Safe in the Fireman's Arms (11 page)

Speechless, Maggie’s face heated at his words.

“Thank you,” she said, when he handed her a tall glass.

“So, Dad, are you here alone, or did you bring a date?”

When Jake raised his brows pointedly, Maggie glanced between the two men, trying to read the underlying current.

“I like to enjoy all the ladies in Paradise, son. I’m an equal opportunity flirt. You know that,” Mack said with a grin. “Speaking of lovely ladies, here comes Bitsy Harmony.”

“Uh-oh,” Jake murmured, his warm breath tickling Maggie’s ear. “I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“I’m going to get us a plate of hors d’oeuvres.”

“Chicken.”

“I’ll see if they have any.” He grinned.

Bitsy slid into the space Jake vacated. “Where’s Jake running off to?”

“Chicken,” Mack said.

“I thought as much.”

“You look festive tonight, Bitsy,” Maggie said. The older woman’s hair was wound into a soft braid on the back of her head. She wore a lovely silk shirtdress of royal blue with gold flecks running through the material.

“Thank you. But I tell you, I’ve been hearing about this mystery woman with Jake from everyone, so I had to check things out for myself.”

“Mystery woman?” Maggie asked.

“You. Everyone’s abuzz about the beauty on Jake’s arm.”

Maggie inhaled her tea and began to cough.

“You all right? I know CPR,” Bitsy said.

“No. No. Definitely no need.” Maggie waved a hand in the air as she cleared her throat. “I’m fine.”

“This is always such fun. Have you ever heard such music?” Bitsy continued.

“They’re quite good,” Maggie agreed.

“Bitsy plays in the Paradise band on occasion,” Mack said. “Clarinet.” He beamed with pride as his eyes met Bitsy’s.

Maggie blinked. The tender expression that passed between the couple was unmistakable. Bitsy Harmony and Mack MacLaughlin were in love.

Her heart melted. Then she froze with the realization that Jake didn’t have a clue. Well, she wasn’t going to be the one to break the news to him. No way. He obviously had some Bitsy Harmony issues and she was going to keep her distance from that ticking bomb.

The band finished one song and started another. Bitsy looked up at Mack.

“Our song.”

Mack paused to listen. “From 1962. Right?”

“What a memory.” Bitsy laughed, and Mack joined in at their private joke.

He held out a hand to Bitsy.

“Will you excuse us, Maggie?” he asked.

She smiled. “Of course.”

A moment later, Jake appeared at her side and handed her a china plate filled with appetizers. “Where did my dad go?” he said.

“Dancing.”

“My dad never dances.” Jake craned his neck, his gaze searching the crowded dance floor. “If he’s dancing, who’s he dancing with?”

Maggie shrugged. “There are so many women here.”

Jake took a crab wonton from the plate she held. “Hmm,” he said, as he popped it into his mouth.

“Good?” she asked.

“Better than good. Try one?”

“I will. I’m pacing myself.”

“Good for you. Someone has to do it. My plan is to eat my way through the evening.”

She laughed as he devoured a bacon-wrapped wiener.

“What did Bitsy have to say?” Jake asked as he examined the plate in her hand. He picked up a mini quiche and took a bite.

“Jake, you’re going to have to stick around if you expect to keep up.”

“Fair enough.”

He took the plate from her and placed it on a nearby table.

“I thought we were going to eat those.”

“Let’s dance,” he said, taking her hand.

She trailed behind him. “I don’t dance.”

Jake stopped and turned around. “Don’t or can’t?”

“I have many talents, but I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time. I’m a bit clumsy. Realistically, it’s safer for the world at large if I do not venture near the dance floor.”

“You know, Maggie, that’s what I like about you.”

“What’s that?” she asked, certain he was going to give her a hard time.

“No pretense. I never wonder what’s on your mind. You always say what you think.”

“I do?” Maggie asked, now curious.

“Well, hello,” a sultry female voice interrupted. “You two are certainly having a good time.”

Maggie tugged her hand from Jake’s and looked over her shoulder to see Sally-Anne approach in a body-clinging black sheath.

“Sally-Anne. You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you, Maggie. You, as well.”

Maggie ran her fingers through her hair and smiled.

“What do you think, Jake? Like my dress?” Sally-Anne did a twirl for him.

“I am surrounded by beautiful women in beautiful dresses.”

Sally-Anne turned to Maggie. “You can tell it’s an election year.”

Maggie laughed.

“Jake, you owe me a dance from last year,” Sally-Anne announced.

“I do?” Jake faltered, his glance moving between the women. “Okay with you, Maggie?”

“Of course.” Maggie glanced away, not eager to watch them on the dance floor. Was that a pang of jealousy deep in her heart? Maybe she was hungry; after all, Jake had eaten most of the hors d’oeuvres he brought back, all by himself.

She weaved through people, targeting the buffet table, and had almost reached the casseroles when Beck Hollander stepped into her path.

“Hi, Maggie,” he said as he adjusted his glasses. “You, uh, you look good.”

“Thank you, Beck.” She assessed his neatly pressed black shirt and the black jeans and white skinny tie. Even his disheveled hair had a semblance of order tonight. The most remarkable change was the missing earbuds and smartphone. “You look very dapper.”

“Dapper?” The tips of Beck’s ears beamed a heated red. “Is that good?”

“Yes! Look it up.”

“Do you...do you want to dance?’

“Oh, Beck, thank you. I really don’t dance. But I’d be happy to discuss quantum physics with you later if the party slows down.”

Beck grinned.

“You have a nice smile. Smile more often.”

Directly across the room, the redheaded teen from the café waved at them.

“There’s Julia,” Maggie said.

“Yeah.”

“She likes you, Beck.”

The teen shook his head.

“Is that a problem?”

“Liberal arts,” he mumbled.

“Excuse me?”

“Colorado State. Liberal arts major.”

Maggie inhaled sharply. “Beck Hollander, are you telling me that you’re an academic snob?”

Beck squirmed uncomfortably.

“I’m appalled.”

“Okay, fine. I’ll talk to her.” Head bowed, he shoved his hands into his pockets and dragged his sneakered feet toward Julia.

Pleased with her minor matchmaking success, Maggie strolled to where her aunt stood supervising the dessert buffet.

“Margaret, aren’t you enchanting?” She came around the table and held Maggie’s hands while she inspected her outfit from head to toe. “I’ve heard all about that dress.”

“Enchanting?” Maggie rolled it on her tongue. “I like that word.”

“In my day they said
fetching
, but that sounds like a dog term.”

“You’re right, Aunt B.
Enchanting
sounds like a princess cartoon. It makes me feel like twirling around and breaking into song.”

“Oh, Maggie, you’re such a treat. Do you know that?”

“I feel liberated, Aunt B. Free to be whatever I desire.”

“Ah, so that’s it. Instead of your wedding day, this is your independence day.”

“Yes. Exactly.” Maggie couldn’t help but grin widely.

“May I congratulate you on the teaching position?”

Maggie gasped. “What? I got the job? Who told you?”

“I made a lunch delivery from the café to the school-board offices Friday afternoon.”

“Does everyone know?”

“No.” Her aunt laughed. “I ran into Beck’s father. He told me. He’s pretty close-lipped and I like to think I’m not as indiscreet as others in this town.”

“Let’s not tell anyone yet. Please. At least not until I have the official word.”

“Our secret.” Aunt Betty nodded with a gestured zip to her lips. “Now you can tell me where the handsome fire chief is.”

“Sally-Anne caught him for a dance.”

Aunt B cocked her head. “Ah, but the music has stopped and Sally-Anne is not a ‘catch and release’ kind of gal. Go reel him back in before Sally-Anne thinks he doesn’t have a home.”

“Oh, he’ll find me. I’m not worried,” Maggie said with a newfound confidence. She examined the dessert table. “Is that your German torte?”

“It is. Hazelnut. Not Bitsy’s pie, though I do have a modest following of torte-heads here in Paradise.”

“Torte-heads?”

As Maggie laughed with her aunt, the warmth of Jake’s hand touched her waist. A shiver raced up her arms.

“Are you going to save some of your torte for me, Mrs. Jones?” he asked.

“There you are, Jake. Of course I will. First you had better take my niece to dinner before there isn’t anything left. I see the mayor is preparing to test the microphones.”

“Uh-oh.” He looked to Maggie as he led her toward the main buffet table. “Why didn’t you help me back there with Sally-Anne?”

“Help you? Oh, no, no, no. That isn’t in my job description. I won the escort, not the drama.”

Jake watched her, seemingly considering her words.

“Besides,” she concluded, “if you’re going to be the most eligible bachelor in Paradise you’re going to have to suffer the consequences.”

“Good answer.” He shook his head and smiled, appeased. “Are you ready for some real food? We ought to fortify ourselves before the mayor and the town council get on stage for their annual ‘state of Paradise’ address.”

She looped her arm through his. “I’m starving. Let’s go.”

* * *

The moonlit sky illuminated the front porch as they approached the door of the little cottage. Jake walked beside Maggie, and she found her steps slowing to delay the end of the evening.

“The house looks good. Cozy,” he said, observing the potted plants in front of them.

Overhead, a wind chime sang a gentle melody in the slight breeze.

“Thanks.”

“How’d the interview go?” he asked as he allowed her up the steps first.

“My aunt says I got the job.”

“What?”

She glanced over her shoulder.

He stood with his foot on the bottom step and looked at her. “Have you accepted?”

“I haven’t gotten official notification yet. But yes, I’m going to accept.”

He nodded thoughtfully, walked up the steps and held the screen. Maggie pulled her keys from her bag and unlocked the front door, her mind tumbling with thoughts.

What did that nod mean in guy-speak? Was he glad she was staying?

“Do you want to come in for a cup of tea?”

“Sure.”

She touched a wall switch, bringing the small living room to life. The dining room table, covered with newspaper, had parts and tools scattered on it again.

“Latest project?”

“Yes. I’m working on a decorative, outdoor wind chime using leftover bicycle parts.”

“Bicycle parts. Hmm. Ever thought about marketing your ideas?”

“Oh, maybe. Someday.”

He glanced around, sniffing the air. “You smell something?”

“I burned popcorn last night,” she admitted.

“Not sure that’s it, unless you melted the entire microwave.”

“No, only the popcorn and the fire alarm did go off.”

“Glad to hear that. You reset it, correct?”

“Yes, Chief.”

Maggie kicked off her new heels and put on a kettle of water. “Tonight was fun. I didn’t expect that.”

“In truth, neither did I,” he said.

She plopped into a kitchen chair and flexed her sore feet. “Now I know why they only do it once a year.”

“Feels good to have my yearly bath taken care of,” Jake replied with a yawn.

She laughed. “Somehow I suspect you’re always squeaky clean.”

“Is that so bad?”

“Not at all, so long as you’re willing to play in the dirt on occasion.”

He smiled at the reference, a twinkle in the amber depths of his eyes.

“It was fun to watch the young and the old in Paradise all coming together,” Maggie said.

“The kids will be gone soon. Everyone leaves Paradise,” Jake mused as he loosened his tie.

“Do you think so? I think they’ll come back. Doesn’t everyone come back eventually?”

“Maybe. You and I both did.”

She stood and pulled clean mugs out of the dishwasher. “I was only a summer guest in Paradise. I can’t tell you how much I looked forward to coming back each year to vacation Bible school and outings on Paradise Lake and riding my bike.”

“No bicycle in Denver?”

“No. Busy streets and my parents were busy people.”

“That’s too bad. Every kid should have the chance to ride their bike from dawn to dusk.”

“I agree. What did you do after you left Paradise, Jake? What brought you back?”

“College, marriage, Denver Fire Department.”

“Married young?”

“Yeah.” He fiddled with the empty mug she’d placed in front of him. “Seems like no one does that anymore. Diana, my wife, all she ever wanted was to do the whole domestic thing. Babies and all. We put that last bit on hold while we finished college.” He paused. “Then we both worked to pay off student loans. Not an extra penny between us. Life was simple. I think it was true that we were too young and naive to know we weren’t supposed to live on love.”

His gaze me hers. “Crazy, huh?”

“Not crazy,” Maggie said. “Marriages used to last. Maybe we were both raised to believe you stuck it out when things got tough, you didn’t run. Quitting simply was not an option. Which is why I ran before the marriage.”

“There’s a lot to be said for timing,” Jake said.

“Agreed.” She put a basket of teas on the table. “My parents married later in life, but Aunt Betty and Uncle Bob married young. They’re going on forty years.”

“That’s amazing in today’s world.”

“How did you lose her, Jake?” Maggie released the words gently, knowing the question had to be asked. She was tired of hearing everything about Jake from unexpected and secondhand sources.

He took a deep breath. “Head-on collision. Drunk driver. I was on the scene. First responder. The vehicle exploded.” His head dropped as he spoke, his eyes closed, as if pushing away the memories “Couldn’t...couldn’t save her.”