Page 9 of Maggie’s Match

Since Maggie had been there, there had been honey in almost everything she’d eaten. It was also helpful for her baking, and she and Becca had come up with a few recipes that would utilize the local liquid gold.

Taking another sip of beer, she strolled through the green trees, ducking under a few branches. She lost track of time, daydreaming about being with Rick. Of that first kiss ten years ago in his truck in her driveway.

She’d fumbled, not knowing what to do, how to react to his passion. For days after, she’d assumed he’d kissed her to get back at Amber for cheating on him. She was positive that she’d see them holding hands in the school hallways in the following days.

Instead, that next Monday, she’d found him leaning against her locker, waiting for her.

“There you are,” he’d said. He’d smiled at her, and her knees had gone weak.

Then he’d shocked her by reaching up and running a finger down her long braid. She’d glanced around and had quickly discouraged him from showing affection towards her. After all, she’d been on the end of verbal attacks from Amber and her cronies many times before. She did not need to give the popular girls another reason to pick on her.

Thankfully, he’d agreed to keep their relationship a secret. Somehow, that had made it even more exciting.

They’d found plenty of places in the school to meet up and kiss between classes. For school dances, they’d each gone stag and had only taken photos of themselves together with their phones.

Sneaking around was one of the biggest turn-ons they’d had.

The first time they’d had sex, it had been at Saddleback in the barn. She’d gone out there to take a horseback ride with Emma and Laura. After the ride, she’d told her friends that she was going to wait for her parents to pick her up while they went into the house for dinner.

Ricky had texted her to meet him in the barn loft and had surprised her with a picnic dinner and a blanket on the hay. She’d been happily surprised at how easy it was being with him.

Sex with Rick had been the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Then he’d graduated a few months later and she’d been lonelier than she’d ever been before him. Somehow, he’d ruined her.

She hadn’t struggled with sadness before him, but after he left, the depression filled her every pore. The only thing that seemed to help level her emotions was baking.

She took the last sip of her beer and squealed as she walked directly through a spider web. She flailed about as she coughed up her last swig of beer and gasped when strong hands wrapped around her waist and held her.

“Let me,” Rick said in a low tone.

She stilled and closed her eyes as he gently dislodged the sticky invisible lines from her face and hair, as thoughts of a massive spider crawling through her hair played in her head.

“There’s no spider,” he said in a calm voice. “You’re clear.”

She took a deep breath and tried to shake off the thoughts. Then she opened her eyes and realized just how close he was to her.

For a split second, she swayed towards him, dreaming of enjoying his arms wrapping around her as his lips covered hers. She desperately wanted to lose herself in him again.

Then she took a giant step back and wiped those memories and thoughts from her head.

“Thanks,” she said, glancing around to find the beer bottle she’d dropped a few feet away.

“Let me.” Rick rushed over and picked it up. When he straightened, he was smiling at her. “You never know if there are more webs.”

She shivered and glanced around her. “Thanks,” she said again and turned to head straight back inside.

The sun had sunk lower in the sky while she’d been daydreaming. Now there was a slight chill in the early summer air.

“Hey.” He fell into step beside her. She glanced over and realized he hadn’t yet showered. There was a piece of straw on his shirt, and he smelled and looked like cowboy. It was almost too sexy for her to handle, so she kept her eyes forward. “You aren’t mad at me, are you?” he asked as they walked side by side.

“Why would I be mad at you?” she countered without answering him.

He was silent for a few steps. “I left.”

She stopped walking and turned to him. This was the first time that he’d owned up to his disappearing act as a negative thing.

He stopped and turned towards her. “I hurt you,” he started, but she stopped him by shaking her head. “No, I did. I know it. Every time I left.” He took her shoulders in his hands and took a small step towards her.