Chapter 28
T he drive to Maggie’s house seemed to take forever. Ridge had good intentions about talking first and taking things slowly. There was too much between them that needed to be hashed out. They would have a long conversation, all night, if needed. They would not let physical attraction get in the way of what needed to be said.
Maggie stood on the porch, searching for her key. Ridge parked in front of the house and jogged up the walk, stopping short behind her. She turned to smile at him and gave up looking for her key, instead reaching for him as he reached for her.
“I missed you,” he said.
“It’s been forever,” she agreed, laughing.
He backed her against the door and cupped her face in his hands, “Maggie, I…”
The door behind her opened. Maggie screamed while Ridge reached for his gun.
“Surprise.” Maggie’s little sister, Amelia, stood inside the house, beaming.
“Amelia,” Maggie said, surreptitiously pushing down Ridge’s gun hand in the hopes her sister wouldn’t notice how close she’d come to getting shot. “What are you doing here?”
“The girl who rooms across the hall from me lives in DC. I hitched a ride with her for a couple of days. Oh, hello, pretty,” she said, turning her attention to Ridge.
“Cam, this is my little sister, Amelia. Amelia, you apparently remember Ridge. ”
“So pretty, want to stare at his teeth,” Amelia said as she did just that.
“Did I mention Amelia is twenty one? Very, very twenty one,” Maggie said.
Ridge smiled and held out his hand to her, after having secretly secured his gun back in its holster. “Hi, Amelia. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you, and I’m already a fan of your work.”
“My work?” she repeated, still staring at his freakishly perfect teeth.
“Maggie’s wardrobe,” Ridge said, motioning to the jeans Maggie was still wearing. Amelia looked down to see where he was pointing.
“I told you those were hot,” Amelia said.
“You were right,” Ridge agreed, pinching Maggie’s thigh.
“Bosses are different in DC,” Amelia said. “Are you guys coming in? And where’s Samson?”
“Um,” Maggie said, flailing about for an explanation as her throat grew thick and her eyes filled with tears.
“Samson died,” Ridge said, clasping Maggie’s hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. “There was an accident, and he had to be put down.”
“Oh, no,” Amelia said, covering her mouth. “That’s awful.”
Maggie nodded, sniffling.
“Hey, you guys have a lot of catching up and sister stuff to do. I’m going to take off,” Ridge said. “Amelia, it was so great to meet you. Sometime when you come back, we’ll all go out. Maggie and I will show you the town. Rather, Maggie will show you restaurants and I’ll take you to a game.”
“What game?” Amelia asked .
“Doesn’t matter,” Maggie said. “There’s always a game somewhere.”
Ridge put her in a headlock. “You love it. Admit it, woman.”
“I love it,” she agreed, hugging his waist. “I’ll be in soon,” she added to her sister who went back inside and closed the door.
“Thanks for the rescue. I didn’t know how to tell her about the dog,” Maggie said. She still couldn’t bring herself to say Samson’s name out loud; the pain was too raw.
“What are friends for?” Ridge asked.
“So much this,” she said, standing on her toes to hug him as tightly as she could. “Whatever happens with us, however our conversation ends up, please know you are the closest friend I have. I have no idea how I would do life without you. You mean the world to me.”
“Same,” he said, picking her up so she didn’t have to stretch to reach him.
They hugged for a long time, until Maggie knew Amelia would probably open the door to check on her again. Reluctantly, she let him go. “Rain check on our conversation.”
“The biggest rain check in the universe,” he said. “Have fun with your sister.”
“It’s impossible not to have fun with Amelia.”
“I sensed that,” he said. “You two make me curious to meet the rest of your family.”
“Come home with me for Thanksgiving in a few weeks.”
“Hmm, what if I have a girlfriend by then?” he asked. His hands reached out and captured hers, unable to resist the temptation to touch her again.
“It’s been four years. I think we’re safe,” she said .
“You were never supposed to hear that information,” he said.
“Why four years?” she asked.
“I’m choosy,” he said.
“I thought that only applied to selecting peanut butter,” she said.
“Peanut butter and girlfriends,” he said. “But you’re one to talk. It’s been six years for you.”
“It’s possible we know too much about each other,” she said.
He shook his head. “Not possible.”
“I seem unable to take the necessary steps to get to the door,” Maggie said.
“Do you want me to carry you?” he offered.
“I think that would have the opposite effect of making me want to go inside,” Maggie said.
Amelia jerked the door open and poked her head out. “I’ve been watching you through the curtain for like ten minutes. Are you going to kiss goodnight or what?”
“Perfection can’t be rushed, Amelia,” he said but then he leaned down and gave Maggie a sweet, gentle, perfect kiss. “See you, ladies.” He turned and strode to his car.
“How much longer can your legs support you?” Amelia asked. “Because mine are weak, and it wasn’t even my kiss.”
“I’m waiting to collapse until he drives away,” Maggie said, waving to Ridge as he got into his car.
“Holy mother of pearl, that man is intensely sexy,” Amelia said. Then she clapped her hands over her mouth and grimaced. “Ew, am I saying things I’m going to regret about my future brother-in-law?”
“I have no idea,” Maggie said, sagging against the side of the house as Ridge finally drove out of sight.
“But you are, like, together, right?” Amelia said .
“It’s complicated,” Maggie said.
Amelia put her arm around Maggie’s shoulders and herded her inside. “Uncomplicate it for me.”
“I can’t, really.”
“Why not?” Amelia asked. She closed and locked the front door behind them.
“He’s my boss, and there are other factors involved.”
“What other factors?” Amelia asked. “Get rid of them.” For her, love was still black or white. Either you loved someone or you didn’t.
“There’s Sam,” Maggie said.
Amelia rolled her eyes. “Maggie, I know you loved Sam, but that was, like, a million years ago. You have to let it go and move on.”
Maggie sank onto the couch and covered her face with her hands. “Oh, Amelia, if only it were that easy.”
“What’s the problem? Do you feel guilty, like you’re cheating on Sam? He would want you to be happy with Ridge.”
“I’m not too sure about that,” Maggie said, dropping her hands to bestow an amused smile her sister couldn’t understand. “Do you remember Sam?”
“I was fifteen when he died, not a newborn. Of course I remember. I liked Sam, no, I loved him. He was a great guy, fun and sweet and gentle. He treated you well and you guys had a great relationship. But you can’t mourn him forever.”
‘What if he came back?” Maggie asked.
“What?” Amelia asked, distracted by a text on her phone.
“What if Sam came back?”
Amelia looked up. “Are you having some kind of mental break or are you trying to tell me you believe in ghosts? ”
“I’m being hypothetical. What if Sam came back and said it was all a big mistake?”
“First I think you should punch him in the face for going away,” Amelia said.
“Let’s say he had valid reasons,” Maggie said.
“I remember what you were like after, Maggie. There’s no reason valid enough for that,” Amelia said.
“Play along, what if Sam came back?”
“Do you remember Wesley?”
“Your high school boyfriend?” Maggie said.
“Yes, we dated all of our junior and senior year.”
“You were way too young for that,” Maggie interjected.
“Not the time, Mom. The point is, I loved him, deeply and desperately, the kind of way you can only love a first love. My heart was shattered when we broke up. So this past summer, we were both home, and we got together and went out. I thought it would be so great, like we would pick up where we left off.”
“That wasn’t what happened?” Maggie guessed.
“It was awkward, and he’s super into Japanese animation now. It was all he wanted to talk about. I found myself checking my phone the whole time, begging for an excuse to leave. I guess what I’m trying to say is you’re not the same person you were six years ago, and Sam wouldn’t be, either, if he were here. If you had gotten married, you would have grown together. But being separate so many years, you grew apart. It wouldn’t be the same.”
Maggie hugged her. “You know you’re the total package, both wise and beautiful.”
“I know, right?” Amelia said, returning her hug. “And I learned it by watching you.” Thanks to their oldest brother, Johnny, they had the habit of always saying the good things they felt, one of many benefits of having a special needs sibling.
“How much longer do I have to wait before you tell me what’s going on with your boss?” Amelia asked, letting her go.
“Nothing, really.”
“That, on the porch, was not nothing. That was a whole lot of something. And I can’t help but wonder what might be happening right now if I weren’t here.” She nudged Maggie with her elbow.
“We were going to talk,” Maggie said.
“Talk,” Amelia repeated, putting the word in air quotes.
“Cam and I are sensible adults. We can have a full evening of conversation without giving in to our baser instincts,” Maggie told her.
“Liar. I saw the way he was looking at you.”
“How was that?” Maggie couldn’t help but ask.
“Like it’s a hundred degrees and you’re the only popsicle for miles,” Amelia said.
“You know other people don’t make everything into food references,” Maggie said.
“I know. Nobody ever knows what I’m talking about when I turn everything into food,” Amelia said. “What’s that about?”
“It’s weird,” Maggie said.
“As weird as pancakes with no butter,” Amelia agreed, and the sisters dissolved into giggles.