The next evening, Emma brought Maggie a beautiful, black dress for her date with Colby. When she pulled it out of her bag, Maggie gasped. “This is incredible, Emma.”
“It was a gift from a guy I know,” she said. “Try it on.”
Maggie put the dress on and stared at herself in the mirror. She looked stunning. The dress was strapless, fitted through the bodice to accentuate her breasts and the skirt flared dramatically. The layers of expensive chiffon fell around Maggie’s hips and graduated to longer lengths. The hem stopped just below her thigh, showing off Maggie’s long, lean legs.
“This is gorgeous, but I can’t wear it,” Maggie said.
“Why can’t you wear it? The dress looks like it was made for you,” Emma said.
“But if anything happens to it, I can never pay you for it. This must’ve cost a fortune,” Maggie said, thinking that it must have cost at least one hundred dollars.
Emma shook her head and smiled. It was a Gucci dress, and the price was well over six thousand dollars. At the time, she’d been stunned. But Salvatore, the man who bought the dress for her, didn’t even blink when he handed the sales clerk his credit card.
“Stop worrying all the time. Who the fuck cares how much it cost? I got a great deal on it, and if anything happens to it…well, it’s only a dress. Seriously, Mags. You need to get a grip on yourself. You worry about small shit. So what shoes are you going to wear with it?” Emma asked, trying to change the subject.
Maggie let out a small yelp. “OK, I’ll wear it, then. I was thinking about wearing my patent leather shoes,” she finished, as she dug through her bag for the heels.
Maggie slipped the five-inch heels onto her feet and looked at herself in the mirror. Emma walked up behind her and peered over her shoulder. “You look like a model. You’re truly stunning, Mags. Colby’s gonna lose his shit when he gets a load of you,” she said.
Maggie met Emma’s eyes in the mirror. “Thanks, Emma. You’re a good friend.”
“Ugh, none of that sappy stuff,” Emma teased her. “Besides, maybe someday I’ll need a favor.”
On Wednesday night, Maggie stood outside the Melrose, waiting for Colby to pick her up. Everyone who walked by her turned to steal a glimpse of the raving beauty. When Colby pulled up, he scooted out of the car and went to her side quickly.
“My God, Maggie. You look beautiful,” he said.
Maggie blushed. “Thanks.”
There was a pregnant pause until Maggie said, “You look great, too.”
Colby chuckled. “Well, we’d better get going. I made reservations for eight thirty.”
“Where are we going?” Maggie asked.
“I’m taking you to Ralph’s. It’s the oldest Italian restaurant in the United States. I promised you a good spaghetti dinner, and I never break my promises,” Colby said.
Maggie hadn’t had a meal that divine since she was taken from her family. She loved Ralph’s.
Colby leaned into Maggie and her body tingled all over. “I love this place,” he said. “I hope you’re glad you came.”
“Oh my God, the spaghetti is so good. Almost as good as my mom’s,” she said mindlessly.
The comment about her mother made them both pause for a moment. She hadn’t associated anything in her life with her family until now. It left her feeling empty, and Colby was quick to pick up the conversation.
“So, who’s Seth staying with tonight?”
Maggie rubbed her bloated belly. “He’s at the apartment alone, but Juju will get home around ten o’clock. He’s pretty independent for his age. Not that he has a choice. Juju and I both have to work if we want to live in that Dumpster of ours.”
Colby leaned over and put his arm around the back of her chair. “You’re a kind person, Maggie. Not many people would’ve taken on the burden of a child that wasn’t theirs.”
“Seth is mine. I’ve had him since he was four years old. He was just a baby. Poor little guy has been through a lot. We both have. But in the end, we have each other,” Maggie said.
Colby kissed Maggie on the cheek. The intimate setting of the restaurant made her feel like she was someone other than herself, someone normal. For a moment, she got lost in the feeling that she was free to do as she pleased. But soon enough, the image of Rock popped into her head, bringing her back to her present circumstances, and she felt powerless. The realization that she didn’t even have the freedom to love a man shattered her mood.
Maggie edged away from Colby to put some distance between them.
Sensing that something was wrong, Colby shifted away from her. “I’m sorry. Did I say something that upset you?”
“No, it’s just that this whole spaghetti dinner was great and all, but at the end of the day, I still sell my body to other men. I mean, I know you would never be with someone like me, but sometimes I get the feeling that you want to be closer…” She let the words swirl in the air.
“You’re right. I do want to get closer to you,” Colby admitted.
“That isn’t going to happen, Colby,” Maggie informed him.
“Why? Why can’t it happen?” he asked sadly.
“I just told you why. Because my life doesn’t belong to me. Just imagine seeing other men coming or going when you come to visit me at Rock’s apartment. How would you be able to handle that?”
“I don’t know that I could,” Colby confessed.
“Well, that’s exactly why nothing can happen between us,” she said firmly.
“You might be right. But this can’t be your life forever, Maggie. At some point, you have to get away from all of this. You’re a beautiful, smart woman. You deserve better, and the sooner you begin to break away, the quicker you’ll have a life of your own,” Colby said.
“Are you here to rescue me?” Maggie countered. She looked at him warmly. “No, you aren’t, because we both know there’s more to it than just walking away from all of it. I’d need protection, and so would Juju, Seth, and my family. For now, it’s just too difficult. Someday, maybe, but not now.”
Colby knew that she was right. Now was not the time. But soon, he hoped, the agency would bring Rock and his crew down, and Maggie would finally be free.
“You’re right. Now isn’t the right time. But that’s what we’re working to fix. You and I will bring these assholes to their knees, and then you’ll have your chance to be and do whatever you want. I promise you that, and I—”
“Never break a promise,” Maggie recited, finishing his sentence for him.
“That’s right. I never break a promise,” Colby said with certainty.
On the bus back to Kensington, Maggie realized that she’d fooled herself into believing that she was capable of having a relationship. Her desire to live a normal life and to be with Colby had muddied her judgment. During dinner, as Maggie observed the other “normal” couples sitting around them, she’d had a moment of clarity and knew she couldn’t put Colby in danger with Rock. It was in that fleeting moment that Maggie decided to push Colby away until the day came when her life was her own. Then she wondered if that day would ever exist.