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“No reason you should.” Zane took his seat next to her. “They don’t always set it up this way but I guess since the room is kind of small...I can totally find us another place to sit if you’re too uncomfortable,” Zane offered anxiously.
“No!” Maggie lowered her voice, face reddening. “I mean, no, I’m fine now.” She turned what she hoped was a bright smile his way. “I can’t wait to hear your speech.”
Zane’s shoulders visibly relaxed as he placed the white linen napkin in his lap. He gave her a wry grin. “I just hope it’s decent. I’ve been a little distracted lately.”
“I’m sure it will be wonderful,” Maggie encouraged. Before she could add anything else, black tied waiters appeared at their sides to pour wine and offer to take any orders for the bar. Maggie sipped the wine noting distractedly that it was good. She tried to eat the delicious looking food and keep her eyes on Zane but the presence of the audience in front of her sat on her consciousness like a ton of bricks.
Finally, the master of ceremonies started introducing the speakers and Maggie had something to distract her. Rather than being overwhelmed by medicalspeak as she had been afraid of, most of the speakers talked about the strength of the human spirit to overcome adversity and told stories of patients who had beaten the odds. She found herself dabbing at her eyes several times at the moving presentations.
Zane’s speech was no exception. He talked about his friend Jason and the profound effect he’d had on his life, the wonder of the brain and how little they actually knew about how it worked, and the true miracles he had seen over the years with brain injury patients. Maggie felt her heart swell until she thought it would burst out of her chest with pride as she listened to him. She forgot all about her fears and the audience simply melted away as she basked in the thought that this wonderful man was hers.
After the speeches were over, the band started tuning up for dancing. Zane smiled and glanced over at her. “Want to dance?”
“Definitely, but I’m going to run to the powder room first, if you don’t mind?” she told Zane as they finished their desserts.
“Of course not. Do you need me to show you where they are?” he asked courteously.
“No, I remember seeing them coming up the hall. I’ll just be a minute.”
Before she could stand, Zane pulled her into his chest and brushed a kiss to her cheek. “Don’t be long. I don’t want to be without you.”
Maggie could feel the pink rising up her chest as she squeezed his hand tightly and stood. Any response she might have given caught in her throat and she just smiled at him. She could feel eyes on her when Zane had kissed her and didn’t care. She was so happy she had decided to come with him. Once she’d gotten over her fear of being on the dais, the evening with Zane had been lovely. Some part of him was always in contact with her, a knee under the table, a brush of his hand over hers, the kiss he had just given her in front of everyone. His attention never strayed from her for longer than a moment, and he seemed to genuinely want to know her thoughts about the speakers’ presentations.
The ladies’ room was just as impressive as the rest of the hotel. It was all marble and crystal and even had a seating area where you could sit and rest feet that had been crammed into pretty, but deadly, high heels too long. Maggie was grateful that even the stalls were generously sized so she didn’t have difficulty managing her long dress. Seconds after she closed the door behind her, she heard voices and clicking heels coming across the marble.
“I know! I couldn’t believe it!” said the first woman, obviously continuing a conversation they had started in the hall. “I tried to get him to invite me to this gala last year and he said he always comes stag so he can get out quickly. Apparently, that’s not true.” She heard the woman make a disgusted sound. “And did you see the little mouse he brought? it’s that same little nothing from Gladewater he got all up in arms over last week when I went to see him at the office. Ridiculous.”
Maggie was careful to not make a sound. She heard purse zippers opening and assumed the pair were freshening their make up. “Completely!” the second woman agreed with her friend. “She’s sooo boring, and that dress! What is this? Prom night?” They laughed hysterically.
“If that’s the best he’s been able to do lately, I think I’d better pay Dr. Savage another house call, if you know what I mean. He never could resist temptation. I would have easily had him bending me over that slick wooden desk of his again, if that bitch, Dani, and her little friend hadn’t shown up when they did.”
Her friend laughed. “Of course, you would. From what you’ve told me that desk has seen plenty of action.”
Maggie barely dared to breathe. They were talking about her and Zane. Tears of anger and pain welled in her eyes. Was she right? She knew what Zane had told her about his history with this woman, but why would she lie to a friend? Could this what everyone actually thought of her? That she was beneath him? She’d known she wasn’t going to fit in here. She stayed completely still, hidden in her stall, until she heard the high heels clicking against the marble again and the women’s voices cut off by the door closing behind them.
She slowly opened the door and walked woodenly to the ornate mirror over the sink. She stared at her reflection and heard the women’s jeers again. Little mouse. Ridiculous. Boring. If that’s the best he can do. Her beautiful pink dress suddenly seemed juvenile. The French twist of her hair no longer seemed classy, but stuffy and old-fashioned. She wasn’t sophisticated enough for an important doctor like Zane. All her fears coalesced and crowded her mind in just a few sentences.
She left the ladies’ room resolved to have Zane take her back to his place so she could change and go home to where she belonged. When she got to the doors just outside the ballroom, however, she saw one of Zane’s colleagues she had been introduced to earlier. One with a barbie on his arm. The woman met Maggie’s eye and smirked before returning to the conversation with...Zane, who had her barbie twin hanging on his arm. It was that same woman from his office. Shawna. The woman he had told her had almost ruined his life. She was sure of it. And now he had her cuddled up to his side like she belonged there. He saw him place a hand on hers where it rested on his biceps. She fought back the tears that threatened to spill over onto her cheeks. She refused let them see her cry. Instead of heading for the group, she headed straight for the front door.
