Chapter 22

"I feel sick inside." Maggie slumped on Jaime's couch with a pillow covering her face. She'd finished everything required to transition Noah over to the Grand Rapids matchmaker, then she and Boon had headed over to Jaime's so she could debrief.

"I have no sympathy for you," Jaime said, cuddling sleepy Emma in her arms.

Afternoon sunshine slanted across the room, creating a warm and cozy ambiance that didn't match Maggie's mood at all.

"That's way harsh, Jaime," Maggie said, peeking at her friend from behind the pillow.

"Well, it's the truth," Jaime said. "I don't understand you at all. You've been in love with this guy forever. He's fun. He's hot. And he's into you. He even kissed you. Twice! And you think it's somehow wrong to pursue a relationship with him?" Jaime shook her head in disbelief. "Maggie, you're still sabotaging your own happiness."

Maggie sat up and tossed the pillow aside. "I already explained—"

"Yeah, yeah," Jaime said, cutting her off. "You're in love with him but he doesn't see you the same way. He's always only thought of you as a friend. Blah, blah, blah. Well, feelings can grow, Maggie, if you would just give them a chance. Besides, in my experience, friends don't make out."

"We didn't make out!" Maggie exclaimed, feeling heat burn her cheeks. "It was just a couple of kisses." A couple of hot, toe-curling, heart-melting kisses that she would never be able to get out of her mind as long as she lived. "I told you, we both just got caught up in the tension of the situation we were in, and then the relief of finding Valentina. And remember," Maggie added quickly, "you can't say anything about that to anyone until she comes forward."

"I understand," Jaime said, settling her sleeping baby into the nearby pack-n-play. Then she came to sit beside Maggie on the sofa, angling to face her friend. "I still can't believe all of that. I mean, the mafia, seriously?"

"Right?" Maggie said. "I can hardly believe it myself. To grow up with a father like that, a life like that."

Jaime shook her head. "And the police still haven't found those two guys that are after you all?"

"Nope," Maggie said. "Hugo promised to call Noah the minute the police had them."

"I think it's so sweet that despite your attempts to blow him off, Noah wouldn't leave you unprotected last night," Jaime said, clasping her hands over her heart like she was watching a romance movie.

Maggie would never have admitted it out loud to Noah, but she'd actually been deeply touched by his concern for her. He'd slept on her uncomfortable, lumpy sofa for goodness sake. She sighed inwardly. Just one more reason to love the guy.

"Tell me more about this date you're going on with him tonight," Jaime said.

"Non-date," Maggie emphasized. "It's an open mic night at Lakeside Latté. It sounds like Olivia holds them on occasional weeknights throughout the summer. Noah volunteers with a music education program for kids and some of his students are going to be performing."

"Oooh, that sounds fun!" Jaime said. "You know, I think Jack and I would enjoy that. And we could use a date night ourselves. Maybe I can rope Grandpa into babysitting Emma. What time is it?"

"He's picking me up at seven so we can get a good table," Maggie said.

"Seven, hmm? Should we go over your wardrobe choices again?" Jaime asked as she sent a text to her father. "You know how good I am at this. Let me help you put together a great look for your date."

"It's not a date!" Maggie said more loudly than she intended, making baby Emma squirm in her sleep. "And don't even think about it!" she hissed at Boon, who had risen to his feet, clearly preparing to perform one of his infamous leaps onto her lap. Instead, he sat down and cocked his head, studying her with suspicion.

"I'm fine," she said, returning his gaze.

"No, she's not, Boon," Jaime said, reaching down to pat the dog's head. "She's really, really not."

***

Back at her apartment, Maggie sat on her bed and puffed in frustration. Most of the contents of her closet and dresser drawers were strewn across the bed and floor. Boon had already attempted several of his doggie hugs—as she now thought of them—but he had finally given up and was lying on the bed beside her, regarding the disarray.

"Don't judge me!" she said, meeting his watchful brown gaze. "I need to find something that's nice but not too nice. Comfortable yet classy. Something that says non-date, but...date?

"Whatever!" she said, and made her choice. "Just because it's not a date doesn't mean I can't feel pretty." She picked up a white, pleated skort off the floor and paired it with a clingy black top with a flattering sweetheart neckline. In the bathroom, she touched up the spiraling curls that bounced around her shoulders and freshened up her makeup. She studied her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were bright.

"You know what?" she said to the dog who had trailed in behind her. "If this is my last night with him, at least I can play my part with class," she said with a lift of her chin.

Just then, there was a rhythmic tapping at her door.

Boon gave a bark and followed her as she hurried to peer through her front door peephole. It was Noah, right on time.

She swung the door wide, and Boon danced around in happy circles, jumping up on Noah in greeting. "Down, boy," he laughed. Maggie noted that Noah's smoky gray eyes were brighter than usual as he looked at her.

"You look really pretty, Maggie," he said.

"Thank you," she said, hoping that there was no way he could hear how much faster her heart beat at the compliment.

Noah looked gorgeous as always. The bruises on his fine-cut jawline and handsome face had faded a bit over the past few days. And she loved the way his milk chocolate curls always broke free from his attempts to tame them, swirling on top of his head and behind his ears. As he led the way out of her apartment, she noted how his pale blue polo shirt accentuated the sun-kissed tan of his skin, and how the black jeans he wore nicely followed the long lines of his muscular thighs to the curve of his... She jerked her eyes to the back of his head. We're just friends. Get a grip, Milena.

There was a strange energy about him tonight, she observed as they got into his car. She wondered if he was picking up on her own nervousness. "Tell me about your students that will be performing tonight," she said, partly to distract herself and partly because she wanted to know more about this side of him.

"Well, there's Ben, who you met this morning. He's fifteen and he's participated in the JAMZ program for about five years," Noah said, pulling out onto the road. "He's being raised by a single mom, his father is in prison. His mom has told us over and over again what a lifesaver this program has been for him. Sometimes, even when these kids are only elementary school age, they can start getting into real trouble. And Ben was headed down that path. His mom likes to say that music saved him."

He shared stories about several of his other students, many of whom shared a similar story in that they came from single parent households.

Maggie was touched by the passion she saw in Noah as described them all to her.

"It's clear how much you really care for these kids," she said.

"I do," Noah admitted, pulling into the coffee shop parking lot. "It's always gratifying to discover kids with talent like Ben's. But it's more than that. I want to be a part of shifting the perception that making music is only for musicians. It's for everyone."

"I like that," Maggie said, smiling at him.

He got out of the car and ran around to open her door for her, before letting Boon out. Always the gentlemen.

Her gaze swept the crowded parking lot. "Wow, I wonder if we'll still be able to get a good table like you planned. It's so crowded already!"

The corner of his mouth lifted and there was an inexplicable glimmer in his eyes. "I think we'll be all right."

It was a warm summer evening, with just the hint of a breeze. The sun was on its downward trajectory toward the horizon and the overhead sky was a vibrant blend of oranges and fuchsia pink. A small platform was set up with a stool and microphone, and Maggie could see a sound system set up behind it. On the outside patio, Olivia had arranged tables in a loose semi-circle around the platform with tiny candles flickering on each of them. Twinkly lights were draped around the perimeter, adding to the magic of the scene.

Most of the tables were already taken and small clusters of people stood chatting together. As they approached the patio, Noah was immediately swarmed by a group of teens. He made so many introductions that Maggie's head was spinning with names and smiling faces.

"And last but not least, this is Ani, Hugo's daughter," Noah said after hugging a beautiful dark-haired Latina girl.

"Hi!" the girl greeted Maggie with a bright smile, then she was distracted by Boon who was sitting quietly by Maggie's side.

"Oooh! I love your dog, Mr. R.! Have I met him before? There's something familiar about him." She ran her hands over the silky fur of the dog's gold-and-black head. Then she leaned over to give his back a thorough two-handed scratch, which caused Boon to lean against her in appreciation.

"Nope, I just found him a few days ago," Noah said.

"Hmmm, I feel like I know him from somewhere. I'm sure I'll think of it," she said. Then she stood back up she returned her attention to Maggie. "So, are you Mr. R.'s girlfriend?"

Maggie laughed awkwardly. "No, no, we're just friends."

"Too bad," Ani said with a toss of her dark hair. "He could really use a nice lady in his life."

"Ani!" Noah cried.

"I'm just saying what I've heard my dad say," she shot back at him with a mischievous grin.

"Go play with your friends," he said, turning her around and giving her a gentle push away from them.

She laughed and immediately disappeared into a group of chattering girls.

"Maggie!"

Maggie looked around at the sound of her name and spotted Jaime and Jack looking cozy, seated at a small table near the center of the patio. She waved and was about to walk over to say hello when Ben approached. "Hey, Mr. R.! I saved a table for you and your lady up front."

Maggie saw the empty table for two with a handmade cardboard "RESERVED" sign sitting on it.

"That's great! Thanks, Ben." Noah led her to the table and then offered to get them drinks from inside. "Caramel latte?" he grinned down at her.

"Of course, but decaf this time." She smiled back. "And extra whipped cream, please, since it's my dessert."

As he walked away, she considered how the energy she had observed in him earlier seemed to be growing more intense. She decided it was probably excitement over the upcoming performances of his students.

He returned to the table with their drinks and sat down. "I'm assuming you haven't gotten a text or phone call from our friend yet?" Maggie asked in a low voice, taking a sip of her sweet, creamy drink.

"Not yet." Noah looked worried. "You don't think she'll back out, do you?"

Maggie considered the idea, then said, "I don't think so. I mean, maybe if it was totally up to her. But there's no way Eric would go for it. And I think she values him and his ethics too much to go against him on this."

"Good evening, everyone!"

They turned their attention to the platform where Olivia stood. "I want to thank you all so much for coming out for another one of our Summer Open Mic Nights. We've got some real fine talent lined up for you tonight along with plenty of coffees, teas, and baked treats to sustain you."

A couple of young people whooped from the back of the crowd.

Olivia smiled and glanced down at the notes on her cell phone. "To start off the performances, we have Ben Newcastle. Take it away, Ben!"

There was enthusiastic applause as Ben took the stage. He performed a fun Hawaiian song using a ukulele, a folk song cover, and then a mellow ballad on guitar that he'd written.

Maggie couldn't help but smile at the way Noah beamed with pride as the young man took his bow.

Following Ben were a guitarist and harmonica duo playing some rhythmic blues tunes, then a keyboardist, a jazz saxophone player, and an acapella rapper.

Noah had been right, Maggie was impressed with the level of talent on display. As the last performer left the stage, she turned to comment on this fact but found Noah holding his head in his hands. One of his legs was bouncing out a rapid staccato beneath the table. "Are you okay?" she asked.

His head shot up and his face held a guilty expression. "I'm fine, I'm fine, just...thinking," he said.

"Please don't worry about Valentina," she said, assuming that was the problem. She lay a hand on his arm and he jerked slightly but didn't pull away. "I'm sure she'll do the right thing and it will all work out. In the meantime, we should do just as you suggested and make this a celebration. C'mon," she lifted her mug of coffee as if to make a toast, "we solved the mystery!"

"We did." He lifted his mug and clinked it against hers with a grin. But his smile faded when Ben once again took to the stage.

"Okay, everyone, we're in for a special treat tonight. We have one final performer. And it's our own Mr. R.!" Ben said, glancing down at Noah. "He has a special song he wants to perform to close us out for the night." Ben began gesturing with his arms, encouraging the audience to clap. "Let's hear it for Mr. R.!"

Maggie looked at Noah in surprise as the patio erupted with enthusiastic applause and shouts of praise.

"All right, Mr. R.!"

"Woohoo!"

"I didn't realize you were going to perform!" Maggie said to him as he rose to his feet.

Noah didn't reply but walked slowly forward and stepped up onto the platform. Ben handed him a guitar and Maggie watched as he climbed up onto the stool.

The sun had set, and now the sky was a backdrop of deep navy blue for the softly glowing crescent moon and prickles of emerging starlight. The perfume of night-blooming jasmine in pots around the patio floated on the air, adding a touch of enchantment to the ambiance.

Noah sat with one foot braced against the rung of the stool, the other on the platform, and Maggie sighed inwardly. He looked so incredibly handsome with his dark head bent over the instrument while he tuned it. Enjoy this moment while you can, Milena.

She glanced back at Jaime, who smiled softly and lifted her mug in a silent salute, clearly in tune with the thoughts running through Maggie's mind. Maggie settled more comfortably in her seat, and rested her chin in her hands, ready to soak up every precious second of his performance.

"We've heard some great talent tonight, haven't we?" he started out, and waited for the enthusiastic applause to die down. "I'm grateful that we have JAMZ to bring music education to the young people of Whispering Pines. JAMZ wasn't around when I was a kid, but I was blessed to get an introduction to music from my Nana. She's no longer with me, but I feel like I share a piece of her legacy every time I play. I'm feeling it, especially tonight...because I know she would encourage me in this."

He cleared his throat and Maggie thought she saw his hands trembling.

"I wrote this song many, many years ago when I was eighteen years old. I've actually never performed it before. But I did practice it earlier today. So hopefully, I don't mess it up too much."

"You ROCK, Mr. R.!" came an encouraging call from the back.

"Thank you," he smiled, and began strumming lightly on the guitar. "This song is called Dream Girl."

The crowd quieted down under the spell of his music and Maggie was completely focused on Noah, the way the light struck the planes of his handsome face, and the feeling of warmth that washed over her as she watched his fingers dance over the strings. The melody was soft, slow, and sweet as it filled the night.

Then Noah lifted his eyes from the guitar, locked his gaze with hers, and began to sing.

All through our days at school

Dreams of you sparkle like a jewel.

The sunrise of your smile starts my day,

The warmth of your laughter like a sunbeam's ray.

Golden curls frame an angel's face,

You're a slice of heaven in my embrace.

I'm in love with you and I don't wanna wake up,

'cause you're my dream girl, livin' in my dream world.

I'm in love with you and I don't wanna wake up,

'cause you're my dream girl, livin' in my dream world.

Dreams of you fill my head,

every time I go to bed.

Hand-in-hand within my dreams,

we stroll together by starlit streams.

Your touch, your look, ignite my heart,

And in my dreams we never part.

As Noah began to sing the chorus again, Maggie felt all the blood rush to her head. Was...was this song about her?

I close my eyes and you're by my side.

I open them and my dreams collide,

With reality where we're still just friends,

But my love is yours and it never ends.

When the time is right I'll tell you what's true,

My days are richer when they're spent with you.

For now I'll wait and let things be,

Till your love is mine and you set my dreams free.

I'm in love with you and I don't wanna wake up,

'cause you're my dream girl, livin' in my dream world.

I'm in love with you and I don't wanna wake up,

'cause you're my dream girl, livin' in my dream world.

With a final strum, the last note slowly faded to silence. Then the patio exploded with cheers and wild applause.

Maggie couldn't see clearly anymore because tears had filled her eyes. She was aware of Noah stepping down from the stage. Aware that he was surrounded again by a flock of students who shook his hand and thumped him on the back. And finally, aware that he had returned to sit beside her once again. But she couldn't look at him, couldn't breathe, couldn't believe what was happening.

The crowd of people chattered and milled around them. Finally, she lifted her eyes to meet his and everything else melted away. It was as if the two of them were alone in a room.

She was incredulous, her voice barely a whisper. "You wrote that song..."

He took her hands in his. "About you. Yes, Maggie, I did."

Her heart swelled with a mixture of joy and disbelief as she tried to process what Noah had just revealed.

Noah continued. "Yesterday, after you told me you were dumping me as a client because you didn't want to jeopardize our friendship, I was...devastated. I've wanted to be more than just friends with you ever since we met, Maggie. But I want to thank you for what you did. Because it gave me the kick in the butt I needed to do what you suggested.

"Last night I did a full analysis of myself regarding my FDFs. And when I did that, I discovered that you were right. I have been subconsciously sabotaging my dates, making certain that those relationships never led anywhere. And I finally understood why."

"Why?" she breathed.

"Because," he said, reaching to cup her face with one hand, "I've only been in love with one woman in my life. But I never told her. And she left me. So, over the years, I've unsuccessfully tried to find another woman who can fill that void. But I never can. Because there's only one woman who can fill that void, Maggie. And that woman is you."

Her mind was whirling. "Are you telling me..." Her voice broke.

He took a deep breath. "I'm telling you that I love you, Maggie Milena. That I've been in love with you since we were in high school together. That you are a woman who is incredibly worthy of love. And if you're willing to give me a chance—"

"I love you too, Noah," she whispered, cutting him off. Her eyes were completely blurry with tears again. But she felt like she was seeing clearly for the first time in her life. "I always have."

Noah closed his eyes, as if savoring the weight of her words. Then he slowly opened them and looked deep into Maggie's tear-filled gaze.

"I knew it!" he whispered, giving her one of his heart-wrenching lopsided grins. "But why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Why didn't you?" she exclaimed.

"I asked you first."

She smiled and shook her head. "Because you always had a girlfriend hanging on your arm."

"That was only because I knew there was no hope for me while you were dating the loser," Noah said. "When you finally broke up with Joe, I thought I would have a chance. But it seemed like you were intent on confining me to the friend zone."

"No, you did that!"

"Man," he shook his head. "Were we a couple of insecure teenagers or what?"

She laughed.

"You know," she said, playing with their intertwined fingers. "I did plan to confess my feelings to you once when we were in high school."

Noah's face registered surprise. "When?"

"It was just before graduation, when you had that performance with your band."

His face cleared, his eyes taking on a strange light. "I remember seeing you there. But then you were suddenly gone. What happened?"

"I thought my idea was ridiculous when I saw that girl smothering you with kisses on stage," Maggie said, looking down at their hands. "I figured you two must've been involved."

Noah frowned. "I remember that. I was so angry when she did that. I wasn't expecting it, and I didn't invite it. I got away from her as fast as I could without humiliating her in front of the crowd. But apparently not fast enough, because by the time I looked for you again, you were gone." His gaze was intent. "Do you want to hear something even more ironic?"

"What?"

"I was planning to confess my feelings for you that same night."

"You were?" She lifted her eyes to his once again.

"Yeah, I had a whole plan in place." One corner of his mouth lifted. "Actually, it was the plan you just witnessed tonight. I was going to openly dedicate that song to you and sing it. I envisioned...well, I envisioned exactly what just happened tonight—that you would hear it, you would hear the truth in my words, and finally make my dreams a reality.

"But I never got to sing it to you. Then I left to spend summer here with my grandparents and you seemed to be avoiding me. When you stopped responding to my texts and phone messages, I just assumed you didn't feel the same way about me and had moved on with your life."

"Oh my gosh," Maggie said, her grip on his hands tightening. "We've lost so much time to miscommunication, our own insecurities, and..."

"Bad timing?"

She laughed. "And bad timing."

"But we can make up for it now," Noah said softly. "Now that we know how we feel about each other, I have a question for you." To Maggie's shock, Noah got out of his chair and down on one knee. "Maggie Milena, will you..."

"Noah, what are you doing? Get up!" She looked around wildly, hoping nobody was watching. They'd just revealed their feelings for each other, but this was a far cry from that. "Noah, please! We're definitely not ready for—"

"...go out on a real first date with me?"

Her mouth fell open and then she threw back her head and laughed.

He gave her a mischievous grin. "I realize it's possible you could be taking your life in your hands, but—"

"Yes, yes, and yes!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him.

"Whoa! Check out Mr. R. and his lady!" Ben called out.

Maggie vaguely heard another person whistle. But she was oblivious, lost in the pure, unadulterated bliss of finally being held in Noah's embrace, their bodies intertwining in a perfect fit. All the years of longing and missed opportunities melted away as their kiss deepened. She focused on the feel of his arms around her, the touch of his lips on hers, each tender movement sending sparks through her body. Time stood still as they poured all their pent-up longing and love into that one kiss.

That is, until she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. Reluctantly, she broke away and turned to see Jaime and Jack standing there smiling at them. "So, what exactly are we witnessing here?" Jaime said with a playful tilt of her head.

"He just asked me out. And I said yes!" Maggie cried.

Jaime and Jack looked at each other and then back at the two of them, broad grins on their faces. "Finally!" they said in unison.

The four of them stood chatting as the few lingering members of the crowd cleared out from the patio. Noah refused to let go of her hand and Maggie felt as if she might never stop smiling.

Suddenly Noah's phone that was sitting on the table lit up with an incoming call. She and Noah both looked down, saw the number, and exchanged a glance.

"Excuse me, I've got to take this," Noah said. He quickly picked it up and stepped away to answer it.

While Jaime hugged and congratulated her on this exciting new change in her relationship with Noah, Maggie was only half listening. Instead, she was straining to catch anything regarding the conversation Noah was having right now. Were Valentina and Eric finally ready to put their plan in motion?

Noah hung up and rejoined them all at the table. He gave Jaime and Jack an easy smile. "If it's okay with you guys, I'm going to steal my girl here for a bit."

"Of course, of course," Jack said. "C'mon, babe, let's go relieve your dad and give them some privacy."

As the couple moved away from the table, Noah pulled her close into another embrace and whispered in her ear. "That was Eric. Valentina is rethinking her plan to go to the police and he wants us to come back to the hotel to encourage her. He knows it's late, but he wants us to come now so they can get this over with tonight and move forward in their relationship."

Maggie grinned, planting a soft kiss beside his ear. "I'm all about moving forward in relationships. Let's go encourage them."

***

They pulled into themotel parking lot, and this time Noah parked the car directly in front of Valentina and Eric's door. He twisted in his seat to see Boon sleeping comfortably in the back seat. "Should we leave him here this time?"

"I think so," Maggie agreed. "But let's drop the windows so he gets fresh air."

They got out of the car and walked hand-in-hand to the motel room door. Noah stopped before knocking and pulled her close, placing a soft kiss on her lips. He released her and sighed.

"When we're done here, we have a lot more catching up to do in that area," he teased. "In some ways, I feel like this is all still a dream," he said, gazing down at her.

"A dream come true," she said, rising on her toes to kiss his cheek before he tapped lightly on the door.

"Who is it?" a voice hissed from inside.

"It's Noah and Maggie," Noah said.

The door opened to a narrow slit, and a single eye peeked out.

"Hi," Noah said, then frowned. "Why do you guys have all the lights off?"

"Come join the party and you'll see," said a gruff voice as the door swung open and Noah saw the glint of a gun aimed at his chest.

He rolled his eyes and only had time to groan, "Not again," before he and Maggie were yanked into the room.