“Or one to hold it back and shove it down our throats,” Maggie mumbled under the clinking of her spoon as she stirred in sugar from the glass container against the wall.
“Listen up, girl,” Auntie Bren snapped with a polite smile.
The two of them had a love-hate relationship. Auntie Bren loved to offer her sage wisdom and views on life. Maggie hated to hear it. Instead of denying the older woman her presence, Maggie stopped biting her tongue around her. “What’s going on, Auntie Bren?” Maggie asked. “Why are you here instead of with Oscar?”
Oscar Blakemore and Auntie Bren were going to get married next Saturday; it was still too early for the tradition of the bride not seeing the groom the night before the wedding to kick in. “Oscar is working out.”
“Okay.”
“You need to meet with Kit. Rumor has it she’s going to retire soon. She’s looking for someone to run the pageant, to be her successor and keep her legacy alive. And it doesn’t have to be a family member.”
“Is this through the granny grapevine?” Maggie laughed at her own joke until Auntie Bren repositioned her crossed legs and kicked Maggie in the shin.
“Ouch.” Maggie winced.
The lack of empathy didn’t reach Auntie Bren’s eyes with her tight smile. “If you want to prove to your father you’re a responsible adult, you will at least see Kit. Put your name in the running.”
“Kit is just gathering people for her anniversary,” Maggie explained.
“And what better way to announce your retirement than to go out with a bang?” Auntie Bren asked.
“While you were eavesdropping, did you not hear the part about where the party is this Saturday? I’d miss your wedding.”
“That’s a part of being an adult, Maggie. You need to trust me on this. Kit has no grandchildren right now. What better time to travel and enjoy your retirement before you feel obligated to come home and babysit?”
“Auntie Bren,” Maggie gasped and hooked her thumb around the handle of the mug.
In an attempt to feign innocence, Auntie Bren clutched the pearls beneath her collar. “By heavens, did you think I meant you?”
“Whatever.”
“Keep in mind, you becoming president of the Southern Style Glitz Beauty Pageant, which is at the beginning of August, would certainly be a secure full-time job for a full six weeks just before your trust fund deadline.”
Maggie chewed on her bottom lip. She could run that pageant in a heartbeat. She knew that world like the back of her hand, knew what worked and what didn’t, what was worth pursuing and what was better left on a list of ho-hum ideas. If what her aunt said was true, Maggie couldn’t think of a better person more deserving of the honor of pageant president than herself. The pageant came around once a year, which would give her at least 363 days to still travel and socialize. Another benefit? If she was in charge of the pageant, Maggie could get rid of Caden’s brothers on staff.
And as for Caden? She leaned back to catch a glimpse of him lifting a tray of cupcakes over his head. A ripple of wantonness rolled through her. She’d need to work out all her desires before she accepted the position, now that she’d mentally claimed it. It wasn’t like they hadn’t amicably separated before after a night of heated passion.
Chapter 4
Something about the smell of the fair brought back old, fond memories of Caden’s youth. On Caden’s way back to Maggie, a disappointed kid ran in front of him with tears in his eyes. He glanced around and deduced the red height line for rides was the problem. He shook his head and remembered that happening to him once, maybe around the time he was eight. When the fair rolled around the following year, Caden rode every ride several times over. Had the kid stopped for a moment, Caden would have offered some words of comfort and a cupcake and sent him on his way. Odd how being in Southwood for a few days unearthed this sage fatherly wisdom in him, Caden thought to himself.
Caden returned to their kiosk from dropping off the bakery’s empty portable display cases back at Maggie’s car. Thankfully they were almost sold out. The stands didn’t offer much space between the two of them. Every time Maggie reached for a different cupcake on his side of the small area, her body brushed against his. Thank God for the apron she made him wear, because when she bent straight over earlier today to tie her shoe, Caden had experienced a rush to a part of his body he was glad was covered from view. Her innocent act would forever be singed in his brain.
Just as he returned, Caden caught a glimpse of Maggie, and his heart swelled. She’d finished handing a small child the last cupcake
from a tray. After taking off her gloves, Maggie must have gotten a slather of frosting on her thumb. Instinctively she licked it off. Their eyes locked. Kids screaming with laughter hurried by at the Ferris wheel near the cupcake kiosk. He had to hand it to Maggie or whoever it was who’d decided to set up this stand right here. They were almost sold out of every cupcake by the fifth round of riders.
Why was he here again? Pure torture?
Approaching the cupcake stand, a group of girls began to count down the number of baskets their friend made at one of the game kiosks. Fifteen shots made before the buzzer went off. Impressive, Caden thought. Kofi would sign the girl up in a heartbeat. Hell, maybe this was why God had placed him in Southwood. Caden did a quick read of the basketball player’s T-shirt—Southwood High Grad Done Good. So she was at least out of high school. He wondered if she was done with college. Without coming off like a creep, there was no way Caden could lean forward and see if her shirt said what year she graduated.
“Her name is Becky and yes, she is single.”
Caden stopped in his tracks and blinked in disbelief at a few things. For starters, Maggie stood on the outside of the kiosk with her hands at the hips of her hourglass frame. Apron off, the black shorts and black-and-white-striped T-shirt hugged her curves. There was also no mistaking the jealous tone in her voice. Sure, women swore they didn’t have a tone, but they did. Caden heard it. He couldn’t help but smile knowing he was not the only one affected by working close together. This summer heat brought out something between them.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Caden began to explain with his hands up, as if trying to halt her thoughts.
“Sure,” Maggie said with a sudden jolt of sweetness. “I can introduce the two of you.”