Maggie wrote a note for Connor telling him she would be waiting somewhere near the coffee kiosk downstairs. Then she grabbed her lightweight blazer and left the suite.
Forty-five minutes later, her heart stuttered in her chest at the sight of the smiling, handsome man walking right toward her. She could get used to that sight, she thought wistfully, but just as quickly, she banished the thought away. Getting used to having Connor around would be a major league mistake and she’d be smart to remember that. They were only spending this week together because she was desperate for money and he seemed to want to teach her a lesson.
Still, it couldn’t hurt to look her fill.
He was so…formidable, despite his clean-cut outfit of khakis worn with a navy V-neck sweater over a white T-shirt. He should’ve come across more like the boy next door. Instead he looked dangerous, powerful, intense as he prowled confidently across the room like a sexy panther stalking his mate. Maggie noticed other women giving him sly looks as he passed, and part of her wanted to stand up and shout, “He’s mine!”
But he wasn’t hers, Maggie reminded herself, and he never would be again. The thought depressed her, but she pushed it aside instantly. She could be sad and whiny about that later. For now, for this week, she vowed to enjoy every minute of her time with him.
* * *
After convincing Connor to have a quick breakfast of coffee and a muffin, Maggie and he walked across the hotel to the convention entrance. She was surprised to see the convention floor packed with people, even though the festival was not yet open to the general public.
These first few days were mainly devoted to programs and workshops designed to appeal to those industry professionals in attendance. Maggie was looking forward to attending several of them and had them highlighted in her program booklet.
But already, hundreds of booths were doing a brisk business serving tastes of every type of beer and ale imaginable and selling all sorts of souvenirs. It was a clear sign that the beer-making community enjoyed partaking of its own products.
As they strolled through the crowd, Connor would occasionally take her hand in his to prevent them from being split up. Maggie tried to remember it didn’t mean anything, but his touch was potent and unsettling. Each time, he seemed to set off electrical currents inside her that zinged through her system and left her dizzy and distracted.
It didn’t help that every few minutes, Connor would run into someone he knew. He would stop and talk and introduce Maggie, assuring his friends that she was destined to be the next superstar in their industry.
Maggie wasn’t quite sure what to think of Connor’s kind words and she had absolutely no idea what to do with all the positive energy being directed at her from his friends and business associates. She smiled and chatted and appreciated it all, of course. Who wouldn’t? These people could open important doors for her that had been closed and locked until now.
But it was confusing. Was this Connor’s way of teaching her a lesson? Of getting back at her for breaking his heart ten years ago? If so, it was diabolical. He was killing her with kindness, the beast!
To divert herself, she concentrated on the swarm of festival attendees and the cheerful babble of twenty different conversations going on around her. She warned herself that if she thought it was crowded now, just wait until the weekend. The place would be packed wall to wall with people, and the noise level would be overwhelming with rock bands playing and even more demonstrations and activities going on. Maggie couldn’t believe she was actually looking forward to the crush of humanity.
Connor continued to run into friends and associates every few seconds. It was amazing to see how many people he knew. But of course, he’d always been outgoing and charming. His mom used to say that Connor had never met a stranger, and it was true. Everyone he met became a friend.