The Truth About Fairy Tales by Annie Walker Page B

read any of his former happiness in his eyes. Had I finally pushed him too far? This man could have his pick of women and did have according to Ben. What did he need with a screwed up girl like me?
                  He searched my face, no doubt seeing all of my uncertainties right there in every inch of it and then he opened the door wider and silently let me in.
                  Jackson still wasn’t giving anything away. But I feared the worse.
                  I tried to face him and say something—anything, but I couldn’t trust my voice. I turned away with Sidney squirming in my arms and tried to explain my ridiculous behavior.
                  “I don’t know what you want from me. I’m not sure…it’s hard…I don’t trust people, I guess. I’ve never been good at making connections and…” At that moment, Sidney yelped interrupting my train of thought. Jackson took him from my arms and let him out into his perfectly manicured backyard.
                  When I would have protested, he stopped me. “He’ll be okay. He can’t go anywhere. You’re doing fine. Keep talking.”
                  I probably could have had it not been for the hard sound of his voice. The sound that told me I was wasting my time. He’d made up his mind about me and I wasn’t worth the effort. I was so close to walking out on him and, I hate to say it, dear old Sidney as well.
                  I think Jackson sensed all of that when he reached for me and pulled me into his arms.
                  “You’re doing fine, Maggie…just keep talking to me.”
                  And I did. I told him all the things that I hadn’t been able to tell him before about my life with my mother. All of my old insecurities and somewhere through it all, I ended up feeling safe in his arms at last.
                  “Maggie, I know it’s been hard on you growing up like that. I can’t even begin to image how difficult that would have been for a little girl, especially one as sensitive as you.”
                  Was I sensitive? I’d always pictured myself tough as nails, but Jackson saw something in me that apparently I didn’t see in myself.
                  “I promise I won’t hurt you. I want to be with you. I don’t want you to be hurt. Thank you for sharing how hard it is for you to trust people. I understand now. Before, well, I guess I was reading it all wrong. I thought you still had feeling for Ben or maybe you believed the things Ben told you about me. I’m not that person, Maggie, but the only way I can prove it to you is if you let me. You have to start trusting me just a little, Maggie. I promise I won’t ask you for too much too soon. Please just trust me.”
                  I couldn’t say the words, but I was nodding. I wanted to believe him now. Wanted to trust his words, but deep down I knew it was going to be some time before I did. After all, the old Maggie still existed as part of me. I’d lived with her insecurities for too long to throw them all away at once.
                  “So where were you going today anyway?” He asked at last. I still held onto him like I was afraid of letting him go. I could feel him smiling against my hair. I  desperately wanted to believe this guy wasn’t like the man I’d thought him to be.
                  “To see my grandmother.”
                  “How long has it been since you’ve seen her?”
                  I finally let him go. “A few months. I’ve been busy with school and work.”
                  “Do you still want to go?” he asked sweetly. I shook my head.
                  “No, I was only running away…”
                  “Yes, I realize that now, but I don’t want you to miss your grandmother either. Will you let me come home