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“I told you she means nothing to me.”
“You’ve said that before, but then you contradicted yourself. So make up your mind. I’m not getting married as long as she has this power over you.”
“Maggie, listen to what you’re saying.”
“I don’t have to listen. I know what I need from you, Justin. We’ve talked in a circle. Do you know what Katrina said? Since Amber can’t harass them any longer, she’s set her sights on us again. It’s the same problem as when we first got together. And she can talk a good talk, that girl. I’ve got to hand it to her. She said she loves Phil, but Phil’s not a Chastain. Those were her exact words.”
“I didn’t say it,” Justin said in frustration.
“Then don’t engage Amber. Ever. If you see her coming for you, run. I can just see you out there in the barn, flexing your abs with no shirt on.”
“Maggie…”
“No, admit it. She gives you a thrill.”
“Look, I admit I like being admired.”
“Oh, Lord, now we’re getting somewhere. Find someone besides that skank to get your kicks from then, will you, please? Listen to me! I’ve called her a whore, a skank, and what else? Katrina refers to her as a sleazeball. All because our men gave her the time of day. It’s not fair to Amber. Stop it.”
“I’ll try to do better.”
“That’s not good enough, Justin. I mean it’s good enough to coexist, but to marry someone who has so little respect for me? No. What am I saying? I don’t even want to get married. This was all for you. I’m glad I’ve come to my senses.”
He’d tried to interrupt her between each phrase, but she couldn’t hear anything else he had to say.
“Can we at least go back to where we were before?” he begged.
“I’ll try. Marriage had to be the wrong thing for us because I feel such a sense of relief right now, I want to cry. I won’t be the old ball and chain. I know you feel like I am that already, but I won’t be legally.”
“Maggie, I’m so sorry I ever made you feel that way. It was never my intention to make you feel anything but cherished and loved.”
She didn’t reply, reaching for the wine bottle and filling her glass. Wanting to find that part of her that could be cordial, she looked out over the water, the bright moon shining down on the cove. A fishing boat towing a lighted dingy chugged along the coastline. She took a deep breath.
“Tomorrow’s Friday already. I’d like to go for a boat ride Saturday and meet my friends at the park, and Sunday to the wild horse meeting,” she said.
“Can you squeeze a ride in with me? Spooky is giving me the cold shoulder because I haven’t ridden her all week.”
“Sure, either here or we can take them Sunday,” Maggie said. “Get some use out of our new horse trailer.”
“Let’s do both. As soon as the nanny gets here Saturday, we’ll go for a ride.”
“Okay, it’s a date.” Maggie yawned, exhausted by the evening sparring with Justin. “I’m going to call it a night.”
“Okay, I’ll be up in a minute,” he said. “I have to catch up with my show.”
“Ha! Enjoy,” she said, glad he wasn’t coming up at the same time. She wasn’t in the mood to pretend everything was okay to have sex with him. Nothing was okay right then.
“Love you, Maggie,” he said, looking at her, his eyebrows raised in question.
“I love you, too, Justin,” she said, bending over to kiss him. “Don’t wake me up when you come in.”
“I promise.”
The next morning, Maggie got up at seven thirty to a quiet house and the bed next to her untouched. A flash of concern went through her body, followed by annoyance. Justin was an all-or-nothing kind of guy when it suited him. She tiptoed across the hall and found Tina’s crib empty. Back in the master bathroom, she took a quick shower and got dressed.
There was still no noise from the first floor, so she tiptoed down the staircase. The living room was empty. She looked out the window and laughed; Justin was working in the barn with a small child attached to his back. Tina loved being in the papoose carrier. The dog was out there, lying in the grass, observing. She stepped out into the heavy air, a typical fall day in the bayou, a touch of humidity promising rain.
“Hey, you two. I wondered why it was so quiet.”
