MAGGIE HAD TO FIGHT back tears the whole way home. She called in sick—albeit from the hotel parking lot. A sudden bout of food poisoning she’d told Indi. But she could tell Indi didn’t believe her. Well, that couldn’t be helped because there was no way Maggie could go back into the ballroom.
How she made it home she’d never know. The trip back was nothing more than a blur. The moment she arrived she climbed into bed, red dress and all. Then, and only then, did she let all her emotions out.
Damn him. Didn’t he realize how hard it’d been for her to open up to him over the past few weeks? She purposely kept a wall between herself and Brooke and the men she dated. She didn’t want herself and Brooke to get hurt again. But with Mike she’d opened up. Made herself vulnerable. They might not have known each other for more than a few weeks, and most of their conversations might have taken place over the phone, but she knew him. Knew him intimately. And he’d known her, too.
Only now he didn’t have time for her.
She wiped at her eyes, knowing she’d probably smeared mascara all over her face, but she didn’t care. She felt sick, damn it. She got up out of bed, made herself some tea and paced her tiny condo, all the while wondering where she’d gone wrong. Had she let her guard down because she’d always had a crush on the man? Was that it? Had she been enamored of the image of Mike? The man on TV. Is that why she’d slept with him?
But, no, she admitted to herself. There’d been more to it than that. That first day she’d fallen head over heels. Or maybe if it wasn’t love, it was something close. That’s why his sudden silence wounded her so much and that’s why she was so upset to find out he hadn’t called her because he’d “been busy.”
Indi tried calling her. Maggie heard her voice come through her message machine. She sat in her kitchen for so long her legs started to go numb.
“Mom?”
Maggie jumped and turned. She hadn’t even heard Brooke’s bus pull up outside.
“Are you okay?” Brooke said, taking the seat opposite her, their tiny kitchen table between them.
“Fine,” Maggie said, knowing she didn’t sound fine at all. Her nose was red from crying, and no doubt her makeup was all over her face.
“You don’t look fine. What happened today? How was Mike?”
The fact that her daughter sounded so concerned had Maggie fighting back tears all over again.
“Nothing happened, sweetie. I just started feeling sick while at work.”
“Did something happen?”
Maggie thought about denying it again, but her daughter wasn’t stupid. “Yeah,” she said. “Mom is officially footloose and fancy-free again.”
“Oh, Mom,” Brooke said, coming around to her side of the table and hugging her. Her daughter’s consolatory touch was nearly Maggie’s undoing. “I’m so sorry,” Brooke said gently.
“It’s all right,” Maggie said, even as fresh tears sprouted. “I’ll survive.”
“Can I make you something? More tea? Coffee?”
“No,” Maggie said. “I’ve drunk enough tea to float to China.”
“Then I’ll just stand here and hug you.”
“Thanks,” Maggie said. “I could use a hug.”
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, honey.” And that love would have to last a lifetime, because from here on she was staying single. Men did things to hurt her, and she was never going there again.
Never.
“WHAT THE HELL did you do to her?”
Mike looked up from the solitary meal he’d been forcing down. Indi Wilcox crossed between a table of diners, a furious look on her face, hazel eyes flashing and blond hair swishing.
“Indi,” he said, glancing around at the other guests, most of whom stared over at them curiously. “What are you doing here?”
The restaurant lighting was low, but he could still hear the anger in her voice. “Don’t give me that,” she said, jerking out a seat and sinking down opposite him. “I know you and Maggie broke up today. What I want to know is why.”
“We didn’t break up. At least I don’t think we did. She’s mad at me.”
“Why?”
“I’m going back to driving.”
“So?”
She sounded just like Maggie, Mike thought. “I don’t think she’s comfortable with me getting back behind the wheel again.”
“There has to be more to it than that.”
“Hell if I know,” Mike admitted. “All I know is she stormed off on me. I tried calling her again before dinner, but she didn’t pick up.”
“Go over to her house.”
“I thought I’d give her time to cool off.”
“That’s ridiculous, Mike. If you care for Maggie at all, then you need to go after her.”
“I think we need some time to cool off.”
“Loser.”
He jerked in his seat. “Indi, wait. No,” Mike said when she stood up. “I’m not saying I’m not going to call her. Or see her again. I’m just saying that maybe a little time away from each other is good.”
“That’s all you’ve had is time away from each other.”
“I know that. And maybe that’s a good thing. We can both stop before things get too serious.”
Indi sank down again. “Stop? Why the hell would you stop?”
Mike looked away for a moment. “You know better than anyone that this job is hell on family life.”
“Maggie’s the sort of person who’d give it her all.”
“She has a daughter.”
“Is that was this is about?” Indi asked, leaning toward him. “The fact that Maggie has a kid? Because if it is, you’re not the person I thought you were.”
A waiter came up to them and tried to hand Indi a menu. She waved the menu off, the look she gave the man clearly conveying she wanted privacy.
“This had nothing to do with Brooke,” Mike said.
“Then what’s the problem?” Indi asked.
“The problem is now’s not a good time to be jumping into a relationship.”
“Mike,” Indi said, placing her elbows on the table, “there’s never a good time to enter into a relationship.”
“That’s not the way I see it.”
“And that’s probably why you’re still single after so long. You’re waiting for the perfect moment. But here’s a news flash, Mike—a woman as good and as wonderful and as loving as Maggie Taylor comes around once in a lifetime. I thought you saw that. I was thrilled that at last someone recognized her worth. Obviously, I was wrong. But what I want you to consider while you both cool off—” she made quotes with her hands “—is if are you willing to risk that you’ll never find someone else half as good as Maggie, should you decide to walk away.”
“I haven’t decided to walk away.”
“Think about it,” Indi said, standing up. “And while you think about it, enjoy your career. Just remember it’s lonely at the top. But you know that, don’t you? It’s why you got involved with Maggie in the first place. All that fame and glory bought you a lonely life and a lot of lonely years. Congratulations. Looks like you’re headed that way again.”