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The Hall Pass
Thelastfewmonths had flown by in a happy haze for Maggie with the wedding planning, her business going great guns and her nightly marathon Facetime sessions with Zane between visits, but with only two weeks left until Dani and Levi’s wedding, she was exhausted. There seemed to be a never-ending list of things to do and not nearly enough hours in the day to get them all done. I’ll just lay my head down for a minute.
Sofia started to knock on the door jamb but then stopped abruptly at the sight in front of her. Maggie was at her desk with her head pillowed on her arms, fast asleep. She was really burning the candle at both ends. Sofia was worried about her. She’d never caught her sleeping at her desk before. She rarely even took a coffee break during the day. Maggie could do more things in a day than most people did in a week but even she apparently had her limits.
She saw JT coming down the hall and put a finger to her lips. “Shhhh,” she whispered, closing the door softly. “She’s asleep.”
”Asleep?” JT asked incredulously.
Sofia motioned to him to follow her back down the hall. “It’s only two weeks until the wedding and you know how many events we’ve had in the last couple of months.” She shook her head. “I’ve tried my best to take as much of the work on myself as I can, but you know how she needs to be in on everything.”
JT nodded. “I’m aware. And, she’s been on the phone with Zane for hours every evening. I can hear them talking late into the night.” He scowled. “He needs to give her a break. She needs to rest or she’s going to make herself sick.”
“Oh, don’t be blaming Zane, boss,” Sofia grinned at him. “She’s just as crazy about him. I’m sure he’s dragging at work as well. I just wish there was some way they could work it out to be together in the same place.”
“Well, I don’t see how it can turn out well,” JT grumbled. “I know she’s happy now and I really am glad about that but I can't see how it can work out in the long term without someone making a giant sacrifice. Obviously, she’s not going to be moving to Dallas with the business here and there’s nothing for a doctor like him to do here in Gladewater. He’s got an important practice in Dallas from what I understand. I worry she’s going to be completely heartbroken when it’s all over.”
“Let’s think positive,” Sofia admonished. “You’ve seen how he dotes on her and Maggie lights up every time he calls. Love will find a way.”
JT gave her a sideways glance. “I’d like to believe you’re right, but I can’t see how it’s going to work out without one of them giving up everything. This long distance shit can’t last.”
JT ran his hands through his hair in frustration. The worst part was there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it but be there to catch her when she fell.
Maggie smiled lazily as she watched Zane walk toward her on the beach. He’d been for a swim and rivulets of water dripped down his tanned, muscular chest. She licked her lips, anxious to follow the trails of water with her tongue. She’d become insatiable. She pushed up on her elbows as he dropped down to the sand next to her. She laughed as he shook his head, showering her with salty spray. He leaned in slowly to kiss her and...10,000 hours by Dan + Shay started playing loudly in her ear. She jerked upright. She looked around, confused. She was in her office. Her phone was ringing. Zane’s ringtone.
“Hi, honey,” she answered around a yawn.
“Hey, sweetheart. Are you okay?” Zane asked.
“Yes, sorry! I fell asleep at my desk,” she confessed. She rubbed at her cheek and felt a round divot where she’d lain on her watch. Looking at the watch she realized she’d been asleep for two hours. She couldn’t remember the last time she slept in the middle of the day, never mind at her desk.
“I’ve had fantasies about you at that desk,” Zane said huskily, “but they didn’t involve you sleeping on it.”
Maggie flushed with pleasure. She’d learned to love Zane’s naughty mouth. They were apart so much, sometimes it was all she had and she relished the confidence it gave her to think she could affect him that way.
“Mmmmmm, I’d love to hear all about it, but it will have to wait until later,” Maggie said, physically hungry to hear the gravely tones his voice got when he talked to her like that but dismayed at the time she’d lost while snoozing on her desk.
She rubbed her stiff neck and sighed. “I’ve got so much to get done and now I’ve wasted two hours I couldn’t afford to waste.”
“You obviously needed the rest. Aren’t you letting Sofia help you?” Zane admonished, doctor mode snapping into place. He knew she wasn’t taking care of herself, and it upset him that he couldn’t be there to take some of the pressure off her, even if it was just to get her to relax in the evenings. “You don’t have to do it all, baby. You’re going to make yourself sick.”
“I am. I promise,” Maggie assured him. “And it’s only a couple of more weeks until the wedding. I’ll be fine.”
“Now, I feel kind of guilty about why I called,” Zane admitted. “I was going to ask you to come up to Dallas on Saturday so I could take you out. Morgan Wallen is playing at a club in town. I know how much you like him, and I wanted to take you dancing, but, if you’re that exhausted, you should stay home and rest.” It had been several weeks and there'd been no sign of Shawna. She hadn't shown up at her place and wasn't hiding out with her parents either according to the police. It looked like she had skipped town after the confrontation with Carol
“And miss seeing you and Morgan Wallen? No way! It sounds wonderful,” Maggie said enthusiastically. “I wouldn’t miss that combo for the world!”
“If you’re completely sure,” Zane said. “I mean it. If you’re too tired by Saturday just say the word. I’ll come down there and we can just snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie or take a nap. It doesn’t matter what we do as long as you’re with me.”
Maggie thought she would melt away in a puddle right then and there. “That is so sweet but, I think, getting out of town for the night may just be what I need to reenergize. And really, I’d have to be pretty darn exhausted to miss Morgan Wallen!”
“Coming in second to Morgan again.” Zane sighed dramatically. “I guess I’ll just have to live with it.”
Maggie giggled. “He’s just my hall pass celebrity. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. You get one, too. Who’s yours? Angelina Jolie? Carrie Underwood?”
“Hmmmm...” Zane hummed as pretended to give it serious thought. “Both good choices but this is an important decision. I’m going to have to think on it and let you know Saturday. Just in case she shows up, I need to be prepared.”
Maggie laughed. “OK, I look forward to hearing who you pick. It’s a very important decision you know. You can only change once a year.”
“I was not aware of that rule,” Zane said amused. “I will have to give it some serious thought now.”
“Oh, I do miss you,” Maggie said wistfully. “I’d better get back to work.”
“I miss you too, sweetheart. Can’t wait for Saturday.”
Maggie stared at Zane’s picture on her phone for several long seconds after she hung up. It was so hard to be without him so much and seemed to get more difficult every day. She didn’t know how long they could keep this long-distance thing up. It couldn’t go on indefinitely. If they wanted to take things to the next level, and she had to admit to herself she did, then something had to give. She just didn’t know which one of them would have to make the bigger sacrifice. Or if they would have to sacrifice each other instead.
