Chapter Five
Maegan’s head pounded from an emotional hangover. She took two Tylenol and swallowed them with a hearty gulp of water. After two years, shouldn’t she be able to tell what happened without emotions overcoming her?
The conversation with Judah replayed in her mind while she packed orders.
Was she really going to go along with his plan to fake a relationship?
If she was going to have a pretend boyfriend, she could think of worse men.
Not only was Judah gorgeous, he had a unique personality that intrigued her.
He made her laugh and while he came off as carefree, there was a deeper side to him he’d let peek through in their few conversations.
To her surprise, she looked forward to knowing him better.
She printed the final labels off a thermal printer, peeled the backing off, and attached them to the respective packages. Finishing in the nick of time, she sealed the last bag as the courier walked in to collect her packages.
“Online sales picking up?” Mark, the delivery driver asked.
“They have. As much as I love my in person customers, I’m thankful I can offer this service.”
“Me too. Not that I know anything about yarn, but I love seeing the small businesses thrive. Local stores are my favorite stops along the route.” Mark collected the packages and placed him in the oversized canvas bag.
His words encouraged her. “We couldn’t do it without our favorite delivery teams.”
“Don’t forget there won’t be any deliveries or pickups on Monday, but if you have to have a package go out, you can drop it off yourself at the store. Otherwise, we’ll resume normal times on Tuesday.”
“Thanks for the heads up.” She reached under the counter for the treat bowl she kept for customers with kids. She handed two stickers and two lollipops to Mark. “Take these home for the kids.”
“They’ll love them. Thank you.” He tipped his head. “You have a good weekend.”
“You too.”
The Tylenol began to kick in, and the throbbing subsided. She locked her storefront a few minutes early so she could close out the register and perform the other end of day tasks. Afterall, she had a date to get ready for.
This week had taken a turn she never saw coming, and she wished she had someone to confide in.
Her mother wasn’t an option because she would read into the situation, even if Maegan told her the full story.
Katelyn, her best friend, was in Honduras for a three-month mission trip with her husband so telling her wasn’t an option either.
“Am I doing the right thing, Gran?” she asked out loud, knowing she wouldn’t get an answer, If Gran were still alive, she’d have the perfect advice, but pretending to talk to her was the best she could do.
She pulled out the business card with Judah’s number.
Only an hour had passed since he’d left, but it felt like longer.
Likely due to the barrage of thoughts fighting for space in her brain.
Her heart drummed against her chest as the phone dialed painfully slow.
Once she made this call, that it. She was committed to this charade.
“Deputy Langford,” Judah answered.
The professional greeting threw her off guard. “Um, hi. It’s Maegan.”
“Hey.” His voice adopted a casual tone. “Sorry. I know so few people here that when I see a local number, I assume it’s for work. I’ll save your number, so I have it.”
“No worries.” She paused and wrapped her finger around a spare piece of register tape on the counter. “Did you still want to go out tonight?”
“I’m up for it if you are.” His tone sounded infinitely more confident than she felt.
“Should we meet there or do you want to pick me up?”
He scoffed. “My mother, rest her soul, would have my hide if I didn’t pick you up. Besides, even if it’s not a real date, it has to look like one.”
“Good point. Actually, we could walk over from my place if you want to meet me here. Driving would be ridiculous when it’s right across the street.”
“That’s super convenient for nights you don’t want to cook.”
She laughed. “I’m afraid to admit how often I order out for that exact reason.”
“Don’t be. It can’t be more often than when I order food to go. I’m trying to get better, but I can work crazy hours and ordering on the go is easier.”
“Have you eaten at the diner yet?” she asked.
“From, yes. At, no. We’ve done a bulk order for work twice, but I haven’t taken the time to sit down and eat inside.”
“It’s nothing fancy but has consistent high quality and great service.” She glanced at the clock. “Would seven work? If that’s too late, I can probably be ready by six-thirty.”
“Seven is fine. Do I knock on the store door?”
She found herself shaking her head, despite the fact Judah had no way of seeing her. “If you go behind the building, you’ll see a flight of stairs leading to a back door. You can meet me there.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
After ending the call, Maegan went upstairs to her apartment to get ready.
What did one where for a first date that wasn’t a date?
If she hadn’t worn her current outfit all day, and if it wasn’t dusty from unanticipated work in the stockroom, she wouldn’t have to worry about changing.
The pink and white skirt she wore could be dressed up or down and was perfect for a casual outing.
She had a similar one in solid black that she could wear with one of her sweaters she’d knitted.
That’s what she’d do. She wouldn’t be over or underdressed, and more importantly, she’d be comfortable.
Going through her closet, she debated which sweater to choose.
Once she’d narrowed her choices down to three, she decided on the aqua raglan sweater she’d knitted for last year’s Spring Fiber Fest.
Her hair needed a good brushing. She freed her wavy, chestnut hued locks from the claw clip and brushed them until the shine returned before twisting them behind her head and securing the hair again with the clip. Several tresses stayed free and framed her face.
She’d never been one to wear much makeup, but she touched up her blush pink lipstick and added a fresh coat of mascara.
“Not too bad,” she said, looking in a mirror.
Too bad she couldn’t say the same about her stomach. It dawned on her that she hadn’t been on a date since before Jess left her, which meant the last first date she’d gone on had been with him.
“But this isn’t a real date,” she told her reflection in the mirror.
The only solace she found came when she thought of Judah and how he’d gone out of his way to approach this scheme with no pressure on her. Combined with Nancy’s endorsement of him, Maegan trusted Judah, an odd feeling since she’d previously believed Jess had shattered that ability.
She had a half hour to kill before Judah arrived.
The urge to talk to Katelyn grew. She was thrilled Katelyn had the opportunity to take this trip, but Maegan missed her already.
In lieu of calling, Maegan opened her laptop and drafted an email.
She didn’t include anything about Judah but asked how the trip was going and if she had any specific prayer requests regarding the mission.
Depending on how the night went, she might send her best friend another email later.
Real-time advice would be best, but delayed insight was better than none.
Her doorbell rang at ten minutes to seven. She doublechecked that it was Judah before opening the door.
He carried a small bouquet of pale yellow and blue carnations. “I noticed you had fresh flowers in the shop, and I thought these would go well with them.”
“That’s really sweet, thank you.” The gesture touched a dormant part of her heart. “I’ll put them in a vase for now and add them to the arrangement downstairs tomorrow. They’ll be a lovely addition.”
She withdrew a clear glass from the cabinets in her kitchenette, added water and then the flowers. They were beautiful as they were. “Or maybe I’ll keep them up here. They will add a nice touch to the table.”
“I’m glad you like them.” He darted a glance out the door. “I parked in front of the store. Is that okay? I won’t get towed afterhours, will I?”
His question brought an amused smile to her lips. “You’re the law enforcement officer.”
He let out a low chuckle. “Yes, but I don’t work in traffic enforcement, and I haven’t been here long enough to know all the rules and regulations. In my defense, I did look for any sign or posting, but I didn’t see anything.”
“You’re good. There’s no issue parking along the street unless you stay parked there for twenty-four hours without a permit.”
“That’s a relief.” He gave an exaggerated swipe of his brow. “It’d be pretty embarrassing to have my truck towed on our first date.”
“Imagine the rumors that would incite. I can see the headlines now for the gossip rag- Local deputy’s vehicle towed while wooing local girl. A match made in the impound lot?”
His eyes widened. “Does Dogwood Creek really have a tabloid?”
It was her turn to laugh. “Not at all. We only have one newspaper that prides itself on sharing the news and only the news. They’ve won several journalism awards over the years.”
“To be fair, you never know anymore. Back in Charlotte, there were social media accounts dedicated to spreading local gossip.” His eyes crinkled with disgust. “Don’t people have better ways to spend their time.”
“You would think. I’d hate to think my personal business would be put out there for all to see.
The entire incident with Jess was humiliating enough without having the details published online.
” She shoved those thoughts aside. “If it makes you feel better, I don’t know of any such social media accounts for Dogwood Creek.
There might be a rampant gossip mill, but it’s rarely malicious.
We’re a small town that looks out for each other. ”
“That’s what I’ve noticed so far. Black eye withstanding, Dogwood Creek is as ideal as they come in real life.”
“What brought you here? We don’t often get transplants from the city.”
His eyes shaded. “That’s a story for another day.”
“Gotcha.” A pang of disappointment surprised her. She’d opened up to him and half expected him to reciprocate but if he wasn’t ready, she wouldn’t push. Her own experience gave her empathy and patience.
He shifted his weight to his left leg. “Should we head to the diner?”
Her growling stomach answered for her. They both laughed at the timing, breaking the minor tension between them.