Page 52 of Must Love Flowers
“Good boy,” Joan praised the puppy, and gave Maggie a thumbs-up. “Success,” she said, scooping up Edison and taking him back into the house.
“I’ll drive,” Nick said.
“Okay.” With the price of gas, Maggie wasn’t going to complain.
—
By the time they bought the popcorn and drinks, the previews were running. This Tom Cruise movie had gotten a lot of rave reviews and Maggie wasn’t disappointed. She could see Nick’s relief that it wasn’t a chick flick. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten buttered popcorn. This was a decadent treat, and she intended to savor every minute.
The movie was great. As they left the theater, Nick asked, “Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?”
Unwilling for Nick to assume she needed or wanted to spend time with him, she made up an excuse. “I should probably visit my dad.”
He arched his brows as though confused. “You have family in the area?”
“My dad,” she said, stating the obvious.
“Then what are you doing living with my mother?” He frowned disapprovingly, as though this news was a surprise, and not a pleasant one.
“That’s my business,” she said, “and none of yours.” Shetook exception to his reaction. How dare he insinuate she had something other than the best of intentions living with Joan.
“Seeing that it’s my mother, it is my business,” he challenged, studying her with a look that suggested suspicion.
Maggie stiffened and crossed her arms. No way was she going to spend time arguing with him. Everything had gone well to this point, and now Nick had ruined a perfectly good afternoon.
“Please take me home.”
“With pleasure,” he snapped back. “I’m just wondering which one. Your dad’s or my mother’s.”
She refused to answer.
The atmosphere in the truck as Nick drove to his family home was thick and tense.
Nick had barely turned off the engine when Maggie unbuckled her seatbelt and headed into the house.
“You’re back early,” Joan greeted, stepping out of the kitchen when Maggie returned. Her landlord seemed pleased with herself, matching the two of them up for the afternoon.
Nick barged in the door, following Maggie.
Joan looked from one to the other and seemed to instinctively recognize the tension between them.
“Mom,” Nick said, glaring at Maggie and then focusing his attention on his mother. “Did you know Maggie has family living in the area?”
“Yes.” She dried her hands on a terry-cloth towel. “What ofit?”
“I want to know why she’s living with you and not her own father?”
“Did you ask her?”
He glowered at Maggie. “She said it wasn’t my business.”
“Well, that’s true. This doesn’t have anything to do with you, son. Her reasons are my concern and not yours.”
“It does concern me! You’re my mother, and without Dad here to look after you, I’m worried. I’ve heard of cases where someone helps another out of the goodness of their heart, and it comes back to bite them.”
“Oh Nick, you don’t need to worry about Maggie.”
“I would never…” Maggie immediately regretted opening her mouth, wanting to prove herself and realizing it was a lost cause. Her best response was silence. If nothing else, time would speak for itself.
