Page 54 of Forbidden Whispers

“Jaime!” her father exclaimed.

“Seriously, Dad!” Jaime put her hands on her hips. “You’ve been alone for four years now. And I may as well confess, half the reason I wanted you to work with Maggie is because I knew if anyone could help you find someone special to bring into your life, it would be Maggie.”

“No offense to your skills, Maggie,” Rita said, throwing an arm around George and pressing against him. “But this sweet man won’t need any kind of matchmaking service while I’m around!” Everyone at the table laughed again.

“Aside from my dad, there is one other person I would love to see get the benefit of Maggie’s amazing matchmaking services,” Jaime said lightly, taking baby Emma back into her arms.

“Who?” Maggie said, her attention suddenly sharp. “Did you give them my card?”

“I don’t need to give them your card,” Jaime said with a twinkle in her eye.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s you!” And with that, she bade the group farewell and moved on to chat with the people at the next table.

Chapter 15

When the meal ended, everyone drifted back toward the beach.

Noah and Maggie joined in an exhilarating game of beach volleyball. Amidst the flurry of volleys and dives, Boon bounded into the game with unrestrained enthusiasm. With a playful bark, he intercepted the volleyball mid-air, paws kicking up sand and tail wagging as he skidded to a stop in front of Noah.

Both teams exchanged looks, then broke into amused grins followed by peals of laughter as the volleyball game transformed more into a game of keep-away and fetch with the dog.

Once the game ended, Noah went to fill up Boon’s water dish, and left him tied up at the base of a tree with the other two dogs, while he and Maggie went to splash in the white-crested Lake Michigan waves.

Maggie had initially tried to avoid swimming, telling Noah that she was fine standing on the warm, sugar-sand beach and occasionally letting the cool blue waves slide over her feet and ankles.

“C’mon, Mags,” Noah insisted. “Swim with me!”

“I dunno. I think the water’s too—” But the rest of what she’d been about to say got lost in a shriek as Noah suddenly picked her up, tossed her over his shoulder, and strode into the water.

“What. Are. You. Doing?” she puffed with each step.

“I’m taking you swimming.”

“I love looking at Lake Michigan. But I only swim in well-heated pools!” she said, trying to wriggle free.

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