Love Inspired June 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: The Cowboy's HomecomingThe Amish Widow's SecretSafe in the Fireman's Arms

by Carolyne Aarsen

  “I see. I’m learning there are a lot of characters in this town, and life in Paradise is certainly not boring,” Maggie said after the waitress served dessert and coffee.

  “Never that.” He pulled a piece of warm crust off his cobbler and popped it in his mouth.

  Maggie looked around the restaurant. “This place is busy. I guess that’s good for me.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “The Paradise grapevine,” she said.

  It took Jake a moment to process her words. Once he did a heavy cloud of disappointment hovered over him. “Oh, your little plan.”

  “This will help the situation. Don’t you think?”

  “Yes. I do.” Jake reached out and covered her small hands with his.

  Maggie startled in her chair, her gaze meeting his.

  “Enhancing the scene,” he said.

  She carefully slipped her hands from beneath his. “You’re quite the actor, but I need my hands to eat.”

  “Right.”

  An awkward silence stretched between them.

  “You know what you need?” Jake asked.

  “What’s that?” Maggie asked. Her eyes were curious as she waited for his response.

  “A dog.”

  “Wow. That was totally random.”

  “Passing thought.”

  “You should have let it pass right on by, because I’m really not a dog person.”

  “Then what about a cat?” he asked.

  “No cats.”

  “No dogs. No cats. I’m guessing you think you’re not a people person, either, and yet, everyone loves you.”

  She looked taken aback. “How do you know that’s what I think?”

  “Oh, I’m a little more intuitive than you’ve pegged me for. I may be the fire chief in a town the size of a postage stamp, but I get around.”

  Maggie laughed. “Seriously? That’s your defense. You are possibly one of the smartest and shrewdest men I have ever known.”

  The waitress interrupted to refill their coffee cups.

  “Besides,” Maggie added, tapping a finger on the table, “my landlord might balk at the idea of a dog or a cat.”

  Jake waved a hand. “You’ve got an inside with the landlord.”

  “I don’t know. Owning an animal sounds like a huge commitment.”

  Jake smiled slowly. Yeah, that’s exactly what it sounded like to him.

  “Why the random pitch?” she asked.

  “Animals are good protection.”

  “Ah, so this is about my little accidents.”

  He shrugged. “I’m thinking about your safety. Maybe you should, too.”

  Maggie sighed and picked up her mug. She sipped her coffee and stared past him, absorbed in thought.

  “How long is your contract with the high school?” he asked.

  “Basically, one school year. That will carry me through May. The teacher I’m replacing is having...”

  “Triplets. First triplets in Paradise. Talk of the town until you arrived and stole the limelight.”

  “I didn’t... Well, never mind. What I’m getting at is that she’s utilizing the Family Leave and Medical Act to take an extended leave.”

  “Family is important.”

  Maggie nodded.

  “You plan to have kids someday?” he asked.

  “Yes, but I thought growing up and having a life of my own should come first, though.”

  He scooped up a forkful of cobbler. “Good plan in theory.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “It means that sometimes the Lord hands you a different road map.”

  “That’s true.”

  “Paradise is beautiful in the winter,” he said.

  “You’re just full of random observations tonight.”

  “I guess. Ever ice-skate? There’s a pond outside of town. Of course, we give it a little help.”

  “I never had the chance to skate. Do you?”

  “All my life. We like a friendly hockey game around here. Beat the pants off those young kids every time.”

  Maggie grinned.

  “And you should see how they light up the park in the town square for Christmas.”

  “I imagine it’s a scene out of Currier and Ives,” she said on a wistful note. With a finger she traced circles through the condensation on her water glass.

  “When they can’t find a willing stand-in to play Santa, Mack does it.”

  Maggie gave a wry smile, obviously picturing Mack in a red suit.

  “So you’re here for a year. Then what?” He knew he was rambling, but seemed unable to stop himself. Despite his desire to not look down the road, Jake felt an obstinate urgency to know exactly what path Maggie’s future would take her down.

  “I honestly don’t know.”

  “Couldn’t you ‘not know’ right here in Paradise?”

  She smiled and cut a piece of cobbler with her fork. “Pretty good cobbler, isn’t it? Not as good as Bitsy’s pie, but pretty good.”

  “Nice try,” he said, referring to her segue.

  Maggie arched a brow, and then winked. “A little trick I learned from dealing with my parents.”

  He nodded and took a bite of his dessert, chewing thoughtfully. When he set down his fork, he looked her in the eye. “Just so you know, that trick won’t work with me.”

  “I was afraid of that.”

  Chapter Nine

  “Morning, Maggie.”

  She jumped and turned around, nearly dropping her bike. Jake appeared from around the corner. He wore a ball cap high on the back of his head. When he smiled at her, her heart did a funny little dance.

  “Jake, what are you doing here? It’s only six o’clock in the morning.”

  “I got a message I was supposed to meet you at the hardware store at six sharp.” He glanced at his watch. “Right on time.”

  “I didn’t leave you a message. I would never be so presumptuous with your time. Especially on a Saturday.”

  “Where are we going anyhow?” Jake asked.

  “I’m driving to Denver to get my stuff.” She paced on the cement parking lot. “I don’t understand. Your father rented me the truck yesterday and I told him I’d pick it up this morning.”

  “Oh, that explains a lot, since he’s the one who left me the message.” Jake removed his cap and slapped it back on. “Driving by yourself?”

  “I’m perfectly capable.”

  He held up a hand. “I know you’re capable. In fact I believe you are capable of pretty much anything, Maggie. What I’m getting at is that it’s smart to have help. Since I’m already here, I’ll tag along.”

  “Don’t you have things planned for today?”

  “Chuck and I were going to the drive-in tonight. That’s pretty much it for my social calendar.”

  “What about the hardware store?”

  “My assistant is in charge.”

  “Mack?”

  “Yeah. The worst he can do is put everything on sale or buy free muffins for all our customers. I’ll survive.”

  Maggie laughed. “Okay, then, thanks. I’d appreciate the company.” She paused and looked at him. “You and Chuck are really going to the drive-in?”

  “Lassie marathon. Chuck loves Lassie. Why? You want to come, too?”

  “Let’s see how this trip goes first. After three hours to Denver and three hours back, in a small truck cab, you might not want to do anything with me except to say ‘so long.’”

  “You’re sort of a pessimist, aren’t you?”

  “I’m a realist,” Maggie said.

  “That explains everything.” He kicked at a stone on the ground. “You know the difference between a realist and a pessimist?”

  “No.”

  Jake met her gaze. “Not a darn thing.”

  “Thanks for that bit of morning wisdom.”

  “Anytime. What say I drive through the mountains and then you can drive in the city?”

  “Deal.” She pulled her backpack fro
m the basket of the bicycle and handed him the keys.

  “Coffee first,” Jake announced as he climbed into the truck and started the engine of the big yellow moving truck.

  “Um, and Jake?”

  He slid sunglasses on his face. “Yes?”

  “Thanks for volunteering to drive through the mountains. I was a little nervous about that part.”

  “Not a problem. I’m a little nervous about driving in the city.”

  “You, nervous?”

  Jake shrugged. “I don’t get out of Paradise much these days.”

  “Do you miss Denver?”

  Maggie’s glance followed his as he stared toward the mountains in the distance and shook his head.

  “I guess not,” she answered for him.

  He faced her and smiled. “You okay with being my copilot?”

  “Anytime,” she said.

  “Good to know,” Jake replied.

  * * *

  Three hours later Jake released his breath when they pulled up to a row of high-rises that obscured the Denver skyline.

  “I forgot how close together things are here in the city,” he said.

  “Nothing like Paradise, is it?”

  “Nope.” He glanced out the window and down at the curb. “Are you sure we won’t get ticketed in this spot?”

  “It’s for loading and unloading. We’re good.”

  They hopped out of the truck and stretched before approaching the building.

  “Really, that wasn’t a bad ride at all,” Maggie commented as they got in the elevator and headed up to her parents’ condo.

  Jake could only grin. “Yeah, only a few surprises.”

  “Surprises? Such as?”

  He grabbed her right hand and held it up. “Orange fingers.”

  “Puffed cheese balls are delicious.”

  “Yeah, with zero nutritional value. It’s fake food.”

  She shrugged and hid her hand behind her back.

  “You’re an agronomist who’s into organics and you eat puffed cheese balls and toaster pastries?”

  “We all have our weaknesses.”

  “Do we?”

  “Yes.”

  The elevator doors opened. Maggie stood stiffly without moving.

  “Aren’t we getting out?” Jake asked.

  She turned to him, her face pale. “I should probably warn you about my parents.”

  “Maggie, honey, I deal with all kinds of Joe Public on a daily basis. I get along with everyone. No worries.”

  “Are you kidding? I wasn’t worried about you. It’s them.”

  He frowned. “What about them?”

  “They’re very, um...structured.”

  “I’m structured.”

  “Maybe that’s not the word I’m looking for.” She bit her lip.

  Jake took her arm and gently tugged her out of the elevator. “Let’s go. A couple more hours and we’ll be back in Paradise. Besides, I’m actually looking forward to meeting your parents.”

  She muttered something unintelligible under her breath as they walked down a neatly carpeted hallway to unit twenty-seven and rang the bell.

  No sounds emanated from the other side.

  Maggie rang the bell to her parents’ condo again and turned to Jake with a weak smile. “They aren’t home.”

  He leaned his shoulder against the wall. “Did they know you were coming?”

  “Yes. Of course.”

  “Sort of odd, isn’t it?” he commented.

  Maggie shook her head. “Not really. This is their passive-aggressive way of showing disapproval.”

  “What do you want to do?” he asked.

  She dipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a key.

  “Well, then let’s go in and take care of things.”

  The door to the condo swung open and Jake followed Maggie inside. The Joneses’ home was immaculate, though every surface seemed to be covered with either books or travel artifacts. He’d guess from the artwork, sculptures and various knickknacks that they had indeed traveled the globe.

  “Wow,” he murmured.

  “Yes. Even when I was little, it was like living in a museum.”

  “Which explains your penchant for minimalism.”

  “This way,” Maggie said with a nod. Her voice was hushed, as though she was in a library.

  He followed her down a hallway to the last door. She stopped and he nearly ran into her as they stood at the threshold of a bedroom.

  Inside the room drop cloths and paint cans covered one corner. Stacks of boxes occupied the middle of the room, along with an oak rocking chair, a small rolltop desk and an oak bureau. The desk and bureau had been wrapped in packing plastic. Even the twin bed had been broken down and neatly covered with plastic.

  “They boxed it all up for you?”

  “Yes. That’s my folks. Ever efficient.” She sagged and slipped down to the polished oak rocking chair that was next to the boxes and lovingly stroked the engraved arms. “This chair was my grandmother’s. My mother has the mate to it and she cherishes it as much as I do this one.”

  “Maggie. You okay?”

  Her face crumpled. “Oh, Jake. They packed me up like one of their projects and put me away.”

  “Naw,” he tried to reassure her. “It looks like they were getting ready to paint.”

  “Jake, you don’t know my parents. Do you have any idea why I spent summers in Paradise?”

  “So you could experience the great outdoors?”

  “No, so they could travel the world without being encumbered by a child. I was an accident, you know. They really didn’t want me.”

  “Maggie, that’s not true.”

  She shook her head firmly. “It’s very true. That’s why all my life I’ve lived their life. Hoping they’d let me in the inner circle of their family. I’ve never said it aloud before, because I was afraid what I thought might be true. And it is.”

  Jake kneeled down next to her and took her hand. He stroked the soft skin, then his gaze moved to her face. Maggie averted her gaze, instead staring at her hand in his.

  “Maggie, you have lots of family, and friends, people who care about you in Paradise.”

  “I know. I know,” she murmured. “The Lord has a plan for me. I keep repeating that verse. ‘Cast all your cares upon the Lord, for He cares for you.’ I keep reminding myself that He cares for me. That’s what matters.”

  “He does. And so do I Maggie.”

  She nodded slowly.

  “Come on. Let’s get this stuff out of here and go home.”

  When Maggie lifted her chin, and he looked directly into her moist pain-filled brown eyes, all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and make it all right.

  But she beat him to it. Maggie reached forward and slipped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Surprised, he held very still, and inhaled the intoxicating mixture of the vanilla and cheese balls that was Maggie. For a moment he allowed himself the luxury of enjoying her head on his shoulder.

  When she finally eased away from him their gazes connected. This time Jake leaned toward her ever so slowly, until his lips touched hers.

  She didn’t pull away and once again he was lost in the sweetness of Maggie.

  Minutes later Jake rested his forehead against hers.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “For understanding.”

  “Anytime, Maggie. Anytime.”

  Reluctantly he stood, creating a distance between them. He looked around. “Come on. Let’s get this stuff out of here and go home to Paradise.”

  “I’m ready.” She glanced at the furniture. “This is actually all I own that’s really mine. My maternal grandmother left me those pieces.”

  “That dresser and desk look like antiques.”

  “They are. She owned an antiques store.”

  “No kidding. Were you close?”

  “I only saw her a few times in my life.”

  “We probably should have brought Beck. That bureau and des
k look heavy.”

  “We have two dollies.”

  “We do.” He picked up a box and so did Maggie. “You are aware that Beck is crushing on you, right?”

  “No, he isn’t,” she said as she followed him to the elevator. “I don’t understand why this keeps coming up. First Bitsy and now you. Beck and I are friends.”

  “Maggie, it scares me to think Bitsy and I agree on something, but I’m telling you. Guys know this stuff. Beck is seriously crushing on you.”

  “I haven’t done anything. Or encouraged him.”

  “You can’t help that you’re a beautiful woman.”

  Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply. “Stop or this box might slip out of my arms and land on your foot.”

  He stood next to her in the elevator unable to hide a grin. His Maggie was back, with fire in her eyes.

  “Because I said you were beautiful?” he asked.

  “I’m the same person. Just Maggie.”

  “Just Maggie has to adjust her thinking. The beauty on your inside is now evident on the outside.”

  She blinked, opened her mouth and then closed it.

  Jake continued to smile. Maggie Jones was speechless.

  * * *

  “I’ve got to stop by my house to feed Chuck before we head over to your place,” Jake said.

  She gave a small nod, though her eyes remained closed and her head rested against the seat. Maggie was emotionally drained. He couldn’t blame her. It was probably a good thing her parents weren’t home. He’d have easily given them a rundown on what a wonderful daughter they had, along with several pieces of his mind.

  “You awake?” he asked.

  “Yes. What time is it anyhow?”

  “Four o’clock.”

  “You made good time,” she commented.

  “Once we hit the Eisenhower Tunnel it was an easy ride.”

  A slight smile curved her lips.

  “I’m glad you drove in Denver,” he admitted. “I’d forgotten how crazy the on-ramps and off-ramps were. Why do they call that one stretch of highway the mousetrap?” Jake asked as he pulled the moving truck up to his house.

  “Because you feel like a completely helpless mouse in a maze.”

  Jake put the parking brake on.

  Her eyes slowly opened.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “We ran out of cheese balls two hours ago. I’m starving.”

  “We could have stopped,” Jake pointed out.