Tell Me a Secret by Ann Everett Page A

dating him was the only plan she could come up with to get Jace out of her head. Arriving home, she wheeled into her drive and Jace parked on the street.
    “Let me take your luggage.”
    Tired of arguing, she agreed. He picked up the suitcase in one hand and Aphrodite’s crate in the other. Once inside, he looked at her. “Do you still want me to visit the children’s ward?”
    “Sure. They’d love to meet you. You’re a local football celebrity.”
    “Okay. What about a week from Sunday? We have an away game this week, but we’ll play at home the next weekend.”
    He deposited the luggage and crate on the floor. “So—I’ll see you Wednesday night?”
    “Wednesday night? Oh, yeah, our study night. Sure.”
    He turned to go and she breathed a sigh of relief, but then he stopped and wheeled around to face her again. “Why don’t I stay and get Chinese? Are you hungry? I am.”
    She rubbed the back of her neck. Every bone ached. She’d spent a restless night, waking every hour to make sure she didn’t get on his side of the bed.
    If I say no, will he rush back to Jessica? The lack of confidence she’d experienced the past two days multiplied. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jace advance. Within seconds, he stood behind her. The closeness made her dizzy.
    “Stiff from sleeping on the floor?”
    “A little.”
    He put his hands on her shoulders. She should stop him. But the way his fingers dug into her skin felt so good, she couldn’t. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Gathering her wits, she forced out the words. “Okay, that’s enough. Thanks.”
    He backed away and stuck both hands in his pockets. “So you want me to order food?”
    As a distraction, she eased to Aphrodite’s cage and opened it. The cat came out and hopped under the sofa.
    Getting Jace out of her thoughts was going to be harder than she thought. Zach Roberts had his work cut out.
    Three hours later, with Jace gone, Maggie wrote in her journal. When she heard the key in the front door, she put the book away and called out to Sarah. “I’m in here”.
    Her roommate strolled in and sat in the corner chair. “Sam tells me Jace showed up in Abilene.”
    “Yep.”
    “That’s all you have to say?”
    Maggie averted her eyes. She’d known Sarah her entire life, and her friend had a way of reading her thoughts. “Nothing much to tell. He arrived and the weather was too bad for him to leave. He helped me pack.”
    “Why did he follow you there?”
    “I wouldn’t take his calls.”
    “You’re kidding. He traveled all the way to Abilene in a snowstorm because you wouldn’t answer the phone?”
    “That’s what he said.”
    “Did you sleep with him?”
    “Sarah!” Maggie swallowed hard and tried to look offended, but failed.
    “Oh. My. God. You did.”
    Her voice elevated an octave. “It isn’t what you think. We slept together, but we didn’t have sex. I’ve told you, he’s not interested in me.”
    “Tell me what happened.” Sarah leaned forward with genuine concern, but Maggie hoped her friend wasn’t going to sympathize with her. She didn’t need any more people to join Jace’s pity party. She gave her the details and when she finished, Sarah smiled.
    “Why are you so happy?”
    “Well, whataya know? Sam’s right. He’s been right all along.”
    Maggie knitted her brows together. “Right about what? Oh—I get it. From the beginning he knew I wasn’t Jace’s type. That’s not a surprise. I guess it says a lot about me when a man-whore isn’t even interested.”
    “Oh, he’s interested all right. That’s the problem.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. We slept in front of a romantic roaring fire, just like the ones you see in the movies where the couple ends up making love, and he didn’t so much as touch me. The only thing he feels for me is pity.”
    Maggie’s eyes misted. She hated being so emotional. She sniffed, stretched the neck of her tee shirt up and wiped her eyes. “He sees me as this