Never Tell Your Dreams (12 page)

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to go grab some of
Hazel’s sweet tea before it’s all gone.” He nodded over to the makeshift line
that was now wrapped around the booth.

Chapter 20

You can kid the world. But not your
sister. ~ Charlotte Gray

“This was not a good idea.” Maggie walked over to
Belle. “Did you see Wendy’s face? Maybe I should go back home.”

“No, you stay right here.” Belle patted Maggie’s
leg. “Let’s get some food.”

Many people that Maggie did recognize were already
line dancing in front of the stage. The band continued to play old favorites to
keep everyone on their feet. The line to the food was getting longer by the
minute and they were no closer than they were a minute ago.

Maggie glanced out of the corner of her eye to where
Mitch was sitting. The old gang had gathered toward the back of the picnic
tables farthest away from the band. Maggie cringed following behind Belle as
they made their way over to the table.

Mitch didn’t look at her when she sat across from
him. She smiled at Wendy, noticing the distance between her and Mitch.

“What’s your plan?” Wendy leaned across the table
looking at Maggie. “How long are you in town for?”

She wasn’t sure how to answer Wendy, so she did it
truthfully. “I don’t have any plans. I have no place to go. Grady owned the
apartment I was living in. And Van Meter Law fired me because I didn’t make it
to a meeting.”

Susie flung her loose curls out of the way. “Did you
say Van Meter?”

Mitch threw a look Susie’s way, causing suspicion to
swell in Maggie’s chest.

“Yes. Have you heard of it?”

Susie paused, wrestling to find the right words.
“I…think Hazel said you worked there…when I asked her how you were doing. Yes.
Hazel.”

“I have an idea.” Belle clasped her hands together
in delight. “Why don’t we plan a girl’s spa day next weekend and Maggie can be
the guest of honor.”

Mitch stood up. “This is my cue to leave.” 

Wendy chirped, “Yes, why don’t we? Maggie?”

“Umm.” Maggie couldn’t use checking her schedule as
an excuse. She didn’t have a calendar to keep anymore. No more deadlines, no
more gown fittings. Just time. “Sounds like fun. And I also have your wedding
shower presents to give back.”

Maggie had never had the chance to unpack the gifts
from her car when she went back to New York, so they were still in her trunk.

“No!” Susie belted out. “You keep those. You are
going to have to get a place if you stay here with the mall…”

“We might get our own place.” Belle interrupted and
shot Susie a look of death.

Maggie took note of both times Susie was hushed
tonight. Susie was Mitch’s assistant and Mitch sent Hazel the envelope, there
had to be a connection. Maggie was determined to get her hands on one of them
to make them spill their guts.

She knew Mitch would sing like a bird if she got
some more alcohol in him. The street was getting crowded and there wasn’t a
free inch on the sidewalk. Maggie rolled up on her tip-toes to see if she could
find Mitch.

She recognized so many people and made a mental note
to greet each one. The line for Hazel’s sweet tea was still long, if not
longer. Hazel took time to greet and talk to everyone in her line.

Belle, sitting on the picnic table, tugged on
Maggie’s shirt. “What are you thinking about?” She craned her neck in the
direction of Hazel’s tea stand.

Maggie rolled back down on the heel of her cowboy
boots, and caught a glimpse of Mitch walking around. Out of the corner of her
eye, she could see Wendy and the gang watching her and Belle.

Maggie motioned for the gang to follow her to the
front of the band. “No way! I love this song!”

She led the way to the front of the line dancing
group, who parted to make way for them. They all laughed at the cat calls from
the crowd and did the best Tush Push line dance. Mitch caught Maggie’s eye. A
small crowd gathered around the girls, clapping and coaxing them on.

Mitch’s eyes wandered over Maggie’s way, making her
put a little more heel tapping and bouncing in her dance. Wendy wasn’t as
coordinated as Maggie and she knew she had them all beat with the Tush Push.

For a moment, Maggie’s eyes locked with Mitch. They
twinkled exactly like they use to when he looked at her. Her smile faded when
he quickly walked away.

“Excuse me for a second.” Maggie lifted up her hair
and fanned her neck with her hand.

She wasn’t hot, but she needed an excuse to find
Mitch and see what the big secret was all about. Susie, Beth, Wendy and Belle
brushed her away and continued to heel, toe, and do-se –do’s. Maggie slipped
into the Thirsty Turtle.

Chapter 21

Love is an ocean of emotions. ~ Lord
Dewar

Luckily, everyone was outside still eating and
enjoying the music. The only one there was Tommy.

“I hear you were dumped.” He took pleasure in her
pain. “And back here causing havoc on my buddy.”

She looked over at Tommy with a critical eye. What
did he know about her or what she’d been up to?
Must’ve been on Facebook,
she thought.

“I did get dumped and have not created havoc yet. I
need two Jack and cokes. And you can keep the change.” Maggie slid a hundred
dollar bill across the bar.

She still had most of the money she took from the
desk in Grady’s penthouse office and keeping Tommy’s mouth shut was worth every
penny.

He sat the two drinks in front of her. “He’s in his
office.” Tommy didn’t look at her.

She watched as he folded the bill and slipped it in
his front pocket.

She turned without another word. Tommy knew what she
was up to. Even though he didn’t like her, there was a mutual respect.

“He was happy before you blew back into town.”

She looked back at Tommy. He was bent over with Bar
Keepers Find in one hand and a scrub brush in the other scouring the counter.
He was getting ready for the after hoedown party which always took place at the
Thirsty Turtle.

“What does that mean?” She glared, not sure if she
wanted to know his answer.

He was Mitch’s closest guy friend and she was sure
he was Mitch’s confident. She didn’t mean to make Mitch unhappy. Nor upset
Wendy. She was just as shocked with the unusual feelings she was having for
Mitch. Where did she draw the line with him? She didn’t know her place with
Mitch or where their friendship was at this point in their lives. She did know
she wouldn’t be able to handle another male dumping her—especially Mitch.

Tommy didn’t answer her. She wasn’t going to beg him
to tell her. She’d ask Mitch herself. Maggie kept her head down and slipped
around the building and up the concrete steps, sure that no one saw her. The
courthouse was open late for everyone who needed a bathroom.

The halls were dark and quiet, only a few times did
the ice rattle in the cups. The light shone through the crack in the door. She
peeked in. Mitch was bent over the laptop with his head buried in it. She
really had no business being here, but she longed for a good friend more than
finding out what secret everyone was hiding from her.

He looked up. “Who’s there?”

Shyly, Maggie pushed the door open with the toe of
her boot. Mitch’s face relaxed, his dark eyes softened and a smile the size of
the Grand Canyon filled his face.

“Maggie.” He flipped the laptop closed. 

She let herself into his office and handed him a
drink. “I hope you don’t mind me bringing a congratulatory drink.”

His fingers brushed up against hers, leaving goose
bumps shooting up her legs.

“You can come see me anytime.” Mitch’s licked the
dribble off his lips left behind from his drink. “Must be serious, you giving
me Jack and Coke.”

Maggie walked around his office. She’d been in there
once, a long time ago when her parent’s had died and Hazel needed to take care
of a little business. Mitch had updated the pictures, including a couple of him
and Wendy.

Why didn’t anyone tell Maggie about them? They did
make a great couple, and it made her a little jealous. Growing up, he was her
guy best friend and Wendy was her girl best friend.

Maggie ran her finger along the rim of her drink. “I
guess I’m still shocked about you and Wendy dating. I mean,” she stuttered,
“engaged.”

He couldn’t seem to look at her, leaving her with
doubt about his feelings toward Wendy.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Anyone?”  There was hurt in
her voice that penetrated to her eyes.

###

Mitch looked out the window. When he turned around
he was teary eyed.

“Maggie.” He paused, not being able to find the
right words. How could he tell her he was still in love with her when he was
engaged? “I didn’t know I was going to propose when I did.”

She’d see right through him if he lied to her. He
looked over the town. Wendy and the girls were still line dancing. He wanted
his heart to be warm when he looked at her, but it wasn’t. Maggie standing so
close to him made his heart skip a beat.

“What?” Maggie wasn’t going to give up until he
disclosed the truth or at least some of it.

Having her in his office was something he had
thought about since he took office, only it wasn’t discussing anything. Many
fantasies about her on the desk she was leaning on were never going to come
true. Smelling her signature Chanel cologne wasn’t helping matters.

“I saw you in New York and knew I’d lost you
forever.” He remembered seeing her in the city with Grady and picking up his
heart was harder than burying his mother.

Maggie leaned on his desk, her eyes narrowed. “When?
When did you come to New York”

“I came for a business conference. I found you
laughing and holding hands with Grady.” Swaying a bit, he leaned up against the
window for support. He felt weak in the knees and unsure if they were going to
fail him.

He’d never planned on telling her he’d gone to New
York and seeing her made him sick for days. He was sure once she saw him she’d
want him to stay, and he had prepared the rest of his life to accommodate her.

When he saw her with Grady, his decision was made
for him—by her. No matter how much he wanted to go up to her, he saw what he
saw and
his
arms weren’t the arms that were wrapped around her.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I’d love to have seen you
there.” Maggie tilted her head in a way that made his heart melt. He loved when
she looked at him this way. Her big brown eyes hidden under her newly trimmed
bangs made her even sexier than before, which he never thought was
possible—until now.

“I didn’t come as a friend. You came home two months
before that and we had made love.” There was no way he could fall for this
again. The record needed to be set straight. He watched her smile fade.
Whenever they did talk, she never mentioned their hook-ups. “I wanted more than
a friend.”

“Wanted?” Her voice urged him to elaborate.

He felt anger remembering the emotions he had coming
back to Grandberry Falls. He vowed to never let anyone hurt him that way again.
Seeing her here in Grandberry Falls didn’t help matters.

“Wanted, Maggie.” His eyes narrowed. He had asked
Wendy and he planned on making good on his promise. “I’m engaged to Wendy. And
I won’t leave her like Grady left you.”

“Excuse me?” Maggie glared and gritted her teeth. He
did hit below the belt, but he had to. “Who are you?”

Mitch needed to put an end to his relationship with
Maggie once and for all, even if he did lie about his engagement to Wendy. He
was a grown man that lived life exactly the way he planned. He accepted he
couldn’t have Maggie. He’d come to terms that he would never get married.

“Maggie, you can’t,” he stopped and amended his
thoughts, “you can’t come back into town and think you can crawl into my bed.”

His body ached with pleasure and pain. She broke his
heart, yet again, and his body groaned remembering how good she did feel in his
bed.

“I never once thought about crawling into your bed
this week. I only wanted my friend to lean on because I was dumped and left
with no money.” She took a deep breath. Her eyes acted like a dam holding back
water. When she blinked, the dam broke.

Mitch went to reach for her, but she ran out of the
office and didn’t look back.

He was unfair. Why in the world did he think Maggie
Greenlee wanted to jump back in bed with him? Maybe it was wishful thinking on
his part to think Maggie’s engagement might have ended because of him.

Grandberry Falls did need her. The only lawyer in
town retired and left the town without one. Mitch couldn’t cross Hazel nor
disrespect her. That was one thing the Greenlee’s were—stubborn.

He’d have to figure out a way to live in this town
with Maggie Greenlee in it without the help of alcohol.