32. Duke
THIRTY-TWO
DUKE
The ceremony goes off without a hitch. The mansion has been decorated in all the glitz and glam that my mom described, but my eyes are really only for a certain woman in a salmon-colored dress.
Was I surprised when my mother handed me a matching tie after I said I needed something for a wedding and that I was going with Maggie? No, the woman is a mastermind at making sure all the details are right.
And now we’re sitting down at the reception. I didn’t think about being at the table front and center when I agreed to come to this thing. Then again, I’m still blown away that something of this magnitude was able to happen in only four weeks. That Dallas woman should get a large bonus.
We’re served the salad and I’m trying to listen into the conversation Maggie is having with her mother at our table. Did the woman shake my hand too long and say that she hopes to see me again at another family event? Yes, she did. And I thought Maggie would die of embarrassment next to me.
“You should really think about coming back to Virginia, Magnolia. There’s a lot going on right now and I miss our coffee dates.” Did Victoria Dean just pout?
“Things are going really well here, Mom. The store is booming and we’ve had to hire a couple of people to help us run it.”
Her mother sighs and says, “But at some point it’s time to stop living the childhood dream of opening up a lemonade stand and do something with your life.”
Maggie’s breathing changes, and I can tell she’s trying to figure out what to say next.
“This isn’t a lemonade stand,” I say, after chewing a few bites of salad. “The Candy Jar is well run and a lot of people love going in there. I know a guy who goes in every day to try a new flavor of ice cream.”
I turn and wink at Maggie, who gives me a grateful smile.
“But you’ll have to be there forever, tied to the business. How will you get to venture out and do things? What about when you get married and have a family?”
“One thing at a time, Mom.”
“What about your father’s business? It would be great to keep it in the family.”
“Then ask Brandon to come back and take it over. I don’t want anything to do with the accounting firm. I can use my skills where I am,” Maggie says, stabbing at the leaves of lettuce on her plate.
Never have I been more grateful to be next to Maggie before. Sure, this family means well, but they’re like vultures about telling people what to do.
I’d heard one of the aunts giving her teenage son a pep talk and I was pretty sure I would run away and become a street performer with that kind of “motivation.”
“It’s something to think about.” The words were like Victoria’s last attempt to get her opinion in.
“What about you, Duke?” I didn’t expect her to start interrogating me.
“What about me?” I ask, using the napkin to wipe my mouth while waiting for her next question. My tongue is kind of itchy and I can’t figure out why. This seems to be a basic salad.
“What do you do for a living?”
Blowing out a breath, I prepare myself to see the change in demeanor that usually happens when someone finds out that I still don’t have a definite plan at twenty-seven. Am I taking steps to start up the doggy wash? Yeah, but that won’t be finished for another month when Beck has time to help me transform the space with plumbing and everything. I’ll also be helping out at the card shop part-time, which will give Troy and his wife the chance to get away sometimes. I don’t think I’m ready to take over the shop, but I’m willing to learn from the card master.
“I’m currently between jobs,” I say, not wanting to give Victoria the satisfaction of anything from me.
And there it is, the quick expression of disgust masked with a fake smile. “That’s nice. It looks like Maggie’s track record still stands.”
I stand up, furious at how this woman is talking about and to her daughter. “Are you serious right now?” I say, trying to clear my throat for a moment. Something is wrong and I can’t figure out what it is. There isn’t any fish in the salad that I can see.
It takes a moment for me to focus back on Victoria. “Your daughter is one of the most incredible people I know. She’s been able to take lemons and make lemonade candy out of her life, which I think is amazing. And to find out that she was able to do it all without the support of her family, that’s something that puts her on an even higher pedestal for me. Magnolia Dean is someone a guy like me can only ever hope to be with.”
I have to stop again, doing my best to breathe in any air possible. I turn to Maggie and say, “Does this have some kind of fish oil in it?”
Maggie looks worried, reaching up to touch my face. “You’re swelling up like a balloon. Are you allergic to fish?”
I can only nod now, my tongue the size of my whole mouth. Of all the places to have an allergic reaction, I wish it hadn’t been Hope’s reception.
“Do you have an EpiPen?” Maggie asks.
I nod, but again can’t answer. I pull the keys to my car out of my pocket and then make a motion that I hope she’ll understand is the glove compartment. Maggie takes the keys and disappears through the door. I’m not sure how long it is before she gets back, but I’m so sleepy and ready for bed at this point.
There’s the shot to my leg and then I can breathe a bit easier, although it will take a bit for the swelling to go down.
“Let’s get you to the hospital,” Maggie says, guiding me out of the room. I try to dig in my heels to stay for her cousin’s reception, but she’s surprisingly strong.
She makes me get into the passenger seat and then gets behind the wheel, having to pull the seat up almost to the shortest it will go.
“Are you going to be okay?” she asks with panic in her eyes.
I nod, and lean back in the seat, closing my eyes. Next thing I know, we’re at the hospital. They take me in and check my vitals before giving me some more medicine that helps release the tightness in my face.
“Thank you,” I say around a slightly less fat tongue.
“Of course,” Maggie says. “I can’t believe I didn’t put it together before about the Rusty Crab and you not wanting sushi. Why didn’t you tell me?”
I shrug. “I didn’t want to end the morning once we got that task. I survived it and here we are.”
Shaking her head, Maggie says, “Why wouldn’t you want to end the morning?”
“Because from the minute I heard you talk about your ice cream theory personality test, I’ve been intrigued by you, Maggie. I feel like you have a perspective on life that not many people understand. H aving fun and connecting with you is something I look forward to every day. I really like you.”
There it is. All the emotions out there for her to stomp on or accept.
“You like me?” Maggie says, pointing between us.
I nod, wondering why she sounds like she’s about to break my heart.
“Even though I’ve been spiteful and rude because of your former job?” she asks.
“Yes.”
She walks closer, and I’m not sure what she’s about to say. I can normally read her expression, but right now she’s doing a great job of hiding what she’s feeling.
“I like you too, Duke Jacobson.”
I’m excited about that, until a thought pops into my mind. “Would you like me if I still sold timeshares?”
She gives me a light chuckle before saying, “It’s pretty hard to not like someone for who they are on the inside. You’ve shown me that just because you try something, it doesn’t always mean it’s going to change you completely. And from the few times I saw you interacting with your customers, I knew you weren’t like the guys who swindled my grandma.”
I laugh a bit. “Good to know.”
We wait to get the discharge papers. Maggie calls my mom with my phone to let her know what happened, and they stay on the phone for at least ten minutes.
Once I’m free to go, I reach out my hand and intertwine my fingers with hers. Nothing in my life has felt as right as this moment does.
“Any other allergies I should know about?” Maggie asks, giving me a more somber look.
“None that I can think of.”
“Good, because I like most surprises, but when I thought I was going to lose you because of a salad, well, I don’t want to go through that again.”
“You were worried about losing me?” I say with a silly grin.
“Maybe,” Maggie says.
I stop her just outside the hospital. There aren’t many people out right now and while this isn’t the most romantic place for a first kiss, I’ve been dying to show her my gratitude for saving my life.
I reach up and cup her face in my hands, pulling her close to me. When our lips brush, it’s like a spark that begins a wildfire, spreading throughout my body. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me closer, deepening the kiss.
Could this have been a dream? Then again, would I have had an allergic reaction in my dream? I would hope not.
We’re like that for a few more moments, until we get some catcalls and pull apart.
Her face is flushed and I can’t stop grinning.
“So, Dean, I have a very important question for you,” I say.
There’s a flicker of panic in her eyes and then she says, “Okay. What is it?”
“We’ve been through a lot in the past few weeks. You’re one of the most creative people I know, even though you claim to not have those abilities. You’re adventurous and fun. And I would love nothing more than if you’d be my girlfriend.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long moment, and I’m panicking. Maybe after the first kiss was too soon to make that leap?
“Duke, I was snappy and not always the best version of myself around you. I even tried to hide from you on a few occasions. But you’ve taught me a lot about life and having a dream, even if it isn’t perfect. Thank you for that.”
She leans up to kiss me again and while I would be okay if we just kept kissing, I also would love an answer to my question about leveling up our relationship.
I pull back, trying to ask the question again with my expression, because I don’t think I can speak until I hear what she says.
“Oh, yeah. Of course I’ll be your girlfriend.”
I pick her up and spin her around, before settling down for another kiss. Now I get the appeal of the PDA thing between my friends and their girlfriends.
“What do you say we go get some food at Witty’s Diner? I hear they have enough syrup to float a boat.”
Maggie gives me a fake frown before slugging me on the shoulder again. “Syrup is the key to good pancakes.”
“I don’t disagree.”
“Duke?”
“Yeah, Maggie?”
“You’re a level ten in my book.”
I grin and say, “I thought that was only for the special ice cream choosers.”
“It’s all subjective. The fact that you tried so many kinds and you put up with my weird quirks, makes you completely deserving of a ten.”
This woman is incredible. She isn’t scared that I don’t have a set plan to my life. In fact, she accepts me for it. I’ve never been as confident in the future as I am right now.
“Where should we take our first trip?” Maggie says with a smile. “Maybe drive up the coast a bit?”
“With you, Maggie Dean, every day will be a break from the mundane.” I lift our clasped hands and kiss the back of hers. I didn’t think the pieces of my life would ever line up like this, but I can’t help but grin. The two of us have made a few deals in the past several weeks, but this one is the best of all.