Page 46 of Billionaire's Desire
I help her settle down on my bed, making sure she’s comfortable.
“I have some chamomile tea somewhere around here. Would you like some?”
I know that a hot drink can help calm the nerves and ease anxiety, and I hope it will help Maggie feel better.
Again, she nods in acquiescence.
I fill the kettle with water and turn it on.
As the water boils, I turn to Maggie and ask, “Are you okay?” My voice is soft and gentle, and I hope it will help her feel more comfortable opening up to me.
She looks so small, so defeated lying in my bed.
She looks up at me, and I can see the tears in her eyes. “I don’t know,” she says, her voice barely audible. “I just feel so lost.”
I sit down next to her and take her hand in mine, feeling her soft skin against mine. “It’s okay,” I say, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. “Just talk to me, Maggie. Please.”
She looks at me, her eyes searching mine, and for a moment, I see a glimmer of hope in them. “Poppy died, Max,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper.
I squeeze her hand gently, knowing that what she is about to tell me will take a toll on her.
We sit there in silence for a while, just holding hands, and I can feel the tension start to ease out of her body.
Pop!
The kettle goes off.
The water is ready.
I reluctantly let go of her hand, put two tea bags in the mugs left on my dining table, adding a dash of honey and some milk. I hand one mug to Maggie, and she takes a sip, her eyes closing as she savors the warmth and sweetness.
I pick mine up and join her on the bed.
We sit there for a while longer, quietly sipping on our tea until she finally speaks up.
“Poppy died a while back. She was like family to me.”
I want to say something, anything, but she seems too raw right now so I give her a minute to gather her thoughts.
She sips a little more of her tea.
“It was an accident.”
Does she mean—
She must have sensed the direction of my thoughts because she shakes her head vehemently. “It was not like that. I wish I would have prevented it and that’s the one thing I will never accept, but lately, it’s like every single thing reminds me of her, of all I lost, you know?”
I nod.
“Can I show you some pictures of her?”
I am honored that she would even ask me this. “I would really like that.”
She shifts, unfolding her legs from under her so she can dig for her cell phone.
I sip my tea in anticipation, not sure what to expect.
“Fuck!” she taps on her phone screen.
