Page 53 of Must Love Flowers
Joan shook her head, revealing her disappointment and frustration with her son. “I hope you would trust my judgment, Nick. Having Maggie live with me has been a blessing. You’re off base here.”
“Then reassure me,” Nick said. “Why would she choose to live with you over her own family? Something’s up and I want to know what it is. If Dad was alive, would he approve of you taking a stranger into our home?”
Maggie had heard enough. Despite her determination to remain silent, she couldn’t anymore. “You’re impossible, do you know that? Frustrating and impossible. It was a bad idea to go out with you today, and I already regret it. There won’t be a second time.” With that, she headed up the stairs to the bedroom that had once been his, then turned around and added, “For someone who is supposedly smart, you can be incredibly stupid.”
Continuing up the staircase, Maggie wished with all her heart she would have taken Steve’s room instead. Angry as she was, she decided to switch bedrooms. Joan wouldn’t care. Evensleeping in a room that had once been Nick’s was more irritation than she needed.
With her door closed, Maggie didn’t hear the discussion between Nick and Joan, and she was grateful to be left out of it. She paced for several minutes until her temper cooled.
—
At around six, Joan called Maggie to dinner. The buttered, salty popcorn that had been a rare treat hadn’t settled well in her stomach, no thanks to Nick and his accusations. She came downstairs, grateful to find he’d left.
Joan was busy getting out bowls from the cupboard.
Maggie stopped her. “I’m not hungry, but thank you.”
Joan frowned and studied Maggie. She’d set two places at the table, and a kettle of stew in a cast-iron skillet simmered on the stove.
Any other time, Maggie would have enjoyed the meal. It was perfect for such a dreary Sunday afternoon.
“I know Nick upset you,” Joan said. “I apologize for the things he said. I’ve rarely seen him jump to conclusions like this.” Joan seemed to be mulling it over, and after a moment shook her head as if she couldn’t make sense of it even now. “Frankly, I don’t understand my son.”
Maggie dismissed Joan’s apology. “It’s fine.” The problem was with Nick and not his mother.
Worry clouded Joan’s face. “You aren’t considering moving, are you?”
“No way!” She refused to give Nick the satisfaction.
Nodding approvingly, Joan murmured, “Good girl. Give Nick time and he’ll come around.”
It didn’t matter to Maggie if he did or didn’t; she wanted nothing more to do with him.
Being Monday was a holiday and she got paid time and a half, Maggie chose to work an eight-hour shift. She didn’t have any specific plans and the money was good. Any extra income automatically went into her fund for school.
Starbucks was busy with a steady line of customers from the moment she clocked in. After the rain on Sunday, the weather report had forecasted afternoon sunshine and it seemed everyone in the Seattle area had decided to take advantage of it.
Maggie was assigned to take orders from the drive-through, which was one of the areas she enjoyed working. She made sure she greeted everyone with a welcoming smile and wished them a good day after delivering their order. Starbucks made it a policy that all employees could work any station, which was a good business practice. Every position could be filled in a pinch, and no one was irreplaceable.
At around ten, Maggie leaned out the window to collect the money before she handed over the iced chai latte to a woman in a blue Tesla when she noticed Nick’s truck. He was waiting for his order directly behind the woman with the latte.
The coward.
He hadn’t come into the building as he normally did. Instead, he’d placed his order through the drive-through, as if to avoid her. Fat chance of that. Nick Sample was in for a big surprise.
When he rolled up to collect his Americano, he couldn’t hide his reaction. His eyes rounded when he saw Maggie, and he immediately avoided meeting her gaze.
“That will be four-twenty-five,” she said in a businesslike tone, without a smidgen of friendly overtures.
He handed her a ten. “Keep the change.”
In the past he’d been generous, but never quite this generous. She resisted the urge to tell him he couldn’t buy an apology, if indeed that was what he intended.
“Thank you,” she returned flatly, and then because she was feeling generous herself, she said what she did with every customer. “Have a good day.”
Nick Sample had a long way to go if he intended to get back in her good graces.
Chapter 20
