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“Lucas, good to see you, but you’re dressed too fancy to help break down the booth.”
“Actually, I just stopped in to see Maggie and see how today went.”
“Barbara has a few items left, but Maggie sold out almost instantly.”
“I wouldn’t say instantly, but by ten o’clock.” She shrugged, uncomfortable with today’s success. And people’s praise. Many of them had been regulars during the summer and they were elated to see her at the Holiday Farmers’ Market.
Maggie loved the December market even more than the summer one. Many of the regular vendors were there, plus the seasonal ones selling Christmas trees and all the greenery. There were also craftspeople selling ornaments, like the glass blower with her intricate shapes and the wood carver known for his elf carvings.
Barbara always took a break from their Thistlestone booth to visit the fiber artists and the beeswax candle maker who bought their raw materials from the ranch. The chocolatier was back this year, and Maggie had bought his special dark chocolate bar with candied ginger pieces, one for her and one for Penny. Next week she’d pick up more bars for stocking stuffers and continue her campaign to convince the chocolate genius to join them in the summer market.
He’d complained that the weather was too unpredictable and if it was too warm, his product would suffer. Maggie thought they had a small portable refrigerator stored in an outbuilding they weren’t using. If he could find a generator, she was sure Grandad would let him use the small fridge, especially if they did it in trade. Grandad had a fierce sweet tooth for anything that wasn’t honey.
“Everything sold by ten, eh?” Lucas asked, and the spark was in his eyes. The one that was always there whenever he brought up the subject of her owning a bakery. “And did you make double of everything like I suggested?” Maggie had hemmed and hawed over what to bake, but they’d decided on mini loaves of cranberry orange bread, pumpkin walnut scones, fruitcake drop cookies, and small pans of apple spice cake.
Maggie hadn’t known how she’d get it all done. There were only so many hours in a day and she had limited space, but then she remembered Penny. Her sister lived across the hall from her, and during the busy holiday season, the only items in her refrigerator were usually a few cartons of yogurt and wilted lettuce. Penny lived off frozen dinners and whatever Maggie shared with her. Penny would rather sell at Get Lost than hit the grocery store or waste time in the kitchen.
Maggie had called in a few favors with the remaining baristas to rearrange her work schedule, and she cleaned Penny’s kitchen. With timing, organization, and a little magic—like drawing the heat out of the scones and cakes so she could drizzle the icing over them sooner—Maggie had used both kitchens to their full capacity. Plus, two sleepless nights, and Maggie had the recipe for this week’s success. She was thrilled but exhausted.
Maggie needed sleep, but that wouldn’t come until she’d closed Brewster’s for the night, calculated the tips and hours, and processed payroll for the next week. She normally did that on Monday morning, but Mrs. Trange had placed a holiday cookie order with decorated sugar cookies, spritzes, and gingerbread men for pickup on Tuesday afternoon.
“I actually made triple,” Maggie bragged, wanting to wipe the smug look off his face. She instantly regretted it.
“I told you. People love your baking, Maggie.”
“She’s got orders for Christmas cookies, too,” Grandad shared, shooing them aside. She felt Lucas’s eyes on her as she watched Grandad flip the table over, collapse its legs, and snap them into place. Maggie didn’t need Penny’s intuition to know what Lucas was going to say. She wasn’t ready to own a bakery. Maybe someday, but not now. Maggie needed to know more stuff. She didn’t even know what she didn’t know. And didn’t that prove she wasn’t ready?
“People can get a decent cup of coffee anywhere, but they will go out of their way for your baked goods. Let’s find you a bakery,” he said, pulling her closer, nuzzling her neck and kissing her right there, the spot between her ear and jaw that weakened her defenses and made it almost impossible to think.
“I’m just not ready yet.” She stepped back so she could think. The minute Lucas touched her, she was his. Mentally and physically. She’d never felt this way before. Powerful and weak at the same time. Like she could do anything with him at her side. Even own a bakery. Some day. When she was ready. If he loved me, he’d be more patient. Maggie’s stomach dropped, and the truth wrapped around her heart. I’m in love with him, but he doesn’t know the truth about me.
This was not good. She could not be in love with Lucas Rodriguez. This was too soon. Too fast. It wasn’t long ago that he was the bane of her existence. And a happily-ever-after wasn’t guaranteed. Many of the Buchanan witches had taken their secret to their deaths, never telling their husband the truth. Some had told their betrothed the truth, only to watch them flee, like Aunt Elspeth’s fiancé had.
Maggie didn’t feel right about not telling him. But when was the right time? When a certain number of days had passed? When she felt more secure? When he said those three words? Do not say them before him, she ordered herself, believing her confession would hurry their relationship to a disastrous end.
Things were moving too quickly, and she needed to slow his roll, because if she was a betting woman, he already loved her as much as she loved him. Shite.
“You just need more confidence.”
“And where do I get that? The confidence store?” She bit back, not liking that he knew her so well and thought he knew what was best for her. And it irritated her he was right. He’s right all the time.
“You get confidence by doing and practicing,” he said calmly, lovingly. Stop being so reasonable!
“You don’t know what’s best for me. Get out of my life. I’m in charge of it!” Go, before I say more lies or words I’ll regret. She shoved him away as snow and a biting wind raced through the market, chasing away the mild early December weather. Lucas looked wounded as he shivered and turned up his collar.
Maggie wanted to apologize for her harsh tone and words and beg him to stay. Explain that she was exhausted and confused. Scared of her future and her feelings for him. Scared of their future and if he’d give them one once he knew the truth about her.
“Lucas, I’m—”
He cut her apology off with a swift, brutal kiss. She’d hurt him, and now he shared it with her. Her guilt was a multiplying factor, making the pain exponentially worse. Lucas retreated as quickly as his plunder had begun. “We’re not over. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
He turned and stormed away, not giving her the chance to correct him. She hadn’t intended for her horrid words to make him think she was breaking up with him. She just needed space and time until she knew what she wanted. Other than him, because right now, he was the only thing she was sure of.
Chapter 25
Maggie forced her smile as another customer walked through the door. This gentleman was empty-handed, a refreshing change from all the customers carrying in Get Lost shopping bags. Between finals week at Cascade University and the book signing across the hall, she and Jack were busier than a one-legged man at a butt-kicking contest.
It didn’t help that she’d spent as much time waiting on customers as she had on cleaning up Jack’s messes. From not putting syrups back where they belonged, leaving espresso grounds around the machine, and freezing the cash register so badly she’d rebooted it twice, Maggie thought she’d be better off without him.
