Page 3 of Protecting Maggie
Maggie pulled up to a small house. It was adorable and looked nothing like what she imagined the creator ofPecky the Traveling Taco would live in. She turned to Remi. “Good luck with the cake. I hope your boyfriend isn’t too upset with you for taking an Uber.”
“Oh, I’m sure Vincent will forgive me. As I said, he just worries. Honestly, it feels nice. Even though I can take care of myself, anddidfor quite a while, it’s nice to know someone has my back now.” She gathered her bags and opened the back door. “Thanks for the ride and letting me ramble on.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I hope you’re going to get a break to get something to eat. Don’t be embarrassed, but I heard your stomach growl.”
Maggie couldn’t stop the mortified blush from heating her cheeks. “I’m headed home now. You were my last ride of the day.”
“Good.”
“Um…Remi?” Maggie blurted before she could shut the car door.
“Yeah?”
“Anytime you need a ride…I’m happy to help out. My number is on the license you took a picture of. You know, if it would make you and your boyfriend feel safer.”
“Oh, that’s so nice! Thank you. I don’t use Ubers much, but if I do need a ride in the future, I’ll definitely call.”
Maggie nodded. She was feeling a little sad that this would probably be the one and only time she saw Remi. She didn’t really expect her to call for a ride in the future, but it had been a long time since she’d felt any kind ofconnection with another person. Remi was down-to-earth, funny, and open. Even being around her for the short time it took to drive her home made Maggie feel more like her old self. Less hard, less cynical.
Then Remi held out a folded bill. “Tip,” she said with a smile. “I like to give cash because I don’t know if Uber takes a cut of it if I do it on the app.”
“Thanks. Have a good evening,” she told her with a smile.
Remi nodded and said, “You too. Bye!” She got out of the car and headed up the walkway to the door of her house.
Maggie closed out the trip on the ride-share app, then pulled away from the house. At the stop sign down the street, she unfolded the bill Remi had given her.
She blinked. Sure she was hallucinating.
Nope. It wasn’t just a one-dollar bill or a five.
Remi had given her a hundred and fifty-dollar tip. On a ten-dollar fare.
Tears swam in Maggie’s eyes. That was more money than she usually made in three days of driving people around. It meant she could go to the store and get more than just ramen. She could get that salad she’d been craving.
Remi had no reason to give her so much money. She probably felt sorry for her, but Maggie couldn’t even be embarrassed about that. She needed that money more than Remi could possibly know. But then again, maybe shedidknow.
Turning left toward the grocery store instead of right, toward her apartment, Maggie let the tears she’d been holding back fall down her cheeks. Because of the generosity and kindness of a stranger, she would get to eat tonight. A real meal. And some of the hopelessness and depression lifted from her shoulders. Suddenly, the world didn’t feel as if it was against her anymore. Maybe this was a sign that things were turning around.
Maggie wanted to believe that, but life had a way of lifting her up, then slamming her back down when she least expected it. A hundred and fifty bucks wouldn’t last long, but for tonight, at least, she was going to put her worries aside.
CHAPTER TWO
“I have a situation.”
Shawn “Preacher” Franklin sat up straighter, snapping out of his funk. He’d collapsed onto his sofa after arriving home from the naval base earlier, too on edge to make something for dinner, and he’d been there ever since. He loved being a SEAL. Loved his country. Loved his teammates. But lately, he’d been feeling…unsettled.
Seeing Kevlar, Safe, and Blink with their girlfriends, women who softened their prickly edges, had him wanting whattheyhad. Not their specific women, of course, but someone he could share his thoughts and feelings with at the end of each day. But the thing was, when it came to relationships, Preacher was unlike most SEALs.
He believed in soul mates.
He’d been raised to believe there was one person out there just for him, that he’d know her when he saw her…and that being with anyone sexually before he’d met his soul mate was disrespectful.
Being a virgin at thirty-something was practically unheard of.Especiallyfor a Navy SEAL.
He’d been given the nickname Preacher by some guys in boot camp. When they’d heard that he was waiting for his soul mate, that he wasn’t interested in picking up some random frog hog at the local bar during his time off, they’d laughed and given him the moniker.
