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“I can do that.” You have to, or you’ll lose her again. “Can we start over?”
A smile broke through the hard mask she wore. It was all he wanted, that smile of hers that made him feel like anything was possible. “Like, tonight?”
“Yep.” Bennett strode over to her and took her hands in his. “Wow, Maggie. You look amazing.”
“Thanks. It’s not too much?” she said, giggling.
“It’s perfect. Hey, can I help you make dinner?”
“I’d like that. I poured you a glass of wine,” she added, pointing to the glass he’d just set down. He laughed. The do-over lightened the mood instantly.
“Thanks. Okay, put me to work and tell me about your day. This tart says you went to Mae’s, which means you have to know something juicy about Deer Creek.”
Maggie’s stoic veneer finally broke off and her eyes shone in the way they did when she talked about something that brought her joy. They worked on dinner—twice-cooked potatoes and a chicken dish that made his mouth water as the scents of the spices she’d used wafted through his kitchen—while she told him about Mae’s gossip. He filled her in on Jax’s big ask to move away from MBE.
“Wow. That’s huge, especially after what happened with Matt.”
“Yeah. Exactly.”
For once their past wasn’t a liability, but another way she understood him and his family.
“What’re you gonna do?”
“Not sure. Hopefully find someone to take his place or convince him to stay so I don’t have to get rid of the brothers part of my business.”
“I’ll keep my ears open. People are always talking in this business. I’m sure it’ll work out, though.”
He was, too. In one way or another.
When they finally sat down, Bennett’s mistake from earlier seemed forgotten and a renewed hope replaced the fear he’d screwed everything up. Unfortunately, so did a burgeoning desire to whisk this woman into his arms and never let her go.
“This was fun, cooking with you,” she said, plating the food.
“I agree. I kinda like being a grown-up with you.”
“I know, right? I keep expecting one of our folks to come through the door and tell us we’re close to curfew. This is much better.” Her cheeks pinked and she bit her bottom lip. “In some ways, at least.”
“I knew what you meant. I miss them all, too,” he said, referring to the parents who wouldn’t ever walk in their doors again. For a moment, they filled the room, though. “Maybe we can tempt fate and stay up for a movie after dinner.”
“I’d like that,” she whispered. Their dads would never have allowed such a thing, and on a school night no less, but suddenly he couldn’t wait to devour the delicious dinner so he could curl up with Maggie on the couch.
“Here, let me help with that,” he said, reaching for the plate she put a cheese-topped potato on. A piece of melted mozzarella stretched across it. She swatted his hand away.
“Not till we sit, Bennett Tucker.” She laughed. “I can’t believe you’re still picking at your food before dinner. Here I thought you’d grown up and matured.”
He swiped at the plate faster than she could react and popped the string of melted heaven in his mouth. “I don’t know what gave you that idea.”
Her giggle sounded like bells on Christmas Day. “For that transgression, you get to carry these to the table,” she said, handing him their dinners.
He did, then refilled their wine and water glasses. When she showed up with napkins and utensils, a flutter of emotion kicked up in his chest like a dust devil warning of a storm following close behind. The whole scene was so normal it threw him off guard. It was like they’d been cooking and eating together for years.
Maggie shot him a half grin bookended by pinkened cheeks. “Thanks for hosting dinner. My house isn’t going to be fit to cook for guests until at least after we move the cattle to the canyon, and I can start ripping out the appliances that predate me on this planet.”
“Anytime. I dunno. I’m kinda hoping you never remodel your house because I could get used to you being here, like this.”
Her pink cheeks turned crimson. He wasn’t going to rush her, but he’d toe that line.
“I’ve got to say, between your mom’s kitchen and this, I could get used to it, too.”
