Whispered Secrets by Elizabeth Lennox
Chapter 14
“Get in front of it!” Maggie called out, racing along the white line of the soccer field. “You can do it, Angela!”
The twelve year old Angela glanced around, controlling the ball exactly how Oliver had taught her, dribbling down the soccer field, pulling away from her opponent when she tried to steal the ball. Total control, Maggie thought, almost bursting with pride.
“Behind you!” Oliver yelled.
Maggie didn’t bother to look over her shoulder, she knew he was there. Somehow, she always knew where Oliver was. It was as if her mind and her body was aware of him at all times.
“You’re open! Go for it!” Maggie urged.
Wendy raced up alongside Angela, guarding her and blocking the opponent. Angela used Wendy’s protection to sprint forward. She feinted right, and the goalie shifted right as well. Maggie knew exactly what Angela was going to do even as she did it. She moved further to the right, stopped, then kicked the ball to the far left where Mindy had raced up the field. Mindy took the ball and shot it right into the net! The goalie didn’t stand a chance; she was still protecting the right side of the goal. Seconds later, the referee blasted her whistle three times, indicating the end of the game.
Maggie threw her hands in the air and jumped around, clapping until her hands hurt!
“We won!” she yelled. Immediately, victorious twelve and thirteen year old girls surrounded Maggie and Oliver. They’d just beaten the best team in the league and had won the season! They’d actually won! The score was three to two and they’d won!
Oliver high fived each ecstatic player. After a few minutes of celebration, Maggie clapped her hands and pointed towards the center of the field. “Be good sports,” she reminded her team.
The girls, still grinning from ear to ear, lined up and walked to the center of the field, hand slapping the other team and congratulating them on a good game. Maggie and Oliver followed behind and even went to the other team coaches, telling them what a great team they had. After thanking the referees, the girls returned to the sidelines, still euphoric as they gathered up their bags, stuffed their reusable water bottles back into their packs, and collected the soccer balls. Meanwhile, Oliver had gone to his truck and lugged a huge cooler back towards the team, but out of the way of the next two teams who were getting ready to play.
“Congratulations, ladies,” he said, putting the cooler down and opening it with a flourish to reveal ice cream bars. He handed out ice cream to each player, as well as their siblings that had come to watch the game. There were even enough left over for all of the parents to have one.
Maggie stood back from the crowd, beaming at Oliver’s generosity. She had no idea how much money he earned each week, but those ice cream bars had made the girls smile. He was so incredibly thoughtful!
She turned away, afraid that Oliver might notice her expression if he caught her eye. That’s when she noticed the woman leaning against a navy blue BMW. It wasn’t just the expensive car that was out of place. The woman was beautiful, elegant and…expensive. Her jeans were fitted, and obviously of good quality. She had on a short leather jacket to ward off the autumn chill and she wore sunglasses that must have cost more than Maggie earned in a week.
It was obvious that the woman was watching her, but Maggie had no idea why or even who she was.
“A friend of yours?” Molly asked, moving beside Maggie.
Lilly bounced her new baby as she moved to the other side of Maggie. “She looks angry,” she commented as she patted her son’s bottom, trying to keep him asleep.
Maggie didn’t look away from the woman until her car disappeared out of the parking lot. “I’ve never seen her in my life,” Maggie reported. “But I’m sure I don’t like her.”
“I don’t either,” Lilly muttered.
“She looks out of place,” Molly replied, tilting her head slightly, mirroring Maggie’s thought of just a moment ago. “And I don’t think she likes you at all!”
“I got that impression,” Maggie said, then shrugged as the woman’s tail lights faded off down the road. “Whatever. Whoever she is, I’ve never met her and I have no idea why she was here.” She turned around and smiled at her friends. “But I’m not letting her ruin this day. These girls have practiced long and hard. This is a great day for them!”
Lilly and Molly both agreed. “Drako ordered pizzas for everyone. It’s all set up back at the apartments.”
Maggie turned to her friend, her mouth falling open. “Are you kidding me?” she asked, staring at her friend with stunned excitement.
“Yep. I mentioned that this was the end of the season and he wanted to do something nice for the girls. So pizza party it is!”
“Excellent!” she said, then turned and made the announcement that there was a surprise back home.
The girls laughed and jumped up, more high fives were smacked around and Oliver lifted his hands in the air. “Everyone look around and pick up three pieces of trash!”
The girls moaned good naturedly, but they followed his order. They collected trash, bickering cheerfully about what constituted a proper piece of trash, and tossing their finds into either the recycling bin or the trashcan. They then set off for Rose Gardens Apartments, talking among themselves, eager for pizza.
Oliver held back, lugging the cooler over to his truck. He’d brought all of the equipment, so he’d driven himself and Maggie over instead of walking. “Who were you looking at a moment ago?” he asked, walking beside the three ladies.
Maggie squinted at the sunshine. “There was a woman. She seemed to be watching the game.”
Lilly walked alongside them, still absently patting her son’s bottom. “She was watching Maggie, Oliver. Not the game.”
“She didn’t look very nice,” Molly mentioned.
“I agree,” Maggie replied. “Have you heard anything from your friends down in Texas? Could that woman have anything to do with Jerry and the land? I haven’t heard from him lately. So, I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Jerry is a bit preoccupied just now,” Oliver said, shoving the cooler back into his truck. Molly tossed the mesh bag filled with soccer balls in too, then stepped back. “He has a few legal issues to deal with.”
“Legal issues?” Molly asked, surprised. “Is this…are you in trouble, Maggie?”
Maggie shook her head. “Not at all. Just…someone from my past came back, trying to intimidate me into doing something I don’t want to do.”
Lilly’s hackles rose at that news. “Is this something that Drako could help with?” she asked, anger simmering in her blue eyes.
Maggie patted the newborn’s back and shook her head. “Actually, Oliver made a few calls and, well, I haven’t heard from him since. I thought he’d cause some trouble,” she admitted, then felt Oliver’s hands resting on her shoulders and smiled up at him. “But you did it. You got rid of that jerk.”
“He was a putz, not a jerk,” Oliver corrected. “Come on ladies. Let’s go get some pizza.”
By the time they arrived, the party was in full swing, with more pizzas being delivered even as they stepped out of their vehicles. “Looks like Drako went all out,” Molly laughed, nudging Lilly’s shoulder as they entered the courtyard where about sixty people were milling around, laughing and talking while eating pizza, drinking sodas, and there was even ice cold beer in a cooler off to one side, with Drako standing sentry, just in case one of the girls decided to be brave and try to sneak one.
He looked so intimidating standing there, but Maggie beamed at the terrifying man. Technically, she was his employee. But Drako treated her like his sister ever since he’d married Lilly. He treated Molly the same way and the three women loved him all the more for his protectiveness.
As soon as Lilly walked over, Drako took their son out of her arms and cradled the tiny infant against his chest. Maggie swallowed past the lump in her throat, wondering if she’d ever find a man that would be that in love with her.
She glanced at Oliver and was startled to find him staring back at her. And with the same longing in his eyes! Could he…? Was he…?
She banished the thought and looked away. That wasn’t something she’d allow herself to hope for. Oliver was…well, he was temporary. She’d been burned once thinking that a man could love her. Jerry had crushed that hope under his arrogant heel.
Turning, she forced herself to smile as she made her way towards the tables that had been set up to hold the pizza boxes. There were still about six full pizzas left and she grabbed three plates, getting slices for Molly, Oliver, and Lilly.
When she brought them over to her friends, Molly and Oliver took their slices and eagerly bit into the cheesy treat. But Lilly shook her head, sliding her hand down over her plump stomach and hips. “Not for me,” she told Maggie. “I’m still trying to lose this pregnancy weight.”
There was an odd growling sound and Maggie looked up to find that Drako was scowling down at his wife. “Eat the pizza, love,” he told her, a dark, dangerous look in his eyes. “Your figure is mine to watch, and I like it just the way it is.”
A soft look passed between them. It was so intense, so filled with love and wonder that Maggie had to look away. Again, her gaze found Oliver. And yes, he was still watching her. Maggie couldn’t stop the sadness that enveloped her. She loved him so much. But…Maggie wasn’t a loveable person. She was still trying. Still working to make up for her past life so that she could become the kind of woman that a man like Oliver could love.
Soon, she thought. Hopefully, she’d be worthy soon.
Oliver watched Maggie, his stomach aching at the pain he saw in her eyes. Why was she on the verge of tears? Because her friend was obviously madly in love with her husband?
Damn, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her that he loved her that much. That he already was madly in love with her! But something held him back. Something told him that she was still wary. Why, he wasn’t sure. But he’d get to her. He’d convince her that he loved her. Then they could find the same happiness that Lilly and the big guy had.
Speaking of the big guy, he looked vaguely familiar. When he found him across the courtyard, Oliver realized that the other man was watching him as well. Was he trying to place Oliver? Realizing that the other man might recognize him, Oliver moved to the pizza table, chatting with the girls’ parents, putting several people between him and the other man. It wasn’t that Oliver wanted to hide his identity exactly. But he wanted to hide his identity from Maggie. That comment she’d made a long time ago, about wealthy people being assholes, gave him pause.
Besides, he wanted Maggie to love him for himself. Not his bank account. He’d experienced the more mercenary side of “love” with Desiree. She hadn’t cared for him as a person. She’d been more interested in what he could give her financially.
Maggie was the complete opposite. She had no idea that he was wealthy and powerful. It was a heady experience to know that she wanted him because of himself. Maggie wasn’t motivated by money. She was motivated by kindness and generosity of spirit, which was new for him. He wanted something more pure and honest with Maggie.
But, if he wanted something pure and honest, why hadn’t he told her about the development project? Honesty meant that he’d have to tell her who he really was and what he’d originally planned to do with the land and buildings in this area.
Not that he was moving forward with the project. Not anymore. He’d asked his development team to come up with more options, solutions that would help the entire neighborhood and not just the people that would eventually move in to the buildings that his company built. He wanted a more inclusive solution so that everyone profited. He’d lived here long enough to understand the hardships that inner city families struggled with every day. Oliver didn’t want to come in and be yet another problem that pushed them further into jeopardy.
Wading back into the crowd, he watched and learned, listened and absorbed. Maggie considered herself to have been a brat over the years. But he might have hurt far more people than he realized. Thinking that, he made a mental note to go back to other projects, both current and finished, to measure the influence that his developments had on vulnerable communities. And if there was a negative impact, he was going to fix it.
Yes, his company was going to be a much more inclusive development company in the future.
“Why are you hiding over here?” Maggie asked as she sat beside him. He was over by the fire pit, hiding behind the evergreen trees she’d planted to add color to the area during the cold, grey months of winter. They also provided a nice backdrop to the spring and summer flowers, which made the whole area feel lush and inviting.
He took her hand and tugged her closer until their hips touched. “I’m not hiding,” he explained. “Just sitting here, enjoying listening to the others.”
Maggie smiled at him, wondering why she felt such a connection to this man in particular. “I have something to tell you, but I don’t want to scare you away.”
Immediately, she felt him pull away. She mentally kicked herself and wished that she’d kept her mouth shut.
“What’s that?” he asked, standing up and moving to the other side of the fire pit.
Maggie pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, shaking her head. “It’s nothing. Nothing important.”
From the look in his eyes, Oliver didn’t believe her. Smart man!
“Maggie, if there’s something you need to tell me, then just spit it out. I don’t want any secrets from you.”
Maggie sighed. “It wasn’t anything important, Oliver. And I really don’t want to mess up today. It’s been really good between us for a while now. Let’s just…leave it at that, okay?”
He glared at her. “Is that really what you want, Maggie? Are you honestly willing to settle for just okay?”
She cringed at his words as well as his tone, fear making her whole body turn cold. “Don’t, Oliver,” she whispered, her lips numb. “Just…I…”
“Maggie, damn it, you don’t settle for anything less than perfection when it comes to managing these apartments,” he snapped. He gestured around, encompassing the whole area. “Hell, you even manage the residents. They all adore you and you love them right back. You wouldn’t settle for anything less than each and every one of them being deliriously happy, thriving, and loving life.” He breathed in and closed his eyes. “So go ahead. Tell me. Just spit it out and let’s not linger over the trivial stuff.”
That really pissed her off and she uncurled her body and stood up. “Well, first of all, I consider you to be one of my friends as well. And you’re right, I won’t accept anything less than happiness for everyone, including you.”
He opened his eyes and she could feel the anger in their depths. “So, tell me!”
Oliver knew the signs. She was about to break up with him. She’d been avoiding him all afternoon, so here it was.
“Fine! You want to know what I was going to say? Fine! But don’t get mad if you don’t like it.”
“Maggie, just…”
“I like you, Oliver!” she interrupted, clearly steeling herself for…something. “Well, I did a few minutes ago. I was about to tell you how much I enjoyed being with you. That I like you and that you make me feel good! But now…now, I think I’ll just head on home and let you…oomph!”
She couldn’t finish because Oliver pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He didn’t seem to care if anyone saw them like this. Oliver couldn’t believe the relief he felt as she wrapped her arms around his neck and did that thing with his hair that he loved so much. It tickled and turned him on at the same time. And she was kissing him back! Damn, he loved it when she made those sexy little sounds when he kissed her!
When he lifted his head to look down at her, Oliver noticed that her lips were soft, full, and swollen. “I thought you were trying to break up with me,” he admitted, his hands moving lower so that he was cupping her butt, gently pulling her closer so that she perfectly cradled his growing erection against her perfect hips.
Maggie blinked and he thought she looked so incredibly sexy like this. Or when she was naked. Or in the shower. Or standing in his doorway. Damn, he wanted to bring her back to his penthouse and make love to her in his huge bed, then cook something extravagant for her in his kitchen. He wanted to pour thousand dollar champagne over her soft curves, then wash her clean with his tongue, driving her just as wild as she did him.
“I wasn’t.” She whimpered when he ground his hips against hers, showing her just how turned on he was. Maggie licked her lips, her fingers teasing the nape of his neck again. “I was afraid to tell you how much you…how much you mean to me. I didn’t want to scare you away.”
He kissed her again, gently this time. “I’m not running away,” he said, pointing out the obvious.
She beamed and Oliver wanted to roar with frustration. Because they were still out in the courtyard and he was so damned turned on, it would be a while before he could calm his body down enough to make it back to his apartment. But once he did, he was going to make love to her and show her just how much he liked her words. He was in love with her and she only liked him, but Oliver considered that progress. Damned fine progress!
Soon, he’d convince her they could make a go of this thing between them! He’d figure out how to turn her “like” into love and he’d make her so damn happy every day for the rest of her life!
