Chapter Eight #2
Maggie quirked a brow. “As compared to a nice soup and sandwich?”
His lips twitched. “Are you making fun of me, princess?”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “You’re never going to let me live that outfit down, are you?”
“It’s not every day a man meets someone dressed as a princess and so perfectly looking the part.”
“You were dressed up as a princess?” Joshua asked, glancing their way.
Walker sighed. He kept trying to forget that the guy was there. Reality was, he’d liked the guy just fine until he’d found out Joshua was a judge too.
“It was a Halloween party,” Maggie clarified. “Everyone was dressed as something. I just had the misfortune of being in a floofy dress.”
“For the record, you rocked that dress and crown,” Walker assured. “The shoes could have used an upgrade, though.”
Maggie wrinkled her nose at him, then returned her attention to the gingerbread house float sponsored by a home mortgage company that was now directly in front of them.
“I had to make a house call that night and missed the Lewis’s Halloween party completely,” Joshua told Maggie. “I’m sorry I missed seeing you in that floofy dress, though.”
Walker’s throat made a growly sound, and it must have been loud enough for Maggie to hear because she frowned at him.
“Harvey Farms is doing sleigh rides tonight,” he told her. With working there, she probably already knew about the sleigh rides, too, but he continued. “Apparently, they have them at the festival each year.”
Letting his subject change ride, Maggie nodded. “Starting next week, they’ll be offering them at the farm several nights a week leading up to Christmas too.”
“That’s awesome that they do that.” He watched the gingerbread float pass by and made a note on his paper. “Maybe I’ll bring Zoie. I’ve never been on a sleigh ride. Have you?”
“Sleighs have never been my choice for flying through the sky,” she answered without glancing his way.
“You have a preference for flying through the sky?”
“Helicopter.” Her answer was immediate to where he knew it wasn’t a random response.
“Helicopter?” Joshua asked, reminding Walker that the other man was there, listening in on their conversation. “That’s an odd choice.”
“He asked my preference, and I gave it to him.”
Walker could tell she regretted giving an answer and was growing defensive. He’d liked that she’d given glimpses of herself and didn’t want her clamming up. “I’ve only ridden in a helicopter when I did wildfire training.”
Her gaze cut to him. “You’re trained for wildfires?”
“It was before Zoie.” Taking the training hadn’t been a total loss. He was a better fireman because of it. Plus, he’d met Andrew and learned about Pine Hill’s existence. “With being a single dad, going off to fight wildfires felt selfish.”
“Not many would call being willing to go out into an out-of-control burning forest as selfish.”
“Agreed,” Joshua piped up. “That’s a dangerous profession.”
“It is, but I don’t know what else to call it if I had when I’d be risking leaving Zoie without a parent.
” Amy would take care of her, but he’d rather not put his sister or daughter in that position.
“As much as I once dreamed of becoming a hot shot, that changed the moment I found out I was going to be a father. Now, my dream is to give Zoie a loving environment to grow up in. That’s why we’re in Pine Hill. ”
Maggie considered his response. “You’re a good father, Walker.”
His chest swelled at her sincere praise.
Being a good father was his number one life goal and would be the most important thing he ever did.
He’d probably mess up more often than he’d succeed, but he’d do his best. “I’m barely started and know I’ve a lot to learn.
Now, tell me why helicopters are your favorite way to fly. ”
“About these sleigh rides, are they over snow? Around this place, one never knows. I wouldn’t put it past Pine Hill to have snowblowers set up around town just so they could go dashing through the snow.”
“I could see that happening,” he agreed, wondering at her change of subject. His question seemed a simple generic one. “Although, I’m told, it ended up snowing for real, Rosie hired snow machines for her wedding. Maybe she got a repeat customer discount for their float.”
Maggie’s brow quirked, but her gaze had gone back to the parade. They watched as another float went by. There were only a few more floats on the list Sarah had given them earlier. Maggie would likely ditch him soon after the parade.
“So, you said they’re not your preferred way of flying, but have you ever been on a sleigh ride, Maggie?”
“No.” She shook her head, then nodded her approval at the next float. “That’s a good idea.”
Paw Parties had paired with the local animal shelter to sponsor a dog adoption float.
Volunteers from the local high school were on the float, each wore a T-shirt with an animal and stats about it.
A few walked beside the float with dogs on leashes that were up for adoption.
The crowd oohed and aahed as they passed by.
“You mentioned getting Zoie a dog. Here’s your chance.”
“I’m not ready to take on caring for a dog on top of a one-year-old. Not when I pull twenty-four-hour shifts and Amy would be caring for both while I’m at work.”
When the parade ended, he scored the floats, then handed the tallies to Sarah who’d joined them on the stage, Jeannie in tow wearing a hat with reindeer antlers. Joshua and Maggie turned in their sheets too.
“Guys, you all picked the same number one float!” Sarah beamed, which meant the Bells-a-Ringing Butterflies had won for the best float. Beating a float that manufactured its own snow would have been difficult.
The Hallelujah HoneyBs took second and the gingerbread house got third.
“For the record, all three of you rated the HoneyBs’ float at third, as well,” Sarah continued. “Just that your second, fourth, and fifth places were all different to where the HoneyBs’ had more overall points than the other floats.”
“Good to know that I judged the same as the others.” Walker had truly done his best to judge fairly. “Whose float did you like second best?” he asked Maggie.
She glanced at Sarah as if asking permission to share her rankings. Sarah nodded. “The gingerbread house was my second pick. You?”
“The Christmas Cruisers. Those bikes were great.”
“I chose the animals for second place,” Joshua added, which was fitting with his being a veterinarian. The idea had been great.
Sarah gave the emcee the winners list and cheers went out as he announced the winners.
“I’ve got to check in with the guys.” Technically, even though he had Chief’s blessing to fulfill his Christmas festival judge duties, Walker was still on the fire department’s clock.
Maggie gave him a why are you telling me this look.
“Maggie, would you like to go look at the animals up for adoption?” That came from Joshua. Walker resisted the urge to bare his teeth. The man might offer him a rabies vaccination.
“I’m staying with Sarah and Bodie. I can’t adopt an animal.”
“I’m not adopting an animal, either,” Joshua assured. “But we can look. Plus, I’m going to offer a free initial checkup to everyone who adopts one of the animals tonight.”
“That’s a nice thing to do. I can for a few minutes, then I’m helping Sarah in the Quilts of Valor Foundation booth.” Maggie’s expression softened.
Walker’s did not. Watching Maggie walk off, chatting with the veterinarian, didn’t help.
“You like her, don’t you?”
Turning to Sarah, Walker nodded. There was no reason to lie, not to himself or to Sarah. “She doesn’t talk a lot, but when she does, she’s interesting.”
Sarah smiled at his answer. “That she is. I know most of the time, she doesn’t really want to do the things I ask of her, yet she almost always says yes.”
“Maybe she just wants to be helpful.”
“She does. More so than she realizes, I think.” Sarah pinned him with her gaze. “Is she really helping you decorate tomorrow afternoon?”
Neither of them had mentioned the decorating, not with Joshua there listening. “She said she was so, I think so.” Because he couldn’t tell Sarah that he suspected Maggie would wiggle out of doing so if she could figure out an easy out. “I want her to.”
“Do you want me to talk to her?” Sarah offered, which meant Maggie’s hostess approved. “It can’t hurt for her to know that I’m on your side.”
“Thanks, but I think we’re good. Maggie is who suggested she come help,” he reminded.
“I’d prefer her not be pressured into spending time with me if she doesn’t want to.
She may already feel that way with the contest. Besides, I shouldn’t get attached to someone who isn’t going to be sticking around. ”
He needed to have that playing on repeat in his head.
Maggie was only in Pine Hill temporarily.
Just like with his ex-wife, she wouldn’t be sticking around.
But at least with Maggie, he knew that from the beginning and it wouldn’t be because Maggie had dumped him for her ex.
From the way she’d reacted when briefly mentioning the guy, Maggie’s ex had hurt her badly.
That he understood all too well.
*
Early Sunday morning when Maggie came back into the house from her ritual of watching the sun come up from the garden area, Sarah was already in the kitchen, making a feast for her bed and breakfast guests.
“You’re earlier than usual,” Maggie pointed out. “I should have come inside to help.”
“I appreciate you being so helpful, but you aren’t expected to work twenty-four-seven, Maggie.” Sarah removed a perfectly shaped pancake from the griddle and added it to a plate. “But if you want to help, wash your hands, put on that adorable Rudolph apron you like so much.”
Maggie didn’t like the apron, and Sarah knew she didn’t. Now, on top of not liking it, she was reminded of Walker having seen her in it, every time she put on the apron.