Chapter 47 Part 47
Maggie
“What would you like for dinner?” Maggie asked Asher.
“I thought maybe we could go out to eat,” Asher said. “The diner’s family-friendly, and their food’s good.”
Maggie smiled as she looked at him. “I’d like that.”
“Great. I need to wash the day off,” Asher said, handing Melody back to her.
Maggie only touched up her lipstick and mascara, and restocked Melody’s diaper bag. She was ready to go within a few minutes, so she waited for Asher in the living room.
Maggie’s phone rang, and she grinned when she saw Eden’s name on the screen.
“Hi, Eden,” she said.
“Do you guys want to join us for dinner tonight? You haven’t started yet, have you?”
Maggie laughed. “Sorry, Asher’s taking me and Melody to the diner.”
“Ugh, the diner. Seriously? That’s not date-worthy,” Eden said.
“It’s a place where nobody will frown when Melody eats with her hands, and makes a mess,” Maggie said.
“True. Anyway, I was thinking maybe, tomorrow, we could drive up to the city and do something fun with Melody, like take her to a petting zoo or something.”
“That sounds fun! Why not? Asher stays in his shed all day working on that gazebo.”
Eden gasped loudly. “We can go look at wedding dresses! Yes! Change of plans! I’m such an idiot. We have so much to do, Maggie! Spring is just around the corner!”
“Okay, okay, we’ll go do wedding stuff tomorrow,” Maggie said, chuckling at Eden’s excitement.
Asher walked into the living room, and he grinned at Maggie, obviously having heard her last sentence. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Eden.”
“Okay, have fun at the diner,” she said, and Maggie could almost imagine her rolling her eyes.
“Bye.”
Asher pulled on his jacket, and glanced at her over his shoulder. “Wedding stuff, huh?”
“Eden’s right. Spring will be here before we know it, and I haven’t done a thing,” she said.
Dakota’s tail stopped wagging when Asher told him to stay, and he whined a little as Asher strapped Melody into the truck. She felt kind of bad leaving the dog behind, but she was sure the diner wouldn’t be too happy letting the dog inside.
Asher was quiet as he drove them into town, while Maggie glanced at him every now and then. He didn’t seem to notice, and Maggie didn’t want to push. When he parked at the diner, he smiled at her, and unclipped Melody from her car seat.
“Hey, Asher, Maggie,” a young woman said, as they walked inside. “I’ve got a booth in the back open.”
“Thanks, Ashley,” Asher said.
Maggie smiled at her, and followed Asher as he headed toward the back. Ashley appeared a few seconds later with a high chair for Melody. Menus were placed on the table, and she smiled at them again before leaving.
“It’s not the Meadow Manor, but I like the ambience here more,” Maggie said.
Asher chuckled. “It’s more relaxed. I actually like coming to the diner.”
“Are you ready to order?” Ashley asked, making Maggie jump slightly. The woman moved so quietly she hadn’t heard her return.
They ordered food and drinks, and Ashley looked at Melody. “I can dig out some fish fingers and fries for her if you like.”
“That’ll be great, thank you,” Maggie said.
Ashley brought their drinks over, and she grabbed Maggie’s hand. “Look at this ring! It’s gorgeous!”
“Thank you,” Maggie said, with a grin. Several other people had turned their heads to look at them.
“Did you two get engaged?” Ashley’s voice was loud, and she squealed with excitement, when Maggie nodded her head.
Applause broke out in the diner, and Asher chuckled, as Maggie lowered her head. Her cheeks had turned red with embarrassment, and Melody took it as a challenge, clapping her little hands, as well.
“What are your thoughts about this wedding?” Asher asked her.
“I don’t have any family or friends, so you’ll have to tell me how many people you want to invite,” she said, smiling. “And saying ‘the whole town’ doesn’t count.”
Asher chuckled. “I was thinking maybe just close friends and family.”
“We can do everything at the ranch. Maybe put up a marquee tent for the reception, maybe get the diner to cater it.” Maggie’s grin had Asher smiling.
“We’ll ask Lauretta to cater; she does it for everyone,” Asher said.
“I don’t see the point in going overboard, Asher. Small and casual,” she said.
“Does that mean I can wear jeans and my cowboy hat?”
“No, to the jeans, but yes, to the cowboy hat. I can see you looking very handsome in a suit.”
“I’ll wear whatever you tell me to wear,” Asher said. The look he gave her was intense, and meaningful, and her heart skipped a beat. The sudden lump in her throat made it hard to speak. At that moment, she could physically feel Asher’s love for her.
“You’re already building a gazebo; I don’t think we need to do anything elaborate. It’s not about that at all, but the promises we make on that day,” Maggie said.
“That’s true, but it can look exceptional while we do it,” Asher said, smiling.
“Asher…”
He frowned slightly. “What?”
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
Asher’s eyes hardened. “Yes.”
“I’m damaged goods, Asher. I’m not proud of my past or the things I’ve done—”
“I don’t care. I love you, and I love Melody. That’s it. That’s all we need. You are no less damaged than I am. I don’t care what you had to do in order to survive, and make your way to me. It doesn’t matter. I’ve done things I’m not proud of either.”
Maggie lowered her head, took a deep breath, and looked up at Asher. “You’re an amazing man, Asher. What you’ve done for us is nothing short of extraordinary. Don’t you realize that?”
“I’m not amazing. Maybe it’s you and Melody who bring that out in me. Maybe you make me want to try harder, and maybe, just maybe, you chased the storms inside me away.”
“I’d marry you anywhere, anytime, Asher, even if you wore jeans,” Maggie said.
“I’ll wear a suit; don’t worry.”
That night, Maggie put all her fears in a box, and sealed it tight. She didn’t need to know where Asher had gone the morning after Malcolm Walters was murdered. She didn’t want to know why he’d burned his shirt. There could be a hundred different reasons for it, any one of them innocent.
He loved her, and most of all, he loved Melody. He wanted to adopt her, and be her father. She didn’t need anyone to tell her that he was a good man, the best man she could ever hope to find.
Asher Fitzgerald was her fairytale come to life.