Sweet Reunion

Excerpt

Magnolia Kendrick jumped from the booth and darted between the tables, avoiding waiters and waitresses. She didn’t slow until she reached the bathroom. Closing the stall door behind her, she leaned against the wall and took in a deep breath of heavily-sweetened air.

That had been close. Too close.

Once her heart rate returned to normal, she exited the stall. An older lady shot her a glare. Probably because she hadn’t heard a flush.

Maggie flashed her a quick smile and went to the mirror to fix her makeup, though it didn’t need it. She only needed another minute or two to pull herself together before rejoining Aunt Lucille—the reason she’d fled to the bathroom.

Auntie had a good heart, bless her, but the woman couldn’t take a clue. Or a flat-out request.

Maggie would just have to try again. What other option was there? She lived with her great-aunt, who had tried to set her up with practically every eligible bachelor in Indigo Bay.

Now at Figaro’s, the restaurant owned by a distant cousin about half an hour from their town, Auntie was attempting another set-up.

Lord have mercy. It was almost enough for Maggie to head back home to Georgia—to the one place she could never show her face again.

Almost.

Maggie wanted nothing to do with a relationship of any kind. That was part of the reason she’d moved to Indigo Bay. A fresh start in a town where people didn’t know her problems.

She stood tall and practiced her smile. It was her best feature, unless she listened to the people who adored her too-thick and too-curly dark hair. Long as it was, it was a nightmare. But she hated the way she looked when it was shorter.

The bathroom door flung open. “Maggie!”

Maggie turned to find her cousin Savannah. It wasn’t unusual to find a relative at Figaro’s. “Hi, Savannah.”

“Auntie said you might be in here.”

Maggie put her makeup back in her purse. “Did she send you to find me?”

“She said you ran off like a chicken with its head cut off.” Savannah raised an eyebrow, clearly wanting to know more.

“Can’t a girl use the bathroom?” Maggie adjusted her skirt.

“Is everything okay, darlin’?”

It would be if Aunt Lucille would quit trying to set her up with every available bachelor within a twenty-mile radius of Indigo Bay.

Savannah stepped closer and put a hand on Maggie’s arm. “Everyone worries about you, you know.”

Maggie smiled as sugary sweet as she could. “I appreciate the concern, but I’m fine. Hey, Auntie wasn’t talking to anyone, was she?”

Savannah fanned herself. “You mean that new server, Emilio?”

Wonderful. Aunt Lucille was probably planning Maggie’s date with Emilio at that moment.

“You don’t like him?” Savannah frowned.

Maggie sighed. “I don’t even know him.”

“I wouldn’t mind getting to know him. Did you see those eyes? Blue as a clear lake.”

“Must’ve missed those. Take care, okay? Say hello to Auntie Charlotte for me.”

“I will.” Savannah gave a little wave. “Tell me if you go out with Emilio. I want to hear all about it.”

Maggie forced a smile. There would be no date. She’d managed to avoid all of Aunt Lucille’s attempts. She could do it again. Maybe the tickle in her throat would turn into something more if she was lucky.

As her cousin headed for a stall, Maggie made her way out into the hallway. She’d far prefer to stay in the bathroom until lunch was over, but Auntie would just send more ladies after her until Maggie returned.

Maggie was so busy thinking about what she would say that she bumped into someone.

She looked up. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t—”

Her gaze locked with a familiar but nearly-forgotten set of dark brown eyes that appeared as surprised to see her as she was to see them. Maggie’s heart skipped a beat, then her pulse drummed through her body. Her cheeks warmed, heat spreading across her face.

Canyon Leblanc.

He still had the same effect on her he’d had so many years earlier, despite the fact that she’d nearly forgotten about him. Not because she’d wanted to, but because life had taken them their separate ways and they’d lost touch.

He was just as gorgeous as ever, if not more so. Tan, neatly dressed. His dark hair was longer than it had been so many years before—and it suited him.

A waitress rushed by, bumping Maggie and nearly throwing her against her old friend. He still wore the same aftershave.

A wave of first-love emotions shoved their way to the surface. Feelings that had overwhelmed her younger self but she’d never allowed herself to act upon. Instead, she’d pined for him.

Then he’d exited from her life.

Now things had changed so much. Too much.

No doubt about it—he was definitely more attractive now. He’d grown out of his boyish good looks and had matured into a ruggedly handsome man. His deep brown eyes sent a shiver to her very core.

Maggie took a step back so she couldn’t smell him. So she could think straight.

She didn’t have the time to get distracted by a handsome face—especially not the one in front of her.

They’d been staring at each other for too long. Someone needed to say something.

Maggie cleared her throat. “Canyon?”

He stared at her, his expression practically unreadable. “Maggie.”

She struggled to find words, so she cleared her throat again just to give herself another moment to think of something to say. “I didn’t realize you were back in town. Just a pit stop?”

He shook his head. “Nope. I’m back for good. Here for a job interview, in fact.”

“You are? I’ll put in a good word. My cousin owns the restaurant.”

“Really?” Canyon arched a brow.

Something about that simple act took her breath away.

She needed to get away, and quick. Preferably before Auntie saw him and tried to set up a date.

Maggie forced a smile. “I’d love to catch up sometime. I’m staying at Aunt Lucille’s. Pop in and say hi when you get a chance. We can have some tea or walk the beach like we used to.”

Why had she just said that? The last thing she needed was him surprising her for a visit, especially at home. Auntie would want to set them up.

Awkward.

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Okay. It’d be real nice to catch up. I’d better get going. Interview in a few minutes.”

Maggie nodded. “Right. Good luck.”

Canyon headed down the hallway toward the offices.

She watched until he was out of sight then headed back to the booth where Aunt Lucille was nearly done with her meal. At least she was alone. Maggie had grown tired of thinking up excuses to avoid dates with the men her aunt constantly tried to set her up with.

“What took you so long, Maggie?” Aunt Lucille tugged on her perfectly-styled blonde hair and waited for a reply.

Maggie slid back to her spot. “I kept running into people. You didn’t have to send Savannah after me.”

Aunt Lucille dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “You’d been in there so long.”

She hadn’t, but rather than argue, Maggie took a big bite of her salmon.

“Emilio is free this Saturday afternoon.”

Maggie nearly choked on her fish. “Auntie, I appreciate your concern but—”

“But nothing. You aren’t getting any younger and you need to get your mind off the past. Isn’t that why you came to stay with me?”

“I’m twenty-four. There’s plenty of time to figure out what to do with my life.”

Aunt Lucille tilted her head and sighed. “Young people these days. You can marry rich and not have to worry about a career. In my day, ladies went to college to get their MRS degree.”

Maggie shoved a piece of broccoli into her mouth before she said something that would start an argument.

Auntie got a dreamy look on her face, then started talking about her late husband and their courting days. It may as well have been a hundred years ago, as far removed as it was from Maggie’s situation.

She fought back tears that threatened. Why couldn’t her aunt realize how painful all this was? Dating wasn’t going to solve Maggie’s problems. Getting engaged again certainly wouldn’t.

Maggie was done with men, period. She couldn’t take any more heartbreak. Once she figured out what she wanted to do with her life, she could focus on that. But that was the problem.

Nothing made her happy. She couldn’t escape the pain of her past no matter how hard she tried.