The Widow's Bachelor Bargain

“All right, then. Let me know if you need anything.” She left the room.

Her daughter sat in the high chair eating half a banana. If she hadn’t been, she would have been bugging Sloan. As if Maggie needed another one, that was a good reason to back off from him. And that was what she’d been doing, pretty successfully, in her opinion.

A half hour later, Sloan said goodbye and headed for the door. Danielle called out, “Bye-bye,” and wiggled her fingers in her version of a wave. That earned the little girl a big grin from Sloan, but Maggie was the one who felt the power of it. And a pang of disappointment that he hadn’t aimed the warmth at her.

Josie brought plates and platters into the kitchen. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“I’d be happy to if you’d be more specific.”

The other woman started rinsing off plates and putting them in the dishwasher. “I’m talking about you and Sloan. Since he arrived, there’s been a nice friendly vibe going on between the two of you. And in the past couple days it’s changed. You barely speak, and it can only be described as awkward. What the heck happened?”

That kiss happened, Maggie thought. She’d gone over it a thousand times. He never would have done it if she hadn’t put the suggestion out there. Over and over she wondered why she had. Maybe the glass of wine. Possibly it was all the flirty talk and leg touching while sitting beside him at Bar None. The lingering effects of that might have made those fateful words come out of her mouth. Oh, how she wanted them back.

Josie was a friend as well as one of her boarders. But Maggie was proceeding on the hope that not talking about what happened on the patio would make it go away.

“You think we’re acting awkward?”

“And how.” Standing by the sink, Josie put a hand on her hip. “And don’t think I didn’t notice that you just answered a question with a question and gave no information at all.”

Maggie was kind of hoping that one had slipped by, but no such luck. “Would I do that?”

“Seriously, Maggie? You just did it again. That only confirms my suspicion that there’s something going on with the two of you.”

“Knock, knock.” The front door opened and in walked Maggie’s mom, Maureen O’Keefe. She had brown eyes and dark hair shot through with silver, cut in a piecey style with the back flipped up. She smiled at Danielle, then walked over and cupped her granddaughter’s small face in both hands before kissing her forehead. “Hello, my precious little girl.”

“Hi, Mom.” Maggie was grateful for the distraction. “Once upon a time I was your precious girl.”

“You still are.” Her mom walked over and cupped her face in her hands, then kissed her forehead. “Hi, Josie. Are we still on for shopping?”

“Just as soon as your precious girl—the grown-up one—comes clean about what’s going on between her and the new guy.”

Maureen’s brown eyes turned wary. “There’s something going on? Between you and Sloan Holden? I’m going to have to meet him.”

“Oh, please—” Maggie tried to look as innocent as possible.

“See?” Josie pointed at her. “That’s the kind of answer I’ve been getting. Which is to say no answer at all. You’re her mother. Surely you can get her to talk.”

“Can you give me a little context?” Maureen said.

“I can see where that would help.” Josie thought for a moment. “Like I just said to Maggie—since he got here things have been friendly and fun. Easy. That changed a couple of days ago and you’d think we’re having another ice age the way these two act. Makes me want to put on a parka every time they’re in the same room.”

The two older women stared at her expectantly and Maggie squirmed. She felt like a kid caught doing something wrong when her only motive was to try to do the right thing. “It’s all about being a professional. Creating a comfortable, uncomplicated space for my guests. I’ve never run a bed-and-breakfast before, so I’m experimenting with just the right feeling and mood.”

Maggie saw a look on her mom’s face and not for the first time wished the woman couldn’t see through her like a piece of clear plastic.

“Really?” Maureen said skeptically. “I know you, Margaret Mary Potter.”

Uh-oh. It was never good when her mom used all three names. Made her want to walk herself into a corner and face the wall until she was told her time-out was over. “Yes, you do.”

“Josie’s right. Something is up and you’re avoiding it like the black death. What did that man do to you?”

Well, this was a fine mess. She wanted to bury her head in the sand and ignore what had happened. But she couldn’t let them believe Sloan had harmed her. He’d shaken her up, but there was no permanent damage done. She would get back her perspective and all would be well. As long as these two women got an answer to their questions.

“It was nothing, really.”

“Then, you won’t mind sharing details,” her mom said. “What was it, really?”

“He kissed me.” Maggie shrugged.

“Well, then,” Josie said, her tone full of approval. “When?”

“Where?” Maureen asked. “Here? In the bedroom?”

“That’s not important,” Maggie protested.

“It kind of is,” her boarder said. “You know the only way this inquisition stops is when we get all the facts.”

“That’s not happening. And if you guys insist on pushing the issue, you’re going to miss out on the early-bird specials at the mall.”

“Come on, Maggie. I’m your mother. Put yourself in my shoes. What if Danielle wouldn’t tell you about something going on in her life?”

Maggie nearly knuckled. Her mom was really good at applying just the right amount of motivational guilt. But she held back.

“You are my mother and I love you.” She unstrapped Danielle from the high chair and lifted her out to toddle around the room. “But there really is nothing more than that to tell. He kissed me and we both realized it meant nothing.”

“Not from the ice age I’ve been living in,” Josie muttered. “Don’t be too hasty about this.”

“It’s not a rush to judgment. It’s reality. I’m a widow with a daughter to raise. He was in People magazine’s ‘most eligible millionaire bachelor’ issue. If that doesn’t make us incompatible enough, he has a playboy reputation. Love ’em and leave ’em.”

“But he’s so sweet with Danielle. Maybe he just hasn’t met the right woman yet,” Josie suggested.

“He’s met dozens of women, and if none of them were right it’s because he’s not interested in making a commitment.” Maggie looked at both women and sighed. “He’s a nice man. And he seems good with children. But a good deal of evidence points to the fact that he’s all flirt and no depth.”

“Are you sure you’re not just projecting that on him? Stereotyping him so he’s not a threat?” her mom asked.

“I’m not labeling him that way. Magazines and newspapers have reported on his activities. It’s all flash and no substance. A game. I’m too busy for games. So it’s best if we avoid each other.”

“But—”

“No, Mom. No buts. I’m a mother and a businesswoman. There’s no room in my life for a man. Especially one like Sloan Holden.”

She grabbed up her daughter and whisked her into the other room for a diaper change before the two older women could gang up on her again. It was for the best that she steer clear of Sloan, and thank goodness he was avoiding her, too.

* * *

Nearly a week after Sloan had kissed Maggie, he was pretty sure he was losing his mind. Up until that complete and utter failure of judgment when he’d touched his mouth to hers and found out she tasted even more amazing than he’d imagined, his business focus had been notorious, in a good way. His cousin had said more than once that he was like a computer, all circuits firing, efficiency central.

It had all changed after that kiss under the stars.

In the past couple of days he’d forgotten meetings, and in the ones he’d attended, his mind had wandered to the spectacular way Maggie’s backside filled out a pair of jeans when she bent over the oven to pull out a pan of blueberry muffins. Then first thing this morning, his assistant had asked him for the quarterly reports he’d brought home last night to look over. And he had looked them over. Corrections were all neatly marked and initialed. But it didn’t do her any good because he’d left the B and B without his briefcase that morning.

He’d been in a hurry to get out of there before someone noticed he was staring at Maggie. Couldn’t seem to keep himself from looking at her when there were more muffins and bending over. Yeah, he was going to hell.

But first he had to go back and retrieve the briefcase full of work that his assistant needed. It was midmorning and he figured Josie was volunteering as usual at the library and Maggie was at the café by now. The coast would be clear and he was in his car and nearly there.

He turned right off the main road and followed the narrow street to the end, where the log home that was Potter House stood. In the semicircular driveway he saw her dark blue SUV with the tailgate open and the cargo area filled with grocery bags. Maggie was leaning into the rear passenger seat, filling out those jeans almost as nicely as when she took something out of the oven.

So much for the coast being clear.

He groaned and wondered what he’d done to tick off fate and what he could do to turn around his bad luck. In his opinion, the best option was to pretend nothing had happened. Just the way Maggie was doing.

He opened his car door and got out, prepared to say hello and pretend, for all he was worth, that the kiss had been no big deal and everything was normal. That was when he heard the high-pitched wails coming from the rear seat of her car.

“Come on, Danielle. Mommy doesn’t have time for this. I have to unload the groceries. Food is melting.”

The quietly spoken, utterly reasonable words had no effect on the completely unreasonable toddler, and the screaming continued. Sloan wanted to retrieve his briefcase and go back to his office. None of this was his problem. But he couldn’t do it.

“Hi, Maggie,” he said, walking up to the open tailgate. “I’ll get those bags.”

She straightened and met his gaze, a puzzled expression on her face. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work? What are you doing here?”

And wasn’t that the million-dollar question. Telling the truth was best. He didn’t have to get into all of it. “I left some paperwork here and my assistant needs it today.”

“Then, you should get it to her.” Maggie’s voice got a little louder in order to be heard above the wailing coming from the backseat of her car. “I’ve got this.”

Not from where he was standing. “I’m sure you do, but since I’m here, it will just take a couple of minutes to get the groceries into the house. I’ll do that while you take care of Shorty.”

The look of stubborn independence on her face said she was going to push back. While he admired her character, arguing was a waste of breath. He was stubborn, too, and in the time it would take for a conversation, he could have all the groceries in the kitchen.

Without a word, he reached into the cargo area of the SUV and took as many bags as he could carry.

“Hold on,” she said, racing past him and up the stairs to the front door. “I’ll unlock it.”

“Thanks,” he said, moving past her.

“No. Thank you.” And then she went back to the car and liberated her daughter from the car seat.

Sloan passed her in the living room on his way out for a second trip. Maggie had her child in one arm and a bag in the other. She tried to put the little girl down, but the toddler pulled her legs up, refusing to stand. And she was crying her eyes out. At that rate, it would have taken her all day to unload the car. Maybe it was a good thing he’d lost his mind and forgotten work material.

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