Authors: Judy Christenberry
Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Historical, #Nonfiction, #Series
Baby in Her Arms (12 page)
“I have savings, Kate. You know that. I’m perfectly willing to spend my savings to attract Josh’s attention.” She flirted with the mental image of herself as a siren, but she couldn’t quite bring the picture into focus. “Susan, are you sure anything can be done?”
Susan looked at Maggie first, then Kate. Maggie stared as the other two burst into laughter.
Finally Susan sobered. “Maggie, when was the last time you had a good haircut? You always just scrape it back. And how much makeup are you wearing? My guess would be none. Have you ever pampered yourself with a massage? How old are those baggy jeans you’re wearing? What are your best colors?” She stopped as Maggie held up a hand.
“Okay, okay, I get the picture, but I don’t want to trick Josh into loving me. I don’t want to hide myself. If he can’t love the real me, men—”
Kate slipped an arm around her. “Maggie, anyone would love the real you. But men sometimes forget to look beneath the surface. Susan’s not going to change the real you. She’s just going to add a little polish.”
Maggie drew a deep breath. “Okay. When?”
“Can it wait until Saturday? I really can’t get away from work until then,” Susan explained.
Maggie thought about the intervening days. It was only Wednesday. She’d have to face Josh for three more days, with her humiliation fresh on her mind.
But three days was nothing compared to the rest of her life. If Josh didn’t decide to leave her in that time, she could wait.
“I think so.”
Susan frowned. “Are you that worried? I could take a vacation day, I suppose, but I was saving it until school’s out.” She was raising her two half siblings on her own.
“No, that’s not necessary,” Maggie hurriedly assured her, ashamed of herself.
“Great. Then we’ll meet early Saturday morning and get started. Can Josh take care of Ginny all day?” Kate asked.
“Yes,” Maggie agreed with a firm nod. She’d insist.
“Then Saturday is B-day, beautification of Maggie day,” Susan agreed. “I’ll set up the appointments.”
Josh arrived home at five on the dot. He’d called earlier in the day, but Mrs. Lassiter had answered the phone and told him Maggie had gone out with Kate. His roses had arrived while she was gone.
The house seemed silent as he entered, but he’d noted Maggie’s car in the garage. She should be here unless she was still out with Kate. But Mrs. Lassiter was gone, so someone had to be taking care of Ginny.
“Maggie?”
He didn’t hear an answer. A quick search of the downstairs revealed nothing, and he rushed up the stairs, panic starting to grow. “Maggie?”
“I’m in Ginny’s room,” she called.
He reached the baby’s room almost out of breath. Maggie was bent over the baby bed, changing Ginny’s diaper.
“Hi, how are my girls?” he asked, keeping his voice cheerful. He’d decided the best approach was to pretend last night hadn’t happened.
“Fine. Would you play with Ginny while I begin dinner?”
She was almost past him and out the door when he collected himself. Afraid to touch her, not knowing how she’d react, he said, “Wait. I thought I’d take us out to dinner. I had some good news today, and I thought we’d celebrate.”
“I don’t think Ginny will feel like it. She’s teething,” she said calmly and entered the hallway.
“We’ll get a sitter,” he called after her. In truth, he hadn’t intended Ginny to go. Not to a romantic restaurant for a candlelight dinner.
“I don’t think I should leave her. She’s not feeling well.” She never even broke step.
Ginny began fussing, and he turned back into the nursery. “Hello, angel. I missed you today,” he whispered, picking her up in his arms and cuddling her. “I missed your new mommy, too, but I don’t think she missed me. She didn’t even ask about my big news. Or say anything about the roses.”
After about fifteen minutes in the nursery, Josh got the brilliant idea that he and Ginny should join Maggie in the kitchen. He settled himself and the baby at the table, waiting for Maggie to notice them.
She did. In a matter of seconds, she’d tied a bib on Ginny, where she sat in the high chair, and put several jars of baby food in front of Josh.
“You don’t mind feeding Ginny, do you?”
“No, of course not.” He noticed her gaze never met his, and she avoided coming into contact with him.
“You didn’t ask about my big news.” He gave Ginny a bite of carrots before he looked at Maggie.
She was staring at him, but she hurriedly turned away as soon as he looked up. “Sorry. What was it?”
He told her of the insurance company’s call and what it would mean. “I’ll be working at the office more, doing computer searches, instead of going out. It will mean more regular hours. And I may even be able to work from home some days.”
She kept her head bent over the pot on the stove, stirring whatever was in there as if her life depended on it. “Are you sure you’ll like the change? I thought you enjoyed the...the excitement of your job.”
“I’m not as young as I used to be. Besides, now I have a family.” He’d meant to convey his willingness to spend more time with her and Ginny. Somehow, he didn’t think she saw it that way.
“No one asked you to change!” she snapped, her cheeks flushed.
“But, Maggie—”
She poured the contents of the pan into a bowl and set it down in front of him. “I said I’d take care of Ginny.” Then she snatched a salad from the refrigerator and put it in front of him. Lifting Ginny from the high chair, she reached into the refrigerator and plucked a full bottle from it.
“I’m going upstairs to feed Ginny her bottle.”
“What about your dinner?” He’d planned to talk to her while they ate, hopefully in a relaxed atmosphere.
“I’m not hungry.”
She and the baby left the kitchen, and Josh stared at his dinner. He didn’t want food, either. He wanted Maggie. But it looked like he was going to have to work harder at apologizing before he got a chance to get close to her.
Chapter Twelve
T
he next two days frustrated Josh. Every time he entered a room with Maggie in it, she left. She’d offered a polite smile as she thanked him for the roses, but that had been the last time she’d smiled at him.
he next two days frustrated Josh. Every time he entered a room with Maggie in it, she left. She’d offered a polite smile as she thanked him for the roses, but that had been the last time she’d smiled at him.
Or looked at him.
And other than polite utterances, she never talked to him.
He debated his choices. Finally he decided Saturday would be the day he forced her to discuss what had happened between them. Because he couldn’t go much longer without touching her.
When he woke up Saturday morning, he eagerly showered and rushed downstairs. He had to clear things up with Maggie because he couldn’t concentrate on anything.
And he wanted to make love to her again.
She was already downstairs in the kitchen, with Ginny in her high chair. When he entered the kitchen, he paused in the doorway, to be sure he blocked any possible exit.
Instead of trying to leave, she set a full plate of eggs and bacon in front of his usual seat and turned back to the stove. Did she have radar? How did she know he would be down now?
“Thanks, Maggie. How’d you know I’d—”
“I heard the shower.”
“Well, thank you. You didn’t need to fix my breakfast, but it looks good.”
As if he hadn’t spoken, she said, “I have to go out today. I hope you can take care of Ginny. If you have difficulty, you can call Angie, Kate’s nanny.”
“You’re going out?” That didn’t fit in with his plans.
“Yes. I’m going somewhere with Kate and Susan.”
“For the entire day?”
“Yes.”
“Maggie, I wanted us to talk today.”
She stopped rinsing dishes, but she didn’t turn to look at him. Finally she resumed her cleaning. “What about?”
“You know what about.” He wasn’t going to let her get away with pretending she didn’t know. “I’m talking about what happened Tuesday night.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Well, I do. You won’t even look at me, much less...anything else. We’ve got to discuss what happened.”
“You’ve already apologized. It wasn’t your fault, anyway, so I don’t see that there’s anything else to be said.”
“But I didn’t intend—”
“I know you didn’t.” She wiped her hands at the sink and came toward him.
His heart started pumping faster. Maybe she’d reach out and touch him now, let him feel her soft, warm skin on his, offer a conciliatory kiss.
Instead she reached for Ginny. “I’ll go change Ginny’s diaper before I leave.”
“I can do that,” he protested, wanting her to stay near him.
She ignored him and left the room, a talent she’d perfected the past few days.
Unable to eat, he jumped to his feet and paced the kitchen, trying to decide what to do. Was she going to avoid him forever? She said she didn’t blame him for what had happened, but if that was true, why was she still treating him like a leper?
He knew now how inexperienced she was. He wouldn’t treat her so carelessly in the future. He’d be careful, tender, loving...his body responded to such thoughts.
Hearing Maggie come back down the stairs, he hurriedly sat down at the table again, to cover his reaction.
“Ginny’s bottles are in the refrigerator. There’s a list on the counter of what you should feed her for lunch. If she gets feverish, the baby aspirin is on the shelf.”
“When will you be back?”
“I don’t know. Probably around six. If I’m going to be later, I’ll call.”
She put Ginny in the high chair beside him, but he caught her wrist before she could get away.
“Maggie, we still need to talk.”
He didn’t understand the panic-stricken look on her face, which she quickly hid. Staring down at their hands, she said in a whisper, “Just give me today, Josh.”
“Of course I’ll give you today, Maggie, but—”
“Thank you,” she said, and tugged at his hold.
He could swear she was on the verge of tears. Though he released her wrist, he rose at the same time and enfolded her in his arms. “I’ll be waiting for you to come home.” Then he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. Hunger rocked him so hard, he had to force himself to release her.
After a stunned look at him, she rushed out the door.
It was going to be a long day.
“I think Josh is going to—going to tell me he’s leaving me,” Maggie confessed to her sisters as they drove to their first appointment.
“Why do you say that?” Kate demanded.
“He said we had to talk tonight.”
Susan stared at her. “Married couples are supposed to talk, Maggie. Why would that make you think he’s going to ask for a divorce?”
“Because of Tuesday night,” Maggie answered automatically, forgetting that Susan didn’t know about that event. Maggie was concentrating on remembering the kiss she and Josh had exchanged just before she left.
It had only increased the hunger she felt for him, for his kisses, his embraces, his love. Maybe he wanted to torture her, to show her what she couldn’t have. Or maybe, she thought, willing to take care of the torture all by herself, he wanted to try again.
She closed her eyes in silent prayer.
“Maggie? What happened Tuesday night?”
Maggie’s eyes popped open. “Uh, um, we...we made love.”
Susan’s eyes widened and then her mouth rounded into an
Oh
. “I thought it was a marriage of convenience.”
Oh
. “I thought it was a marriage of convenience.”
“It was. It is. I mean—it just happened.”
“But if you want a real marriage, why is that bad?”
Kate chuckled. “You sound confused, Susan.”
“I am. Explain, Maggie.”
“He apologized afterward.” Maggie heard his appalled tones over and over again.
“Oh. What was he apologizing for?”
“For making love to me. I practically begged him, but he was...unhappy.”
Kate pulled into a parking place on the Plaza, the famous shopping center in Kansas City.
Before Susan got out of the car, however, she looked at Kate. “Does that sound right to you?”
“What do you mean?” Maggie demanded.
“Well, I’ve never heard a man apologize because he got to have sex. I mean, he’ll apologize for almost anything to get to
have
sex, but not afterward.”
have
sex, but not afterward.”
“I imagine most women are better at it than I am.”
“Oh, Maggie, don’t be silly. Why wouldn’t you be as good as any other woman?” Susan chided.
But Maggie had an answer for her.
“Because it was my first time.”
Susan gulped and turned to Kate. “I don’t have any experience in this area. Over to you, Kate.”
Kate grinned. “Well, I wasn’t very experienced myself, but Will never had any complaints. The more, um, experienced you become, the better you’ll be, Maggie, so you’ve only got one way to go.”
With a sigh, Maggie nodded. “And the first thing I have to do is get his attention.”
“That I can handle,” Susan promised.
The sisters had met at the diner that morning and left their cars there. When Kate pulled into the parking lot a few minutes before six, Maggie got out of the car and drew a shaky breath.
“You’re going to knock him for a loop, Mary Margaret O’Connor,” Kate said with a smile. “You look beautiful.”
Susan smiled at her, nodding in agreement.
“Thank you both for...for all this,” Maggie said with a trembling smile. “All this” consisted of a haircut that framed her face in a long pageboy with wispy bangs that drew attention to her hazel eyes; a short black skirt that hugged her trim hips and drew a man’s eye to her shapely legs, clad in sheer stockings with slim black heels; a silk blouse, black with a jungle print, mostly green and gold, and a low-cut neck that hinted at a sexy décolleté; a gold-buckled belt that drew attention to her slim waist; delicate gold earrings that led a man’s gaze to her slender neck; soft, natural-looking makeup that made her eyes appear huge, her lips ripe and kissable.
And to top it all off, a perfume that made her feel beautiful.
Her skin had been oiled and massaged, her nails shaped and polished, and she’d had a facial.
In the bags she carried to her car were several more outfits to wow her husband—the most daring of all, a peach-colored teddy that might arouse some interest at bedtime.
When she entered the house, coming in from the garage through the utility room to the kitchen, she self-consciously licked her lips, hoping her lipstick was still in place. “Josh?”
The kitchen was empty, but she heard steps coming down the stairs. Josh hit the kitchen door a minute later.
“You’re back,” he said as a greeting, Ginny in his arms. Then he came to an abrupt halt, his gaze widening in shock.
Remembering all the instructions from her sisters, she extended her arms and twirled around, then smiled at him. “Do you like my new look?”
He swallowed visibly, his gaze going up and down her. “Er, yeah. What’s not to like?”
“How’s Ginny?” Maggie asked as she picked up the packages she’d dropped to give Josh a complete look at her.
“Fine. Aren’t you, angel? I didn’t have any problems.”
The pride in his voice made Maggie smile. Her new confidence amazed her and made everything easier. “Good. I’m glad you had a good day. Would you like to go out to eat? Kate has volunteered to babysit Ginny.”
“Go out to eat?”
Her confidence suffered a little as he showed no enthusiasm. Kate had instructed her to make a reservation at a restaurant located on the Plaza, known for its steaks and its romantic aura.
“I...I wanted to celebrate. My new clothes and your new contract. Remember?”
“Yeah, I remember. That’d be great,” he assured her, his voice husky.
She looked away, hoping to conceal her body’s reaction to that huskiness. “Okay. I made reservations for seven.”
“I’ll hit the shower. You’ll take care of Ginny?”
“Of course.”
Less than an hour later they’d dropped Ginny off at Kate and Will’s and driven the short distance to the Plaza. Once they were seated in the soft lighting at a table by a window that looked out on the lights of the Plaza, Maggie was at a loss. What now? They couldn’t discuss their sex life in a restaurant.
“What’s this new look going to cost me?” Josh asked, his gaze centering on the vee of her blouse.
Fighting the urge to place her hand over her exposed flesh, she said, “I paid for everything.”
His head snapped up. “What?”
“I paid. I have a savings account and—”
“I’m your husband.
I’m
supposed to pay.” His jaw was squared, his voice inflexible. “You should’ve asked for a credit card. Damn, I should’ve already applied for some credit cards for you. And opened a checking account for you. I’ll take care of everything. Tell me how much you spent today and I’ll give you the money.”
I’m
supposed to pay.” His jaw was squared, his voice inflexible. “You should’ve asked for a credit card. Damn, I should’ve already applied for some credit cards for you. And opened a checking account for you. I’ll take care of everything. Tell me how much you spent today and I’ll give you the money.”
Maggie blinked at him several times. She didn’t agree with his assumption that he should pay for her personal needs. But the fact that he intended to open accounts for her didn’t sound like he planned a divorce.
“You...you intend to stay married to me?” she asked softly, staring at him.
He frowned and leaned forward, as if he wasn’t quite sure what she’d said. The waiter chose that moment to appear at their table. Josh glared at him.
“Uh, you want me to come back later?”
“No, bring us two iced teas, salads with—what kind of dressing?” he asked Maggie.
“Ranch, please.”
“Both ranch. Two rib-eye steaks, medium-well.” He paused and hiked one eyebrow at Maggie in question and she nodded. “And two baked potatoes with everything on them.”
“Except chives,” Maggie added softly.
“Yeah,” Josh agreed with a grin, taking the menu away from Maggie and handing both of them to the waiter. As soon as the man hurried away from their table, Josh leaned toward her. “What did you just say?”
“I asked if you planned to stay married to me.”
He stared at her, either unable to believe what she said or taking care with his response. “We’ve been married a week tomorrow. Why would you think I was ready to bail out already?”
“Because of Tuesday night.”
Their superefficient waiter returned with two glasses of iced tea and a basket of rolls with butter. He offered them a smile, but Josh couldn’t hold back his glare. Damn, he wished they were home, alone. Maggie was driving him crazy, making such bizarre statements. Not to mention her beauty. He’d thought her beautiful Tuesday night. And he’d been right. But her looks tonight would attract every man within a mile radius. Those who didn’t know about her sweetness, her intelligence, her courage, her big heart.
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