Page 13 of One Lustful Summer (Texas Summer #14)

Rowan

It’s been a month since we started the renovation on Maggie’s home. Time has passed by in a blink of an eye. Her determination to learn about all the processes of the renovation have surprised me. She has torn out drywall, and hung new sheets when the studs were ready. She learned how to tape and mud drywall, and did a better job than some of the men on my crews.

She has painted walls and trim with the best of them. I spent an entire weekend teaching her how to lay hardwood flooring in the living room with Jodi’s help.

Monday through Friday, she works with me and the crew as we work on the renovation. Thursday nights have become our official date night. Sometimes we hit up Gypsy’s for dinner and trivia and some nights we stay in, wrapped around each other.

Saturdays are farmer’s market and brunch at the diner with Jodi. Sunday afternoons are for walks and relaxing at the creek, just the three of us. Both my girls becoming head over heels for each other in our shared times together. Jodi knows Maggie is someone important to me. But I think Maggie is becoming important to Jodi as well. It feels good to have someone to be there with us.

Every day Maggie and I become closer, I find myself wanting her here with me all the time. Sharing the simple things in life with me. In the evenings watching TV with Jodi. The rushed morning as we scramble to get ready for the day.

“Rowan,”

my mother calls as she walks in through my front door.

“In the kitchen,”

I holler as I continue to season the steaks for dinner. I hear a rustle of bags and look over my shoulder and watch mom set them on the island. She must have a whole buggy’s worth of groceries.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, just a few things for tonight,”

she answers.

“A few? Looks like a lot. I told you this was a simple meal, Ma.”

I remember telling her this quite a few times, but clearly it went in one ear and out the other.

I’m having Maggie over for dinner with some of my family. It was going to be a small gathering, just Maggie, Jodi, my parents, and me. But somewhere along the line, it has grown to include Lauren, Dean, and their parents. Luckily, it isn’t everyone, and it helps that Lauren and Dean aren’t unfamiliar faces.

“I’m excited. Let me have this moment,”

she replies as she pulls things out of the bag.

“It’s just dinner, Ma. Not marriage,”

I mumble to myself as I wrap the plate with the steaks in tin foil. Placing them in the fridge, I turn back around to find mom staring at me. “What?”

Her eyes are wide and she’s quiet. I’m starting to worry about her, but then she starts talking and I know that she’s fine.

“Do you think it could lead to that?”

Her question catches me off guard. I give her a look of confusion and she continues.

“Marriage. Do you think she could be the one?”

“Ma, it’s just dinner. Have I thought about a future with her? Yes. But it’s been a month. Let us build this relationship up and not rush anything. I haven’t even told her ‘I love you’ yet.”

“But you do?”

she asks, hopefulness in her voice.

“You won’t be the first to know,”

I tell her as I step around her and help empty the bags. Honestly, the first person I want to tell is Maggie. I feel it, but I’ve never said the words to a female who wasn’t family. Is it too soon? Does she feel the same? Or is it just lust?

Mom drops the subject when Jodi comes in from playing outside and we get to work. She has the making for a charcuterie board, so Jodi and I start on that, taking directions from her as she works on making pasta and potato salads to go with dinner.

Within a few hours, we have all the sides prepared and the dessert in the oven. I’ve cooked and prepped more today than I have in the last six months. Dad arrived forty-five minutes ago with a cooler full of sodas, bottled waters, and beers. Everything is ready for my guests to arrive.

Dean arrives first with his parents, Uncle Steve and Aunt Alice, in tow. Lauren and Maggie pulling in right behind them. When I see Maggie step out of Lauren’s SUV, I take a moment to soak her in.

She is so beautiful. Today she is in a yellow sundress, with thick straps that are tied around her neck. Her tan legs are on display again, but it’s her cowboy boots that make my smile widen.

I remember the day she got them. She was so excited to show them off. She wore them to dinner and trivia that night and I couldn’t wait to get her back to my place and have my way with her. I made her leave the boots on until we finished and were ready for bed. I may have also given her a foot rub the next morning that made me late to work.

She saunters up to me and I have to control my urge to pull her close and taste her lips. The kiss I want to give her is not appropriate for those around us, so I settle on a quick peck as I pull her to my side.

After quickly introducing my aunt and uncle, we all head inside. Maggie grips my hand as she steps over the threshold where my parents wait. Before I have a chance to introduce her to my parents, Jodi comes running into the room.

“Maggie,”

Jodi exclaims as she runs up to Maggie with her arms outstretched. Maggie releases my hand and bends down to catch Jodi. She wraps her in her arms and gives her a big squeeze.

“Jodi-bug,”

Maggie replies as she holds her close. When she releases Jodi, she stands back up and her hand instantly finds mine.

She looks calm on the outside, but I can see her fidget as my parents take her in. She’s nervous, but she has no reason to be.

“Ma, Dad, this is Maggie.”

I announce.

Dad walks up and holds his hand out.

“Nice to meet you, Maggie. Cowen DuPont, but everyone calls me Coe. And this is my wife Mia.”

Maggie shakes his hand with her free hand.

“Nice to meet you both.”

Mom steps up and engulfs Maggie in a hug.

“I’m so happy to meet you,”

she tells my woman. When mom pulls back, she wipes at her eyes, her happiness shining through.

“Okay, who’s ready to eat?”

I ask, ready for the evening to get started.

Everyone is on board, so I give Maggie a quick kiss on her forehead and go grab the steaks from the fridge. Lauren eases next to Maggie, giving her support as I step away. Dad, Dean and Uncle Steve head out to the patio and keep me company while I grill the meat.

I watch through the patio doors as Maggie helps the women place the food out on the island. When the steaks are done, I load them up and take them inside. Everyone loads up their plates and heads outside to the tables we have set up.

Conversation flows around us, everyone talking and laughing. I lean close to Maggie and whisper in her ear.

“You doing okay?”

She leans against me, her touch calming and welcome.

“I am. Your family is great.”

Before I can comment, Lauren pulls her into a different conversation. I watch Maggie for a moment. Her smile is big and her eyes shine with excitement. The nerves she had before seem to have evaporated as she settle in with everyone.

When I look around the table, everyone listens intently to Maggie and Lauren. Everyone but mom, she’s watching me with a smile. She mouths, ‘I like her’, and while I wasn’t waiting for her approval, I’m glad I have it.

The evening progresses with dessert, warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream and coffee. As everyone starts to head out and go home, Maggie stands by my side as we say our goodbyes. When it’s just the three of us left, Maggie and I join Jodi on the couch for a kids’ movie before bed.

Jodi snuggles in between the two of us. Her head is resting in Maggie’s lap and her feet in mine. I spend more time watching the two of them than I do the TV screen. Maggie runs her fingers through Jodi’s hair, lulling her to sleep as the day’s activities give way to her exhaustion.

She is out for the count halfway through the movie. I take Jodi to bed, covering her up with her blanket, and she never stirs in her slumber.

When I make it back to the living room, it’s empty. I find Maggie in the kitchen tidying up from our evening.

“Leave it,”

I tell her as I make my way to her.

“It’s time to take you to bed.”

I lead her into my room, closing the door and engaging the lock. The last thing I need is for Jodi to walk in.

Maggie makes her way to my bed and opens the bag she brought over for tonight. She had left it in Lauren’s SUV when they arrived, but Lauren went and grabbed it while the women were in the kitchen and otherwise occupied.

She grabs some clothes and heads into the master bath to change into her pajamas. I step into the walk-in closet and remove my clothes and pull on a pair of basketball shorts.

When she walks out, Maggie heads right to the bed. She pulls the covers back and then slides in. I flick the light switch on my way to her and climb in beside her, pulling her close.

“I had a good night,”

she tells me in the darkness.

“Me, too. Now, do you think you can be quiet?”

“I think I can,”

she retorts with quiet laughter.

And she keeps quiet as I take from her, and she takes from me. Her cries muffled in the pillow or my palm.