Free Love in Another Town by Barbara Taylor Bradford Page A

again.’
    As he finished speaking he began to kiss the tips of her fingers, her knuckles and the spaces in between. Then he turned her hand over and kissed the palm. After a second he lifted his eyes and looked at her. ‘Don’t ever doubt this, Maggie. It’s real and it’s the best.’
    She stared back. His face was serious, his light green eyes intense, and there was so much yearning for her in them she was touched. She felt herself choking up for a reason she couldn’t fathom. ‘Oh Jake,’ was all she could say, and for a split second she thought she was going to weep.
    As if sensing this, and wishing to avert it, Jake rose and said, ‘How about some more coffee?’
    She shook her head. ‘No, thanks.’
    He went and filled his own cup, returned to the table, and sat down opposite her once more.
    There was a small silence between them. It was broken by Jake, who said in a low voice, ‘You were very upset earlier, Maggie.’
    â€˜Yes, I was,’ she agreed. Giving him a candid look, she continued, ‘I think I should explain something.’
    â€˜If you like, but it’s up to you. I don’t want to pry.’
    â€˜A few weeks ago Samantha made a reference to my divorce. So I know you know I was married once. You do, don’t you?’
    â€˜Yes, I’d gathered that.’
    â€˜What you don’t know is that I have two children. Twins. A boy and a girl. They’ll be twenty-one in a couple of weeks. They live in Chicago. They’re attending Northwestern. Anyway, I had hoped we could all be together for their birthday, but their father is taking them away for a long weekend in California. Without me. When you arrived earlier this evening I was talking to my daughter Hannah, who was explaining this to me. Naturally, I was very upset to be excluded.’
    â€˜I don’t blame you. That’s kind of a lousy thing to do, isn’t it?’ He raised a brow quizzically, then rushed to add, ‘In my opinion it is.’
    â€˜I agree.’ Maggie shook her head. ‘But it’s par for the course.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’
    She sighed. ‘You’ve never been married, never had children, Jake, so it would be hard for you to understand all the ramifications. In any case, I prefer not to talk about it anymore. I just wanted you to know I was upset about something personal and not business.’
    He nodded and changed the subject.

CHAPTER
8
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    T HE JANGLING TELEPHONE brought Maggie out of the shower swiftly. Grabbing a large bath towel, she wrapped it around herself and raced through into her bedroom.
    Reaching for the phone, she said, ‘Hello?’
    â€˜It’s me.’
    â€˜Hello, Jake!’ she exclaimed, as always delighted to hear his voice. ‘We’re still on for ten o’clock, aren’t we?’
    â€˜You bet,’ he answered quickly. ‘The only thing is, I’d like to meet you a bit earlier. Is that possible?’
    â€˜Of course, Jake, but is there something wrong?’
    There was the merest hesitation before he said in a rather tentative voice, ‘No, not really, Maggie. I just want to talk to you about something, that’s all.’
    â€˜What? You sound odd. Tell me now, Jake, tell me on the phone.’
    â€˜I prefer to talk to you in person, Maggie, face to face. Really I do.’
    There was something in his voice that alarmed her, but knowing him the way she did she knew he would not succumb to pressure from her. She said, ‘All right then. What time do you want to meet?’
    â€˜Nine-thirty. If that’s okay with you?’
    â€˜It’s fine. Do you want to come here?’
    â€˜No. I’ll meet you at the site,’ he answered swiftly.
    â€˜All right.’
    â€˜See you then.’
    â€˜â€™Bye, Jake.’
    Maggie stood with her hand resting on the phone, a puzzled look on her face. His voice had been peculiar and