Tell Me a Secret (13 page)

He said something that caught her attention. “What did you say?”
 

“I’ve accepted a position in Temple at Scott-White Hospital as assistant chief of staff and I’d like to take you with me.”

Her eyes went wide. At first she thought she’d misunderstood and hesitated to let the words soak in. “What? Take me with you?”

“Yes. You’re an excellent nurse. With my recommendation, you could fill the assistant director of nurses’ position available there.”

“That job requires administrative duties and I don’t have any experience.”

“You’re good with people and that’s what administration is all about.”

He sounded serious. She leaned forward. “I appreciate the consideration, but I’m not interested. I’m happy with what I do. I’d miss the patient contact. I’m not cut out to sit behind a desk.”

He laid down his fork and stiffened. “I thought you’d welcome the opportunity to advance your career.”

“It’s funny. A few months ago, I would have, but lately, climbing the ladder isn’t important. But again, thanks for the vote of confidence. When do you leave?”

“I’m turning my resignation in tomorrow. You’re the first to know.”

“Well, I wish you the best.”

Forty-five minutes later, Maggie walked into her house and made a bee-line for the refrigerator. She grabbed the can of whipping cream and shook it like she was trying to bring it to its senses, aimed the nozzle and filled her mouth. Repeating the process, she decided it needed chocolate. She ducked back in the fridge, snatched the bottle of syrup, squirted some on her tongue, and chased it with more dairy topping.

Ten minutes later, with tofu reduced to a bad memory, she undressed and got ready for bed. Aphrodite lifted her head, meowed, then curled back into Maggie’s pillow. “You would not believe the night I’ve had,” she said to the cat.
 

Retrieving her journal from the bedside table, she shoved Aphrodite aside, then crawled in next to her. She wanted to record the evening. She’d need a good laugh one day.

The hinges on the front door creaked. “How was the restaurant? How was the good doc? Are you seeing him again? Was he a good kisser?” As Sarah finished her questions, she stopped in the doorway.

Maggie propped pillows behind her and leaned back on the bed. “Fine. Boring. No. Didn’t happen.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Okay. The restaurant was fine. Your date was boring. You’re not seeing him again. And no sugar?”

“Correct.”

“C’mon, girl, give me details.”

“To start with, he’s too old for me. He’s set in his ways. And as it turns out, we don’t have anything in common.”

“How can you say that? You both work in the medical field.”

“He’s a vegan. I had to eat bean sprouts, bamboo shoots—and tofu.” She grimaced and added finger animations. “Plus he precisely cuts his food into one inch portions and chews each bite twenty-five times. It aids in digestion. According to him, you’re supposed to even chew pudding to mix enzymes. Do you have any idea how long a meal lasts when you’re counting chews?”

An hour later, Maggie lay awake and thought about her upcoming date with Jared. It occurred to her if the two brothers were combined, she’d have the perfect man. They were both handsome, but Jared wasn’t a playboy. At least he didn’t appear to be. But then again, as Jace got closer to thirty, maybe he’d be more like his brother. She didn’t know why she speculated about such things. Soon, tutoring would end, Jace would continue to sow his seeds, and she’d concentrate on getting over him. She needed to accept the facts and move on with her life. Without Jace Sloan.

You change your life by changing your heart.

~ Dr. Gary Smalley

On Saturday, Maggie worked the day shift and arranged to meet Jared at his office at four-thirty. Still in scrubs, she freshened her makeup, brushed her teeth and undid her ponytail to let her hair fall loose. She kept telling herself it wasn’t a date. But no reason to be a total wreck.

Thirty minutes later, she wheeled into the parking lot and chose a space near the front door. Taking one last look in the rearview mirror to check her appearance, she continued to listen to the game on the radio. Jace made a first down and Tech was on a roll. With one minute and twenty seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Raiders trailed by six.

The commentator called the play.
Grant takes the snap; fakes a handoff. Looks downfield, but nobody’s open. He’s going to run with it and gets tackled at the thirty, but it’ll be first and ten Texas Tech. The clock stops while they move the chains.

She clapped and yelled, then remembered where she was. She scanned the area to make sure no one saw her outburst, then got out of her car and walked to the door.

Once inside, she heard the game being broadcast. “Jared? It’s Maggie.”

 
~~*~~
 

He poked his head from a door in the hallway. “Hey, come on in. I’ve got the TV on. We can finish watching the game.”

She sat in one of the leather seats facing his desk. He reclaimed his and held up a bottle. “You want a beer or a soda? I have both.”

“Sure, but I can get it. Tell me where they are.”

“Down the hall and to the right.”
 

Watching her leave, his mind went back to the dance recital and those sexy costumes. His heart accelerated. She was a beautiful woman and didn’t seem to know it. He wondered if any man had ever told her. If Jace had.
 

She returned just as play resumed. When Jace ran his route, she scooted to the edge of her seat. He leaped into the air and got tackled hard. Pass incomplete. She inched forward more and rested her arms on Jared’s desk. The announcer continued.

It looked like Kansas was going to put this one away in the fourth when Waters hit Brett Stanford in the end zone and the Red Raiders answered with a three and out. But a fumble by Waters got the Raiders back in the game and now they have a first and ten at the thirty-five.

She laced fingers together and squeezed until her nails dug into skin. Jared studied her expression. Green eyes wide with excitement. Lips taut with tension. He thought how he’d like to kiss them until they were swollen from passion. She released a heavy sigh and brought him back to the game.

Kansas still in the lead, but it’ll be first and ten Texas Tech, when we come back.

“Oh my God, this is nerve-racking.” She wrung her hands.

Jared smiled. “We’ll win. Tech plays best under pressure.”

Welcome back, folks and if you’ve just tuned in, you missed a heck of a catch by Texas Tech’s All American wide receiver, Jace Sloan. And right there, the cameraman has a good shot of his parents. Next to them are Quarterback Kyle Grant’s mom and dad.

Maggie squealed. “Hi John! Hi Elizabeth!” She waved as if they could see her and Jared loved the delight in her eyes. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning seeing a new bike for the first time.

Play resumed.

It’s first down on K-State’s fourteen yard line. Grant takes the snap. K-State blitzes! Ooohh, and Grant gets slammed. Flag on the play and this is against K-State. Looked like the big linebacker Rodney Decker got Grant’s face mask and that’s a big break for Texas Tech. Ball is reset at the seven. Clock continues to tick. Grant’s in shotgun formation. Kansas is coming, he stays on his feet, pitches back to Perry and he runs it in for a touchdown! The game is tied 20-20.
 

Maggie jumped up and yelled.

Jared laughed again. “You get into these games, don’t you?”

“Sorry. I get excited.”

“Don’t apologize. I love your energy and wish you’d been here from the start.”

Kicker Todd Williams comes onto the field. Interesting story about Williams. He was among competitors who attempted a fifty yard field goal during half-time at Tech’s first home game. Not only did he make it and win a thousand dollar prize, he got a tryout with the team and as they say, the rest is history. So far this season, he’s not missed a field goal or extra point. Boyd takes the snap, Williams kicks it away, and it is GOOD! Red Raiders take the lead twenty-one to twenty. K-State has only seventeen seconds to score.

“That’s a crazy story,” Jared said.

“Yeah. Were you at that game?”

“Of course. I never miss a home game. Got to support my little brother.”

She focused back on the screen. “The quarterback will throw a hail Mary, right?”

“That’s all he can do. He’ll send the ball into the air along with a prayer.”

Offense is coming on the field. Official sets the ball. Wildcats get into position. Quarterback Don Waters takes the snap, drops back, pumps his arm a couple of times and fires it down field to his number one receiver Garrett Long, who has no opportunity to make the catch among Tech’s defenders. Texas Tech wins in a close one, 21-20.

She jumped from her seat, threw her hands in the air and yelled.

Jared grinned. It’d been a long time since he’d been around a girl with so much enthusiasm. Most of the women he dated lately were uptight ladder climbers, more interested in social status. “I love watching games with you. It’s like having my own personal cheerleader.”

She giggled. “Now, where are those plans?”

“I have them spread out in the conference room. Oh, and by the way, you look beautiful. I like your hair that way.”

“Really? Jace prefers it curly.”

Twenty minutes later, she relaxed in a big upholstered chair, while Jared finished his notes, logging her suggestions.

“You want to go to Joe’s and get a burger before you leave?” he asked.

“A burger? I would love a burger—and fries—and a milkshake.”

“I appreciate a woman with a healthy appetite.”

“If I told you what I had for supper last night, you’d understand.”

They walked across the street to the Café and slid into a corner booth. The waitress took their order, then retreated to the kitchen. “Thanks for your input with the hospital plans. Your suggestion to move the supply closet was perfect,” Jared said. The way the late evening sun beamed through the window and cast a golden glow on her face caused his heart to race.
 

“You’re welcome. Why are you staring at me like that?”

“I waited too long, didn’t I?”

She tilted her head. “For what?”

“For a chance of becoming more than friends.”

Her cheeks reddened. Clearly she wasn’t used to a man being so open in his attraction to her.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Does Jace know?”

“Know what?”

“That you’re crazy about him.”

She lost her breath and clutched her throat. “How…”

“The way you looked at him on TV. And when I mentioned your hair, you brought up how
he
liked for you to wear it. It’s pretty obvious.”

She shook her head. “Maybe to you, but not him.”

“He’s an idiot. Are you going to tell him?”

“No. He and I are wrong for each other and he knows that. Since I’ve been studying with him, I’ve been thinking more about what family means. I don’t have one and I want the kind you and Jace have. He isn’t ready for that. He’s still sowing his wild oats. Truth is—he may never be ready. We only have a few more meetings, then I won’t have to see him anymore and I’ll get past it. The feelings he has for me aren’t romantic, and if he knows about my attraction, it’ll make things awkward. So please promise me you won’t say anything.”

“I will if you make me a promise.”

“What?”

“If you do get over your interest in him, you’ll give me a chance.”

You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly.

~Sam Keen

Six more times. Twelve more hour
s. Maggie sat in the middle of the bed and focused on the words in her journal. She tried to convince herself she could suffer through a half dozen more meetings, but wasn’t sure she could sit in that warm, wonderful kitchen that held a thousand cherished Sloan family memories, and survive the effect Jace had on her heart.

Six more times
. After that, she’d never have to see him again. And then what? Knock it off, she told the small voice in the back of her brain. However, it had a point.