Page 114 of The One You Want

Chapter Twenty-Five

Maggie had the unenviable task of contacting the priest, florist, caterers, bakery, and all the wedding guests to tell them she’d called off the wedding. She felt the sorrow and support from all her friends and family, but it didn’t bolster her mood or make her feel any better.

A week ago Maggie thought she and Marc were headed to wedded bliss.

Tonight, alone in her childhood bedroom in her parents’ house, she felt very much like she’d been used, and none of what she’d shared with Marc for the last eight months was real.

It felt like he’d simply stopped caring about Maggie, or forgot about her altogether in his plotting to stick it to Gray and Rose. Like, how dare they be happy?

And then there was Joel. He’d come back to town at nearly the last minute because he wanted her back.

Was that real?

Maggie wanted so desperately to believe it was, so that it didn’t feel like she couldn’t trust her own judgment.

She really couldn’t take one more lie.

She stared up at the ceiling, letting the tears fall as all her anger turned to pain and she mourned the wedding she thought she’d have, the love she thought she felt for Marc, the life they’d planned.

She thought about how badly she’d wanted it and chastised herself for not listening to her mom and taking her time. She thought about all the missed opportunities to see Rose over the many months she was with Marc. And how just one meeting could have changed everything.

Again, she thought of Joel. He’d been forthright when they ended things and again when he asked her to come back to him. But she didn’t trust herself to know what was real right now.

Her family stood by her today, consoling her, telling her everything would be all right, and helping her clean up the mess Marc made.

But really the only thing that happened to her was that she’d lost a man who would have been a terrible husband. He’d saved her years of unhappiness and strife. He’d saved their kids from having a broken family and a selfish father who probably wouldn’t have changed, who’d never put them first.

She picked up her phone and called Joel.

“Maggie. I’m so happy to hear from you.”

She heard it in his voice and it lightened her heart. “I canceled the wedding. It’s a long story. I’m not ready to talk about it. I just wanted to know if you’d like to have lunch with me tomorrow.” She wasn’t ready to dive right in. But she had missed him and needed to see if what they once had was still there.

If nothing else, she needed a friend.

“Yes. Absolutely. Where and when. I’ll be there.” His enthusiasm helped ease her heart.

She tried to think of a good place to meet and picked a casual place that had outdoor seating overlooking the ocean. “The Surf. Noon?”

“I’ll make the reservation and see you there.”

“Make it for four people. Rose has a new boyfriend I’d like you to meet.” In addition to wanting them to all be friends, Rose and Gray would let her know if she was seeing things clearly until she trusted herself again.

“I’d love to see Rose and meet her boyfriend.” Joel sighed. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

“I will be. I just need some time.”

“Take all the time you need.” The gentle tenor conveyed how much he meant that.

“What if I want to spend that time with you at the same time I figure out what comes next?”

“We can do things any way you like and at whatever pace works for you.” His easy manner and directness eased her even more. “No pressure, Maggie. Even if you don’t want to take me back, I’d really like it if we could be friends again.”

A good place to start over again. But she took a chance, even though she didn’t feel as brave as her words. “I’d really like that, but I do hope in time we will be far more. And when I’m ready, I want us to go for it all.”

“That’s what I want, sweetheart. You and me. I want us to behappy the way we used to be and so much more. But I get this is a difficult time for you. Just know that I’m here for you. Now. Forever if you want it.”

“I do.” It hit her that she was supposed to say that to another man, but she’d never meant it more than she did right now. “Tomorrow.”

“I’ll be there. I promise. And Maggie...”

“Yeah.”

“I still love you.”

Those heartfelt words felt like a precious gift. They filled her up and eased her heart and mind and stayed with her as the quiet closed in on her and a brighter future with Joel bloomed from the hope his love gave her.