Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Maggie came in the back door, kicked off her work boots in the mud room, and dragged herself to the living room sofa.
For once she didn’t worry about the dirt and dust on her clothes as she swung her feet up onto the coffee table, another uncharacteristic move.
She could hear the sound of video games coming from the upstairs bedroom, and Caitie was singing a lullaby softly to her doll in the den.
For the first time in a year she didn’t call out to the kids.
Instead, she brushed her disheveled hair back, a long sigh escaping as she sank deeply into the cushions.
It was a tremendous relief to be away from the questioning eyes of her curious co-workers.
The day had gone from bad to worse after her confrontation with Nick.
A new man, Jack Harley, had tipped a few on his lunch hour, and although she’d given him a firm reprimand, she knew she was going to have trouble with him.
Witnessing Nick’s arrogant attitude wasn’t conducive to keeping control of her crew.
Jack had been cocky from then on. Losing her patience, she sent him home for the rest of the day.
It crossed her mind to tell Mason, but it didn’t sit right with her to dump it in his lap.
Sure, he was the owner and her boss, but it was her responsibility to keep her crew in line and get the work completed on time, something she’d never had a problem with before.
Maggie sensed another presence in the room and opened one eye. Caitlin stood there, sucking her thumb and twisting her blonde hair around her finger. It only took a second for her to jump onto her mother’s lap, and Maggie hugged her close.
“Whew, you are getting to be such a big girl,” Maggie huffed. “Why don’t you take your thumb out of your mouth and tell me about your day?” Maggie cuddled her and savored the incredibly warm feeling.
“Mommy, what’s sass?” Caitlin asked, looking directly into Maggie’s eyes.
Maggie smiled. Now there’s a word she hadn’t heard in a long time, not since she was a little girl.
“Well, sass is like um—back talk. Like when Mommy tells you to do something, and you say no. Being sassy is naughty. Why?”
Still twirling her curls, Caitie drawled, “Nicky says you gots more sass than is good for you. Are you naughty, Mommy?”
Maggie’s face flamed. Nick always did have an old-fashioned attitude, even when they were kids.
“Sweetheart,” she started, trying not to let Caitie see how annoyed she was. How dare he tell her daughter… “You can’t believe everything Nick says,” she continued.
“Why not?”
“Well—you know how tall he is?” Maggie asked, bringing her hand way up above their heads.
Caitlin nodded wide-eyed.
“Sometimes the blood doesn’t get all the way up to the top of his head, and—” Maggie stopped cold. She couldn’t believe she’d just told her daughter a fib. Nick really was making her crazy.
“Never mind, honey, it’s not important. Why don’t you go wash your hands and help me get dinner? We won’t tell the boys I’m home yet,” she whispered, holding up a finger to her lips, “and we’ll have the kitchen all to ourselves.”
“Yes,” Caitlin whispered back in her best secret voice. Her blue eyes sparkled with happiness at the thought of tricking her brothers, and she scampered quietly into the bathroom.
Maggie pulled herself up and went into the kitchen, groaning at the dirty dishes in the sink.
No one had gone hungry today, she consoled herself as she rolled up her sleeves.
After finishing up the dishes, Maggie threw together a meatloaf and scalloped potatoes, and slid them into the oven. Caitlin was left at the table tearing up a head of lettuce into itsy bitsy pieces, and Maggie left her to it with a firm order not to go near the stove.
Jumping into the downstairs shower, she let the hot water soothe her.
It felt great to get the dust out of her hair, and she steeled herself not to think about today’s fiasco anymore.
The memory of Nick’s powerful body pressed against hers caused her knees to shake, and she shut off the hot water for a few seconds in a useless attempt to cool her thoughts.
Damn, that man got to her like nobody else ever had.
If she’d put an ad in the paper, he couldn’t have been more perfect for her.
WANTED: Strong, independent, heart-weary, exhausted SUPER MOM seeking Alpha male partner willing to sweep her off her feet and take her in hand.
Applicant must be loving, firm, resourceful, and a problem solver.
Must be willing to put up with tantrums (hers not kids) and willing to be a good father figure (kids not hers); high libido and hot body a plus. Wimps need not apply.
Good grief, what was happening to her? She could hardly admit these things to herself let alone act on them.
Even as furious as she was today, her panties had been wet the entire time she argued with him.
Was she so desperate for male attention that even the thought of a spanking turned her on?
Cripes, there should be an antidote for that man.
By the time she was dressed in comfortable leggings and an oversized tee, Caitie had all the lettuce ready and Maggie sliced the tomatoes and cucumbers. Popping the salad into the fridge, she reached for Caitie's hand and together they went into the other room.
“Mommy’s home,” Caitie squealed, extremely impressed to be the bearer of such important news, “and I helped make dinner.”
Todd and Jason descended the stairs, looking like they’d lost their best friend.
“What’s wrong, guys?" Maggie asked, surprised by their lack of enthusiasm, “Bad day?”
“Mom, when is Nick coming over again?” Jason almost wailed. “I’m so bored I can’t stand it. He promised to take us to the arcade.”
The muscles in Maggie’s shoulders tightened painfully, and she rubbed the back of her neck in frustration.
“I don’t know, honey,” she answered, careful not to let her feelings show. “I’m sure he’s very busy, and he probably forgot all about it.”
“Naw, Nick wouldn’t forget a promise,” Todd added, flopping down on the couch and swinging one leg back and forth over the arm. His blonde hair and fair features were a complete contrast to his brother’s dark looks.
“He told me that no matter what, he would always keep a promise.”
Great, Maggie thought, Mr. Dependable himself.
“Well, I’m sure if he said he’d take you, he will. Why don’t you two get washed up for dinner?”
“Will you call him, Mom,” Jason asked, “after dinner I mean?”
Maggie’s hesitation was obvious, even to Caitlin.
“Maybe Mommy don’t wanna to talk to him. His bloods don’t get to the top of his head,” she informed her brother smugly.
“What dumb thing is she talking about now?” Todd demanded in typical brotherly fashion. “Where does she get this stuff?”
“Mommy said—”
“Hush, Caitie, never mind,” Maggie whispered as she guided her into the kitchen, hoping the subject would drop.
“Well, will you?” Jason repeated as three hopeful faces stared at her.
“Will I what?” Maggie asked as she moved around the kitchen, setting the table and trying to distract him.
“Call Nick,” they chimed together, their tone implying that she was unbelievably dense.
Maggie stood, holding a stack of plates in her hands, her mind seething. How had he managed to have such an influence on her kids in the short time he’d been dropping by?
“As a matter of fact, I think I will call the dependable, never-break-a-promise, Mr. Kord. It just so happens I have a few things to say to him.”
Three pairs of eyes met and three chins dropped. They’d heard that tone of voice before.
Poor Nick.
It was ten o’clock by the time the kids were in bed and even later when all the housework was done, but Maggie couldn’t complain.
She hated to leave Mrs. Jamison with that much work to do and tried to lighten her load if possible.
Mrs. Jamison wasn’t getting any younger.
She’d been babysitting ever since Jason was born and hadn’t been a young woman then.
Even though she was only there from noon, when Caitie got home from pre-school until three-thirty when Jason got home to take over, it was getting to be too much for her.
And now that her husband was ill, she was burning the candle at both ends.
Maggie had put off calling Nick all evening. Just the thought of talking to him had her feeling anxious, and it angered her.
She really couldn’t blame Nick for wanting to be part of Jason’s life. He was a great kid, they all were, but the fact of the matter was Maggie had experienced enough heartbreak, and Nick had already proven he was an expert at that.
Maggie switched off the lights as she went upstairs, and after checking on the kids, she went into her room.
For the first time that day she began to relax.
This was by far her favorite room in the house.
Totally feminine, it was furnished in white and rose, and Maggie always felt as though she had entered a childhood dream when she walked into it.
She’d never had a room of her own before, having to share with her sisters at home and then with Jim. When they’d bought this house, Maggie had been too shy to voice her opinions, going along with whatever Jim wanted, but after the accident she indulged herself as never before.
Up came the dark carpeting and down went the hardwood floors.
She’d stripped the walls herself and now delicate flowered wallpaper covered three of them.
The king-sized bed had been replaced with a double brass one, and an antique mahogany rocker now sat next to the window.
The only things she’d left unchanged were the fireplace made of gray stone and the dark beams that ran the length of the ceiling.
The antique bureau and the night stand had been her Grandmother’s.
Digging them out of the attic and refinishing them had helped her through many sleepless nights.
Now the room was perfect. From the lace curtains to the white scatter rugs, it was a woman’s room.