The Marriage Trap

With her own home and happy ending.

Epilogue

“Maggie, hurry up! The movers are here!”

She grumbled under her breath and looked once more upon the empty rooms of her condo, making sure she hadn’t missed anything. Moving into a mansion wasn’t easy. Hell, they’d already fought over placement of things and room arrangements. She licked her lips when she thought of all the lovely ways they had made up, also. Many rooms had been christened.

Fortunately, there were many more to go.

“Coming!” she screamed.

With one last glance at the bare mattress still lying on her bed, she paused as a memory took hold. Maggie walked over to the bed and stuck her hand underneath the mattress.

The list.

The love spell.

She gazed at the white ledger paper and unfolded it to look at her list. Thank God, Michael hadn’t seen it; she would’ve died of humiliation. Shaking her head at the ridiculousness of her actions, she glanced down at the list of items she had requested Earth Mother provide her in her husband. The qualities blurred together as her gaze slid over the paper.

A man with a sense of loyalty.

A man with a sense of family.

A man who is a good lover.

A man who can be my friend.

A man who can challenge me.

A man I can confess my secrets to.

A man I can trust.

A man with confidence.

A man with an open heart.

A man who will fight for me.

A man who can love me exactly as I am.

Maggie caught her breath. She reread the list, an odd sense of foreboding washing over her. Drunk, defenses down, and lonely; the qualities on this list would never have been composed in her rational mind. No, every item cried out for someone who could complete her.

Michael. Earth Mother had sent her Michael Conte.

The diamond ring shot icy glimmers of light as she carefully folded up the paper and crumbled it in her hand. Ridiculous. She was getting herself spooked. There was no such thing as Earth Mother. The perfect man and love spells didn’t exist.

Right?

Warily, she decided to throw out the book of spells. Where had she put that purple book?

Carina.

When they’d returned home from the waterfront the evening of their reconciliation, Maggie was shocked to find Carina on Michael’s doorstep. The best part was the massive ball of black fur she held against her chest.

As soon as Dante spotted Maggie, he’d jumped out of Carina’s arms and into hers like he belonged there. Carina confessed that once she’d told Dante she wanted to take him to see Maggie, he walked right into the cat carrier like he understood. And maybe he had.

Her family complete, Maggie realized what it meant to fully belong to others and swore she’d never forget it. Still, she didn’t like the idea of her new sister holding on to a book of spells that may actually work.

She nibbled on her bottom lip and wondered if she should say something.

Nah, what were the odds? It was a silly little thing, and Carina would probably read it, get a laugh, and throw it away.

Maggie shook her head and left the room and her old life behind her.