26. Maggie
TWENTY-SIX
MAGGIE
I’m two days away from the wedding and I still need to figure out what I’ll be wearing to it. Hope has no opinions, and she wants me to feel comfortable. I have to be in some kind of space time continuum for that to happen.
I’ve asked her several times what she wants and everything is just chill and laid back, at least that’s what she’s telling me. I can’t read the underlying feelings though. Maybe there aren’t any.
After having a long talk with Jason, she’s been able to get past her soon-to-be mother-in-law’s negativity, which is perfect. I hope she can keep that going.
It’s time to head to The Bridal Barn. I can’t put it off anymore. To be honest, I’ll be lucky to find anything that will fit my hips on the first try. Should I have gone in when I first heard Hope was getting married? Probably. But I kept getting distracted by The Candy Jar and the scavenger hunt, along with all of the other things popping up. Duke mostly.
The outer windows of The Bridal Barn are filled with poofy ball gowns, but I hope they’ve got some more relaxed wear near the back. Owning my own business, I know that having some of the wow factor at the front window helps bring in customers.
I wander through the store, leafing through the clothing here and there when something catches my eye. I’m not sure what I really want the vibe to be. Something that looks nice but isn’t too restricting that I’ll have trouble breathing by the end of the night.
There are some interesting options. I see a coral-colored dress and pull it off the rack, taking a full view of the garment. It’s got bubble sleeves and a tighter torso while flowing out to a fuller skirt that would probably hit right above my knee. Am I willing to sport the large scar I got from a biking accident when I was ten?
It all depends on how it fits, I guess.
I take it and two other options to the fitting room. I’m not loving the pea green dress on me, even though the style accentuates my features.
The coral one, though, that’s the one. Not like I’m saying yes to a wedding dress, but sometimes it’s hard to find stuff that fits me comfortably.
The price tag is a bit much, but it’s a splurge I’m willing to take for my bestie’s wedding.
“Did you find everything you need, dear?” the woman behind the counter asks with a smile. The word dear makes me think of when Duke accidentally used it on me.
Nodding, I say, “I did, thank you. You have a beautiful store.”
The woman grins. “Thank you. It’s taken a lot to get it to this point, but we’re very proud of it. Do you have an account with us?”
I shake my head. “No, this is my first time here.”
“Well, that’s great. Welcome. Can I get your name to put on the order? That way we can look you up if anything is wrong.”
“Of course. I’m Maggie Dean.”
The woman’s mouth drops open and she reaches out to take my free hand in hers. “You’re Duke’s scavenger hunt partner. Oh, you’ve been just the best person for him. And you’re beautiful, Maggie. I’m Linda, Duke’s mom.”
Heat rises to my cheeks and I try to smile through my awkwardness. “It’s so nice to meet you, Linda.”
“You too. I’ve heard so much about you. You’re the owner of the candy shop?”
“Co-owner with my cousin. She’s getting married in two days which is why I need the dress.”
“That’s great. I really wish Duke would figure out what he wants in life.”
Something about that sends up my defenses. “I think he’s almost there. He just needs time.”
Linda nods her head a few times and then takes my card and finishes the transaction “He’s a good guy. Direction and grit to stick to something and finish it all the way through would go a long way to helping him.”
“I actually admire his ability to try out different things. I wish I’d done the same when I was younger. Not that I’m that old right now, but how do we know if we’re good at something, or will be able to put up with forty years doing the same things over and over if we don’t try it?”
Linda looks stunned. She hands me the card and receipt and says, “Well, it was nice meeting you, Maggie. Good luck at the wedding.”
I leave the building feeling nothing but guilt. Should I have said all that to Duke’s mother? I don’t know why I felt the need to protect him so badly. Maybe because he’s not what I thought he would be as a smarmy salesman. He’s just a guy wanting to find something he’s passionate about and live life to the fullest. And I can understand his frustration when everyone thinks they know what’s best for him. All he needs is a little room to breathe and a chance.
That’s all I need too.
I carry the bag outside and take in a breath of the cool air. The sky is overcast, which seems strange this summer. We’ve had mostly humid, sunny days.
“Did you find a dress for the wedding?” a familiar voice says. I do a quarter turn and see Duke walking on the other side of the boardwalk, but he’s crossing over to me, holding Champ on a leash.
I nod, wishing I could run and hide. Instead, my pulse is racing and I’m pretty sure this fresh air is contaminating my lungs.
“I did. You have Champ on a leash?”
Duke grins. “It turns out that this boy escaped from the rescue center. So he is now officially my dog.”
“You adopted him?” I ask, surprised at how quickly that happened.
“Yeah. I figured he could use a home after running wild for a week.”
I swoon a bit, which is a surprise because I have never been great with dogs.
“I’m glad my parents’ shop had something for you. What else do you have to do to get ready for the big day?”
Why is he the most curious person I’ve ever met in my life? And yet, I’m okay with it right now. I’ve missed the relaxed Duke and it seems like he’s back.
“I think this is about it. Hope hired a wedding planner for everything, so I don’t have to do much.” I stop myself before I go further. I don’t need to tell him that I need a date. Which I don’t because I fulfilled the terms of Hope’s agreement. But I also still want him there. He’s like a big comfy blanket and with him around, I would be just fine getting through the wedding and all the memories that come with it.
“That’s cool. Is she doing a centerpiece? Big bowls with goldfish in them?”
I can’t help but laugh at that. “Goldfish at a wedding?”
Duke nods. “I’ve seen it before.”
“Where?”
“At my aunt’s wedding about ten years ago.”
I blink several times, trying to process this. “She just had bowls of water and goldfish swimming around?” He nods and I laugh again. “I’d like to see that.”
“We thought it was great as kids. She let a bunch of the younger kids take them home as pets. Of course, they lasted all of five days before they were laid to rest in the sewer pipes.”
“Ew,” I say, picturing a goldfish burial ground among all the other stuff that would be down there.
We walk along in silence for a bit, and to my surprise, Duke waves to a bunch of people who’ve been walking past us.
“Yeah, sad times. My brothers didn’t like the funeral I prepared for them.”
“You would do something over the top like that,” I say, laughing.
“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing,” Duke says, giving me a feigned sad expression.
Shaking my head, I say, “No, not bad. It just seems like something you would do. Did you wear a little bow tie as you gave the eulogy?”
He frowns. “No, but that would’ve been a nice touch. Next time.”
“Goldfish at a wedding. That’s a new one,” I say, picturing it. “Hope has been planning her wedding since we were in grade school. I’m just a little nervous she’s going to regret not having some big shebang to celebrate.”
“It’s probably cheaper,” Duke says.
“True. It’s so sensible, wanting to save money to buy a house together. I’m not convinced my cousin isn’t some shapeshifter at this point.” Hope has always liked nicer things, not to the point of extravagance, but more for middle-range prices. And it feels like she’s settling. But in the end, does it matter what she spent on one day when the important part is the rest of her life with Jason?
Duke laughs but drops it once I turn to him with a glare. Holding up his hands, he says, “Sorry about that. I just liked the insight into your mind.”
I can’t help but laugh. “I don’t think anyone should do that with my brain. I’d probably end up an agoraphobe with twelve cats who communicates only through cryptic messages.”
“Sounds like you’ve thought about this a few times.”
“My parents made me see a therapist during their divorce. She said I have a very vivid imagination.” That was the truth. Have I regularly acted on my imagination? No. It’s usually just for my own enjoyment, knowing that most people would avoid me if they knew everything in my brain.
“Well, there’s nothing better in the world than a great imagination.”
“Some would disagree with you.”
Duke smiles and says, “I ran into Barnabee on the way out of the vet clinic. They’re going to award the prizes tonight.”
“For the scavenger hunt? I hadn’t heard that.” Probably because I had muted the notifications for the app once we finished a few days ago. I know it’s a newer app, but I don’t need to know every time someone posts, likes, shares or comments. Times that by what feels like thousands of people because of all the tasks, and I’d never hear the end of the pinging.
“I’ll pick you up at The Candy Jar and we can walk over?” Duke asks, looking hopeful.
“Sure. Have you decided what to do with the office yet?”
He shakes his head. “I’ve been brainstorming ideas, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. If I don’t come up with something soon, I’ll have to hope that someone will come take over my lease.”
“What about Troy? Have you talked to him yet?” I ask.
“I feel like I need a good business plan set up before I approach him.”
I smile and say, “That’s a great idea. Maybe show the small things you would change and how it would impact the business.”
Duke nods. “Yeah, something tangible. I’ve got to head out but I’ll be by later to pick you up.”
Duke waves and Champ barks his goodbye. I might watch them for a bit too long before heading toward the store. I don’t know what will happen from here on out, but I’m liking this casual friendship we have going on. It’s a big step from where we were when the scavenger hunt began. Will that be enough for the future?