16. Duke
SIXTEEN
DUKE
I'm definitely surprised to find that Maggie is a good listener. I thought she'd be all worried about the time and getting back to her business, but she didn't rush us as we got through the iconic picture at the studio.
Josie picked the painting, the one where the farmer and his wife are staring out into the world with a pitchfork in hand. I'm not even sure why she would have a pitchfork because we’re miles away from any kind of farm. Just like my parents naming their business The Bridal Barn.
Once we leave the store, the dog is back. I don’t know why but Champ seems to be a fitting name. I should take him and make sure he has all of his shots. That he’s neutered too.
Maggie’s definitely uncomfortable every time we see the dog. I’m grateful she was there today. It was nice to let off some steam to someone who hasn’t had a relationship with my mom since we were toddlers, like my friend group. She listened and tried to help.
Maybe it’s the mind warp my mother did to me, but I try to remember if I had a crush on Maggie when she would come for the summers. It might’ve been a small one, or maybe it was just jealousy that they would play games that looked fun to me but I could only watch from the backyard. Not stalking, of course.
She’s beautiful and fun, when she lets loose a bit. Would she reject me if I asked her on a date?
“How’s everything going with Hope’s wedding?” I ask. That could be a good way to see how she feels about dating in general.
“Good, I guess. She’s been gone late most nights this week, meeting with the wedding planner.”
“You don’t have to plan anything?”
She shakes her head. “Which makes it seem surreal to me. Like it’s not happening. Hope and I used to talk about our weddings and what it would be like once we got engaged. That we would work on all the plans as the maid of honor and bride. I kind of feel like I’ve been pushed to the side.”
“Have you talked to her about it?”
Maggie sighs and shakes her head. “She’s going through a lot right now, healthwise. I don’t want to put more pressure on her than what she’s already feeling.”
We walk a few steps and then I stop, turning to look at her. “I don’t think you have to take over the wedding, but you could mention how you want to contribute in some way. Whether it’s planning the bachelorette party or helping her pick flowers.”
She nods a few times and then a smile spreads across her face, causing her to light up. I’m not sure I’ve seen that from her before, but it feels different because I made it happen. Okay, I’m giving myself too much credit right now, but I could stare at her smile for hours. Days even.
I have to shake off these thoughts. My mom's comments sabotaged me and I have to keep firm in my ability to steer clear of Maggie. She needs someone who can be stalwart, not someone who is a jack of all trades but a master of none.
“We should work on the next task,” Maggie says.
Our second task is to do an act of service. We debate on what counts as service and where to go to accomplish it.
"It feels wrong to post this," I say fifteen minutes later, looking at the photo of the two of us carrying a woman's groceries to her car from the store.
"It was part of the task." Maggie's got her eyebrows cinched together like she can't figure out why I'm not understanding this.
"Service isn't something you shout to the world. It's something to keep to yourself."
Maggie sighs and says, "Okay, well let's post this one and then we can do another secret act of service if you're dying to."
I shake my head. “You don’t have to if you need to head out. I just think that service is moving in the shadows, doing good but not getting credit for it.”
Instead of her irritated expression, she smiles and says, “I’m not going to turn down service.”
"We can head down the road and see if the neighbors need any help. I heard they were struggling to load and unload their goods into their shop."
I'd known Troy and Betsy since I was a young kid. They'd been working in a gaming store for the past ten years or so, carrying every card box and game that people could enjoy. But with the years their health began to decline.
I wave for Maggie to join me and we make our way around to the back of our businesses to where a truck is waiting. Troy is out there trying to lift a box, but it isn't going well.
"Let me help you with that, Troy," I say, taking the box from him and putting it onto the dolly. There are several more boxes on the truck and I know he's not going to be able to do it without help.
"Thanks for your help, Duke. My arthritis is acting up today and I can't really get anything with my hands."
"No worries. Maggie and I can help." I point to Maggie, who waves at Troy.
"Oh, you're one of the Candy Ladies down the row, right?"
Maggie blushes a bit and says, "That I am. Where do you need all of this to go?"
“Just inside. We’re low on product and this was perfect timing with the scavenger hunt going on. It’s boosted sales quite a bit.”
I grin, grateful that if anything, the hunt is helping people like Troy. “Where is the delivery guy?” I ask, lifting another box.
“He had to make a couple of other deliveries near here. He said he’d be back to help with our big shipment soon.”
“How long ago was that?” Maggie asks.
Troy chuckles and says, “About forty-five minutes.”
Maggie lifts a box and waits for Troy to walk in with her, limping along with his cane in tow.
I fill the dolly and wheel it into the building.
Once I catch up with them, I’m surprised to see Maggie standing next to Troy as he talks about all the different card games they have in stock.
“Do you have any of the Queen of Hearts games?” Maggie asks. Why am I so surprised that she’s into games of any kind? Maybe because she’s been all business every time we talk. Games are used for people to relax and have fun, which is something I’d love to see from Maggie.
Troy’s smile is wide and he looks like he’s just found buried treasure. “You know about those?”
Maggie nods, looking a little shy for a moment before saying, “Yeah. They were one of my favorites growing up.”
“I haven’t met someone who’s heard of those in about fifteen years.”
Maggie’s face colors and she says, “When you’re the only daughter and don’t want to go on annual hunting expeditions with your dad, like my brother did, you need to fill the time. Collecting those was one of my favorite pastimes.”
“That makes me like you even more,” Troy says. He turns to see me there and directs me where to put everything.
Once we’ve said our goodbyes and left the store, Maggie walks alongside me, looking lost in thought.
“What are the Queen of Hearts games?” I ask, wondering why this was such a big deal to her.
Maggie gives me a small smile and says, “They were a game that my grandmother taught me. There were different cards that you could collect to create a stronger deck, a lot like Pokémon cards. I remember looking through every card shop I could find, hoping to find the Queen of Hearts card. It was the most rare, while I had a lot of the stronger cards, I never managed to get that one.”
I smile at her, surprised at her admission. “That’s cool. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it. Do you still have the cards?”
She nods. “At my parents’ house. I haven’t looked at those in years, but now I want to play again.”
“And I just collected baseball cards,” I say, laughing.
“Which was your favorite?” Maggie asks.
It takes me a few seconds to figure out what to say, since I’m surprised she even cares about what happened in my past. Most people look at me and see a loser, a guy who can’t commit to anything. But having her take an interest in something I like, even though it’s small, causes that attraction to Maggie I felt earlier to resurface.
I grin as I think about the card my dad had given me for my eleventh birthday. “Nolan Ryan. I’d always liked learning about him and even did a report for him for a wax museum project.”
“I’d love to see that. Did you have the costume and everything?”
“I wanted to buy one from the store, but my mother is a great seamstress and said there was no way we were going to buy it when she could make it cheaper.” The story of my life, but it worked out. They saved a lot of money while scrimping on certain things. I just wish that it wasn’t on all the things.
“Did you play baseball?” Maggie asks.
“A few seasons here and there. I wasn’t the best player, but I know a lot about the theory of the game.”
Maggie nods, like that’s all she needs to know. “Well, The Candy Jar can’t run itself. Thanks for teaching me some things today, Duke.” She gives me a close-lipped smile and turns to walk away toward her shop.
How did things change so quickly between us? Maybe I’ve been judging her too harshly, but I think Maggie Dean might actually be human. A very attractive one.