by Lee McKenzie
“I haven’t done anything. I mean, he’s dropped by a few times to talk about renovating my house, and then we went to your party last night, which we really enjoyed, by the way. I’ve never been to a catered barbecue before. It was very elegant. Anyway, then he walked me home and we—”
If you’re going to tell her about your little make-out session last night, you might want to think again.
Aunt Margaret?
Allison was smiling, as though she’d just been let in on a secret.
Maggie felt her face turn red. “Sorry, I forgot what I was going to say.” Ugh. She had to be the world’s worst liar. And what on earth was Aunt Margaret doing over here?
“That’s okay. I know what you were going to say. My lips are sealed.” She twisted two fingers in front of her mouth, then flicked them over her shoulder. “Lately I’ve been wondering what my life would have been like if I’d stayed with Nick.”
Excuse me? For once, Maggie couldn’t think of anything to say. At least nothing appropriate. “Hands off my man” came to mind, but Nick wasn’t hers.
Before she could summon up a coherent thought, Allison abruptly changed the subject. “Leslie called me this morning. You’ll never guess what she’s done.”
“You mean about asking Nick to walk her down the aisle? He told me.”
“I’m surprised he agreed. So is she. In fact, Leslie commented on how much he’s changed.” Allison studied her for a few seconds. “Maybe you really did work some magic on him.”
Maggie shrugged. “I think he’s honored that she asked.”
“Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I asked what her mother thought of the idea, but Leslie hasn’t told her yet. All I can say is that I would not want to be in her shoes right now.”
“Well, it is her wedding.”
Allison’s arched eyebrows suggested otherwise. “Mrs. Durrance has the final say on everything that goes on in that family. Except with Nick. She gave up on him years ago.”
“That’s terrible!”
“The situation might not have been so bad if Nick had been a little more cooperative.”
Or if he’d tried to be somebody he wasn’t. “He seems really pleased that Leslie asked him to do this for her, but Brent was just as surprised as you are.”
“Well, that’s a whole other story.”
“What do you mean?”
“If Nick ruins Leslie’s wedding, Brent Borden will be the happiest man on earth.”
“I’ve only just met Brent, but he doesn’t strike me as being that mean-spirited.” As for the remark about Nick, she wouldn’t even dignify that with a response.
“You would have no way of knowing this, but Brent has been head-over-heels for Leslie for as long as any of us can remember. I’m sure that’s why he stayed friends with Nick all these years.”
“Their friendship seems pretty genuine to me.” Besides, if Nick and Leslie weren’t close, how would that help Brent?
Maggie, my dear, do not try to put yourself in the heads of these small-minded people. It’s not someplace you want to be.
For once Aunt Margaret’s wry sarcasm was welcome.
“It hardly matters what Brent’s been thinking,” Allison said. “Leslie’s fiancé is handsome and respectable, not to mention very wealthy. Between Gerald’s money and hers, they’re set for life.”
“I met him last night. He seems nice.” But even if she factored in his bank balance, she wouldn’t call him handsome. Especially not compared to Nick or Brent. She was tempted to remind Allison that good looks and respectability were often just a thin veneer, but something kept her quiet.
Are you paying attention, Aunt Margaret? I’m being very careful with what I say.
Humph.
“Leslie’s goal was always Harvard law school and she never lost sight of it. If there was an award for overachievers, she’d win hands down. Brent chased her for years but she refused to have anything to do with him, and who could blame her? I mean, look at them now. She’s a successful lawyer and he’s just a construction worker.”
“But it’s what’s inside that makes a person who they really are. I mean, you wouldn’t have married John if you hadn’t known he was a good person, would you?”
For a moment Allison seemed at a loss for words. “I’m sorry. That must have sounded incredibly shallow. I just meant that Leslie’s chosen a husband as carefully as she chose a career. I’m sure everything will work out perfectly for her. It always does.”
“You could be right.”
She’d be right if the girl was buying a car.
Much as she longed to repeat Aunt Margaret’s observation, Maggie kept it to herself. “I only know that Nick is pleased to be part of his sister’s wedding, no matter who she’s marrying.”
“And that’s where you come in.”
“What do you mean?”
“He asked you to the wedding, then he introduced you to his sister, and the next thing we know he’s in the wedding party. Do you think you can work some of that magic of yours on me and John?” Allison’s spirits seemed to have brightened a little. “Maybe you and your mother can do one of your love spells for me and make everything all right.”
Maggie drank the rest of her tea. Even though she could tell Allison wasn’t serious, it wasn’t a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all.
“I’m afraid I don’t have a magic wand.” What she did have, though, was a mother in Manhattan who would know exactly what she could do to fix her friend’s marriage. “But a love spell...”
“You’re not serious?”
“Well...”
Oh, she’s serious all right. As a heart attack.
Very funny.
Allison was staring at her, waiting for an answer.
“No, of course not.” The world was full of doubting Thomasinas but Maggie could work around that. What Allison didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. “I do think you should talk to your husband. My parents always said a solid relationship is built on communication. Talking to John will make you feel a lot better than imagining terrible things that will probably never happen.”
“I’ll think about it,” Allison said cautiously.
“Always trust your instincts.” And leave the magic to me. Maggie smiled, trying not to feel too smug. Gabriella would know exactly what she needed to do to save Allison’s marriage.
She glanced at the clock and jumped up. “It’s nearly lunchtime. I should get going. Will you be all right on your own?”
Allison stood, too. “Of course. Thank you for dropping by. I feel much better.”
As Maggie gazed through the French doors one more time, she remembered the conversation she’d had with Nick’s friends. “You really do have a lovely yard. Have you and John ever thought of building a tree house for the kids?”
“A tree house?”
“That big old oak in the corner of your yard would be a perfect place for a great big tree house.”
“I’ve never given it any thought. What made you think of that?”
Maggie was quickly coming to the conclusion that the biggest problem with the people of Collingwood Station was that they had no imagination. “Kids love tree houses,” she said with a shrug. “And I’ll bet it’d make a fun family project.” As long as no one worries about being sued.
Allison looked at the tree as though she were seeing it for the first time. “I don’t know.”
“Something to think about.” Maggie glanced at the clock again. “I’ll see you later. And, thanks. I really appreciate the break from the construction noise.”
“Maggie?”
She looked back and waited.
“You won’t say anything to anyone...you know...about the things we talked about?”
Good grief. Did Allison think she was going to become one of the local gossips? “Never! Everything we talked about this morning stays between us.”
* * *
AFTER LUNCH, MAGGIE waited until Nick and Brent were preoccupied with d
emolishing another wall before she carried the cordless phone into the kitchen and dialed the number of her mother’s shop in Greenwich Village.
“Hi, Gabriella. It’s me,” she said when she heard her mother’s voice.
There was a momentary silence. “Maggie? Is everything okay?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
“Everything is fine. How’s the city?”
Her mother laughed. “Surely you haven’t already forgotten how glorious summertime in Manhattan can be. It’s hotter than the surface of the sun and the humidity is through the roof.”
“I haven’t forgotten.” She could picture her mother perfectly, sitting in her high-backed wicker chair in the back room, with the burgundy-velvet drapes pulled back. The drapes would be closed if she was with a client, but Gabriella wouldn’t have taken the call if she was doing a reading. Right now she was probably lounging in the chair and fanning herself because the shop’s stout-hearted but geriatric air conditioner never managed to produce enough cold air to reach the back room.
“But that’s not why you called, is it?”
“Not really.”
“And you don’t miss this city, do you?”
Maggie had been way too busy to miss it. “No, I don’t. But I miss you.”
“Of course you do, darling. And I miss you like crazy. Now tell me about life in Sleepy Hollow.”
Gabriella had only visited Collingwood Station once, years ago. She had declared it to be too provincial for words and had never gone back. After that one visit, Maggie had always come alone on the train to visit Aunt Margaret.
“Collingwood Station is a wonderful place to live. Even better than I expected. In fact, I don’t think it could be any better than it is.”
“So why are you calling?”
“Can’t I just call to say hello?”
Her mother laughed. “My darling girl, you’ve always marched to the beat of your own drum. It’s one of the things I love most about you. When you take on something, it’s the only thing on your mind. Since I’m on your mind, you must need my help with something.”
“Well, now that you mention it, I could use a little advice.”
“What is it? Your project? How’s it going?”
“Project?” Maggie leaned around the corner and looked down the hallway. Nick was coming through the front door with a couple of boards balanced on one shoulder, his dust-streaked T-shirt straining across his chest.
“Maggie? Are you still there? I asked about the spa. How’s it going?”
“Oh. You meant the renovations.”
There was more laughter. “Of course that’s what I meant. What did you think I was talking about? Have you taken on another project?”
How much should she tell her mother? It wasn’t that Gabriella would object to her interest in Nick. It’s just that she would have all sorts of advice. And while Maggie needed to find a way to help Allison fix her marriage, she preferred to keep Project Nick to herself.
“Since you haven’t answered, I assume that’s a yes,” her mother said. “Does he have a name?”
“I can’t really talk about it right now. But I do need some advice about the woman next door. She’s in a bit of a...situation and she needs my help.”
“Did she ask for your help?”
“Mom! What kind of question is that?”
“A perfectly valid one, especially since you only call me Mom when you’re trying to hide something.”
“You’re my mother. I can call you Mom if I want to. And yes, she asked for my help. She thinks her marriage is in trouble and she asked if I knew of any love spells.”
“Was she serious?”
No. “Yes. Sort of. I was very careful to tell her that spells were out of my realm and I didn’t tell her about you because I didn’t want to get her hopes up, but I’m sure you’ll know what to do to fix this.”
“Darling, I’d love to come up and see you and meet your friend, but summer is always the busiest time in the shop. I can’t even think of getting away before the middle of September.”
That was two and a half months away. Left to their own devices, there was no telling what kind of trouble Allison and John could create for themselves. What had she said? Lately I’ve been wondering what my life would have been like if I’d stayed with Nick.
Maggie leaned around the corner again, just in time to see Nick hoist a board over his head and nail it into place. She strengthened her resolve. No way was she going to let Allison interfere with Project Nick. “You could give me the instructions and I could do the spell.”
There was no missing the caution in Gabriella’s voice. “I don’t know, darling. You’ve never shown any aptitude in this area.”
Good grief. She communicated with Aunt Margaret every day. How difficult could it be to scatter some powder around and recite a chant?
“Maggie?”
“Yes?”
“I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not that easy. These spells are very powerful and if anything were to go wrong—”
What was the worst that could happen? “Tell me exactly what to do and I’ll follow your instructions to the letter.”
Gabriella’s sigh suggested she was close to giving in. “Why don’t you explain your neighbor’s situation? I need to know what has to be done before I can say which spell we’ll need to use.”
Yes! This was going to work! Allison would stop thinking she’d made a mistake when she’d dumped Nick all those years ago and she and John would work things out. Maggie filled her mother in on Allison’s problems.
“Oh, my,” her mother said. “I take back what I said about Sleepy Hollow. You’re living in Peyton Place.”
“Gabriella! It’s not that bad.” Although, after seeing Candice in action last night, she’d been kind of thinking the same thing. “Besides, people in the city have affairs, too.”
“Yes, well, eight million other people provide a certain anonymity. And it always seems more sordid when white picket fences are involved.”
Maggie laughed. “It’s really not as bad as you make it out to be.” Her mother was right about one thing, though. Nothing in Collingwood Station stayed secret for long.
“Fine, I’ll have to take your word for it until I can get up there and check out the place. Now, are you sure that John is really Allison’s true love?”
“Allison believes he is.”
“I’m asking what you believe.”
Maggie gave that some thought. “You know, when I see them with their children, I think they make a perfect family. But when John and Allison are together without the kids, they seem kind of cool toward each other. I don’t think it’s so much that they don’t love each other anymore. They’ve just sort of drifted apart.”
“And what about the affair?”
“I don’t think it’s gone that far yet. Nick thinks it has, but I’m pretty sure John hasn’t been unfaithful.” Yet.
“That’s my girl. Always trust your instincts. By the way, who’s Nick?”
“Oh. He’s my contractor.”
“And he has an opinion about this?”
“He grew up here and his sister is...oh, never mind. It’s complicated.”
Gabriella was silent for a few seconds. “I’ll bet it is. Tell me about Candice. Is she happy with her life?”
“Not at all,” Maggie said without hesitation. “She’s desperately searching for something and can’t seem to find it. She has heaps of money but that doesn’t seem to help.”
“It never does. Well, my dear, I’m afraid to say it but I’m not sure one spell will be enough. Getting your friends John and Allison to fall in love again is an easy matter, but if we want to be absolutely certain that this will be a success, we need to get this Candice person out of the picture. The best way to do that is to use another spell that will help her find what she’s looking for.”
Maggie perked up. Two spells? This was going to be ev
en more fun than she’d anticipated. “So you’ll let me do them?”
“I don’t think we have a choice. If you’re going to help these people, you have to do it now.”
Gabriella was all business now. For the next fifteen minutes, she gave painstakingly precise instructions for preparing and carrying out the two love spells. Then, just to be safe, she made Maggie repeat everything she’d written down.
“I’m still nervous about this,” she said. “Promise me you’ll be careful?”
“Of course. Thanks, Gabriella. I wish you could have come up here to do them yourself, but this is the next best thing.”
“You’ll let me know how it goes?”
“Of course. I love you.”
“I love you, too, darling girl, and I miss you terribly. But I have a feeling you’re the best thing that’s happened to that town in a long time.”
Maggie disconnected and was rereading the notes she’d made in her notebook when Nick came in.
She slammed the book shut.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Nothing.” She could tell he wasn’t convinced. “Do you need something?”
He was still eyeing her notebook. “I thought you should take a look at where we’re putting the new wall and make sure it’s going to work for you.”
“Oh. Of course.” She tucked her notebook into a drawer and followed him into the construction zone.
At the entrance to her new bathroom, she took a good look around. Then she closed her eyes.
“Something wrong?” Nick asked.
She shook her head. “I’m just picturing how it’ll look when it’s finished.”
“Oh.”
And it would be perfect. Gleaming porcelain. Wicker baskets stuffed with fluffy white towels. The soaker tub filled with lavender-scented water.
She opened her eyes and met his gaze. “How soon will I be able to use it?”
“Should be finished next week.”
“That soon? You work fast.”
The sound of Brent’s boots on the front steps made her back away. “I should let you get back to work.”
Back in the kitchen, she gazed out the window at the house next door, knowing she was doing the right thing by helping Allison and John. And Candice. And Nick, indirectly.