Maggie was impressed. “That’s really something. Is the market booming?”
“The market hasn’t changed all that much. We just got better at reaching new people and we broadened our service area. We go to Lewiston and beyond. And we put in a new computer system.”
“Were you a business major in college?” she wondered.
He smiled. “I was. So it’s been fun to put some of what I learned to good use.”
Maggie enjoyed listening to Charlie talk about the family business that he took over. He was animated and passionate as he told her some challenges he’d faced initially and some more recent successes they’d had. He also shared his favorite Mojito recipe.
“The key is fresh mint, and lime. Muddle the two together, add a bit of coconut rum and the secret ingredient—a splash of Sprite.”
“Sprite? That’s different.”
He grinned. “It’s a shortcut, much easier than messing with club soda and simple syrup—which I never have at home. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness.”
Maggie was intrigued. “Maybe I’ll run that as a drink special today. I’m curious to try it.”
“Two turkey club sandwiches,” Ryder announced as he walked over and set their lunches down on the bar.
“Thanks! I could have gone to get them,” Maggie said. She’d lost track of time while she and Charlie were talking.
“Bethany ordered me to bring them out, while the bread is still hot from the toaster. Enjoy.”
Maggie picked up a wedge of sandwich, took a bite and wondered if Charlie was dating anyone. She knew that he was a widower and had lost his wife to a horrible car accident several years ago. She’d casually asked Ryder the day before as he was heading off to play cards at Charlie’s house. He didn’t have any idea, but hadn’t heard that he was, for what that was worth.
“How did Ryder do playing card with you guys the other night? I haven’t had a chance to ask. He and Bethany were gone all weekend and the baby was all we’ve talked about so far.”
“Well, it’s exciting news. You’re going to be an aunt.” Charlie smiled warmly as he reached for a potato chip. “As it turns out, your brother is very good at poker. He surprised us.”
Maggie laughed. “I wondered if anyone knew that about him. He’s always been good at cards. I know better than to play with him.”
They continued to chat easily as they ate, and Maggie learned that she and Charlie shared a lot of common interests. Besides working in the food industry, they both enjoyed playing trivia and listening to live country and blues music, both local bands and big acts, like Thomas Rhett, Luke Bryan and Kenny Chesney.
“Thomas Rhett is going to be in Lewiston in a few weeks. I tried to get tickets, but he sold out so fast,” Maggie said.
“I saw him a few years ago. He was great. I missed out on getting tickets, too.”
“We’ll have to settle for local bands, then. My sister is actually really good. Have you ever heard Ivy sing? She once wanted to be a country music artist, but then had her dreams dashed. Which is too bad because she could have been really good. Now she just writes music as a hobby, and fills in when we have an opening or a local band needs a lead singer for a gig.”
“I haven’t yet. I’d like to, though. Where is she playing next?” Charlie asked.
“She’s actually playing here Saturday night. You should come by.” That was as close as she could get to asking him out. Besides, she was working Saturday night, anyway, but it would fun to see him if he stopped in.
“Are you working that night?” he asked.
“I am.”
Charlie grinned. “Well, I need to check my schedule.” He pulled out his phone, glanced at it and laughed. “I’m wide open. I’ll try to stop in.”
“How are things going with Josh? Have you two gone out again?” Charlie wanted to go to Quinn’s Saturday night, to have a beer at the bar, chat with Maggie and listen to her sister play. He wanted much more than that, but he didn’t know if it would ever be possible. Not if Josh was who Maggie wanted to be with. And if they were to get serious, she’d be completely off-limits, anyway. Josh was too good of a friend. Even if he’d lost his mind recently when it came to dating. Charlie didn’t want to see Maggie get hurt either if she were to fall for Josh. Josh wouldn’t intentionally do anything to upset her, but he wasn’t always known for thinking things through. And Charlie was pretty sure Josh’s heart still belonged to Liz, even if he wasn’t ready to admit it yet. The question seemed to take Maggie by surprise.
“Oh, um, fine I guess. We haven’t gone out again yet. I think he said he’s away this weekend, and I’m working. We have plans to go to the Spinazolla event next weekend, though. That should be fun. Are you going?”
Charlie was going with Josh, and he hadn’t mentioned that he was bringing a date. Charlie hadn’t really thought about it, though, and it wouldn’t have surprised him if Liz was going and that would have been fine. He’d often gone out with the two of them before, to join others for trivia or dinner. But it did seem a bit odd that Josh had invited Maggie to join them. Charlie would have thought that he’d want her all to himself. If it had been Charlie inviting Maggie out somewhere, he certainly wouldn’t have wanted Josh to join them.
So, he was inclined to tell Josh that he wouldn’t go with them. He didn’t want to be a third wheel on a date with the girl he’d kill to date himself. He could just go on his own, as he already had his ticket and a new tux on the way. Then it wouldn’t be as awkward if he ran into them there. His phone buzzed just then with a text message, and he glanced at it and smiled.
“Can’t wait to see you next weekend. Looking forward to a few days of relaxing and eating things I’m not supposed to have!” He’d almost forgotten his sister was coming home for a visit. Maybe he could get a ticket for her, too.
“I am going. A lot of the distributors I work with will be there, so it’s sort of a work thing. But it’s always a good time, too.”
Maggie flashed a big smile, that made him momentarily dazed.
“Oh, good. I’m so glad you’re going, too. It’s going to be such a fun night.”
A crowd of customers walked through the front door. Maggie glanced toward the bar, which was still empty, but Charlie knew the lunch rush was now underway.
“I should probably get going. I don’t want to take too much of your time.” He pulled out a credit card and put it on the table, intending to pay for their lunch. But Maggie had other ideas. She picked up the card and handed it back to him.
“Thank you, but I invited you here for lunch. And I appreciate all of your suggestions for the bar. It’s nice to finally chat in person, too.”
“Very nice. I should do this more often. Get out of the office, I mean.” He stood, reluctant to leave. Their time together had gone by too fast.
“I’ll see you soon, hopefully on Saturday night?”
“I’ll be here,” he promised.
Chapter 5
Maggie arrived at Quinn’s on Saturday a few minutes before four. She wouldn’t actually go behind the bar until four thirty when the lunch shift ended and Paul, the day bartender would head home. But, she liked to come in early and relax a bit first. Quinn’s always provided a staff meal for all employees to eat before their shift and Bethany always made something good.
When she went into the kitchen, the intoxicating smell of fried chicken tempted her. Ryder was loading up a plate for himself with chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. Maggie debated doing the same, but she didn’t want to eat too heavy a meal.
“I made a big Caesar salad, too. If you want some of that, I can slice up one of these chicken breasts and put it on top,” Bethany suggested.
“That sounds perfect.” She watched as Bethany made two plates of salad with sliced fried chicken on top.
“Who is the other one for?” she asked as Bethany set them both on the counter.
“Me! I’m going to join you and sit for a few minutes, too, before things get crazy in th
e kitchen.”
They took their plates into the quiet back room, which was used for functions and served as a staff spot for meals or breaks. They joined Ryder and Maggie laughed when she saw that his plate was almost empty already. He laughed back..
“I was hungry. And I have to run a few errands. I’ll be back before the dinner rush hits.” He took his plate and headed to the kitchen.
“Ryder has been in an unusually good mood, lately,” Maggie said once he was gone.
“He’s pretty excited about this baby. It’s funny, neither one of us was in a hurry to have kids, but now that we’re expecting, we’re both really looking forward to it.”
“Have you thought about names at all?”
“We’ve talked about it a little, but we’re all over the place. I thought he might want a Ryder, Jr., if it’s a boy, but he said no. Possibly your father’s name, at least as a middle name. If it’s a girl, I haven’t the slightest. There’s so many choices.”
“That’s true and you have plenty of time to figure it out. I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better. At least you look like you are?” Maggie asked. Bethany’s color was good and she seemed to be moving around more easily.
“I am. I’m working more days now but shorter shifts, so that helps my back, and so far I haven’t really had much morning sickness.” She smiled and knocked her fist against the wood table for luck. “Hopefully that will continue.”
“Have you had any cravings? Or food aversions?” Maggie was curious, especially as Bethany was such a foodie.
“Yes, to both. I’ve wanted mac and cheese almost every day and not my homemade recipe, I’ve been craving the orange Kraft stuff from the box. I can’t get enough of it,” she admitted.
Maggie laughed. “Well, it is pretty good. I haven’t had that in years, but when I was a kid, I thought it was the best thing ever.”
“Maybe that’s it. I’m regressing to my childhood! And I have to have a small bowl of strawberry ice cream afterward, for dessert. The combo is a must. Isn’t that strange?”
“It is a bit unusual,” Maggie agreed.
“I know, right? I usually have chocolate swirl or coffee. Now, it’s just strawberry. I might have to have some when I finish. Do you want a little?”
“No, thanks. Unlike you, I am not eating for two. I wouldn’t mind dropping a few pounds. I always seem to gain and lose the same five pounds.” It was frustrating. Maggie never had been as slim as Bethany, though. She had finally accepted that as long as she was healthy, she didn’t have to deprive herself.
But, it would be nice to drop a few pounds before the Spinazolla event. Just so she’d feel more comfortable in the dress she was planning to wear. It was midnight blue, with halter straps and a nipped-in waist that created an hourglass effect.
“You look great, Maggie. You always do.” Bethany smiled as she spread butter on a thick slice of sourdough bread. “How did Charlie like his turkey club the other day? I meant to ask you about your lunch with him earlier. I walked by to get a soda at the bar while you were eating, and it looked like the two of you were deep in conversation. You were both smiling and it almost looked like you were on a date.”
Maggie set her fork down. “Really? It was just a business meeting. Charlie came in to see the bar and give me some pointers.”
Bethany raised her eyebrows. “That’s a first for him. And he is the one whose voice gave you goosebumps when you talked to him on the phone, right?”
Maggie nodded. “That’s true. There is something about his voice. It’s…mesmerizing.”
“And he’s nice in person, too?” Bethany looked intrigued.
“He is. He’s easy to talk to and interesting. And smart. He took over his father’s company and has done a great job growing it.”
“He sounds impressive. So, why aren’t you dating him?”
“Well, he hasn’t asked me out, for one thing. And I don’t think he’s likely to, unfortunately. Not right now, anyway.”
“Why not?”
“You know the cute lawyer I went out with last weekend?”
Bethany nodded. “The one that looks like a walking, talking Ken doll?”
“He’s also Charlie’s best friend.”
“Oh. Well, that complicates things a little. But, you could just not go out with him again, right?”
“I already told him that I’d go with him to the Spinazolla event. But I think Charlie might be going, too.”
“Really? Hmm, that sounds like it could be an interesting night. Do you have plans to see either of them before then?”
“Josh and I don’t have plans before next weekend. Charlie mentioned that he might stop in tonight.”
“Really? To see you?”
Was it to see her? “Not me specifically. I told him that Ivy is singing tonight and he said that he likes live music.”
“Ah, well that explains it then.”
“Explains what?”
“I thought there was something different about you tonight. You have a little more makeup on than usual, and you styled your hair differently.”
Maggie was surprised that Bethany noticed. But she normally didn’t wear much for makeup, just a bit of mascara if she remembered. But tonight she’d added a little eyeliner, rosy blush and her favorite dusty pink lip liner and gloss.
“I got a new curling iron, so I was just playing around with it.” Maggie took her last bite of salad and felt a little silly for fussing with her hair and makeup so much.
Bethany stood. “Well, it looks lovely. I need to get back into the kitchen. I still need to have that ice cream.”
Charlie went running Saturday afternoon for the first time in several years. He jogged for about three miles, all over his neighborhood and around Bear Lake, which was just over two miles. His calves were screaming by the time he made it to his driveway. He stretched for another ten minutes or so, then jumped in the shower and got dressed. His jeans and shirt were both new, from his trip to Lewiston, and fit perfectly. The shirt was a medium blue and he picked it out because it made his hazel eyes look bluer.
He figured that his eyes were his best feature. His face was starting to look a little less round, too. Unless he was imagining it, maybe he almost had a jawline. He was no Josh, but he didn’t look too bad. He was looking forward to getting to Quinn’s early enough to get a seat at the bar and having a chance to chat a little with Maggie when she wasn’t busy with customers. And to hearing her sister Ivy sing.
His phone rang as he was pulling out of his driveway. He was surprised to see that it was Josh.
“What are you doing tonight?” Josh asked.
“I’m heading to Quinn’s to listen to some live music. Are you still away?”
“Just got home, earlier than expected. I tried calling Liz, but she’s not taking my calls. I think Maggie’s working tonight. Why don’t you save me a seat? I’m going to having something to eat and then I’ll meet you there.”
“Will do.” Charlie ended the call and sighed. While he was glad for the company, he’d been looking forward to talking to Maggie again, without an audience. But, maybe he’d have a chance to chat a little before Josh arrived. And he was always good company.
It was almost seven when he pulled into Quinn’s parking lot. The restaurant looked packed. It was prime time for dinner. When he walked inside, he was glad to see a few seats open up as a party of two that was waiting at the bar, was called for their table. Charlie slid into one of the empty seats and his eyes found Maggie instantly. She was at the opposite end of the bar, mixing what looked like an espresso martini. He watched as she drizzled chocolate syrup along the inside of the glass, making a swirly pattern, then strained the creamy mixture into it and dropped two chocolate-covered coffee beans on top. She delivered the frothy drink and then made her way to him, with a smile on her face.
“You made it! And just in time. Ivy’s going on in about ten minutes. What can I get you to drink?”
Ironically, considering the bus
iness he ran, Charlie wasn’t much of a drinker. If he went out to a bar or restaurant, he usually just had a beer or two. He did like some local micro-brewed beers, and he knew what Quinn’s carried as he supplied it all.
“I’ll have a Laughing Dog IPA.”
“That’s been popular lately!” Maggie went to get his beer and returned a moment later with a frosty glass. She opened the can of beer and expertly poured it in so that just the right amount of foam was on top.
“Josh is on his way. He’s back in town early.” Charlie took a sip of his beer and watched her face. There was a flash of something in her eyes. He’d like to think it was disappointment, but he suspected that was just wishful thinking on his part.
“Oh, I didn’t think I’d see him this weekend.” She looked like she was about to say something else, but someone waved her over for a drink. Charlie watched her work, admiring how she laughed and joked with the customers while moving quickly to make their drinks. Once everyone was all set, she spent some time chatting with him, while keeping an eye on the bar in case anyone needed anything.
“Do you have to work tomorrow, too?” Charlie asked.
“No. I always take Sundays off. I’d love to just be lazy, but I have plenty to do—laundry, grocery shopping. There’s a new Jack Raven movie that just opened up that I’m dying to see. I might see if anyone is up for a matinee.”
“Is that already out? I wanted to see that one, too.”
Maggie grinned. “You should meet me there. It starts at two. I don’t mind going alone, but it’s always more fun with friends.”
“Maybe I will,” Charlie said as Maggie went to take someone’s credit card. He was already looking forward to seeing her the next day.
“What are you smiling about? You’re looking awfully happy?” Josh slid into the empty seat beside him.
“You got here fast.” Much sooner than he’d expected.
“I decided to just grab something to eat here. Did you already eat?”
“No. I was planning to get a burger.”
Calling Charlie Page 4