Maggie Moves On(37)

Maggie nodded. “Even bigger.”

Isabella was impressed into silence.

“I tell you what,” Maggie said. “If it’s okay with your dad and if you have time while you’re in town, you can come for a tour.”

The little girl was dancing on her tiptoes, giving Mateo puppy-dog eyes that could have rivaled Kevin’s. “Daaaaaaaaad?”

“Are you sure? We don’t want to impose,” he said, sounding more than a little excited.

“I wanna impose!” Isabella announced.

“I’m positive. I’ve been dying to show it off,” Maggie promised.

“Well, if you’re sure…”

“I’m sure.”

“Can I go tell Mom?” Isabella begged, her eyes wide.

“Quietly,” Mateo insisted.

“Mooooooom!” Isabella sprinted across the deck to a woman who was sitting at a table with three plated desserts.

“I can’t thank you enough,” Mateo said, after ensuring his daughter had made it back to the correct table. “It’s been a tough year. Her mom, my wife, is sick. Cancer. She’s winning, but it’s a tough fight. The three of us look forward to curling up and watching your show every week. And now I’m babbling and embarrassing myself.”

Maggie reached out and squeezed his hand. “Mateo,” she said very seriously. “I choked on my own spit earlier and almost received the Heimlich from our server. You’re not embarrassing yourself.”

“This…this really means a lot. Are you sure? Because I don’t want you to be under the impression that we won’t act like rabid fans.”

“I’m sure. I would love to have your family come see my new house. It’s a construction zone, so no flip-flops,” she warned.

Dad looked much like daughter when he jogged back to his table.

“You just made someone’s day,” Silas observed.

She beamed at him. “I’m trying to play it cool, but honestly, it still blows me away that people can recognize me out in the wild.”

“Take a walk with me, Maggie,” Silas said suddenly.

She cocked her head and considered the offer. “I really should be getting back. Early start tomorrow.”

Tomorrow was Saturday.

“If you say yes, I’ll buy you an ice cream,” he offered, sweetening the deal.

“Okay.”

After a brief wrestling match over the check, he paid, and they headed for the street.

The deck and restaurant were starting to fill up. Families with kids in sports gear coming in for a dinner parents didn’t have to cook. Adults gathering at the bar for some laughs after a long day. Tourists looking for a good meal before turning in early for tomorrow’s adventures.

He waved a thanks to Pete the bartender for the beers and then introduced Maggie to his ninth-grade science teacher and her longtime girlfriend. He ignored the looks tossed their way as he took Maggie’s hand and pulled her out. Kinship was going to have to get used to seeing him with someone else.

Finally on the street, she turned to him. “Are you the mayor or something?” she asked.

“Me?” He slung his arm around her shoulders and tucked her into his side as the evening turned cool. “No. Our mayor’s a cat. The last election was pretty contentious. She barely beat out the parakeet.”

“Freaking Idaho,” Maggie murmured with that half-smile on lips that he couldn’t stop thinking about.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he knew before looking that it was one of the moms.

Mom: Heard from Alice May on the bowling team that it’s a nice night for a date.

Silas rolled his eyes. “Mags, you mind posing for one more picture?”

“With you?” she asked.

“It’s our third date. I think it’s time,” he said with great seriousness.

She laughed but snuggled under his arm as he framed in the mountains and lake behind them. He looked down at her and snapped the picture.

“You weren’t even looking at the camera,” she complained.

“Sy.” Ricardo, manager of the garden center one town over, gave him a little two-fingered salute as he strolled by with his teenage son.

“Hey, Rico,” he called back.

He kept Maggie anchored under his arm and fired off a text.

Silas: Meet the future Mrs. Wright. Or maybe I’m the future Mr. Nichols. We haven’t discussed name changes officially yet.

“Are you cold?” he asked Maggie. The sun was dipping low in the sky, taking its spring warmth with it.

“A little. I have a coat in the truck. How do you know so many people?” she asked.

He looked down at her, baffled. “I grew up here. Most of them did, too. It’s not that unusual. And it’s something you can look forward to when you decide to stay.”

“You must really need that five bucks,” she mused, leading him in the direction of her vehicle.

They stopped at her truck, and she shrugged into a sexy-as-hell leather jacket.

“Damn, Mags.” Silas sighed.

“What?” She gave her hair a girlie fluff.

“You look badass.”

“It’s important to remember I also licked fry sauce off my plate. So I’m not that badass. Where to?”