Chapter 21 Part 21
Maggie
“I need to ask you a favor.” Maggie looked at Eden, her eyes portraying her desperation.
“What are we doing? Robbing the real estate office, egging Lorelei’s house, going all Thelma and Louise with Melody on the road?”
Maggie frowned, and then she laughed. “No! Although egging her house sounds like fun once I can walk again.”
Eden grinned. “You just let me know when, and I’ll be there with eggs galore. What favor do you need?”
“I need you to teach me how to bake a pie. The last time I tried, I nearly poisoned Asher,” Maggie said.
Eden laughed, and hung her head forward. “Sorry, I’m laughing. Did Asher eat it or spit it out?”
“He ate it.” Maggie looked down again, feeling silly.
“Wow, if he ate it, then he must really like you,” Eden said. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, Maggie, tomorrow I’ll help you, step-by-step.”
“Thank you. It’s the least I can do with everything he’s done for me.”
“Last year my friend, Brenda, ran away from her husband, and she came to stay with us at the ranch. Long story short, Asher was here on leave, and he walked with that baby boy of hers in his arms for five hours, so she could sleep; he had terrible colic. Trust me, when I say, Asher hasn’t done much for you yet. This is just who he is. He sat on the porch with his rifle and waited for her husband when the douche called and said he was on his way to get his son. He spoke to the man for five minutes before he turned tail and ran. Two weeks later, Brenda got divorce papers in the mail.”
“Wow,” Maggie said.
“I speak to her once a week. So far, he pays child support, and his mother picks the baby up for visitation. He doesn’t call her or even look at her,” Eden said.
“What did Asher say to him?” Maggie shifted forward, intrigued with the story now.
“No clue. Asher said it didn’t matter as long as it worked.”
“That man is an enigma. Is there anything he can’t do, or won’t do, for someone?” Maggie asked her.
“Asher will give you the shirt off his back, but once you lie to him, it’s over. It’s like Lorelei; he’ll forgive her and treat her well in public, if he sees her, but he will never trust her again,” Eden said.
Maggie chewed her lip, lost in her own thoughts. She had to tell Asher about her past. She was afraid of ruining their budding relationship, but she’d wait for the right time, and tell him everything. He deserved the truth.
Eden went back to the main house for a while, and promised she’d return in half an hour, and to call her if Melody woke up before that. Without thinking, she picked up the book Asher had left on the table and flipped through the pages. On the second page, Lorelei had written a note for Asher.
‘Asher,
I will always love you. You deserve more than playing daddy to a child that’s not yours.
Love,
Lorelei.’
She snapped the book closed and placed it back on the table. After Asher’s speech, she was sure he hadn’t seen the note. He never would’ve left the book there if he had. She didn’t think Asher would deliberately do something to hurt her.
“I’m back!” Eden said, walking into the living room with a large box in her hands. It looked heavy, and she put it down on the floor carefully.
“What’s all that?” Maggie leaned forward as Eden sighed.
“I’m so behind on my work. I help Blair with the cattle, and Colt and Dylan with the horses. I do all their admin, but it’s like I just can’t get caught up.”
“Is there anything I can help you with? I’ve done admin work before,” Maggie said.
Eden grinned, and took a laptop from the box. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
Eden spent the next 40 minutes, explaining to Maggie how their system worked, and what she needed her to do. It was basic data-capturing work, loading invoices onto a spreadsheet, checking the bank statements to see if the invoice was paid, and flagging it if it wasn’t. It was the same principle with stock and deliveries they’d received. Did the order match the delivery, and was payment made for that week? She had to check everything, and match it with either a payment made, or a payment received. It wasn’t difficult to comprehend, and Maggie was happy doing something. She was glad she could help Eden because the woman had been nothing but kind to her.
Time passed swiftly, and Eden placed Melody in her walker, handed her some toys, and cut up some fruit, and they continued their work. They both looked up when Asher walked in from the kitchen, his shoes off with sweat and dust coating him.
“I’m quickly going to grab a shower,” Asher said, and was gone again in seconds. He returned 15 minutes later, his hair still wet, and he scooped Melody up in his arms. He sat down next to Maggie and looked at the laptop screen.
“What are you doing?”
Maggie didn’t take her eyes from the screen and continued typing. “Helping Eden.”
“I take it neither of you thought about dinner? Has Melody been bathed, fed, and changed?”
Both women looked up at him. “So go bathe her.” Eden raised her hand, waving him off.
Asher shook his head, but took Melody upstairs. Eden put down the invoice she was busy processing. “I completely forgot about dinner.”
Maggie gasped, looking at the time. “We both forgot about dinner.”
Eden shrugged before they continued their work. Asher was back with Melody half an hour later and shook his head as he looked at them. “I guess dinner’s our responsibility tonight.”
Melody babbled something, and he chuckled as they walked to the kitchen. Eden stretched her arms over her head, and looked at Maggie. “We should stop. Tomorrow’s another day, if you don’t mind helping me again.”
“I actually like it. Makes me feel useful.”