Goodbye, Magnolia (Cornerstone Book 1)
Page 15
When she walked through the door on Wednesday morning, Simon and DeDe were waiting for her in the meeting area.
“Good morning, Canon.” Simon gave her a dazzling smile.
Maggie grunted and walked past them to the office. She threw her purse on the desk and fired up her computer before emerging again.
“What brings you here?” She directed her rudeness at Simon.
“We bring good news,” announced DeDe.
“Yeah, I already know. Simon got the wedding.” She gave him a dirty look. “Your uncle spilled the beans the other day.” She didn’t even try to hide her bitterness.
“Maggie, sit,” he commanded her.
“I’m not a dog,” she snapped at him.
He crossed the room and gently took her arm, leading her to sit next to him. “Please.”
“Did you come to gloat?” She threw herself onto the sofa.
“Maggie?” He sat next to her.
“What?”
“We got the gig.”
She was confused. “What do you mean we?”
“You and I.” Simon’s eyes searched hers, eagerly awaiting her reaction.
“What?” Her expression suddenly changed from anger to astonishment.
“Lacey called me last night,” replied DeDe. “They want to hire both of you. I guess they thought two is better than one.”
“Oh my gosh. Really?” The tears filled Maggie’s eyes.
Simon’s face lit up. “Really.” He put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze.
She turned into him, wrapped her arms around his neck in a full blown hug, and started laughing from utter happiness.
He held her tightly until she loosened her grip.
“Sorry.” She let go with an embarrassed smile. “This is amazing news. You don’t even know how much I needed to hear this today.” She brushed a few tears from her cheeks.
Simon relaxed back into the sofa, his eyes remained on Maggie. “So, we’re off to the island next summer.”
She leaned back next to him. “I’m so excited. This is gonna be so ... beautiful.” Her head fell back against a throw pillow, and she closed her eyes. She could feel him watching her.
“I’m so happy for you both.” DeDe gathered her purse to leave. “Maggie, let’s have lunch tomorrow, and we’ll get things finalized with the contracts and such.”
“Yes!” she replied, still leaning back against the pillow with her eyes open now.
A huge burden had been lifted off of her, making her feel so light she thought she might float right off of the sofa.
When she glanced over at Simon, he had laid his head back, too, and continued to stare at her with a contented smile.
She grabbed his arm and shook him back and forth. “We got the wedding!”
He laughed at her crazy burst of energy.
Their eyes met, her hands still gripping his arm.
“Congratulations.” He spoke almost in a whisper.
She never thought that word could sound so intimate.
“You, too,” she quietly replied.
Sarah, who had been sitting at her desk across the room the entire time, cleared her throat.
They broke eye contact, and Maggie let her hands fall folded into her lap.
“I better go.” He sat up. “I’ll see ya’.”
She watched him walk out the door and sighed as she looked over at Sarah.
Sarah shook her head and smiled. “Oh, man. You two have got it bad.”
“Whatever.” Maggie rolled her eyes. “He’s engaged.”
The door opened again, and Simon leaned inside. “Almost forgot. Do you have a wedding on the fifteenth of August?”
She shook her head sadly. “I used to.”
“Oh, sorry,” he replied. “Well, I need an extra shooter. I know it’s last minute, but I could really use your help.”
“Sure.” Maggie shrugged. “Why not?”
“It’s an out of town wedding.” He looked at her questioningly.
“How far out of town?”
“Petoskey.”
Maggie’s eyes brightened, and her mouth formed into a giant smile. “I love Petoskey.”
“Great.” He smiled at her and left again.
Sarah laughed to herself.
“What’s funny?”
“Oh, you are in so much trouble.”
Maggie stood and smoothed her shirt. “It’s work. It’ll be completely professional.”
“You just keep telling yourself that.”
August 14, 2009
Petoskey
“This is probably a huge mistake, isn’t it?” She took lens after lens from Sarah and tucked them neatly into her camera bag in preparation for the weekend in Petoskey.
“It’s a job, and you need it right now.”
“Right. I do.” She tugged the zipper closed and lifted the bag upright on its wheels.
“Just don’t forget that he is an engaged man.”
Maggie still hadn’t mentioned the engagement to Simon, but she would have all weekend to ask him about it.
“And have fun.” Sarah gave her a hug goodbye. “But not too much fun,” she said with a wink.
Maggie walked down the street to Walker’s Photography, where she was to meet Simon for their drive north. She was greeted by Uncle Pete, who was as sweet as always.
“Have a seat, Maggie. Simon should be here any minute.”
“Thanks. How are you doin’?”
“Oh, I’m doing pretty well. And yourself?”
“I can’t complain.” She grinned.
“I heard everything worked out for you with the governor’s daughter.”
“Yes, it did.” She couldn’t contain her smile.
He tapped his forehead. “Didn’t I tell you everything would work out?”
“You did.”
Maggie took a look around. It was actually the first time she’d stepped foot in the studio since they opened in March. There were large portraits displayed all along one wall, mostly families and a few senior pictures. Just inside the door were several large cushioned chairs around a table covered in album samples. There was a hallway in the back, where she assumed the offices and studio were.
“This place looks great,” she gushed. “You really improved it.”
“Thank you,” Pete replied. “Simon did pretty much everything. He’s got much better taste than I do for this sort of thing.”
She nodded. “Well, I like it.”
The automatic doorbell sounded as Simon entered the building.
“Ready to go?” Simon walked over and grabbed the camera bag and suitcase from her.
“Yep. Thanks.”
She followed him out to the car and there, sitting shotgun, was Anna Klein.
“Hi, Maggie.”
“Hi, Anna.” She had assumed the reason Simon needed help was that Anna couldn’t work this wedding, but maybe it was a bigger affair than she thought. That would explain the need for another shooter. She had been so excited at the idea of getting out of town for a wedding that she hadn’t stopped to question him about the details.
She climbed into the back seat behind Anna, while Simon loaded her things into the trunk.
Anna rotated in her seat. “How are you? Busy with weddings this summer?”
Maggie nodded. Except for all the cancellations. “How do you like working with Simon?”
“I love it. He’s teaching me so much about photography. I couldn’t imagine a better boss.” Anna flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and smiled at Simon as he took his seat behind the wheel.
Simon smiled at Anna, which annoyed Maggie. She rolled her eyes and leaned back into her seat.
The majority of the four hour drive, Simon and Anna talked about weddings they had worked and laughed about funny situations that were only humorous to the people who had been there. Maggie wasn’t really a part of their conversation, but she understood the camaraderie between photographer and assistant. She wished Sarah was
there with her.
She stared out the window at the passing scenery. The woods seemed to grow thicker and more lush the further north they drove. She turned up the volume on her iPod to drown out the conversation in the front seat, the constant incoming text notifications on Anna’s cell phone, and the classic rock station Simon had the radio tuned to. She had never known anyone who texted as often as Anna. It was especially annoying while trying to converse with her. Even so, it was easy to like Anna. She was young and lovely with a vibrant personality. There was something so hopeful about her. She was fresh out of college with so much going for her and a world of endless possibilities. Maggie envied her and wished she could feel a glimmer of that again in her own life.
She glanced over at Simon. He was dressed casually in a dark t-shirt and jeans. His hair was tousled, like he had run his fingers through it before he rushed out the door, but still looked perfect. She could still remember how soft his hair felt that night in Vegas.
The music in her ears drowned out all other sounds, but she watched Simon’s mouth as he spoke to Anna. Her mind wandered back to their Vegas kiss and her cheeks suddenly warmed. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the music, but soon felt pressure on her leg. Startled, her eyes popped open to see Simon’s arm draped back between the seats, his hand resting on her thigh.
He glanced back at her, and his lips formed words she could not hear.
She pulled the earbuds out. “What?”
“Do you need me to stop at the next rest area?”
She shook her head. “I’m good.”
He turned his attention back to the road, but kept his hand on her knee a moment longer, squeezing a little before he removed it.
She put the earbuds back in, closed her eyes, and leaned her head back against the seat. As she drifted off, thoughts of kissing Simon filled her mind, and she didn’t even try to stop them.
The sun was sinking low in the sky by the time they arrived at the Perry Hotel in downtown Petoskey. After settling into their rooms and grabbing a quick bite to eat, they stopped by the Rose Garden Veranda, the site for the next day’s wedding. It was a beautiful location overlooking the Little Traverse Bay, but Maggie was confused when she counted chairs set up for less than a hundred people. Clearly, Simon and Anna would have been sufficient to cover a wedding of this size.
When Simon and Anna retired to the hotel for the night, Maggie didn’t follow. She walked toward Bayfront Park instead. Things felt so much lighter since the news about Lacey and George’s wedding. She practically skipped down the steps and through the tunnel that led under the road to the park. There were quite a few people out and about on this warm summer evening, running around in the grass, tossing frisbees, and kicking soccer balls.
Maggie walked the long sidewalk with its row of trees leading to the marina. Children were climbing and sliding on the playground while their parents sat on nearby benches to watch. A couple sat on the rocks along the shore watching the sunset. She stopped at the base of the tall clock tower and looked up.
“That’s a big clock.” Simon’s voice startled her.
Her hand flew to her heart.
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he apologized with a smile.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Where’s Anna?”
“Back at the room.” He tilted his head toward the hotel. “She was really worn out from all that texting earlier.”
“Poor girl.” Maggie walked further out to look at the rows of docked boats. She leaned against the rail.
Simon leaned against the railing next to her, his arm rested against hers.
The sun was nearing the horizon, leaving everything blanketed in a golden glow. Maggie glanced over at Simon, his eyes sparkled at her in the evening light. I will not give in to those eyes. Must think about Michelle. She looked again toward the sun, and they stood together in silence watching it disappear below the line where sky met water.
The light breeze off the bay along with Simon’s proximity made her shiver. “Well, I think I’m gonna call it a night.”
As she turned to go, Simon stepped in front of her and grabbed the railing on either side of her waist.
“What are you doing?” she asked, not making eye contact with him.
“What I’ve wanted to do for a really long time.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead.
“Simon, this isn’t right. We have to think about Michelle.”
He brushed his fingers along her jawline and lifted her chin.
She looked up at him nervously. Oh, this is very bad. She grabbed onto the lower railing behind her to keep from touching him.
He leaned in close. “Michelle and I broke up.”
Maggie was shocked at his reply. “You broke up with Michelle?” The thoughts flew through her mind at a mile a minute. “I thought you were engaged.”
“What?” His response came out as a laugh. “Engaged? Who told you that?”
“Cindy … er, Billy.” She was flustered and confused by it all.
“Who?”
“From the coffee shop … in town.”
“Well, they were misinformed.”
“Then you’re not marrying Michelle?”
“No.” He brushed his thumb softly against her cheek.
He was single. No more Michelle. Why had Bill told her they were engaged? Her mind returned to the ceremony site they’d seen earlier and the small number of chairs that were set up. Was this wedding an excuse to get her here? What was Simon thinking?
“Simon.” She could barely find her voice. “This is a really small wedding.”
He grinned. “Yes, it is.”
“Not something you need an extra shooter for.” She stared at him with an accusatory look.
He shrugged and flashed an amused grin.
Just as she thought.
She immediately tensed up as he pushed the hair back from her face and leaned in closer.
“We should talk about this,” she stated.
His fingertips floated softly across the straps of her tank top and over her bare shoulders.
Maggie’s eyelids closed as she concentrated on the sensations flowing over her. She squeezed the railing and braced herself for what was next.
He touched his nose to hers, and she opened her eyes to look at him.
“Let’s talk later.” He tilted his head to the side and his lower lip brushed hers.
Ring!
Her cell phone went off, causing her to jerk her head to the side.
“Ignore it,” he whispered.
She reached to her hip for her phone. “I can’t.”
His lips brushed against her ear sending an electric shock all the way to her toes.
She yanked her phone out to see who was calling. “It’s Sarah.”
His right hand brushed the hair back over her shoulder. “Call her back.” His breath was warm against her throat, and he planted a row of kisses up her neck.
Maggie felt like she was floating.
Ring!
She suddenly experienced a wave of panic. There was nothing in their way now, nothing to keep them apart. It had been different when he was with Michelle. She could flirt with him without the worry of getting hurt. But now, they could be together. She knew it’s what he wanted, but she wasn’t sure she felt the same. She wasn’t sure she was ready.
Even after all this time, it felt like some kind of betrayal to Ben, which was absolutely ridiculous given his indiscretions. But she had given her whole heart to him, deep down to the core of her being, and imagining a future with someone else still seemed unfathomable.
And what kind of future could she have with Simon anyway? He was just another guy who was unable to be faithful, and she would never let herself be in that situation again.
A tightness in her chest made it increasingly difficult for her to breathe. If Simon continued this way, she was sure she would suffocate.
Ring!
“Simon,” she managed to whisper.
The tears were imminent, every muscle in her body tense. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, and she shook from the paralyzing fear that had overcome her. She suddenly twisted her body and shoved him away.
“Simon! Stop!”
She took several slow breaths in and out before looking him in the eyes.
The same wounded expression he’d worn in Vegas was back again.
Ring!
She looked away as a tear slipped down her cheek and answered her phone. “This is Maggie.” Her voice cracked.
Simon walked quickly away along the promenade toward the hotel.
“How’s it goin’?” asked Sarah.
“You were right. I’m in a lot of trouble.”
She watched as Simon grew smaller and smaller and disappeared into the tunnel.
August 15, 2009
True Colors
Maggie stood in the breakfast buffet line waiting to grab a muffin and some juice. She scanned the dining room and saw Simon seated by the window alone. He was reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee. For a moment, she thought about sitting elsewhere, as far across the room from him as possible, but she found herself walking right to his table. Maybe he’d had enough time to calm down about last night.
“Good morning,” she spoke timidly as she took the seat across the table from him.
“If you say so.” He was not over it.
She tried to get him to look at her, but he stared at his newspaper.
“I’m sorry about last night,” she began. She hadn’t meant to hurt him.
“Don’t worry about it. Won’t happen again.” He was very short with her.
“Simon.” She leaned her head forward, trying to get him to look up.
When he did, she was taken aback by the coldness behind his eyes and forgot everything she had planned to say to him.