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Future Tense
Maggiesatona barstool at the venue her mama had chosen for the party trying to listen to her mother explain everything she had put together. The simple rehearsal dinner, however, had turned into a pre-wedding party extravaganza the next night. She wondered if she could use her concussion as an excuse to stop listening and go home to lie down. One part of her felt horrible that she’d had to pawn off a lot of her planned tasks to Sofia and JT, but the other half simply wanted to crawl back into the blush pink refuge of her room and lick her wounds. It was hard to enthusiastically plan a wedding when your heart was so newly shattered, even if it was for her best friend.
Maggie pinched the area between her eyes. “That all sounds lovely, Mama. Is there anything I need to help with?”
“Not much, sweetie,” her mother assured her. “I would like you to be available to make sure the caterers are keeping food coming out of the kitchen. Margo is great but I know she’s been having issues getting reliable servers lately. I want to make sure everyone has plenty of hors d’oeuvres and drinks while we’re waiting on the wedding party to arrive and then to make sure dinner is coming out on time. There’s nothing worse than cold food that’s not supposed to be cold.”
Maggie rubbed her forehead, wincing when her fingers touched the three stitches in her hairline. “Ok, Mama. I can do that.”
“Sweetie, is your head still bothering you? Are you sure you’re up for this? I’m sure Sofia can help. She’s been great keeping up with everything this week while you’ve been indisposed.”
Her words sounded sincerely concerned but Maggie knew “indisposed” was code for ‘slacking off’ in Mamaspeak.
“I’m fine, Mama, really. Everything will go smooth as silk. I’ll make sure of it.” She tried to sound like her old confident self. Part of her really wanted to bow out of the party but making herself concentrate on the wedding planning details was the only thing helping her push thoughts of Zane and her attack to the back of her mind. In her heart, however, she didn’t know how she was going to get through it.
The Jameson hangover Zane was sporting had decreased from a Category Four storm to a tropical depression, but it still wasn’t making the drive to Gladewater any easier. The hot Texas sun was high in the sky and the rays were stabbing daggers into his eyeballs despite the dark sunglasses he wore. His stomach wasn’t faring much better. The toast he had managed to choke down was sitting in his stomach like a bowling ball.
After a pot of horrible coffee that Dani had made him last night, he had agreed to at least meet her and Beau today to look over the building they were evaluating for the clinic. He still had no idea what he was going to do about Maggie or the project with Dani, but he figured looking at the building would buy him some time. Maybe the drive would help clear his thoughts. Somehow, he’d also agreed to stay in Gladewater in Levi’s bunkhouse for the night, so he didn’t have to drive back to Dallas before the big wedding party tomorrow night. He wasn’t sure exactly how Dani had gotten him to agree to all of this but here he was. How the hell had she talked me into this? She really should have been a lawyer instead of a nurse. She could out talk any attorney I’ve ever known.
By the time he was passing the Welcome to Gladewater sign, pop. 6425, his stomach had quit churning and his headache was down to a minor thunderstorm. He couldn’t help but slow as he passed Common Grounds hoping for just a glimpse of Maggie through the plate glass windows. He saw Sofia’s high black ponytail taking an order at a table in the front but no Maggie. He sighed not knowing if that was a good or bad thing. It was tearing him up not to know how she was doing, but he was still convinced staying away from her was the only way to keep her safe. Either option left him screwed.
His nav system finally took him to the old, brick building on the edge of town. It had to be at least 100 years old, like many of the old buildings on Main Street. He parked next to Dani’s white Mercedes and got out to walk around and look at the foundation and condition of the outside. In college, he had worked for a builder that did a lot of historical renovations and had learned a lot about the red flags to watch for with these old buildings. They were definitely charming but could be giant money pits if you weren’t careful.
As he came back around to the front from his initial inspection, he saw Dani holding open the glass doors at the front. The plate glass was obviously a modern addition but there was also a stained-glass transom that had been saved from the original build. He was anxious to see what else was left on the inside.
“Hey, there,” Dani greeted him. “You look slightly less like shit than you did last night.”
“Don’t be such a flatterer,” Zane said wryly as he pushed his sunglasses up onto his head. “Let’s see the rest of this building of yours.”
Dani held open the door for him and they went to meet Beau who was standing in a front room that looked like it had once been a reception area of some sort. Beau could look intimidating with his college linebacker build, that he kept up with regular work outs, as well as his military-style short black hair and thick beard but once he turned his warm brown gaze on you, you knew you were in good hands. He was always quick with a smile and that slightly crooked grin put even the most nervous patient at ease. Everyone knew he was nothing more than a big teddy bear.
Two hours later, the group exited the building in high spirits. “I have to admit, you guys have a solid proposal here. I’d be crazy not to give it some serious thought,” Zane admitted. Seeing the space and hearing the plans from Beau's perspective as well as Dani's had given him a lot to think about. Could Dani be right? Would being in Gladewater with Maggie be the better option. He was afraid to let himself hope.
“I’m glad you think so,” Beau said. “I know this type of practice and Gladewater would be a lot different than what you’re used to, but I think you’d like it here. People are more than just patients here. They’re family.”
Zane nodded appreciatively. “I can see that. Give me a few days. I’ll have a final decision for you after the weekend.”
Dani beamed as he and Beau shook hands. “It was good to meet you Dr. Savage and I look forward to hearing from you. I’ll probably see you at the wedding this weekend, but I promise, no shop talk! We’re just excited Levi’s finally going to make an honest woman out of this one,” Beau joked then ducked at Dani playfully swatted at him.
“Levi’s a brave man is all I can say,” Zane said teasingly.
Dani gave him a side eye. “Thanks a lot, y’all! Keep it up and I’ll make sure you don’t get any bar-b-que at the reception,” she threatened.
Both men threw their hands up in defeat. “Ok, ok we give,” Beau said opening his truck door. “I’ll see y’all tomorrow night.”
Zane stood with Dani and watched Beau drive back toward his clinic. His head was swimming with possibilities. He’d liked Beau a lot and the business plan he and Dani had shared with him was impressive. If only he and Maggie were still together, jumping into the project would be a no-brainer. But he and Maggie weren’t together, and as much as he’d love to move to Gladewater, he didn’t want to bring Shawna straight to Maggie’s world. Again, his heart was warring with his head. He wished the factions could all just get along.
“You’re thinking so loudly, my ears are hurting,” Dani said to him as he leaned against his car, staring at the door they had exited a few minutes before. “Talk to me.”
He could already see the old brick building transformed to a charming clinic in his mind’s eye. A state-of-the-art facility but with a feel of family and home. He shook his head ruefully. “I see the vision, Dani, but you know what the issue is.”
“And I keep telling you, she’d be more protected with you here and all of us working together than you staying in Dallas.” She blew out an exasperated breath. “C’mon, I can’t go through this argument again right now. Follow me on out to the bunkhouse. You can drop your stuff off and take a while to relax before it’s time to go to Aunt Lu’s for dinner.”
His eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean, Aunt Lu’s for dinner?”
“I thought you were the genius here,” she said, rolling her eyes at him. “Dinner, you know, that meal you eat at the end of the day? We’re going to my aunt and uncles’ for it.”
“I don’t want to intrude. I can just grab a burger at Roy’s later.”
“Don’t be silly. Aunt Lu cooks enough for an army,” Dani told him. “If you don’t come to eat some of it, I’ll never fit in my dress on Saturday. You wouldn’t want to be responsible for that would you?”
Zane sighed and grinned. “No, I definitely wouldn’t. I’d be honored to sample some of this amazing cooking I’ve heard so much about.”
“Good. Let’s get going then. Dinner is at six and I’ve got a million things to do before then,” Dani said decisively, and they both got in their cars to head out to the bunkhouse.
Zane looked longingly at Common Grounds as they passed it again going back through town to head out to Dani and Levi’s place. He wanted this, the slower pace, the new clinic, but most of all, he wanted Maggie to share it with. He just didn’t know how to make it happen without putting her in danger.
