just a man and they all picked their noses, scratched their butts, and farted. The idea helped. She’d keep it in mind to gain perspective.
“I don’t know. I’ve never given it any thought.” He pointed to the back door. “Let’s go outside and enjoy the sunshine before we get started.”
Once in the big backyard, from around the corner of the house, a sweet-faced Irish setter bounded onto the deck, put on the brakes and stopped in front of her. She knelt and stroked the dog, singsonging sweetly. “Well, hello there.”
“Heisman, don’t bother her,” Jace ordered.
“He’s not bothering me. Are you, boy?” She glanced at Jace. “Setters make great therapy dogs. We use them at the hospital. They respond to the tone of your voice more than the words you use. I googled them.”
Jace pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. When she did, Heisman turned in a circle and settled at her feet.
“He likes you. He’s usually skittish around strangers.”
“They’re smart dogs, but they need lots of exercise, so I bet he enjoys this big open space.”
Just then, Canadian Geese filled the sky. Maggie shaded her eyes and squinted. With at least a dozen impressive v-formations, their leaders honked them forward. “I love geese. I love the sound of them. Did you know they can travel fifteen-hundred miles in twenty-four hours if the wind is right?”
“No. Did you google that too?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.”
He raised a brow and flashed his trademark grin. “I like it when you talk nerdy.”
Nose, butt, fart. Nose, butt, fart. She braced for the announcement. “Say, I wanted to talk to you about our sessions.”
When he ran his hand across the back of her chair, she leaned away.
“Yeah, me too. I need to get serious about this course and one night a week may not be enough. We should meet Monday and Wednesday. You said in your email you had Wednesday open, right?”
Pain throbbed in her temples. Did she hear correctly? Extra time? Dizzy, the butterflies must have gone to her brain. Two nights? “I…I…”
The back door opened. “Hey, Jace, are y’all going to study out here?”
“Hi, Mom. No, we’ll come inside.”
Mr. Sloan, an older version of Jace, with the same dark hair and blue eyes patted his son on the shoulder. Mrs. Sloan, petite, blond, and brown eyed, walked over to the table and extended her hand. “Hi, Maggie. I’m Elizabeth and this is John. I’m happy to meet you. You’re even prettier than Jace said.”
“Huh?” He thinks I’m pretty? She shook the ridiculous notion from her mind because she was so not his preferred Barbie-look-alike. Mrs. Sloan was being nice. “Oh, it’s good to meet you too. You have a lovely home. Your trees are beautiful.”
Mrs. Sloan slid a palm around her son’s shoulders, leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “We enjoy them. It’s a tradition passed down from my grandmother. When a child is born, we plant a tree and watch them grow together. Jace’s tree is the smaller one.”
Everything about Mrs. Sloan screamed perfection. The tone of her voice. The kindness in her eyes. The mother Maggie had always wished for.
“Jace, it’s getting windy. Y’all come on in the house,” his mom said.
“May I use the ladies’ room?” Maggie needed to get away from them for a while. They looked like an advertisement for Hallmark Christmas cards. The perfect hostess, the star athlete, the handsome father, and the family dog. The only thing missing was a decorated tree.
Mrs. Sloan showed the way, then headed back toward the kitchen. Maggie sat on the edge of the tub and heaved deep breaths. God, if this kept up, she’d have to start putting a bottle of liquor in her purse.
On the way back to join them, she stopped at the gallery of pictures in the hallway. When she saw Jace as a boy, without his two front teeth, she smiled.
Suddenly at her back, Jace said, “I was six.”
She’d been so focused on the photos, she’d not heard him approach, but now, she could feel heat coming off his body. If she leaned back a little…fart, fart, fart. She scolded herself to concentrate and stay on task. “Is this your dad?”
“Yeah. I play the same position as he did and wear the same number.”
“That means a lot to me.” Mr. Sloan joined them. “I compare it to a mother wanting a daughter to wear her wedding dress. Silly, I know, but I like tradition. Someday, I hope to have a grandson to continue the legacy.”
She wished to disappear. Her upbringing had been as opposite to Jace’s as it could be. No loving mother. No sign of a father. No cherished memories. If she told the
m about her family, they’d think of her in a different way and if there was one thing she didn’t want, it was sympathy. Especially from Jace. Regaining control of her wits, she forced a smile and shifted the conversation in a new direction pointing to another picture. “Mrs. Sloan was a beautiful bride.”
“Yes, still is.”
Pure joy beamed on the bride’s face. Maggie couldn’t help but feel she’d fallen into a fairy tale. Did people really live this happily-ever-after? Something twisted in her chest. Easy-peasy was out of the question. “Well, we’d better get busy.” She pivoted, headed back toward the kitchen and Jace followed.
Once there, she sat at the table. He took two bottles of water from the fridge and passed one to her. “Well, what’s your answer?”
She peered at a Philodendron, its bright yellow container perched on a stack of recipe books. Even potted plants flourished in this house. “I’m sorry, what was the question?”
“Studying with me, twice a week. Mondays and Wednesdays.”
She placed a hand on her stomach, willed the churning to stop, then sipped water to buy time and consider her options. End the arrangement, undoubtedly, the safest choice or seize the opportunity to spend time with this family, especially Mrs. Sloan.
“Are you all right?” Jace asked.
“Sure.” What a lie. She might be a lot of things, but all right wasn’t on the list.
“You’re a little pale. Maybe you need something stronger than water. Do you want a glass of wine?”
Although she only drank on special occasions and when she was nervous, it was the perfect suggestion. “Yes, please.”
Once he made his selection, he grabbed a couple of glasses from the cabinet and brought them to the table. Maggie watched him open the bottle. The way he caressed the smooth glass and worked the cork with his fingers caused her body to heat. He smiled as he poured and her mouth went dry.