Only You by Kate Kelly

wine glass an inch to the right. “I was really lousy at being married to Dominic. He loved to play golf. I loathe the game. I even tried to pretend that I liked it, but apparently, I’m also a lousy actress. He was crazy about my parents’ country club scene. I didn’t like it when I was a kid. I’d beg to stay home with the housekeeper. My opinion hasn’t improved with age, nor has the club itself. Now that I’m thinking about it, he should have married my parents.”
    JD burst out laughing. “You’re probably right. Why do you think your marriage breaking down was your fault?”
    “That’s easy. I’m always the odd man out. Ask my family. They’ll be only too happy to tell you what a misfit I am. Oh, yum. Look at this lovely bread.” She smiled at JD as she held out the basket of bread the waiter had just set on the table. “You’re lucky that I share.” She didn’t want to talk about her failed marriage or her stressful relationship with her family.
    Instead of taking the bread, he reached for her free hand and held it gently in his. “Everyone belongs somewhere, Maggie. You just haven’t found your spot yet.”
    Now why would a picture of his house immediately flash in her mind? She knew he’d never sell the house to her, but at least she could pretend it was hers while she furnished it for him.
    “Are we going shopping tomorrow?” she asked.
    “Do I have to?”
    Don’t take it personally . Most men hated to shop. She hadn’t even known he was in town until an hour ago, so it wasn’t as if he was ruining her weekend.  “No. I’ll e-mail pictures of what I’m looking at for your approval.”
    He picked up a piece of bread and broke it open. “I suspect I’ll approve of almost everything you’ll buy for the house.”
    “Really?”
    He looked up, a frown between his brows. “Yeah.” Then he gave her a surprised look as if he’d just realized the truth of what he’d said.
    She beamed across the table at him. “That’s the first time anyone’s ever said that to me. Oh, God,” she exclaimed after tasting the soup the waiter had just placed in front of her. “This soup is to die for.” She smiled again. “This is fun, isn’t it? I’m so glad you happened to be at the bar.”

JD felt a stab of guilt, but dismissed the feeling. He and Claire had decided it was in their best interests to . . . bend the truth a bit. He hadn’t known the girls were going to be in town this weekend, and he did meet with his new clients to discuss the house they wanted to build. What Maggie didn’t know was that Claire, who had an amazing mind for detail, had realized he was in the city as well. When Maggie insisted on going out despite Claire and Sammie pretending to be too tired to go out in an attempt to discourage her, Claire had texted him that Maggie was planning to hit the hotel bar by herself. It had been a simple matter of a phone call to make a last-minute change of venue for his meeting. He’d deliberately sat in a dark booth closer to the back of the bar so Maggie wouldn’t spot him.
    Earlier, when she’d walked into the bar, he’d felt as though a horse had kicked him in the gut. She wore a simple, fairly modest black dress that shouldn’t have screamed sex goddess, yet every man in the bar turned to look at her. He’d wanted to punch each and every one of them in the face.
    He picked up his knife and attacked his steak. He’d barely been able to stay with his clients and take the time to wind up his meeting. What was happening to him? After so many years of suppressing his feelings, he’d lost control when it came to Maggie and was acting like an idiot. What had she been thinking to let a guy like Sam try to pick her up? JD had been vibrating with anger by the time he’d reached her side at the bar and had been ready to make a huge scene if she resisted going with him.
    And then she’d cried, and he’d never felt so damned helpless in his life.
    “Wow! You really like steak,