Page 45 of Matched By Mistake
Cecily nodded. “You’re letting your feelings get the better of you. Remember what happened when Eliza Boudreaux left Fernando? Do you want to be hurt that way?”
“This is different,” she said. Maggie didn’t believe that Jericho would ever deceive her in any way. She hoped he knew that she wouldn’t do that to him as well. The last few days had shown her just how different from Randall Jericho was. He might have started out trying to impress her parents at dinner, but she knew from a text via her mom that Jericho and her dad had been discussing environmentally friendly energy sources that he could use in his building designs. Something new her father and Preston had been brainstorming but hadn’t been sure how to bring to the market.
Cecily tipped her head to the side and reached over to squeeze Maggie’s hand where it rested on the table next to her phone. “I know. He’s different and so are you, or at least it feels that way. I really just don’t want to see you in a situation similar to the one you had with Randall...”
Maggie pulled her hand back, picking up her phone and setting it on the bench next to her. “Jericho is nothing like Randall. Shall we order? I think that Amanda put peach pie on the menu and I cannot resist it. So I’m leaning toward that. What about you?”
“I’m having the Greek salad with dressing on the side and the peach pie,” Cecily said, reluctantly ending her line of questioning.
After they had both ordered, they talked about the upcoming Christmas campaign that Maggie was designing the graphic art for. Maggie was glad to have a chance to talk about something that wasn’t Jericho or the feud. It made her more determined to actually end it. She and Jericho’s relationship might have started out to help Misha and Trey, but it had turned into something else. She felt it, and she was pretty sure he did, too.
“I’m sorry if I overstepped earlier. I really do have you and your family’s best interests at heart,” Cecily said as they were getting ready to leave.
“I know you do. It’s just I think that it’s time we moved on from the old rivalries and started doing more to build bridges,” Maggie said. “Thank you for caring enough to say the tough things.”
“That’s what I do,” Cecily said, giving her a hug and then getting into her car and driving away.
Maggie felt better and texted Jericho with her idea to make some permanent changes to the old tensions between the Del Rio and Winters families.
Maggie: Tell me if this sounds nuts but I think we should have our parents over for a cookout.
Jericho: It’s totally bonkers, but I was thinking something similar.
Maggie: Okay, this Saturday?
Jericho: Two days?
Maggie: Yeah, that way they can’t overthink it and back out.
Jericho: [[laughing emoji]] I’ll text my folks.
Maggie: I’m going to say yours are already coming... I know it’s deceptive but they won’t say no if they think we’ll be hosting your folks.
Jericho: You’re diabolical but right. I’ll do the same. Can’t wait to see you tonight.
Maggie: Me, either.
She tucked her phone into her purse after texting her mom and sat in her car letting the air-conditioning cool her down. She cautioned herself not to get too excited but it was hard not to. She didn’t want to say theLword. Or identify her feelings as that. But the truth was she was starting to think that was what she felt toward Jericho.
Jericho texted his parents and they immediately responded yes, they’d be there. His mom asked what she could bring and Jericho requested her potato salad, which was his favorite. She hearted the message and Jericho turned back to the design he was working on. He used an advanced CAD program and was trying to incorporate the idea that Fernando and Preston had talked to him about. They were trying to develop the basics of a revolutionary energy-saving way to heat and cool homes, but the design was... Well,trickywould be an understatement. That’s where Jericho’s expertise in building and architecture came in. Together they might figure it out.
He sensed someone watching him and glanced up to his brother standing in the doorway. “Hey, wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
“I was over this way for a meeting and decided to drop by,” Trey said.
He arched one eyebrow at his brother. “For?”
“Mom said you and Maggie...that you seemed to really like each other.”
“I told you it was complicated,” Jericho said. “Please tell me you’re not turning into some kind of Dr. Phil.”
“No, but I want to make sure you’ve thought this through. She’s a Del Rio.”
“Thanks, Dad. I already cottoned onto that fact,” he said, shoving his hand through his thick hair.
“Actually, Dad really likes her. Seems me and Alisha were the only holdouts but even she seems to have softened.”
“Really?”
