Free Secret Baby Santos by Bárbara McCauley Page B

she had never been friends. They had been two completely different people. While Maggie had been shy and dowdy and without friends, Julianna had always been the rich, beautiful Ice Princess—as she’d been cruelly dubbed—and also without friends. But this Julianna was genuinely warm and friendly, and though it hardly seemed possible, even more beautiful.
    â€œI absolutely love that hairstyle on you, Maggie. It’s perfect for your face.” Julianna eased her body into a corner booth. “You look radiant. Poised and completely self-confident. Life as a famous New York journalist obviously suits you.”
    Maggie might have argued the compliments, most certainly the famous part, but a waiter in a black tuxedo appeared, snatched the linen napkin from her china plate and flicked it onto her lap in one fluid sweep. When he started to reach for Julianna’s napkin, she grabbed it off the table.
    â€œOh, Henry, for heaven’s sake. It’s just me. Besides, I haven’t got a lap to put this on, anyway, and I don’t appreciate having that thrown in my face.”
    She delicately tucked the napkin under the collar of her white silk blouse, then leaned forward and whispered
to the waiter, “I want a chance to win my five bucks back, buster. Next time it’s five-card draw instead of stud poker.”
    A mischievous twinkle in his gray eyes, the waiter leaned forward and whispered back, “Call any game you like, sister. I’ll still beat your behind.”
    With a sniff she settled back into the booth with all the grace of a princess, albeit a very pleasant one. “We’ll have two sparkling waters in champagne glasses, please. We’re celebrating a reunion here.”
    â€œRight away, Mrs. Blackhawk.”
    His tone might have been solicitous, but Maggie caught the wink of the waiter’s eye before he turned away. “I, ah, take it you know him.”
    â€œHenry’s a regular at Lucas’s Tuesday-night poker game. The whole guy thing. Beer, cigars, lots of bragging and cursing. They grumbled about me joining them at first, including Lucas, but I won, of course. Now the cigars are outside and the cursing is at a minimum, except for when I lose. Lucas threatened to wash my mouth out with soap last week.”
    With a small laugh she rubbed a hand over her ample stomach. “I wasn’t about to miss out on all the fun. At least not until the babies are born.”
    This was definitely not the Julianna that Maggie remembered. “Never in a hundred years would I have pictured Julianna Hadley playing poker.”
    â€œJulianna Hadley never would have, but Julianna Blackhawk would.” A soft smile curved her lips as she touched her stomach. “Children and a husband had been a fantasy for me. I still can’t believe it. Me, Julianna Hadley married to Bad-Boy Blackhawk, of the notorious Wolf River Bad-Boy Threesome.”
    Maggie couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy that
centered deep in her heart. She was happy for Julianna and Lucas, she truly was. But her happiness for them still didn’t stop the ache in her chest, or the longing for something she could never have.
    â€œOh, listen to me, going on like that.” Julianna dabbed at her eyes. “Tell me about your son. Nick says he’s got a killer smile.”
    The thought of Drew lightened the heaviness. He did have a killer smile. His father’s smile. Unable to resist, Maggie pulled out her son’s preschool and last-season soccer game pictures. “His name is Andrew, after my grandfather, but we call him Drew. He’ll be five in three months.”
    â€œOh, Maggie, he’s gorgeous.” Eyes wide, Julianna stared at the pictures. “Nick was right. This boy is going to break hearts. His father must be very easy on the eyes.”
    Very easy on the eyes, Maggie thought. It was her heart he was hard on. With a stiff smile, she tucked the pictures back