by Tonya Kappes
He watched her big brown eyes focus on the screen and the smile creep across her face, her teeth as white as the moon. He loved it. She looked memorized like the first time they watched it together.
It was definitely a magical night. The stars were bright, the moon was full, but was it the right night? Mitch wanted to tell her his engagement had been called off. He wanted to tell her that no matter where life was going to lead her that he’d always love her.
He was surprised she didn’t already know—or she’d brought it up. From what Susie had been saying, the gang seemed to be spending a lot more time together since Maggie was back in town. He smiled. It was almost like old times.
Chapter 29
Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place. ~ Zora Hurston
Mitch didn’t mention anything about Wendy and Maggie didn’t mention anything about what Wendy had told her. For some strange reason Mitch didn’t want her to know, or he would’ve told her.
She had to be careful not to stare back at him. She was finding it all too easy to get lost in the way he looked at her. The feeling she was having was not familiar to her. As a matter of fact she didn’t ever recall having these emotions for Grady.
When Wendy told her about her relationship with Mitch, Maggie found herself replacing Wendy’s situation with her and Grady. They were college friends, study buddies, and one was never without the other. She found an altogether different life in Grady’s world. Though his rich cocktail party world was enticing, she did find herself longing for the quiet sleepy life of Grandberry Falls on most nights. Sometimes she would stay back at the penthouse while Grady rubbed elbows with Hampton’s finest.
Lillian told Maggie several times that she did fit in, when Maggie stormed out of a cocktail party for the New York City mayor’s council after someone laughed and called her a hillbilly.
In the end, Grady did what everyone expected, including Maggie—he proposed. Only she never expected the ring to be–fake.
She’s chalked up her feelings of nostalgia over the last couple of weeks, to being vulnerable and unsure where her life was taking her. But when she tried to explore her feelings for Mitch, there was no reasonable answer.
She couldn’t help but giggle when Mitch threw his head back and let out a great peal of laughter—just like he had every time they saw this scene. Only this time she couldn’t tear her gaze from his profile.
He had grown up. Become a man. A man worth exploring.
“Just as good as the first time we saw it.” Mitch’s eyes danced with delight.
When the movie ended, Maggie got up and dusted the grass off her shorts. All sorts of people she didn’t recognize walked by and shook Mitch’s hand and chatted a few minutes. Maggie reached for her ringing cell phone, figuring it would be Hazel wondering when she was going to be coming home. Even though Maggie was in her late twenties, she was still living under Hazel’s roof—as Hazel often told her.
Fear and anger knotted her insides when Grady’s name appeared across the screen. This was the first time he’d even attempted to call her. Why now? What did he want?
She had a good mind to answer and tell him she’s going to the Globe about the fake ring, only Karma stood in her way.
Pushing the decline button, she decided to send him to voicemail and see if he left a message. No part of her wanted to talk to him ever again. She might not have truly loved him as she should’ve, but she didn’t deserve to be dumped by a letter. No one did.
The warm palm on her back shocked her into reality.
“I said are you okay?” Mitch asked, looking at her for answers. “Who was it?”
“Granny.” Maggie took another look at the phone.
The red light that alerted her that she had a message was not on. She wondered if she should feel some guilt for the relief she felt. Now she didn’t have to call him back. Nor did she want to.
“Just tell her you’re with me.”
She couldn’t help herself, she burst out laughing. He was right. If Hazel knew she was with Mitch, she’d be home ironing a wedding dress.
“I had fun tonight. We need to get together soon.” Maggie gathered her things.
Maggie wanted to get out of the park. She was still on overload from the phone call. She wondered if he’d try to call back.
“We do have a lot to go over about the case and we still need some options.” Mitch greeted the passerby’s with smiles and nods.
“I meant something other than business. Like tonight.” Maggie searched his face for a sign, hint or any indication of being attracted to her like he used to. There was nothing there. “Or not.”
She gave him another opportunity to tell her about his broken engagement, but he wasn’t budging.
“I…” he stammered for words. “I’m not sure how much free time I’m going to have this week with the Grandberry Falls Jubilee weekend coming up and the parade. Big fireworks.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you soon.” Maggie took one last look around. Still, she didn’t recognize anyone to talk to and take the uncomfortable silence between them away. “Bye.”
She waved over her shoulder, and didn’t turn to see if he was still surrounded by people or if he was watching her.
The street was filled with people walking or driving back from the movie. The Thirsty Turtle was hopping like it did every weekend. She was sure she saw Belle through the window. Belle rarely missed a big night out on the town. The Thirsty Turtle was what constituted a big night. Maggie would rather go home and go to bed. She only had a couple of days before the meeting and she needed all the rest she could get to go up against Patricia Van Meter.
Chapter 30
Without love, the rich and poor live in the same house. ~ Unknown
The earlier the better was Maggie’s mantra. She repeated it every morning before arriving at Van Meter and Associates when she lived in the city, and saving the farm was no different.
Quietly, she got ready so she wouldn’t wake Hazel or Belle. Generally by six-thirty am, the tractors had already started up, the roosters had crowed, and the cows were ready to eat. Maggie glanced out of the bedroom window where she saw only one farmhand tending to the cattle.
Yes, we have to save the farm, she thought turning to decided what she was going to wear. Her clothes that dangled off the wire hangers were bunched up in the tiny closet.
Sigh, Maggie pulled the light blue silk blouse off the hanger, noticing the bumps on the each shoulder seam. Her poor clothes were use to the nice wooden hangers and much larger space in the penthouse she had shared with Grady.
One by one, she pushed each hanger to see what she could wear with the blouse. Normally, she’d pair it with a nice suit that included a short skirt, but not here. She wanted to fit in. She wanted everyone to take her seriously.
The black slacks and matching blazer would be perfect. Maggie held the jacket up to the blouse. Perfect, she thought, looking into the mirror and brushing her long brown hair behind her shoulders, shaking her bangs out of her eyes.
Without making too much noise, she quickly got dressed, was out the door, and then headed toward town.
The Fatted Pig was the only place that she remembered that would be open this early. Mamie opened early so the farmers could fill their bellies before work began, plus they loved meeting up with their buddies to shoot the breeze. And you couldn’t go wrong with Mamie’s home cooking, not to mention the biscuits and gravy.
“Where did the weekend go?” Maggie smiled when she saw Mamie.
“I’m so glad to see you!” Mamie hurried from behind the counter and wiped her hands on her apron. “I hear you might straighten out this mess.”
Mamie embraced Maggie, and Maggie loved it.
“I have a feeling he’s trying to save the farm too.” Mamie pointed towards a table where Mitch was hunched over a stack of papers. He hadn’t noticed that Maggie even stepped into the place.
Maggie smiled.
“Poor boy.” Mamie shook her
head. She took out a pad of paper from her apron pocket and slid the pen from behind her ear. “What can I get you, before you find a seat.”
“Biscuits and gravy, of course.” Maggie could already taste them. She pointed over to Mitch. “And keep the coffee coming.”
“I should take a picture.” Mamie winked. “Hazel would be so proud to see you two having breakfast.”
“It’s just business, Mamie.” Maggie glanced back over at Mitch.
She couldn’t help but notice the fine man he’d turned out to be. He was writing away, every muscle in his fore arm flexing with each stroke of his pen.
He turned.
As their eyes met, she felt a shock run through her.
He stared. There was complete surprise in his face. The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth.
That was all Maggie needed.
“Good morning.” She studied his expression as he got up and pulled the other chair out. She put her briefcase on top of the table, and sat down. “Thank you.”
Mitch sat down next to her and looked around. “I’ll get Mamie to bring us a cup of coffee.”
Maggie waved her hand. “I ordered us a pot when I came in.” She smiled.
She remembered how they always used to be in sync, with a shiver of vivid recollection.
“I. . .I, um. . .” She rested her chin on her hand with a bemused smile on her lips. “I completely forgot what I was going to say.”
Mitch’s face split into a wide grin. “Well, I sure hope you don’t do that in front of Patricia Van Meter.”
Maggie playfully smacked Mitch’s bicep.
“Now, kids.” Mamie set down a family size order of biscuits and gravy, plus a pot of coffee. “Don’t make me separate you two like I did when you were kids.”
“It’s all her fault.” Mitch pointed to Maggie, and then stuffed a biscuit in his mouth.
“I plead the fifth.” Maggie threw her hands in the air.
Mamie just shook her head, smiling as she walked away.
“I was thinking,” Maggie began, and then pulled some papers out of her briefcase. She pointed to a map of Grandberry Falls. “Here is the farm and here is the interstate. That’s pretty far apart.”
Mitch leaned over the map to see the distance. He took the Van Meter proposal and showed Maggie the clause where it stated the reasons for wanting the Greenlee property.
“The Pelt Company thinks this would be a great place to add the four lane by-pass and plop the mall there so travelers will stop and help the economy.” He handed her the by-pass proposal. “And that is what has divided the community.”
They both looked around at the new faces walking in the door. The Fatted Pig was a place where people passing through stopped to eat. This was what kept Grandberry Falls running and the quaint city it had become. And if they allow the eminent domain on the Greenlee farm, the town would become a ghost town, putting more people out of work.
“This just doesn’t make sense.” Maggie pointed to the west side of town. “Who owns this land?”
Mitch took a good look.
“You can go to the planning and zoning to see, right?” Maggie knew that if they could find out who it belonged to, they might be able to use that land. “It’s much closer to the interstate. They wouldn’t have to completely by-pass all of Grandberry Falls.”
She made a mental note to go and check out the property. She didn’t want to put anyone out of business, but if she remembered correctly, that was a lot of woods, not a working farm like Hazel’s.
Think, Maggie closed her eyes. Mitch’s cologne was wrapping around her, and she needed to keep her head straight. There was no way she was falling for him. Or was she? She jumped when she felt Mitch’s fingers touch her.
“Maggie, are you okay?” A faint light twinkled in the depths of his brown eyes.
“I’m. . . I’m fine.”Maggie shook her head back and forth, and shrugged to hide her confusion.
She’d heard about rebound relationships, and Mitch would be the logical choice, but these were feelings that she had never had. Not even for Grady.
Get it together! She chalked it up to confusion and his love for the Greenelee farm.
“Anyway, we know the new stores would help boost the economy. Are the farm hands all of a sudden going to know what pant looks best with the latest high-heel?” Ridiculous. She knew the outlet would bring a lot of business to Grandberry Falls. But what about the workers that worked at the Greenlee farm? Where were they going to find jobs? She had to get back to business.
“Wait.” Mitch jumped up and looked at the map again. He snapped his fingers. He took a set of keys out of his pocket and dropped them on the table. “I have to go check something out. Let yourself in my office.”
He ran out of the diner. Maggie fumbled the keys wondering what he was up to. Her phone vibrated in the bottom of her briefcase, but stopped. She didn’t answer it.
Grady.
Chapter 31
A man is not where he lives, but where he loves. ~ Latin Proverb
The old truck groaned around every bend and curve in the road as Mitch headed toward Lexington. He hadn’t visited with his family attorney since the reading of his mother’s will. Mitch didn’t have any reason to go to the biggest city closest to Grandberry Falls.
There was something that struck a chord in him when Maggie pointed to the west end of town. He vaguely remembered something about property in his mom’s will, but he was so distraught from her sudden death, that he didn’t really listen. His family didn’t have anything more than what was under the roof of their family home. The place that Mitch lived in.
His thoughts turned back to Maggie. Was he reading into it, or was she turning back into the Maggie Greenlee that he knew and . . .loved?
It was hard to keep himself from smiling when he saw her in her ‘big girl’ suit. She looked good. Too good.
Man, he smacked the steering wheel. If his feelings were that transparent to Wendy, could Maggie see through his tough guy act?
The last thing he needed or wanted was to go back to following Maggie around like a puppy.
No way, he repeated over and over. There was no way he was going to allow himself to fall for her again. Eventually, he was going to have to tell her about Wendy, but not now.
The big glass building towered up in the sky, casting a shadow on the vast parking lot. A few cars were scattered, but not many.
The old dash clock hands read eight o’clock, but he was sure Bob was in the office. At least he was going to take his chances.
The elevator zipped up to the twelfth floor. It was hard for him to imagine Maggie Greenlee going to a big building like this in New York.
He saw Gunkel and Gunkel engraved on the plaque outside of the double glass doors, as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.
Mitch tried to push the door open, but it was locked. He strained to see if he could see anything. There was a light down the hall. He tapped on the door, hoping someone was there. He tapped a little louder.
A shadowy figure walked into the hall, and came toward the door. It was a younger version of Bob Gunkel.
He unlocked the door and pushed it open.
“How can I help you?” He looked at Mitch.
“I was wondering if Bob was in.” Mitch wondered if this was the other Gunkel from the sign.
“It’s a little too early for dad, unless you had an appointment.” The guy looked at his watch.
“I didn’t.” Mitch stuck his hand out. “I’m Mitch Dozier, the mayor of Grandberry Falls.”
“Nice to meet you, Mayor.” He shook Mitch’s hand. “I’m Bob jr. Is there something I can help you with?”
Mitch stepped into the office when Bob Jr. opened the door a little wider.
“Bob was my mom’s attorney and he had mentioned something about property in her will.” Mitch ran his hands through his spiky hair. “I . . . was so taken by surprise with my mom’s sudden death that I really didn’t listen to
the will and I have a copy of it in the safety deposit box at the bank, unfortunately it’s closed right now too.”
That was one of Mitch’s downfalls. If he wanted something, he got it; just not in Maggie’s case, which drove him crazy.
“There must be something really important in that will.” Bob Jr.’s eyes narrowed.
“If it’s what I think, I really need the information now. Is there any way you can look up the will?” Mitch asked.
Mitch followed Bob into one of the rooms off the hallway, hoping Bob Jr. would be able to help him.
Chapter 32
A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails. ~ Donna Roberts
There was only one thing for Maggie to do before she headed to finish off a little paperwork at Mitch’s office, and then head to Grandberry Falls Park. She did promise Wendy and the gals that she would help decorate for the big Grandberry Falls Jubilee this weekend.
Just thinking about being in Grandberry Falls during the festival sent excited butterflies in her stomach. She had so many fond memories of not only Mitch, but also her friends.
How simple life was, she sighed.
Traffic had picked up on Main Street. Maggie looked both ways before crossing. She rubbed the quarter from the change Mamie had given her after she paid the bill.
The Trembling Cup already had a small line out the door. Maggie waved through the coffee shop window at Jenna and Liz. She admired how her Aunt and her friend met every Friday for girl talk and coffee.
She hoped that once she got settled and figured out what she wanted to do with her life, that she would be sitting around with her friends shooting the breeze.
The smell of fresh water and spring air filled her lungs. There was a sense of renewal in her life. Working on Hazel’s case felt like she was truly giving back everything she had always wanted with her career. When Van Meter dangled the big salary in front of her, she caved.
Regret settled in the base of her stomach.