Maggie nodded. “My mother didn’t approve of my watching television,” she explained. “But our housekeeper, Mrs. Burton, drove me to school each morning, and when Mother would leave for one of her club meetings Mrs. Burton would allow me to watch The Flintstones on the small TV in her room before we left for school.”
“So where’s Wilma?” Aaron accepted her story without judgment or question as his blue eyes danced with mischievous laughter. Maggie rolled her eyes and laughed.
“There’s no Wilma,” she insisted, smiling. There was no way she would ever admit that she’d named her car Betty!
6
“Chicken and dumplins. If you’re going to live in the south it’s kinda required that you know how to make this,” Andi informed her. “Goes great with Strawberry wine.” She smiled and nodded to the bag she’d left on the counter.
“Where do you find this stuff?” Maggie asked as she retrieved the bottle of wine and stuck it in the fridge to chill. “Or is that top secret since this is a dry county?” she teased. She still couldn’t believe something like a dry county still existed in this day and age.
“My brother makes it,” Andi laughed. “And don’t worry, he lives a county over so we’re not technically breakin’ any laws. He’s actually planning on opening his own winery someday,” she said proudly.
“Really? If he ever needs a taste tester you know where to find me,” Maggie offered playfully. Andi paused for a moment and studied Maggie as if she was considering something, but whatever it was she didn’t share it.
“So Lacey Buchannan came into the store today.” She quickly changed the subject, falling into her usual habit of updating Maggie on all the local gossip. “I swear she looks like she’s about to bust! She’s gonna have that baby any day now,” Andi predicted.
“It was so adorable watching her waddle through the store with her little ones walking behind her in a perfect row, looked just like a mama duck,” she laughed. “If someone had told me in high school that Lacey would be on her fourth baby by now I’d’ve never believed it. But I guess when you have a husband that looks like hers you just can’t help it. Those blue eyes.” Andi held her hand to her forehead and pretended to swoon. Maggie couldn’t help but laugh at her friend’s dramatics, but the reference to blue eyes immediately brought Aaron to mind.
In truth, in the few days since she’d last seen Aaron he hadn’t really left her mind. She kept analyzing their conversation in the kitchen. Had he been flirting or was he just being polite? He’d made her laugh and feel completely at ease, aside from those few times when their eyes had met and butterflies had erupted inside her. Had he felt that connection too or was it just her?
Obviously she found him gorgeous, but what did he think of her? She just couldn’t tell. She’d really enjoyed their conversation and he seemed to be enjoying her company as well, but once he’d finished his lemonade he’d politely excused himself, wished her a good day, and left without any indication that he wanted to see her again.
“Travis was the biggest flirt in high school,” Andi continued and Maggie snapped back to the present. “But he seems totally devoted to Lacey now. They really are a cute couple.”
“What was Aaron like in high school?” Maggie blurted out the question before she’d even realized she was going to ask it.
“Who?” Andi stopped short as she was serving up their dinner.
“Aaron Miles?” Maggie asked timidly.
“He’s not from here,” Andi replied as she placed the dinner plates on the kitchen island.
The girls had located some bar stools in a game room which they had moved to the kitchen. They preferred to eat there rather than in the formal dining room.
“Where’s he from?” Maggie asked as she grabbed the bottle of wine and joined Andi at the bar. Barney promptly curled at her feet beneath the barstool.
“Look, sweetie, I know he’s gorgeous. Trust me, I’ve seen him. But I think you should stay away from him.”
“Why?” Maggie’s heart fell at Andi’s words.
“I don’t know much about him,” Andi admitted. “He got here just before you did, but he keeps to himself. No one really knows much about him, but I’ve heard…” Andi trailed off as if she was contemplating whether or not to say what she knew which wasn’t like her at all. Maggie could feel her anxiety building.
“What?” She prodded.
“He’s an ex-con.” Andi sounded apologetic.
Maggie’s mind immediately rejected the possibility. Not her Aaron. Andi must be mistaken. But then again he wasn’t “her Aaron,” was he? She barely knew him. Could it be possible?
“What did he do?” Maggie found herself whispering.