A Magnolia Friendship - Anne-Marie Meyer Page 0,64

chewed thoughtfully and then glanced over at me. “But I never expected her to react like that to us.” He pushed around some of his mashed potatoes.

“That was strange, huh?” I’d never expected her to get mad that Danny and I were dating. I mean, we were both adults, and it wasn’t like Victoria and I were that close. The book club was the first time we’d talked since high school.

My stomach was too knotted to eat, so I focused on sipping my water. “Should we do something?”

Danny scooped up a mound of his potatoes and slipped them into his mouth. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. Follow her?”

Danny shook his head as he swallowed. “Bad idea. It’s best to let her work through these things alone first.” He shivered. “She can get violent.”

I swatted his arm. He feigned pain as he moved to avoid me.

“Hey, I’m just the messenger.”

“I’m sure she’s not the same as she was growing up.”

He snorted and sipped his beer. “I wish I could say she’s changed. But that woman is stubborn.”

I nodded in agreement. “Yeah. She got mad at Clementine last week.”

“Clementine? Why?”

I sighed. “She’s starting a dance studio and installed poles for a pole dancing class.”

Danny sat up in his seat. Then his gaze raked over me, and my entire body flushed. “Pole dancing? Really?” He leaned in to me, his voice turning husky. “Are you signing up?”

His reaction had me blushing uncontrollably. I wanted to convince myself that he was just being nice, but when my gaze met his and I saw the desire there, I knew there was something more.

He wanted me in a way that a man hadn’t wanted me in a long time. And that both thrilled and frightened me. What if I disappointed him? He was used to dainty, thin girls. I was a mom. I had stretch marks and fat I couldn’t quite get rid of.

Suddenly, he pressed his lips to my neck, and I startled. “You’re beautiful. And sexy. And everything a man wants.” He gave me a wink as he returned to his food.

I sat there, stunned. Had he just said those words to me?

“You looked like you were going to start spiraling. I wanted to stop it before you pulled away from me.” Danny took a bite of his roast and gave me a wide smile.

I’d lost all train of thought, and I completely forgot how to form words in response. He looked satisfied that he’d sufficiently distracted me as he polished off his plate. I wanted to bring the conversation back to Victoria, but I was beginning to realize that we both needed to talk to her separately. If I wanted to heal my relationship with her, I was going to have to do it on my own.

If I tried to address it with Danny, he would just tell me to let it go again. That she’d come around. But I knew a lot about Victoria. She didn’t just come around to anything.

I was going to have to talk to her and get her to open up. Which was easier said than done.

We finished dinner and paid. Maggie and I spoke for a few minutes, and I let her know what had happened with Victoria. She looked as concerned as I felt and promised talk to the other book club ladies to come up with a plan.

Danny and I spent the next hour outside of the inn, cuddled up next to each other in front of the bonfire that Archer was stoking as he and Danny talked.

I was more than happy to sit and listen to their conversation. They reminisced about the places in Europe they’d both seen. The more I listened to the life Danny had led before he came here, the more I began to realize that I didn’t know much about him. He’d lived a life I could only dream of.

I had children and responsibilities. I couldn’t just pack up one day and go off to some enchanting country and spend a few months there. And yet, that seemed to be Danny’s M.O. before he came home.

That got me wondering—was he going to be happy to be tied down here? How long would he want to stay in Magnolia? Would he resent me for holding him back? Was I a fool to ask him to stay?

My thoughts weighed on my mind as I adjusted my seat. Danny must have noticed my hesitation because he tightened his arm around my shoulders and pulled