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“But you should make me apologize properly,” Ian told her.
“You seemed to be having trouble getting it out, though. I just wanted to help you.”
“Help. Me.” Ian sighed. “Maggie, you’re being too sweet.”
“I am? Is that a bad thing?”
“Not as long as you have someone to protect your soft spot,” Ian said gently. “And make sure that you aren’t taken advantage of.”
But she didn’t have anyone to do that. So what did that mean?
Jack placed his hand on the small of her back and she leaned into it slightly.
“What I said yesterday. . . I didn’t mean it. I was rude. I was in a bad mood and . . . I was a complete and total dickhead.”
“It’s really big of you to acknowledge and recognize that about yourself. You were definitely a diddlewombat.”
“Right,” he said, looking somewhat confused. “Definitely. So you’ll forgive me?”
“Yes, of course. I already said I would. I do . . . I mean . . . I work hard for my uncle. And I’m not trying to take advantage of him or anything.”
Ian’s face dropped. “Oh, Little Misfit, I know that. Like I said, I was a complete diddlewombat. From now on, I’m going to try very hard to think before I speak.”
But then he wouldn’t be Ian, would he? So she didn’t know about that.
However, she nodded since he seemed to need it.
“All right. Thanks. And, um, thanks for leaving food out for me.”
He frowned. “You didn’t eat it.”
She waited for him to bark at her that she needed to eat and to come with him now so he could ensure that she did.
But he grimaced. “I guess you weren’t hungry.”
Okay. Maybe he really was trying to be less, uh, domineering. Though it was weird.
“I need to go check on the perimeter,” Ian said. “Jack, are you coming?”
“Nope,” Jack replied.
She gave him a surprised look at the abrupt reply. Ian didn’t look pleased, either, but he turned around and left.
“Do you want to do some meditation?” she asked Jack.
“Sure. But first . . . I wanted to ask you on a date?”
Okay. That was not what she was expecting. She gaped at him. “A date?”
“Yep. There’s an ice skating rink that was built about three months ago. I thought we could go ice skating. I know you were a really good ice skater.”
Panic seized her. She couldn’t breathe. She shook her head, her heart racing. There was no way . . . no way she could do that.
“Maggie? Are you all right?” Jack reached for her, concern filling his face.
But she stumbled back. She couldn’t have him touch her right now. She knew she’d lose it.
“I can’t . . . I can’t . . . I’m sorry.” Turning, she raced down the stairs, ignoring the way her hip protested the movement after all the walking she’d done in the last two days.
