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“Thank you, Mae. Hey, talk to me later if you want me to take a look at the espresso machine. I have a converter coil I could install that’ll make it ten times easier to clean.”
“Done. Now, shoo. Go save Deer Creek from itself.”
Maggie worked the next two hours on making a list of equipment the ranchers in Travis County needed to upgrade. Artificial inseminators, seeders and balers, fertilizer spreaders—the list ran the gamut.
It wasn’t just work, though. People were coming in to talk to her and order from Mae, but they weren’t leaving. By lunch it was a party. Mae put on some music, and Deer Creek residents talked about ranching, what their kids were up to that summer, and who needed part-time help over the breeding season.
Maggie’s stomach and chest tightened as she watched on.
“Hey, Margaret! If you’ve got time this week, you should come by for some pie and homemade citrus wine. We have a few friends over every equinox to celebrate and would love for you to join us,” Tim O’Malley said, bringing her an oatmeal chocolate-chip cookie.
The tightening in her chest squeezed her heart. Friends. She didn’t have many of those.
“Sounds great, thanks.”
An hour later, Mae came over with a four-cheese grilled cheese and dropped it off in front of Maggie.
“Maggie, hon, you’re a saint.”
“Things are going well, I take it?” Maggie grinned.
“They are. I’ve already sold more than the past week combined.”
“Oh, I’m so glad. Maybe we should do this once a month. Like a Deer Creek information swap. People could bring in their wares, sell the candles and things they make, maybe even combine it with the town hall meetings.”
“Your beautiful brain never turns off, does it?”
“A byproduct of living in the city, I’m afraid.” And she’d learned from experience if her brain was engaged, her heart tended to quiet down.
Mae kissed her on the forehead, and the warmth radiated through Maggie’s limbs.
“Well, take a break when you can and eat. You must be ravenous, all that talking and schmoozing.”
Maggie laughed and patted her stomach that, unbeknown to Mae, was filled with one and a half scones, three-quarters of a cookie, and three mugs of tea—all gifts brought to her by the people milling about the restaurant. If Maggie needed anything, it was a long run.
“Will do, Mae.”
Mae bestowed one more kiss on top of Maggie’s head before she hurried back to the counter to feed more of Deer Creek.
Maggie picked at the sandwich while she worked with three of the last ranching families in the line. After tucking away her paperwork, she stood, stretching. Her ankle enjoyed the respite of being in a chair all day, but the rest of her cracked and ached like she’d lost a bet with Gus, the bull.
She closed her eyes and let the murmur of voices wash over her. Pride welled up in her chest, pushing away the tightness. She was partially responsible for the laughter and joy filling the room.
“You’re not leaving, are you?” a voice asked, cutting through the rest of the noise in the room.
Maggie’s eyes shot open. “Bennett.” Her eyes adjusted to the height and strength of the man before her. How was he so unlike every other person here? He had to be more Greek myth than ordinary Deer Creek human.
He smiled and tipped his hat and okay, maybe it did still have a small effect on her. “Yes, ma’am.”
“What’re you doing here?”
“Well, like the rest of the county, I’m here to enlist the services of the incomparable Maggie Newman and her Steel Born engineering.” His smile was wide as the Rio Grande and about as transparent.
“No need to tease. I’ve actually done a lot of work today.”
“I know, and I’m dead serious. You and I need to talk about that contract you haven’t signed. I figured, busy rancher like you, I should come to you.”
“You’ve been here all day?” she asked. Her stomach flipped over on itself, which in its current over-full state was uncomfortable.
