Grace: Oh I know that one. It’s not super fancy. Show me what you got.
Grace: And who asked you out?? Spill!
Maggie: Well, I kinda asked him out but not really? I had turned him down but changed my mind and asked if the invitation was still open.
Grace: That’s adorable, but it doesn’t answer my question.
Maggie: It’s Luke
Grace: I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMETHING BETWEEN YOU TWO!
Maggie: [blushing emoji]
Grace: This is so exciting! Okay let’s see what you have to work with.
Maggie pulled her limited wardrobe out and spread it over the bed. She’d been meaning to hunt down a thrift store or something, but hadn’t got to it yet. Nothing remotely date-worthy had made the cut when she ran. She never would have believed she’d accept a date from another man, so it hadn’t been a priority.
Grace: Girl, we need to go shopping.
Maggie: Ha! In a couple of paychecks.
Grace: Come over tomorrow and you can borrow something.
Maggie agreed and set an alarm for the next morning. Then she pulled her uniform shirt off over her head and stripped down. She gazed sadly at her boring beige bra. Cute bras in larger sizes weren’t only difficult to find, they were usuallyexpensive. But she wished she had something sexy to wear under her outfit tomorrow.
She hadn’t dressed up for Sean in years, a fact he often bemoaned. But anytime she got dressed up when they went out, he got insanely jealous. And a jealous Sean was dangerous.
Would Luke be the same? Maggie thought about it while she scrubbed her day away. She’d never thought Sean would get that way, but when she thought back on it, there had been warning signs early on. Signs she ignored, or mistook for love.
She couldn’t quite put her finger on why, but she didn’t get the same feeling from Luke. But she reminded herself as she toweled off, she was smarter now. She wouldn’t let herself get caught up in the cycle again.
The next day, Maggie walked into Too Sweet a few minutes before closing to see Bobby behind the counter.
“Hi, Maggie. What can I get you?”
“I’m actually here to see Grace. We have plans.”
“Maggie! Fancy meeting you here!” Maggie rolled her eyes as she turned around. Kirk sat at a table in Too Sweet, a cup of coffee and an empty plate in front of him. He lifted out of the chair and strode over. She sighed. This guy just kept popping up like a weed.
“Hello, Kirk.”
“What’s new?”
“I have plans with Grace.” Hadn’t he been paying attention? Lord save her from inattentive men.
“What are you gals up to?”
“She’s helping me with something.” It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that it was a date with another man, but that was just too mean.
“Are you still staying with Virginia? I’d love to see you again.”
Thank God for Bobby. “Hey mister, we’re closing in five minutes.”
Kirk raised his hands in defense. “No worries, I’ll be out of here.” To Maggie, he said, “Can I get your number?”
“I-I’m in a rush, Kirk.” She turned back to Bobby. “Can you let Grace know I’m here?”
“Sure thing.” Bobby leaned back through the door to the kitchen and called for his boss. “Maggie’s here!”
