Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

A day and a half later, Spencer still felt as if he were floating on air.

He and Margo had gone out for dinner the next day, and he'd taken her to Marie's, wanting to treat her to something special. They'd enjoyed a romantic dinner and good wine, and had gotten to know each other a little better, avoiding topics of exes or what Margo would do if she did plan on staying. They would have to talk about all of those things eventually, but right now, he wanted to enjoy the moment, and he knew that she did too. He wanted to enjoy the fact that things were good between them again, before they had to start working through the parts that would be harder.

And there was so much that was good. So much to get to know. They'd talked about their lives, Margo's travels and Spencer's days as a doctor at a big hospital, trading exciting moments and misadventures and their favorite memories, until the server had come by to tell them that the restaurant would be closing soon. They'd gone to the only bar in town after that, a little pub attached to the brewery, and stayed until they'd closed too, before he'd finally given her a ride home.

He'd never met anyone before that he could talk to so easily, who was so full of life and stories, who was both interested in all he'd done and could hold his interest just as easily. The truth was that Margo wasn't like anyone he'd ever known before, and he was incredibly glad to have met her. He was even more glad to have had the chance to be more to her, and her to him. To have the chance at having a real relationship with her, that she was who he'd finally found, now that he could try to do exactly that.

He walked into Rockridge Grill to get lunch, still thinking about the night before. He didn't have much time—he'd called in an order instead of sitting down to eat, because he had an appointment immediately after his lunch break. But the to-go orders were backed up as well, and as he leaned against a booth to wait for his name to be called, he saw Chris Long sitting at a booth a few feet away, talking to another man that he vaguely recognized as being someone who worked at the feed shop in town. He didn't have livestock, but he thought he remembered the man coming in to get a thumb stitched after cutting his thumb opening feed sacks.

He'd known who Chris was as soon as Margo described him. The man had been in the clinic a handful of times over the past year, for various farming-related injuries. He had a pretty good recollection for names, something he'd picked up over his years as a doctor, and so he knew Chris by sight as soon as he saw him.

He also couldn't help overhearing their conversation. They weren't exactly being quiet about it, and the moment he heard Margo's name, he couldn't force himself not to listen.

"I can't believe she's back in town," the other man said. "It's been years. Out of the three of those Stoker girls, she's the one everyone really thought would never come back."

Chris snorted. "She wouldn't have, if she hadn't had to crawl back with her tail between her legs. But that's what she gets for running off and getting some ridiculous degree. Like taking pictures was ever going to be a sustainable job."

Spencer felt his shoulders tense, hearing that. Deep down, he knew he should stay out of it, that all of this was none of his business. But he was striding toward the booth before he could stop himself, his jaw clenched tight.

"Taking pictures kept her in a job and traveling all over the world for fifteen years," he said tightly, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared down at the two men. "You might think your job is more practical, but it didn't teach you not to treat women like trash, did it? At least Margo is a decent person. She's not the one who cheated on her fiancée and lied to the person she promised to spend the rest of her life with. And she's certainly not the one who is sitting here gossiping about his ex, minimizing all the hard work she did to get out in the world and make something of herself."

"Man, I don't know what you're talking about, but?—"

Spencer kept talking, as if Chris hadn't tried to interrupt.

"Don't bother trying to deny it. She's told me what happened between the two of you. And honestly? It wouldn't matter if her career did crash and burn, even though it hasn't, because it's not that big of a deal for someone to have to switch jobs. Doesn't mean their whole career was a waste. But as great as that career is, her value as a person isn't lessened if she's not doing it. It's not her . And clearly, you never saw her for the gem that she is, because you screwed that up royally from the very start."

He felt a little rush of satisfaction at the way Chris's mouth dropped partially open, his expression seemingly stunned by the intensity of Spencer's defense on Margo's behalf. Spencer could see the wheels turning in the other man's head as he tried to come up with a retort, but he shook his head, not giving Chris time to respond.

"Margo always deserved better than you," he said firmly. "Leave her alone from now on, do you hear me? She shouldn't have to deal with you badgering her on top of everything else, not when it's your fault she's not in your life any longer. That's your issue to deal with, so don't make it her problem. Understood?"

Spencer took a step back, glancing toward the counter as the woman there called his name, and he started in that direction, not bothering to give Chris another look. When he did glance back after grabbing the paper bag, he saw Chris throwing a couple of twenties onto the table and standing up, muttering something quietly to his friend as they headed for the door.

But that wasn't the only thing he noticed.

Caroline Stoker was sitting at a booth near the window with half a sandwich and a notebook in front of her, and she was looking right at Chris. Her gaze flicked to Spencer, and he tensed, realizing she'd seen the whole exchange.

He started to walk toward her, to talk to her about it before she could say anything to Margo. But before he could make it more than a couple of feet in her direction, she was already up and out of the door.

Margo had spent most of her afternoon at the fundraiser site, getting last-minute things ready before the big day. She was in the middle of directing a couple of the local guys in the process of setting up the tents when she saw Caroline headed her way. She waved a hand, starting to hobble toward Caroline, only to pause when she saw the look on Caroline's face.

"Did something happen?" she asked as her older sister caught up to her, frowning. "You look—preoccupied, I guess. It's not something else at the inn, is it?"

Her stomach dropped a little at the possibility. She felt confident that the fundraiser was popular enough that they would be able to solve the issue of the roof, but they didn't need something else going wrong so quickly.

"No, not that," Caroline said quickly, waving a hand.

"What's going on, then?" Margo sank down on a nearby bench, and Caroline followed, her gloved hands tucked between her knees.

"I was just having a bite to eat at Rockridge Grill, and I saw Spencer."

Margo frowned. "And?"

That drop in her stomach sank a little lower. She trusted Spencer, but Caroline looked like she had something to say, and that small part of her that was afraid of getting hurt again twinged.

"Chris was there too, having lunch with a friend." Caroline hesitated. "I didn't hear their conversation, but I guess it must have had something to do with you, and Spencer must have overheard it. He went over there and told Chris off. Pretty emphatically."

"What?" Margo's eyes widened. "What did he say?"

A small smile quirked up the edges of Caroline's mouth. "A lot. He said that you'd worked hard at your career, and that it didn't matter that you'd lost your job, that it happens, and it didn't make you a failure. That you were still a good person, whereas Chris was trash for hurting you and lying to you, and that at least you didn't screw up the best thing to ever happen to you. He told Chris to leave you alone for good," she added, the smile spreading. "He was very insistent about that. That you shouldn't have to deal with him any longer."

Margo felt her eyes widen even further, a small shock running through her. She'd always thought of Spencer as very mild-mannered, and the fact that he'd defended her so forcefully was making her heart race. If he was there right then, she thought, she'd kiss him for standing up for her. A few weeks ago, she would have adamantly said that she didn't need or want anyone to defend her, that she could take care of herself. But she realized that she liked it. In this one instance, at least. She liked that he cared enough to do that. It meant more to her than she would have ever guessed that it would.

"Wow," Margo said softly. "I wouldn't have pictured that happening."

"It did," Caroline confirmed. She frowned a little, a small line appearing between her brows. "You don't seem upset by it. I thought you might be. You're always so independent. We all are, all three of us, in our different ways," she mused. "But I thought you might be upset that Spencer caused a scene with Chris."

"I would have thought so too, before this," Margo admitted. "But it makes me feel good, honestly. Like he really cares. He didn't have to get involved, but he did. He stood up for me. It's nice not to have to do it myself for a change. For someone to have my back. I guess…" She hesitated. "After getting tossed aside by Chris, it feels good to have a guy I care about be on my side."

Caroline's eyebrows shot up. " Care about, hmm? Do you want to elaborate?"

A dozen thoughts ran through Margo's head all at once, and she chewed on her lower lip.

"I like him a lot," she admitted, her heartbeat picking up its pace again.

"Nora said she thought you had some pretty strong feelings for him. But no one wanted to pressure you into feeling like you needed to stay. We all worried you might regret it if you left though. The two of you…"

Caroline trailed off, and Margo thought she could imagine what her sister might have been about to say.

Her heart raced faster and faster as she realized in a rush just how deeply her feelings really did go. How much she really did care about him, more than she'd wanted to admit at first. But after patching things up, and the date the night before, and now this?—

Her feelings were so much deeper than she could ever have anticipated.

"I'm falling in love with him," she whispered, turning to look at Caroline. "I was so scared to say it out loud, or even think it, because it's so fast. But he's the best man I've ever met, and he brings out the best in me. He's perfect for me."

She expected Caroline, the most responsible and careful of all of them, to caution her. To tell her not to lose her head, or to not rush into anything, to be cautious and not fall head over heels into something that could hurt her.

But instead, her sister just smiled at her, the broadest smile Margo had seen from her in a long time. Maybe ever.

"You always make up your mind on things quickly," Caroline said. "And in a lot of people, that's a flaw. But with you, it's always served you well. It might have meant we all had to miss you for a long time, but you've always known your own mind. It's never steered you wrong. And I don't think this is any different."

"You don't?" Margo asked, surprised, and Caroline shook her head.

"I don't," she confirmed. "And I'm really, really happy for you."

Caroline leaned forward, pulling Margo into a hug, and Margo returned it after one brief, startled second. She knew, in that moment, that everything had gone exactly as it should.

It had been hard to lose her job, when it had been everything to her for so long. But she wouldn't have come back, otherwise. And she was so very, very glad that she had.

She had missed her family. She had been lonelier than she'd realized.

And now that she was home, she thought that there were a lot of very good reasons not to leave again.