Page 100 of Out of the Cold

Once, when she was eighteen, a man had kissed her on the cheek, and when she was twelve a boy had stolen a kiss on her lips in a dare, but those weren’t kisses. She knew that now.

“Lovely Maggie. You taste so sweet,” he murmured, kissing her throat, behind her ear, across her cheek.

Her eyes closed, and she lost herself in the feel of his lips. She leaned her head against his shoulder and let his body absorb her trembling. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close..

So this was why girls got in trouble.

“I’ve declared myself to you every way a man can, Maggie. I’ve told you I love you and I want to marry you. I’m ready to promise you everything I have. I can give you a good life.”

“I want that. Truly I do. But do you want a wife who gets called away at all times of the day and night? Who isn’t around to fix your meals like other wives?”

“Who do you take me for? I know how much you want to be a doctor and how good you are at it. You saved my mother, for heaven’s sake.”

Tears threatened at those words, but what did either of them know about what married life would bring?

“No other wives you know work. It drives men away. It will drive you away.”

“I didn’t say it would be easy, but I’m no coward, and I don’t break my promises. I’m proud of what you do, Maggie, and I’d be proud to have such a wife. We’ll get someone to help us once we have children, and then you can be off whenever you need to be.”

Hearing him plan so made her head spin. Children, and they’d only just kissed!

“I can’t seem to think straight around you.”

“Is that so?” That devilish gleam was in his eye. He nuzzled into her neck, his breath soft against her ear. “Then it’s only fair, for I’ve not had a moment’s peace since I met you.”

“And you won’t have another if you marry me,” she said, laughing even as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“It sounds perfect.”

She emailed the manuscript to her editor with a little prayer that she’d like it. If she and Gabriel were still together, he’d have congratulated her and kissed her. Maybe he’d have swung her around like Mick did with Maggie.

Instead, she poured herself a glass of wine, baked some chocolate chip cookies, and gave Hilde some treats. Later in the afternoon, she headed to her final workshop.

“?Do you think you’ll ever come back here?” Carrie, her shyest student, asked.

“I plan to,” she said, realizing as she spoke that she meant it. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be here for so long again, but yes, I’ll be back.”

“Maybe you could teach us again when you do.”

This came from Marcus, the oldest in the class at seventeen. He’d been a bit of a challenge in the beginning, always questioning her, but he was also the strongest writer.

“I would love that. If I do, I’ll let all of you know.”

She looked around at all her students. Only six weeks ago they were total strangers, and now she adored them all. She hadn’t done a perfect job, but for someone who’d never taught before, it had gone surprisingly well.

Except that now everyone was sad, including her.

“You all were so amazing. I hope you’re proud of yourselves and the things you wrote.” She pulled six new leather-bound journal-style notebooks from her bag and handed them out. She’d inscribed a different quote about writing on the inside of each one. “There’s no secret to being a writer,” she said. “Just keep reading and writing and observing the world around you.”

Then there were hugs all around, and a few tears, and promises to keep in touch over email. They left the room reading the quotes she’d written.

Slowly she gathered her own books and notebooks together, put them in her bag, and left the room. The library was closing, the last few patrons heading for the door.

“Lucy!”

She turned to see Amelia, bundled in her winter coat, waiting for her near the exit like she had most nights after her workshop.

“How’d it go?”

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