Her spirits renewed, she glanced around the small dining room. All the tables were filled, but it was easy to spot their “mystery” guest He sat alone, angled away from her, his face almost completely obscured by the daily paper he was reading. Yet she could tell that for once her assessment matched that of the girls’. They’d been right on target in their description of his physical attributes. He was impeccably dressed, his dark hair neatly trimmed above the collar of his crisp white shirt. His long legs stretched out beneath the table, and his hands seemed strong and capable.
As Maggie started across the room, the man lowered the paper and reached for his coffee, giving her a good view of his strong, distinguished—and very familiar— profile.
It was Jake!
Even as her mind struggled to reconcile his presence with the astronomical odds of him appearing in her dining room, her heart accepted it. She knew that profile—the firm chin, the classic nose, the well-shaped lips. It was him.
Maggie felt suddenly as if someone had delivered a well-placed blow to her chest, knocking every bit of wind out of her lungs. Her step faltered and the color drained from her face. She had to escape, had to get back to the kitchen and regain some control, before he spotted her.
But it was too late. As he lifted the coffee cup to his lips he glanced toward her, and their gazes connected— Maggie’s wide with shock, Jake’s changing in rapid succession from mild interest to curious to stunned.
Jake stared at the red-haired woman standing less than ten feet away from him and his hand froze, the coffee cup halfway to his lips. His heart stopped, then raced on. Maggie!
Maggie didn’t even realize her hands were shaking until the basket of muffins suddenly slipped out of her grasp. She tore her gaze from his and bent down, just as he rose to join her. Some of the juice sloshed out of the glass, leaving a sticky residue on her fingers as it formed a puddle on the floor. She looked at it helplessly, but a moment later Jake was beside her, wiping it up even as he retrieved a wayward muffin. Then he reached over and took her hand.
Her startled gaze collided with his, their eyes only inches apart
“Let me,” he said softly, the husky cadence in his voice exactly the same as she remembered it. With difficulty she swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat as he carefully wiped the sticky juice off her fingers with the clean side of the napkin. She stared down numbly, watching his strong, bronzed hand gently hold hers. She used to love the way he touched her, she recalled, her breath lodging in her throat. His hands—possessive, sure, tender—could work magic. A sudden, unexpected spark shot through her, and in confusion she jerked free of his grasp and rose unsteadily to her feet.
He stood up, as well, and then gazed down at her, his eyes warm, a shadow of incredulity lingering in their depths.
“Maggie.” The way he said her name, gently and with wonder, made her heart lurch into triple time. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes. It has.” A tremor ran through her voice, but she didn’t care. She was just grateful she could speak at all.
“Is this your place?”
“Yes. Listen, I’m sorry about the muffins and juice. I’ll go get you some more. Excuse me.” And then she turned and fled.
Jake watched her go, aware for the first time that the two of them were drawing curious looks from the other guests. With one last glance toward the kitchen, he slowly turned and walked back to his table. His first inclination had been to follow Maggie, but he understood that she needed some time to adjust to this strange turn of events. He knew he did.
Jake reached for his coffee, noting that his hand was trembling. He wasn’t surprised. A bizarre coincidence like this was more than a little unsettling. Only yesterday he’d been thinking of Maggie, and his dreams last night had been filled with her. Then he’d awakened to a reality that didn’t include her, reminding himself that she was part of his past Until now.
For twelve years, Jake had felt as if the two of them had unfinished business. Now, after all these years, it seemed he was being given a second chance to make amends. And he intended to take it. He didn’t expect her to welcome him back with open arms. But he hoped they could at least find some sense of resolution and inner peace.
Peace wasn’t exactly the word Maggie was thinking as she burst through the kitchen door, breathless and pale. Her emotions were anything but peaceful. Her heart was banging against the wall of her chest as furiously as if she’d just finished a hundred-yard dash. She felt strangely light-headed. And more than a little annoyed. What was wrong with her? Why should a man whom she hadn’t seen in twelve years, who had walked out when she’d needed him most, still have such a powerful effect on her? It didn’t make any sense. And Maggie didn’t like things that didn’t make sense.
“Aunt Maggie?” Allison’s concerned voice penetrated her thoughts, and she glanced up.
“What’s wrong?” Abby asked, her face alarmed at her aunt’s pallor.
Maggie forced herself to take a deep breath. “I’m fine. I just… well…that man you two have been talking about, I—I used to know him.”
“You know him?” Allison repeated incredulously. “How? When?”
“A long time ago. I haven’t seen him in years. It was just a…shock, that’s all. I’ll be okay in a minute.”
Abby sent Allison a worried frown. Maggie never got rattled. “So who is he?” Abby persisted.
Maggie walked over to the center island and put two new muffins in the basket, then filled a glass with orange juice, aware that her hand was shaking. She knew the twins would notice. She also knew they weren’t going to let her get away without explaining this uncharacteristic behavior. With a sigh, she turned to find them staring at her, their expressions intent—and concerned.
“He’s a man I used to date…a long time ago.”
Suddenly the light dawned on Allison’s face. Though Maggie teased them about her past beaux, as far as they knew she’d only been really serious about one man in her entire life. Certainly none since they could remember. And it would take someone who had once been important to her to make their aunt…well, come unglued.
“Aunt Maggie, this is him, isn’t it?” Allison’s voice was slightly awed.
“Him who?” Abby demanded.
Allison turned to her twin, suddenly excited. “Him. You know, the guy Aunt Maggie was engaged to once.”
Now it was Abby’s turn to look incredulous. “Aunt Maggie, is that true?”
Maggie had always been glad that the twins had grown into insightful, perceptive young women. Until now. She might as well admit the truth, she thought with a sigh. They’d get it out of her sooner or later.
“Yes, it is.”
“Wow!” Allison breathed.
“Yeah, wow!” Abby echoed. “It’s so romantic!”
Maggie could think of other words to describe it. Disruptive, for one. Upsetting, for another. Scary, for a third, although why that word popped into her mind she had no idea. She turned to the twins and gave them a stern look.