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Maggie wrung her hands in her lap but didn’t speak.
“OK, I’ll say it then. You, Margaret Elizabeth Wade, are gorgeous, crazy smart, and the most caring person I know. Any man would be lucky to have you. It is not your fault your asshole of a daddy...” She held her hand up to delay the chastisement that would be forthcoming about her language. “left y’all. You were practically a baby for fuck’s sake! You are not some broken doll unworthy of love. You deserve someone to treat you like the queen you are and don’t you forget it again!”
A tear slid from Maggie’s eye. Dani had started these affirmations when they were just teenagers. Maggie had refused almost every offer of a date and blew off any compliments she was given as untrue. Dani had finally wrestled her secret out of her - she wasn’t worthy. Obviously, she was only getting compliments because boys wanted one thing, not because she was anything special. Her mama was perfect, and her daddy left anyway. Maggie found it was just easier to ignore them and do her own thing. The few times she had tried to let some guy in, they had simply proved her theory and left her in the end for someone better. It just hadn’t been worth it.
Dani’s tone softened. “Hey, don’t cry. You know how much I love you. I know how special you are. I just wish you could see it. And, Zane, well I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looked at you in the cafe that day.”
“Really?” Maggie sniffed and looked at her friend.
“Really,” Dani confirmed. “I’ve known him a long time and well, I hate to say it, but he’s been a bit of a player. I’ve never seen him interested in any woman for long. He’s always...well, he’s always had a type, one that I didn’t think was too good for him, so I was really happy to see how taken he was with you.”
“What kind of type?” Maggie asked suspiciously.
“You know, typical - big, blonde Dallas hair, too much make up, too much silicone. Playboy bunny types without three brain cells to rub together, which is kind of ironic based on what he does.” She tried to grin at her friend. “But I never saw him more than twice with the same girl. They were just eye candy and couldn’t keep his attention. I used to tease him mercilessly about his latest Barbie.”
Maggie started to twist the ever present pearls at her neck. That was the complete opposite of her. She was short with plain brown hair and brown eyes and too much backside. She’d never worn much make up and was just a small-town girl. How could she compete with the kind of sophisticated women he was used to.
“You’re doing it again,” Dani warned. “I can feel you thinking negative thoughts. What I’m saying is, you captured his interest. I’ve never seen him pay as much attention to any of his blow-up Dallas barbies as he did to you that day I introduced you. And hasn’t he been calling you since?”
“Yes,” Maggie admitted. “We’ve talked almost every day.”
“See! What did I tell you? Yeah, he’s a busy guy but he’s obviously making some time especially for you. We just need to figure out how to get y’all together in person.”
Dani reached out to take her hand. “I have a good feeling about you two, Mags. I really do. Please try to give him a real chance.”
She clasped Dani’s hand like a lifeline. “I’ll try. I promise.”
