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Chapter 18
The rain started just as Maggie Lowell finished the last entry in the account book. The drops fell in a gentle patter, but a quick glance at the dark sky outside made it clear the sky wouldn’t stay peaceful for long. Time to go home.
She quickly packed up her laptop and papers with one hand and pecked out a text to Mac with the other.
All done. Everything looks good.
Maggie normally didn’t come to a client’s home to work on their books, but she made an exception for Joseph “Mac” Mackenzie. He was impossible to refuse—always smiling, always kind. He’d been one of her first clients in Shadow Creek, and he hadn’t hesitated to promote her bookkeeping services to all his friends. Since Mac was a deservedly popular man, it hadn’t taken long for Maggie to build a solid roster of clients. Mac’s actions had essentially ensured her success here, and Maggie never forgot it. Dropping by his ranch to work on his books every quarter was a small way to repay him for his kindness.
And if she happened to run into Mac’s son, Thorne, while she was at the ranch? That was just a bonus.
Maggie glanced around as she left the office, hoping to catch a glimpse of Thorne while she made her way to her car. The rich scent of horses and hay hit her nose as she stepped into the barn, and one of the animals whickered softly in response to the sound of the office door being shut. There was no sign of Thorne, but it was clear he’d been there recently—a set of wet boot prints marred the otherwise clean floor of the barn, and since Mac was in San Antonio on business, the prints could only belong to Thorne.
Would she see him as she dashed to the car? The thought made her heart flutter, and a sense of anticipation warmed her limbs. Even a drive-by sighting of Thorne was better than no sighting at all.
Maggie knew her crush on Thorne was irrational, but she couldn’t help herself. The man was her personal catnip, and every time she saw him she fell a little bit more in love with him. How could she not? His smile lit up a room, and when she saw those dimples in his cheeks she went weak in the knees. His light brown eyes were full of a quiet intelligence that drew her in and made her want to learn more about him. And the fact that he had the body of a man who made his living working with horses didn’t hurt, either. His long, lean frame filled out a pair of jeans in all the right places, and his dark skin contrasted nicely with the light blue work shirts he often wore. Thorne Colton was the total package, and ever since she had first laid eyes on him, Maggie had thought of little else.
She harbored no illusions about Thorne’s feelings for her. He had inherited his father’s impeccable manners and he always treated her with respect, but Maggie knew she wasn’t the kind of woman Thorne dated. He was horses, hard work and sunshine, and she was...well, truth be told she was more of an indoors girl. They had very little in common, but that didn’t stop her inner thirteen-year-old from letting out a squeal of delight any time he was near.
She debated lingering in the barn for a moment in the hopes of seeing him, but decided against it. She had her pride, after all.
Maggie hugged her computer bag close and dashed to her car, diving into the driver’s seat with more momentum than grace. She deposited the slightly damp bag in the passenger seat and grabbed a handful of napkins from the console, then set about patting herself dry. The water was cold and she shivered slightly, but she told herself to enjoy the sensation while it lasted. Summer came quickly to Shadow Creek, Texas, and she knew in a few months she’d be begging for the relief of a cool rain.
Feeling slightly less waterlogged, she stuck the key into the ignition. Hopefully the storm wouldn’t affect traffic too badly. Her stomach growled in agreement, and she began to mentally review her dinner options as she turned the key.
The engine whined in protest, and thoughts of food vanished as Maggie focused on the car. “Not again,” she muttered, pumping the gas before giving the key another turn. The red sedan had been a steady and reliable workhorse for the past several years, but it was starting to show its age. A few months ago, the mechanic had advised her to start looking for another car, but Maggie had yet to find the time. Besides, she had faith in the old man. Surely they could go a few thousand more miles before she had to say goodbye?
As if in response, the engine emitted an alarming grinding noise that sounded like rocks slamming together. It shuddered, causing the whole car to vibrate, and then stopped with a pitiful wheeze.
Great. It seemed her cheerful red stallion had finally given up and died.
Mother Nature apparently sensed the loss, as the sky opened up in earnest. The torrential rain pounded the car in a deafening onslaught and Maggie sighed, dropping her head to lean against the steering wheel. It just keeps getting better...
She indulged in a moment’s self-pity, then fished out her cell phone and called for a tow.
“It’s gonna take a while,” the dispatcher informed her. “The ranch is outside the town limits, and we’ve got a lot of calls ahead of you. The weather is slowing us down.”
“That’s fine,” Maggie said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She hung up the phone and eyed the computer bag in the passenger seat. Maybe she could get some work done while she waited...
She pulled the bag into her lap just as the passenger door opened and someone plopped into the seat. Maggie let out a squeak of alarm and jumped, her hand scrabbling for the handle as she pressed herself against the door.
“Hey there.” Thorne’s deep, calm voice filled the car, and Maggie’s body recognized him a split second before her mind caught up. Her muscles relaxed and a swarm of butterflies took flight in her stomach as her body celebrated its proximity to his.
Her breath gusted out in a shaky sigh. “Hi, yourself.”
“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to scare you.” He took off his brown, rain-spattered cowboy hat, careful to keep it level so the water trapped in its folds didn’t drip onto her seats. It was a thoughtful gesture, one that Maggie appreciated.
“It’s all right,” she said, offering him a smile. “You startled me more than anything.”
“Everything okay? I noticed
