Chapter Ten
“Do you see how he looks at her?” Rosie exclaimed, peering through her binoculars from where she, Lou, and the other three Butterflies sat in one of the Harveys’ side-by-sides.
She’d called an emergency Butterfly gathering the moment she’d realized the couple were Christmas tree hunting.
Lou hadn’t been crazy about joining them or about being squished in the middle of Rosie and Claudia, but rather than wait on them to return to the café, he’d tagged along.
Gripping hold of the steering wheel of the gas-powered all-terrain vehicle, Maybelle snorted, then checked out the couple with her own high-powered binoculars. “What about how Maggie looks at him?”
“Like he’s dipped in chocolate! And no wonder. He is a handsome thing.” Rosie fluttered her lashes at her husband. “Reminds me of someone else I know.”
Maybelle rolled her eyes at her lifelong friend. “I don’t think it’s his looks that impresses Maggie. She’s a beautiful woman. She’s seen handsome before. It’s Walker’s heart that keeps surprising her.”
“Whatever it is surprising her, that young man just missed a golden opportunity!” Ruby fussed from where she sat in the backseat with her own set of binoculars.
“Why did he stick his hands in his pocket instead of reaching for her hand? Or better yet, he should have leaned in, caressed her face, and—” Ruby sighed with romantic fondness.
“I’m going to have to talk to him. Or better yet, have my Charlie give him some dating advice. ”
Lou eyed them. “This is what you ladies get up to while I’m at the diner? Maybe I should have had another coffee at the café.”
All four women giggled.
“You could talk to Walker, honey,” Rosie told him, leaning against him. “When he comes by the diner, drop a few hints on how he can up his Maggie game.”
Lou shook his head. “No way am I getting involved in your matchmaking shenanigans.”
“I thought you liked my matchmaking shenanigans.” Rosie kissed his cheek.
Lou’s face turned a bright red. “Uh, well, yeah. Do y’all need me to drive? Being squished between y’all in the backseat of this thing isn’t good for my masculinity.”
“There isn’t a thing wrong with your masculinity, darlin’,” Rosie assured, waggling her brows.
From the front seat, Maybelle made a gagging sound. Claudia and Ruby laughed.
Continuing to watch the couple through her binoculars, Maybelle listened to her friends whisper back and forth. After watching for a few more minutes, she tsked at Rosie. “You called an emergency Butterfly gathering so we could spy on Walker and Maggie?”
“If ever a couple needed our help, they do. I think it’s time to pull out the big guns and bake some of my grandmother’s cinnamon bread and force feed them both.”
Maybelle arched a brow, then drily asked, “Does it work if they’re force-fed? Because I’m not seeing those two willingly partaking in supposed love potion bread.”
Rosie shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. No one has ever had to be force-fed. One whiff of that cinnamon goodness and he or she just can’t resist.”
“Except my Charlie,” Ruby reminded, smoothing out the heavy blanket she’d tossed over her lap before they’d taken off on their adventure.
This time it was Rosie who rolled her eyes. “I’m not even sure my grandmother’s cinnamon bread is necessary. I’m positive Maggie likes Walker back. She stares at him when he’s not looking and is falling whether she wants to or not.”
“Agreed, but that doesn’t mean she’s the right girl for our Walker,” Maybelle countered, not sounding as if she approved.
The other three Butterflies gawked at her. “What?”
“Why, Maybelle Kirby! You’re sweet on Walker,” Rosie accused. “Imagine an old bat like you thinking you’d have a chance with a sweet young’un like him.”
Scoffing, Maybelle shook her head at Rosie’s jibe. “I’m old enough to be his grandma, if not his great-grandma. I am not sweet on Walker.”
Getting a headache, Lou massaged his temple.
“Not romantically,” Rosie clarified with an amused snort. “I didn’t mean that. But you are soft where he’s concerned.”
Maybelle considered. “He’s a divorced single dad. I think we have to be careful with our matchmaking. We have Zoie to consider. Maggie comes across as a tortured soul. There’s a lot of darkness and pain within her. I’m not sure she’s right for mothering Zoie.”
“You saw her in church this morning,” Claudia reminded, sounding empathetic. “Zoie looked so at peace in Maggie’s arms. I think with a little practice, Maggie is exactly the right one for mothering Zoie.”
Maybelle didn’t respond.
“I’ll admit that I noticed Maggie holding Zoie too,” Ruby added. “They looked sweet together.”
“Maggie isn’t planning to stay in Pine Hill,” Maybelle reminded.
The other three Butterflies snorted in unison. “When has that ever stopped us when love needed a little help?”
Still rubbing his temples, Lou began humming an old Conway Twitty tune.
“This time is more complicated. Walker is different. Maggie’s different. There’s more to her than meets the eye,” Maybelle pointed out. “We have to be careful with what we do.”
“You’re right, of course,” Claudia agreed, appearing concerned as she took another glance at the couple who were walking around a particularly nice-looking tree. “Maybe we should give it more time before interfering.”
“Maybe,” Maybelle conceded.
There were things she wanted to know about Maggie prior to giving her complete nod of approval. Maggie carried guilt that Maybelle had seen in veterans before, but there was something more, something deeper, darker, that she couldn’t put her finger on.
Until she could, she couldn’t wholeheartedly play Christmas cupid where Walker and Maggie were concerned.
“I ran a background check when Maggie first arrived at Sarah’s, of course.
No criminal record. She went straight into the military after high school and was discharged eighteen months ago after being involved in a helicopter accident. ”
The other three women fell silent, then went back to watching the couple.
“Looks as if they’ve found their tree,” Claudia pointed out when Walker tied a ribbon to a limb, then made a phone call. Soon, Cliff Davis or one of the other workers would be there to get the tree for them.
Lou cleared his throat. “We should be going before they spot us up here watching them.”
“They won’t think too much of it if they see us. They know I’m here with you.” Rosie gave his arm a reassuring pat.
“Which wouldn’t explain why you’re suddenly also with the three of us,” Maybelle reminded. “We need to head back. We don’t want to risk upsetting them and possibly affecting how they judge us in the next round of the Grandma Games.”
“They wouldn’t!” Ruby insisted. “Walker is much too honorable a person to do such a thing, and I get the impression Maggie holds herself to a high standard too.”
“They might.” Rosie looked thoughtful as she tapped a gloved finger against her cheek. “As much as it pains me to admit it, Maybelle’s right. Although we all like Maggie, we don’t know enough about her to be sure she’s the one for Walker. Not yet.”
“Then it’s high time we find out,” Ruby said.
Maybelle agreed. They needed to know more about Maggie Majors and what her real story was. She knew just the man to find out for her, too.
*
With Ben’s help, Walker got the tree situated in the living room.
Amy and Ben trimmed a few stray branches while Walker fed Zoie dinner.
He wasn’t crazy about having Ben there but getting the tree inside without his pal’s help wouldn’t have been easy.
Maggie had stayed in the living room, sitting on the floor, where she’d been untangling the light strings when he’d taken Zoie to the kitchen.
He’d invited her to join him but had been partially glad she’d stayed where she was to keep Ben and Amy from being alone.
After he’d cleaned up Zoie from her self-feeding of peas, tiny bits of chicken, and strawberries and carried her back to the living area, he surveyed what they’d gotten done.
Amy and Ben had strung colored lights that blinked from top to bottom around the tree and they were admiring their handiwork.
“Nice.” He set Zoie on the floor, handing her a toy. Going to where he’d placed Maggie’s two snowflake ornaments on an end table, he picked them up. “You should put on these two.”
“First?” From where she sat, Maggie’s eyes widened. “Surely, there’s some other ornament that should be first.”
He held them out. “There’s not. Go ahead. You’re our guest.”
She took the snowflakes and stared at the tree. “Where would you like me to put them?”
“Wherever you want to. Just pick a spot.” Anywhere on the tree was fair game.
Walker didn’t have that many ornaments, just a container that had been his parents and the ones Janie B had given to Amy. He wasn’t in a rush to buy more as he figured within a few years the tree would be full of precious handmade-by-Zoie additions.
“How about you help her pick a spot so I can take a picture?” Amy suggested from where she snapped a lid off the bin of their parents’ decorations. Ben stood next to her.
Walker looked to Maggie, and she seemed okay with Amy’s suggestion. Taking her hand, he guided it to about eye level on the tree. “This looks like a good place for a snowflake.”
“Oh, that’s perfect. Hold that pose and smile,” Amy ordered from where she’d pulled out her cellphone and clicked her camera icon.
Walker had no issue with his sister’s request. Holding Maggie’s hand felt right and like something that was going to be difficult to let go of. She seemed okay with it, even smiling when Amy told them to say, Frosty the Snowman!
Amy took another shot, then said, “Now, one with Zoie, too.”
Happy with her full tummy, Zoie sat on the floor, examining a plastic Christmas ball-shaped ornament that she’d ditched her toy for. Hearing her name, she glanced up.
Amy captured the moment. “Sweet girl.”