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Maggie Jacobs.
“Truly, she’s my best friend.” He hoped he hadn’t mumbled too loudly, but he was the only person in his vintage red Ford pickup truck.
He didn’t know how long he’d been sitting there in the parking lot of the Midtown Village—oh, Christmas Village—but it was only six o’clock in the morning and he was having coffee.
He’d forgotten to stop at a drive-through to pick up breakfast, but he knew there’d be food in the community center. Chef Forsythia and her crew should be there soon, if they weren’t already there. Lunch was free for all volunteers.
For Levi, this was yet another day of work. He had opted not to take a day off during the week even if he worked on Saturdays because he’d rather use the eight bonus hours for time off here and there. Maybe he could leave work an hour or two early on a weekday to buy a gift for Forsythia or something.
Wait. What?
He knew he was getting ahead of himself.
A rap on the window startled him.
Maggie stood there, with a lifted hand holding a paper sack of some sort. She was wearing her usual zipped-up chocolate-colored coat. As far as Levi knew, the goose-down coat was a gift from her older brother.
She looked nice and warm against the dawn and sidewalk lights all around the parking lot.
Levi rolled down his window. He could hear distant city traffic and a few sirens. “Good morning, love.”
“Not yourlove. Stop teasing me.” She waved the paper bag. “Chicken, cheese, and bacon on an English muffin. Still hot.”
Levi reached out to get it. The bag was hot. “Have you eaten?”
“No. Just arrived.”
“Aren’t we both early risers.” Levi patted the passenger seat. “Eat with me.”
“Okay.” Maggie walked around the truck and climbed into the passenger side.
“What have you got?” Levi sprayed hand sanitizer on Maggie’s palms and then on his own.
“Same.”
“We are like two peas in a pod.” Levi rolled up his window. “We like the same breakfast.”
“Sometimes I have pancakes.”
“Me too.” Levi said grace and they dug into their chicken breakfast.
After a while, Levi looked away.
Maggie said not a single word. She chewed her food quietly.
That was one of the things Levi liked about her. She could have said, “What’s wrong?”
But she didn’t.
She simply sat there and ate silently.
Sometimes Levi didn’t know what went through Maggie’s mind, but she probably knew all about him because he’d been talking nonstop for a year and nine months, pouring out his heart like a crybaby.
If God allowed Soline to marry someone else, then she’s not for you, is she?
Maggie had said those words only once to Levi, but he hadn’t forgotten.
“I’ve let Soline go like a million times.” Levi put his hand down on his thigh. The jeans were not insulated, and his goose-down jacket only went down to his hip. The heater in the car made up for the deficit.
