She reluctantly gravitated back to where Deb was, in the kitchen, having an animated conversation with a number of people, none of whom Maggie knew except for Patience. She hovered at the edges of the group.
“Riley!” Deb said, smiling at a man about their age with dark hair, then looking past him. “Where’s Aiden?”
“I know where I rate around here,” he said, with a laugh. “He’ll be here, don’t worry. Had to take care of something for his mom, I think.”
The crowd of women let out a collective awwwww, and Deb’s expression was rapt. “He’s so sweet.”
The guy—Riley—chuckled.
Patience’s smile was less enamored, more predatorial. “And hot, right?” she pointed out. Deb flushed, but laughed along and didn’t deny it. “You sure he’s going to come? Haven’t you been trying to find an opening with him for months?”
“I think I was too subtle,” Deb mused. “He’s shy.”
Now Riley snorted.
“What? You don’t think he is?” Patience pressed. “Is Deb just not his type?”
“I have no idea what the guy’s type is,” Riley said. “It’s not something we talk about.”
Now it was another woman’s turn to scoff. “Like men need a type,” she teased, with a bitter edge. “Men just need an opportunity.”
Maggie sighed. It felt like a high school party—not that she’d really gone to many of those either. But the few that she’d attended had people congregating around the kitchen, red Solo cups of booze and mixers. She’d usually had a cup full of soda. People gossiped, and teased, and eyed each other with interest. Flirtation, gossip, bitching.
It was like watching middle-aged versions of high school comedies. Was this what adulting was like? At fucking fifty?
Then again . . . what was she expecting? She so rarely went out—she didn’t know what anything was supposed to be like. Besides, she was still staying in, playing video games, much as she had when she was younger. Maybe she shouldn’t throw stones.
She wanted to go home so very, very badly. Anxiety itched over her skin like frantic ants.
“He’s shy,” Deb repeated. “But don’t worry. He just needs a nudge! Spend some time with us, you know? See how much fun it is to have friends to hang out with. I mean, he was gone forever, and then when he came back, it was to take care of his father, who was dying. If I’d known, I would’ve made sure that he was getting out more. Even if you’re caretaking—especially if you’re caretaking!—you really need to make time to decompress and hang out with others.”
“You didn’t know?” Patience asked. “Aren’t you friends with his mother in church group? And he’s been back, what, a couple of years now?”
Deb’s expression flattened. “Well, I was busy too.”
“You mean you were married,” Patience murmured under her breath.
The group seemed to freeze. Maggie stared at Patience, who simply smiled as if she hadn’t said anything. Maggie got the feeling that Patience was a drama magnet. She’d known several in her time.
Nana Birdie came to mind, unbidden, and she shoved the thought aside again.
Riley seemed to see someone across the room, giving an up-nod and walking away before Maggie had the chance to also escape without being obvious. Deb’s mouth drew into a tight line before she spoke again, unfortunately turning to Maggie. “It’s important for people to get out,” she said. “I mean, look at you now! You’ve been burying yourself in taking care of Kit since you got divorced, and you never came to any of my parties. No more puttering around, all alone! God, you convinced yourself that video gaming was somehow having a life. I’m sorry I didn’t reach out sooner! If I’d known, I would have.”
Grrrrrrrr.
And the worst part? Deb genuinely thought she was helping.
“Don’t you worry, we’re going to make sure you have lots of fun. You won’t even miss Kit, and you’ll start living your life, not just pretending.” Deb shot a glare at Patience, who was trying and failing to hide a smile. “It helps to have someone show you that they care and drag you out of your rut. That’s what being a good friend is.”
“Her kid’s eighteen,” Patience pointed out. “Why didn’t you push her before?”
“I was too wrapped up in Barry, okay? I admit it,” Deb said. “Marriage takes up a lot of time! But now, I see where I went wrong . . .”
“Other than Barry?”
“Meaning that I’m going to help my friends more,” Deb said resolutely, talking over Patience’s disparaging comments.
“I’ll just bet you want to help Aiden,” Patience purred.
“Maybe I’ll . . . I’ll help Maggie start dating!” Deb beamed. “That’s a great idea. Maybe we can double-date!”
Oh hell no.
Maggie felt her throat go dry. “I’m . . . going to go . . . somewhere else,” she muttered, then beat a hasty retreat as Deb continued to snipe at Patience.
She was not going to make it a full hour in this nightmare. She glanced at her phone. She’d barely made twenty minutes.
Too bad. She was too old and too tired to hang at a middle-aged kegger. She didn’t even like football, and after years of nodding like a bobblehead when Trev bored her senseless about sports stats, she would be damned if she was going to keep pretending.
She’d done her time.
She pushed through the small crowd to the spare bedroom to grab her coat and give Duchess a good long skritch goodbye. But as she did, she paused, motionless.
There was a big guy already there, kneeling on the floor. Duchess was giving him her belly, completely shameless, her tongue lolling out in doggy ecstasy. The man was chuckling. He looked huge. He had big shoulders and was built solid: some extra pounds, padding around his middle, like an athlete who’d gone to seed. He had red hair . . . well, reddish hair. Not flame red, not copper, not blond, not quite brown. She wasn’t sure what she’d call it. A neatly trimmed beard, lighter, with more gray.
He looked at her over his shoulder. He had gray eyes, currently looking at her curiously. She thought she saw a little bit of a blush, high on his cheeks, above his whiskers. He gave her a little up-nod.
She up-nodded back. Then she grabbed her coat and fled. Fuck this social shit, she thought.
Then realized, abruptly, three things.
One: she hadn’t gotten proof or a picture of the party.
Two: she felt bad for that Aiden guy they were talking about. She could tell Deb had plans for him. Then again, if it was a choice between Deb digging into her life or trying to snare this guy—well, Maggie was going to throw him right under the bus.
And three: she wanted to play some video games. Immediately.
CHAPTER 11
TOO GOOD FOR THIS SINFUL EARTH
Aiden watched the woman go, scurrying away after snatching up a blue fleece jacket from the mountainous pile of coats. She’d looked unsettled, he couldn’t help but notice, and surprised to see him there. She’d also waved goodbye to the dog, which made him grin. He was a pet person and got the feeling she was too.
She also wasn’t a party person, if she was bailing this early. He couldn’t help but envy her the exit.