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Paula sighed irritably. “Can you two stop with this silly no-social-media thing?”
Mitchell and Maggie stared each other down. She raised a challenging brow.
Richard cleared his throat. “If you both were listening, Miss Kit said Maggie’s been a part of the company since the beginning of the summer, when she made the announcement. According to my calculations, Maggie held up her end of the bargain of holding a job and staying off the internet.”
Seconds ticked on. Eventually Mitchell opened his arms. “Welcome to the working class, princess.”
Somehow Maggie knew she was supposed to be happy for herself, but it was hard without Caden by her side—or worse, out of her life for good.
The evening didn’t come to a close until well after dark. The newest Miss Southern Style Glitz Beauty was crowned, and just those involved with the pageant stayed behind for the private dinner and crowning of the next event, Kit’s retirement party. Rows of Archibalds and supporters filled the banquet hall.
A wooden dance floor was set off to the side with a live band playing zydeco music. Maggie sat at her table with her siblings, mortified at the sight of her parents, Auntie Bren and Oscar shaking their tails on the dance floor.
Richard picked up a conversation with EJ at the next table. Maggie waved over in Ebony’s direction and tried to smile. It was hard. There was no sign of... Before she finished her thought, the people at the front of the room began to clap. Maggie craned her neck. Her heart sank even further.
Caden strolled through the doors dressed in a black tux, looking sexy as hell—as well as taken. A tall brunette with braids done in a French twist at the back of her head was on his arm. A gold dress clung to her long, lean frame. Damn, he moved fast, Maggie thought. She slipped her hand in her lap and took off the fake engagement ring to save face from further humiliation.
“Isn’t that Becky from Southwood High?” Kenzie asked, leaning over into Maggie’s space.
Maggie shrugged her sister away. “I don’t care,” she lied. Betrayal stabbed her heart. She remembered Caden staring at her at the fair. She’d even campaigned for Caden to sign her to his company.
Someone moved the microphone and pierced everyone’s ears with the screech. Attention turned to the dance floor, where the guests were tiptoeing off to the side. The water glasses shook when Maggie’s family returned to the table. The bottles of Toast of the Tiara from Second Vine Wine wobbled on the fine linens. Ellison Archibald made a speech of gratitude to Kit and introduced her for the next part.
“Thank you, Ellison,” Kit said with a blush.
Regardless of what Maggie had learned about Ellison and Kit, Kit still loved him. She beamed when their eyes met.
“Before I make an announcement, I’m supposed to acknowledge my son. Caden, where are you?” Kit covered her eyes from the spotlight. “Come up here, son.”
Doing as his mother bade, Caden came to the front of the room, depositing Becky at an empty seat his father left.
“Evening, everyone,” Caden said taking the microphone. “I know I’ve been absent today, but there’s a very good reason for it.” The room buzzed with whispers. Maggie felt the eyes on her and watched people point at Becky. “As you all know, before Kit decided to tell us all she wanted to step down, my company, A&O Sports Agency, was under fire for not repping women.”
He was met with a few boos, including from Kenzie, Auntie Bren and even Paula.
“Well, I’ll have you know we’ve just signed Rebecca Miller to our agency.”
This time the sound everyone made was a round of applause.
“That being said,” Caden said with a clearing of his throat, “I’m withdrawing my name from the president seat at Southern Style Glitz Beauty Pageant. Please take my name out of consideration, Mom.”
The whispers returned.
Kit took the microphone from her son. “Oh, sweetheart, I love you dearly. I love all my boys dearly, but there’s been no competition to take my seat. Nobody else but her will do. Magnolia Swayne, we all decided from early on, you were the right person for the job.”
While the spotlight zoomed in on Maggie, her heart dropped. Her eyes watered. “What?”
Balloons and glitter fell from the sky. Maggie blinked back her tears and accepted the position from her seat at the table. People came over to congratulate her one by one before mingling back in with the crowd on the dance floor.
“See, I told you,” Auntie Bren called from her side of the table.
Maggie turned to offer her aunt a wink. When she turned back, Caden stood in front of her. She pressed her lips together. Caden looked beyond her and nodded. She followed his gaze and caught her father nodding. Again when she turned back, Caden was down on one knee. Maggie’s hands flew to her mouth.
“I’m glad to see you took the fake engagement ring off.” Caden half smiled. “I would like to take this moment and offer you this ring, Miss Magnolia Swayne, this symbol of my love for you.” He opened a black velvet box, and a pear-shaped diamond ring blinded her. “We met eleven years ago, and we weren’t ready for each other. I used to think I would have to be under a spell before I ever considered getting married. In the last eleven weeks, we’ve been together, I’v
e been under the spell. I just didn’t know what it was. It was love. I don’t give a damn about your socialite status, your inheritance or even your new job. I’m in love with you, Maggie. I’d like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, if you’ll have me.”
Maggie swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Caden, it took me eleven seconds after you walked into The Cupcakery for me to realize I was still in love with you. Of course I’ll marry you.”
