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“Thanks, Grandad.” Not.
“No problem, sweetheart,” he said, giving her a side hug. He and Lucas looked pleased with themselves.
“Today is Wednesday, and the contest is this Saturday,” Nanna said, joining them. “Think you can pull enough people for tomorrow night?” she asked Lucas, not even bothering to ask Maggie if that worked for her. It did, but that was beside the point. It was her life, and she didn’t need people managing her. She did fine on her own. Most of the time.
“I can, if that’s what Maggie wants.” Lucas searched her face.
It shocked Maggie how many things she wanted right now, and one of them was Lucas. But she could ignore the physical attraction. A bit. For a while. Just because he wanted to help her—most likely to assuage his guilt at entering the competition—that didn’t mean she had to trust or like him.
Plus, he’d backed her into a corner. A nice guy wouldn’t have done that, but the guy hell-bent on ruining her chances of winning might. Maggie wondered what would happen if she said no. He’d given her the option, but it was an illusion. With Nanna and Grandad standing there looking at Lucas like he’d hung the moon, she didn’t have a choice. She had to go along with his crazy plan, but she’d use it to her advantage.
Maggie hadn’t decided on a recipe. She could bake both to see which worked better in front of an audience and the men could vote on the tastiest. Plus, if Maggie was honest with herself, she usually needed a little shove or gentle prod to get moving. She didn’t like new things or ideas. And everything about this was new, especially Lucas wanting to help her.
But she wouldn’t lower her guard. She’d be extra cautious and vigilant.
“Seven o’clock at Thistlestone?” she asked, not liking the way her voice shook.
“It’s a date,” Lucas said, causing her stomach to flutter like the real thing. But it wasn’t. And it couldn’t be. Once she won the competition, she’d be done with him for good.
Chapter 8
“This is my dad, Cal, also called Four,” Cal said, introducing Lucas and Bash. “And my mom, Alison, and Aunt Elspeth, and you both remember Penny.” They’d come early to help set up for Maggie’s practice.
“I’m glad everyone could make it on such short notice,” Lucas said.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Alison said. “I just wish we’d thought of it. This is exactly what Maggie needs.” Lucas beamed under her praise. At least one of the Buchanan women thought he was right. Barbara thought he was right, too, but the person who mattered the most wasn’t convinced.
“Sometimes that girl needs a stick of dynamite under her to get her going, but once she does, watch out,” Four said. Silence descended on the group. Cal was the only common denominator, and Lucas knew he was more than happy to soak up the silence and graze on the chips and salsa Barbara had set out. Bash looked around the kitchen, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
“So, who’s watching Get Lost?” Lucas asked Penny. “Or do you close early?”
“We’re closed Thursday evenings for two book clubs.”
“Two? How does that work?” Lucas asked, as Bash tuned into their conversation.
“The Good for You book club meets in one corner and the Fun for You meets in another.”
“And it isn’t hard to tell who belongs to each group,” Elspeth said, winking. She explained the members cleaned up after themselves and put everything away. The club leaders each had a key, and she or Penny would remotely set the alarm system after everyone had left. “We’ve been doing it for years.”
“Another one of Cascade City’s charms,” Bash said.
“We think so,” Elspeth said, accepting the compliment, but Penny looked like she’d sucked on a lemon.
Maggie stood near the island, checking her supplies as their audience slowly trickled in. Cal introduced each man to his family members as Lucas kept an eye on Maggie, but he wasn’t the only one. A few teammates had settled into the front row seats, and they watched her. Hungrily. She looked pale and her hands shook slightly as they chatted with her. His teammates were making it worse, not better.
He excused himself from the welcoming party and grabbed Maggie’s hand, dragging her behind him. His teammates complained loudly about him ruining their fun and taking away their new toy, but he waved them off. Lucas opened a door and shoved Maggie inside, closing it behind them. The overhead light clicked on, and Lucas widened his eyes.
“We’re surrounded,” he said, marveling at the rows of canned vegetables, pickles, and jams. His abuela canned, but not like this.
“We should surrender.” Maggie sounded serious, as if this was a life-or-death situation.
“No. Never. Arms over head, Maggie Buchanan,” he ordered, pulling her arms up. “And be a warrior.” Her arms sagged, but he pushed them up. “You’re like a geriatric superhero, but I need you to be Wonder Woman in her prime.”
“You’re not going to let me out of here until I do, right?” Lucas nodded his head, and she stood taller and stretched her arms toward the ceiling. He took a moment, reminding himself to breathe. No one would confuse her with a superhero, but she had a super hold on him.
“Now repeat after me. I’ve got this.”
“I’ve got this,” she said, rolling her eyes.
