No more than thirty minutes later, Nick popped in unannounced.
Joan looked pleased to see her son. “This is a welcome surprise,” she said as Nick confidently walked into the family room.
“I like surprising my mom,” he said, kissing Joan on the cheek. His attention swerved to Maggie. “It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon, I thought I’d check in to see what the two of you were up to.”
Joan didn’t hesitate. “Maggie wanted to go to the movies, but all her friends are busy.”
Nick perked up like this was the best news he’d heard in weeks. “I could see a movie. Let’s go.”
Maggie’s spirits immediately lifted, although she didn’t want to look overly eager. “You don’t need—”
He interrupted her. “I want to. What time is the next showing?”
“Don’t you want to know which movie I’d wanted to see?” she asked, tickled by his enthusiasm and a bit wary of it at the same time. “It might not be one that interests you.”
“I’m okay with whatever it is, as long as it isn’t a chick flick.”
“Is there something wrong with chick flicks?” she wanted to know, staring him down.
“Well, yes, they’re…you know…”
“I don’t know, so kindly enlighten me.” Maggie was amused, watching him squirm, knowing he was about to dig himself into a hole. She’d enjoy seeing him attempt to dig himself out.
Nick looked to his mother for help. Joan blatantly ignored him.
“Nick?” Maggie asked again. “What’s wrong with a chick flick?”
Seeing that his mother wasn’t coming to his aid, he buried his hands in his jeans pockets and said, “They’re…girly.”
“Girly,” she repeated, letting him know by her tone she considered that ridiculous.
Nick sighed and shrugged. “Okay, fine. If you want to see a chick flick I’ll go, but you’re buying the popcorn.”
Maggie laughed. “Deal.” She reached for her phone and checked the movie times and purchased the tickets online.
“What are we seeing?” Nick asked.
“It’ll be a surprise. I bought the tickets, so you’re buying the popcorn.” She didn’t want Nick to think of this as a date as much as two friends spending a Sunday afternoon together.
“That sounds fair.”
Good, he understood her intention. “We don’t have a lot of time if we’re going to make the show,” she said, setting aside the book and bouncing up from the chair. Edison yawned and stretched his stubby legs while arching his back.
“That’s my cue to take him outside,” Joan said, rescuing the puppy from the chair and heading out the front door.
Maggie grabbed her raincoat and purse while Nick waited at the front door.
Joan stood on the porch steps out of the rain, while Edison quickly did his business.
“Good boy,” Joan praised the puppy, and gave Maggie a thumbs-up. “Success,” she said, scooping up Edison and taking him back into the house.
“I’ll drive,” Nick said.
“Okay.” With the price of gas, Maggie wasn’t going to complain.
* * *
—
By the time they bought the popcorn and drinks, the previews were running. This Tom Cruise movie had gotten a lot of rave reviews and Maggie wasn’t disappointed. She could see Nick’s relief that it wasn’t a chick flick. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten buttered popcorn. This was a decadent treat, and she intended to savor every minute.
The movie was great. As they left the theater, Nick asked, “Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?”
Unwilling for Nick to assume she needed or wanted to spend time with him, she made up an excuse. “I should probably visit my dad.”
He arched his brows as though confused. “You have family in the area?”
“My dad,” she said, stating the obvious.
“Then what are you doing living with my mother?” He frowned disapprovingly, as though this news was a surprise, and not a pleasant one.
“That’s my business,” she said, “and none of yours.” She took exception to his reaction. How dare he insinuate she had something other than the best of intentions living with Joan.
“Seeing that it’s my mother, it is my business,” he challenged, studying her with a look that suggested suspicion.
Maggie stiffened and crossed her arms. No way was she going to spend time arguing with him. Everything had gone well to this point, and now Nick had ruined a perfectly good afternoon.
“Please take me home.”
“With pleasure,” he snapped back. “I’m just wondering which one. Your dad’s or my mother’s.”
She refused to answer.
The atmosphere in the truck as Nick drove to his family home was thick and tense.
Nick had barely turned off the engine when Maggie unbuckled her seatbelt and headed into the house.
“You’re back early,” Joan greeted, stepping out of the kitchen when Maggie returned. Her landlord seemed pleased with herself, matching the two of them up for the afternoon.
Nick barged in the door, following Maggie.
Joan looked from one to the other and seemed to instinctively recognize the tension between them.
“Mom,” Nick said, glaring at Maggie and then focusing his attention on his mother. “Did you know Maggie has family living in the area?”
“Yes.” She dried her hands on a terry-cloth towel. “What of it?”
“I want to know why she’s living with you and not her own father?”
“Did you ask her?”
He glowered at Maggie. “She said it wasn’t my business.”
“Well, that’s true. This doesn’t have anything to do with you, son. Her reasons are my concern and not yours.”
“It does concern me! You’re my mother, and without Dad here to look after you, I’m worried. I’ve heard of cases where someone helps another out of the goodness of their heart, and it comes back to bite them.”
“Oh Nick, you don’t need to worry about Maggie.”
“I would never…” Maggie immediately regretted opening her mouth, wanting to prove herself and realizing it was a lost cause. Her best response was silence. If nothing else, time would speak for itself.
Joan shook her head, revealing her disappointment and frustration with her son. “I hope you would trust my judgment, Nick. Having Maggie live with me has been a blessing. You’re off base here.”
“Then reassure me,” Nick said. “Why would she choose to live with you over her own family? Something’s up and I want to know what it is. If Dad was alive, would he approve of you taking a stranger into our home?”
Maggie had heard enough. Despite her determination to remain silent, she couldn’t anymore. “You’re impossible, do you know that? Frustrating and impossible. It was a bad idea to go out with you today, and I already regret it. There won’t be a second time.” With that, she headed up the stairs to the bedroom that had once been his, then turned around and added, “For someone who is supposedly smart, you can be incredibly stupid.”