A/N: As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! It is much appreciated! This was a heck of a week at work, but we have the Labor Day holiday coming up in the States which gives me a long weekend. Who knows what writing I might accomplish during this time? This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
Bianca saw Maggie leaning in closer and froze for a millisecond. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. There was no mistaking Maggie's intent though. Bianca shoved the other woman away roughly before any contact was made.
"What the hell, Maggie?! What in the hell do you think you're doing?"
Maggie was stunned for a moment, not only by her own actions but by Bianca's reaction to them. Bianca was furious. "I'm sorry. I thought …"
"You thought what? Thought I could betray and hurt Marissa?"
"She wouldn't have to …"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence if you know what's good for you! I can't believe that you would even think that I would ever do that! I would never hurt Marissa like that, never!"
Maggie was flooded with remorse over what she had just tried to do. How could she be so stupid, so thoughtless? Of course Bianca would never do something like that, would never allow that to happen or even consider it. She wasn't capable of inflicting that kind of pain on someone that she loved, and it was crystal clear just how much she loved Marissa. Maggie slumped to the ground, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm a complete idiot. I wasn't thinking. I had too much to drink and you were right there in front of me. I remembered the good times that we had, and I … I just wanted what we used to have."
/
Halfway home, Marissa became aware of her surroundings. Both her mind and body had shifted to auto-pilot after witnessing the scene between Bianca and Maggie in the park. She couldn't believe that Bianca would do something like that to her.
Marissa shook her head and swiped at the tears falling from her eyes while her voice broke as she argued with herself. "No! Bianca wouldn't do that to me. That's not who she is. I trust her and believe in her. But I saw Maggie kiss her. No! I don't know for sure what happened, what led to it if it did happen. Of course I don't know. I ran away. I should've stayed. I should've walked right up to Maggie, ripped her away from Bianca and thrown her sorry ass across the park. Did I do that though? Hell no! I ran away! I'm the biggest idiot around. And now, what do I do? I can't go back there, not now. It's too late. Bianca will think that I don't trust her, and I do trust her. What the hell do I do?"
Marissa continued her drive home simultaneously kicking herself for fleeing and breaking down over what she had seen.
/
Bianca looked down at Maggie's slumped form. She couldn't remember ever seeing her like this, so disheartened. Bianca felt compelled to do something. She sat down on the ground next to her old friend. "Talk to me, Maggie. What's going on? Why did you try and do that? You know me. You know I would never do anything that would intentionally hurt someone that I love, and I don't want you to doubt for one second my love for Marissa. I know you may not want to hear this, but I think I have to tell you this until it sinks in. I love Marissa. I love her with all of my heart. I don't mean to sound cruel, but that's …"
Maggie shook her head. "No, I know you don't want to hurt me. I know how you feel about her. I do. I really do."
"Then why would you do something like that?"
Maggie had begun to sober up immediately after Bianca had shoved her away. She knew it was time to be honest with Bianca as well as herself. "I'd like to blame it all on me being drunk, but I … I can't. When I heard about the conference being here in Pine Valley, I jumped at the chance to attend it. It was a convenient excuse to come back here and to … to see you again. This last week, spending time with you again, has been so great. I started to remember us and all of the good times that we had. I just wanted to see if there was a chance."
Bianca sighed. She knew they should've had this talk earlier, but she kept putting it off not wanting to deal with a confrontation. Now, there was no way around it. It had to be done. She pulled out her cellphone and sent a quick text to Marissa and hoped that her fiancée would understand about her being late tonight.
"I'm going to be late. I'm sorry. Something came up that I have to take care of. I promise I'll tell you everything when I get home and I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you."
Bianca stood up and held her hand out for Maggie. "It's time that we talk, really talk. Come on. There's a bench over there."
Maggie nodded solemnly and took the proffered hand. Once she was on her feet, Bianca dropped her hand and walked to the bench nearby with Maggie following her.
/
Marissa pulled into the garage. She was exhausted. The trip home had been an emotional one. She was warring with herself over what she should have done in the park as opposed to what she actually did do. Once inside, she dropped her purse and cellphone on the kitchen counter and raced back to the bathroom. The whole situation had her feeling sick to her stomach and she heaved the contents of the day into the toilet bowl. After several minutes, she brushed her teeth then went into the bedroom and changed her clothes. She padded to the kitchen and got herself a glass of Sprite hoping to calm her stomach. Max wandered over to her and Marissa patted the dog's head. She glanced around the kitchen. Some of the items she had dropped off during lunch for the night's romantic dinner had been stowed away in either the refrigerator or cabinets while the fresh flowers had been placed in water in a crystal vase and new candles were alongside candle holders on the counter. Tears began to fill her eyes again when she noticed the time. Bianca was late, probably still with her ex-girlfriend. The entire evening was a waste. Marissa looked down at Max who was looking at her with his head cocked. He could tell something wrong.
"Come on, boy. Let's go outside." Marissa's voice broke as she spoke. She headed outside needing to think and hoping the fresh air would help. She knew she should have stayed in the park and confronted the situation head on, but she didn't. Now, she needed to regroup. She would have to talk to Bianca about what she saw and what she was feeling when her fiancée got home. Marissa needed to figure out what to say, and to do that, she needed to calm down, rein in her hormones and regain her rational side. This wasn't good for her, and it especially wasn't good for the baby.
/
"Maggie …"
"I know, Bianca, you don't have to say it."
"Yes, I do. Having you back here this past week has been nice. It was nice having my old friend back. We've been through so much together. You helped me through the worst time in my life. To be honest, I don't know if I could've gotten through it without you there, and I will be forever grateful to you. That's all it can be now though, and you can only be my friend. There is no chance for us. I've moved on. I'm with Marissa. I'm marrying her. We have a family, a life and a future together. I trust her. I'm in love with her, and I have no intention of leaving her, not for you or anyone else. I need you to know this, to understand this."
Maggie looked into Bianca's eyes and saw it. A part of already knew everything she was being told. It's what she had been thinking about when she entered the bar earlier that afternoon. She could hear the lyrics of the song that had been playing when she started drinking in her head, and damn if they weren't true.
She didn't have to say a word
It was just so plain to see
She had found what she'd been looking for
And I knew it wasn't me
I saw goodbye in her eyes
I don't think I can change it
There's no way to disguise
We will never make it
I saw goodbye in her eyes
I know you got somebody new now
All my candles have burned out
He's gonna love the way you shine
So did I
So don't smile at me if it ain't what you need
With that goodbye in your eyes
I know that I can't change it
(Know you see right through me)
There's no way to disguise
We will never make it
I saw goodbye in your eyes
I know that I can't change it
(Now you see right through me, goodbye!)
Should I hold on
We will never make it
(Now you see right through me, goodbye!)
Should I hold on
Is it just a waste of time
One thing that I know for sure
I saw goodbye in your eyes
I saw goodbye in your eyes
I know that it's over
Maggie took a deep breath. She knew. She had let nostalgia, wishful thinking and alcohol get the better of her, and she ended up hurting Bianca, again. Maggie had Bianca once and blew it. Her chance was gone. "I understand. I really do. I'm sorry. I seem to keep hurting to you, and I can't seem to figure out why. I don't mean to. You have to know that."
Bianca nodded. "I know you don't. I think I may have an idea of what's going on. Maggie, I forgave you a long time ago and moved on. I had to. I couldn't go on feeling that way. I wasn't really living, and I had Miranda to think about and then Gabby. Holding onto anger like that isn't the kind of example I want to set for my daughters. The same goes with regrets. You need to forgive yourself. You're not going to be able to move on with your life, not going to be happy until you do. I want you to be happy. I want you to find what I have."
A rueful smile crossed Maggie's face. "That's easier said than done, Bianca. You're an awfully hard woman to get over."
"Maggie, that's not true and you know it."
"No, I have to tell you that you're wrong on that one. You'll just have to trust me on that one. I will try my best though. It might be easier now that I know that you've forgiven me. You're wrong about something else. You definitely could've gotten through everything without me. You are one of the strongest people I know. There's no doubt in my mind about that."
"Thanks."
"I'm glad you're happy, Bianca. If anyone deserves to be, God knows that it's you. I hope Marissa knows how lucky she is."
Bianca shook her head. "I'm the lucky one. And speaking of Marissa, I need to get home. Let me drop you off at your hotel."
Maggie nodded. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Bianca glanced at her phone again and saw how late it was. There was still no message from Marissa. Bianca was a little concerned by that fact. She was sure Marissa and the kids would be upset with her for not being home when she said would be. Bianca sent another quick text.
"I'm sorry. This took longer than I thought. I just have one stop to make and then I promise I'm on my way. I love you."
With the text sent, the pair headed to Bianca's car. When they got to the car, Maggie turned to the taller brunette. She knew without a doubt that Bianca would tell Marissa what happened, what Maggie tried to do. "Would you apologize to Marissa for me? Tell her that I'm sorry and never meant to hurt either of you. I'm pretty sure she'll never be able to forgive me. I can't say that I blame her at all for that. If the roles were reversed, I know I most likely couldn't forgive her. I really am sorry though and wish you both nothing but the best."
"Thank you for that. I'll tell her."
/
After dropping Maggie off, Bianca decided to stop at Krystal's to pick up dessert for her family. It wasn't much, but she hoped they would accept the peace offering. It was bothering her that she still hadn't heard from Marissa. It really wasn't like her to not return a message.
"Binx, what are you doing here? I thought you were going home early."
"Hey, Kendall. I got stuck taking care of something earlier, and it made me late. I'm on my way home now. I thought I would stop and pick up dessert for Rissa and the kids to make up for it."
"Does this 'something' that came up have anything to do with Maggie?"
Bianca sighed. "Yes, it does. I had to pick her up from Malone's Tavern."
"Why?"
"She had too much to drink, and they wouldn't let her leave. So, she needed someone to pick her up. There aren't many people around here anymore that she could call."
"And she called you. That shouldn't have taken that long."
"No, it shouldn't have, but something happened." Bianca paused.
"What happened, Binx?"
"She tried to kiss me."
Kendall couldn't hide at first her shock and then her anger. She struggled to keep her voice low and not draw attention to them. "She what?! Are you serious? What the hell?! She knows you're with Marissa and that you're getting married. I can't believe she would do something like that."
"I said she tried. I stopped her. After she tried it though, I knew that we had to talk. It actually went pretty well. I told her in no uncertain terms that I'm happy with Marissa and that my life is with her. Maggie finally gets it and knows that nothing will ever happen with us."
"I'm glad to hear that. Are you going to tell Marissa what happened?"
"Yeah, I have to. I know she won't like to hear about it, but I have to. We promised we wouldn't keep secrets from each other. I intend on keeping that promise."
"I think she'll understand. Did you let her know that you were going to be late?"
"No, I've been trying to get a hold of her. I've sent several texts and left several voicemails, but she hasn't responded to any of them. I'm guessing it's probably because she's busy with the kids."
Kendall was torn. She had promised Marissa to keep her plans for the evening between them, but something wasn't feeling right about it now. "Look, I promised Red I wouldn't say anything, but I think I should. The kids are staying overnight with Zach and me."
"They are? Why?"
"Red's planning something for just the two of you tonight. She thought you two needed the time since you've both been so busy lately with work, the wedding, the kids …"
Bianca knew what her sister was going to say, and she couldn't help but feel a little guilty about it. "And school. She's really doing that? Of course she is. Why isn't she answering my messages then if she doesn't have the kids? Is there something else?"
"I honestly don't know. I do think the two of you need to talk. She's been pretty understanding about how much time you've been spending with Maggie, more understanding than I think I would be."
"Yeah, she has. You're right. We do need to talk. I …"
"Bianca, it's good to see you."
"Hey, Opal."
"Well, I guess I can give this to you." Opal pulled out a carryout bag.
"What's this?"
"Well, your other half ordered this and was supposed to pick it up a little while ago, but there hasn't been any sign of her all day. Don't worry. It's all paid for. I guess she got hung up with something. Kendall, here's your order."
"Thanks, Opal." Kendall took her carryout order from the older woman.
"Hey, is something wrong with Marissa?"
The sisters turned to see Greenlee approaching.
Bianca was really starting to get concerned. "What do you mean, Greenlee?"
"Well, I saw her driving by a while ago and waved, but I don't think she saw me. She looked upset."
Kendall turned to her sister and could see the concern in her face.
"None of this is like Rissa. She didn't pick up an order and she isn't answering messages. She ignored or didn't see Greenlee and looked upset. Something's not right, Kendall." Bianca's mind raced to the thought of something being wrong with the baby. She didn't know what else could be wrong.
"I'm sure there's a logical explanation, Binx."
"I've gotta go. Give the kids a kiss for me."
"I will. Call me if you need anything." Kendall watched as her sister darted out of the restaurant.
"What's going on, Kendall?"
"Honestly, I don't know, Greenlee. Whatever it is though, I think Maggie has a lot to do with it."
/
Bianca pulled into the garage and was beyond relieved to find Marissa's car there in its normal spot. She hurried inside and immediately headed back towards their bedroom. The brunette checked the bathroom first. Seeing it was empty, she walked back into their bedroom looking for clues as to the redhead's whereabouts. Finding none, she went back to the kitchen and spotted her fiancée's purse and cellphone. A quick glance at the cellphone told her that her messages hadn't been read or voicemails listened to. It was then that she saw the flowers and candles. She started kicking herself for being so late and knowing that she ruined their evening. A movement outside caught her attention. It was still light enough outside for her to see Max moving around. Bianca walked to the door and saw the dog hop up on a lounge chair. She finally released the breath she had been holding when she caught sight of Marissa. She opened the door and walked outside.
/
Marissa was lost in thought. She was still in the lounge chair she had settled in after getting home. She was absentmindedly petting Max who was curled up next to her. He'd only left her side once during the evening and that was just a few minutes ago. He knew something was wrong and that she needed comfort. Marissa's tears had subsided some time ago and given way to some much needed thinking. She was so caught up in it that she hadn't heard Bianca call her name. It took Max barking his greeting to the brunette to shake her out of her fog.
"Hey." Bianca's breath caught when she saw Marissa's face. Hazel eyes were rimmed with red. "Rissa, what's wrong? Don't tell me that you're fine because I can tell that you're not. I've been trying to get a hold of you for a while. I'm so sorry I'm late. I know I said I'd be home earlier, but something came up that I had to deal with. Please talk to me. Is it the baby?"
Marissa shook her head. "No, the baby's fine. Where were you?"
Bianca was relieved to hear that the baby was okay, but now, she knew there was something wrong with Marissa herself. The brunette sat on the edge of the lounge chair next to Marissa's. "I got a call from Malone's Tavern. Maggie got drunk, and she needed someone to pick her up because the manager wouldn't let her leave. We went for a short walk in the park to try and sober her up."
"Is that all?"
"No, it's not." Bianca knew she had to be honest, and it didn't make sense to beat around the bush or sugarcoat what had occurred. "Maggie tried to kiss me."
Marissa looked both confused and relieved. She wasn't quite sure if she heard Bianca right. I could swear she said 'tried'. "You mean she didn't kiss you?"
"No, she tried. I pushed her away. There's no way in hell I was going to let her do that, and it sure as hell wasn't something that I wanted. Wait a minute. You thought she kissed me?" Things started making sense to Bianca now. "Rissa, why would you think that?"
Marissa sighed. I knew it. I knew I should've stayed. Now, it was time for her to come clean. "I was in the park earlier. I was heading to Krystal's to pick up something for us. I saw the two of you there. She was leaning in to kiss you."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I don't know. I couldn't think straight. I just went numb and ran. By the time I actually started thinking rationally, I was halfway home and really didn't think I could just turn around and storm the park without you thinking I'd lost my mind."
"Rissa, you know I would never do anything to hurt you, don't you?"
"I do. Honestly, I do, and I trust you with my life. It's just …"
Bianca gently wiped a tear away that had escaped Marissa's eyes and was making its way down her cheek. "Just what?"
"God, this is going to sound so stupid."
"Tell me, please."
"You've been spending so much time with Maggie lately. She's seen you more in the last week than I have. I know why. I know she's helping you with your paper. It's these damn hormones. They don't let me think straight sometimes, and I've got this case that's brought up some stuff."
"We really do have a lot to talk about. When was the last time you ate?"
"I had something at lunch." Seeing Bianca's knowing expression, Marissa conceded. "I didn't keep it all down. I got sick when I got home."
Bianca sighed. She thought as much when she spotted the Sprite. Marissa only drank it to calm her stomach. What Bianca wasn't sure about was whether or not it was the pregnancy that made her sick, the situation with Maggie or a combination of the two. She had a feeling it was both, and she really hated that she was responsible for part of it. "Okay, that's what I thought. How's your stomach feeling now? Do you think you could eat something?"
As if on cue, Marissa's stomach began to growl. "Yeah, I can. I'm sorry. I had this nice dinner planned."
"Hey, it's not your fault. We'll have it another night. What are you in the mood for?"
Marissa thought for a moment. There was something that sounded really good and that she had kind of been wanting all day, but she had already had dinner planned so she was going to stick with that. Now that her plans for the evening had changed, she could satisfy what she supposed was a craving. "You know what sounds really good? A pizza with the works from LaRosa's."
Bianca couldn't help but smile. Usually when they ordered pizza, it was cheese and sometimes pepperoni if the kids were feeling a little adventurous. This would be a nice change since she loved their pizza too, and if this is what Marissa wanted, she was going to have it. "That sounds good to me. I'll order it."
"Could maybe order some of their breadsticks too?"
Seeing the way hazel eyes lit up at the thought of the side item caused Bianca to chuckle. "Craving them maybe?"
Marissa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I guess I am a little."
"Then, you're getting breadsticks. Let me go get my phone, order and then change."
"Yeah, I would like to wash my face. I'll take care of feeding Max too."
"Okay, we'll meet back out here and talk."
"That sounds good."
/
Bianca had finished first so she grabbed them both something to drink and flipped on the white Christmas lights that were still hanging outside from earlier that year when the couple had proposed to each other. They were going to take them down, but the kids pleaded to let them stay up. Neither mother could find it in their hearts to say 'no'. So, they stayed.
Marissa soon joined her fiancée outside and took a seat next to her at the patio table. "It's not quite the romantic setting I had in mind for tonight, but I like it."
"Me too. First things first." Bianca gave Marissa a tender kiss. "Hey. It's good to be home."
Marissa smiled softly. "Hey, yourself. It's good to have you home."
"Okay, we have some time before the pizza and breadsticks get here so let's start at the beginning. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of the time I've been spending away from here working on my paper. I said I wouldn't let school get in the way, and it has. I was so focused on doing a good job because I didn't want to disappoint you for all of the faith you had in me."
"B, you haven't disappointed me or lessened my faith in you. I know you can do this. I also know why you were working on it at the office. It's quieter, easier for you to concentrate."
"Yes, it is, but it's not worth the quiet if I'm losing time with my family. All of you are more important to me than any paper or class. So since I know you won't let me quit …" Bianca smiled seeing Marissa nod her head adamantly. "I'm going to work on the next one here. I can handle some noise. I just need to rethink my schedule for working on it."
"I'll help you with that."
"Thank you." Bianca took Marissa's hands and looked into the hazel eyes that she loved. She wanted to make sure that Marissa knew that she meant every word of what she was going to say next. "I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am about all of the time I've been spending with Maggie. I honestly had no idea she still had romantic feelings for me. It was just nice having an old friend back, someone who had been there for me during a really difficult time in my life. I had hoped that we could be friends again, but …"
"But she hasn't gotten over you. Otherwise, she wouldn't have tried to kiss you."
"Yes. I swear she didn't kiss me though. I would never let that happen. I love you, and these lips belong only to you."
Marissa kissed her quickly. "I know. I believe you. The same goes for these lips."
"Good." Bianca smiled and turned serious again. "I made sure that Maggie knows that in no uncertain terms. She apologized. She was drunk and feelings surfaced. She wasn't thinking. It's no excuse though. What she did was wrong and she knows it. She knows that you probably can't forgive her but she wanted me to tell you that she's sorry."
"She's right." Marissa looked at Bianca. "I'll think about it though, for you."
"Thank you, but you know that you don't have to. I'm not asking you to."
"I know."
"Now, tell me about the case."
Marissa took a deep breath. "My client's husband had an old girlfriend get in touch with him recently. One thing led to another, and she found them in bed together. Not long after that, my client found out she was pregnant. I know you wouldn't do that. It's not who you are. They're not us."
Bianca shook her head. "No, it isn't, and they're not. But I can see the similarities. I wasn't helping the situation either, was I? I was spending way too much time with her. I should've known how you felt."
"I didn't help either. You can't know how I feel if I don't tell you. I should've been upfront with you and told that it was bothering me."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Bianca asked.
"I didn't want you to think I didn't trust you because I do. I was a little jealous too, and I didn't like that I was. Plus, these hormones have been wreaking havoc on me."
"Is that why you left the park without confronting her?" It was the only reason Bianca could come up with. Marissa wasn't normally one to back down from a fight. She remembered the incident with Reese all too well.
Marissa made a face. "Yes, it is, and I was kicking myself afterwards as soon as my brain started working again. I gave serious thought to going back and ripping her lips off and throwing her in the pond."
Bianca laughed. "You were just a little jealous, huh?" The brunette had to admit that she did like that Marissa could still get jealous after all their time together.
"Exactly." Marissa grinned. She could feel the weight of the day being lifted from her by simply talking to Bianca, just like it always did. "If there's ever a next time and I really hope there's not, I promise I'll talk to you, tell you how I'm feeling and also kick whoever's ass tries anything."
"That's my fiery redhead. I'm glad to hear that. It's not good for you or our little one to keep all that inside. I want you to listen to me. Maggie is my past. You are my present and future. I want to stay with you because I can't imagine my life or world without you. I love you and I want you. You are the great love of my life. Got it?"
Marissa took a shaky breath and nodded. "Got it. Everything you said goes for me as well. I love you."
"Good. Look, I understand about the hormones. There were times, especially when I was pregnant with Gabby, that I didn't know which way was up. I remember watching this greeting card commercial, and I just started blubbering. It wasn't even one of the really sentimental ones either."
"Oh great, that means I'm going to be a basket case next week when Gabby starts school."
"You're not going to be the only one. I think we better have a box of tissues ready."
"Good idea."
Bianca turned at the sound of the doorbell. "Pizza's here."
"That's good because little one here is getting hungry."
The brunette laughed. "Well, we can't have that now, can we? I'll go get it if you get us a refill."
"Deal."
/
Marissa groaned as she took a bite of the pizza. "Oh god, this is so good."
Bianca simply smiled, loving how much Marissa was enjoying the pizza. "It is pretty good. Feeling better?"
"Yeah, I am. Thanks. I'm sorry for freaking out earlier."
"Hey, don't apologize for that. There's no need to. I understand. You're allowed. It's just my turn to be the strong and rational one. Now, I have to say I really loved your plan for a romantic dinner. Sorry I ruined it."
"You didn't ruin it, B. I'd say you may one hell of a save. We really do need to do something like this more often though."
"You're right. We do. I know we said we would have a regular date night, but we kinda got away from that with everything going on. I say we change that and stick to it this time. It could be once a month or once every so many weeks, starting next week. This week doesn't count."
"You're on. And we won't talk about the wedding or anything else. It's just us."
"That sounds perfect. Speaking of the wedding and stay with me on this, I think we need to pull Mom and Krystal back a little. They've kind of started going overboard with the plans. The daily calls are really starting to get to me."
Marissa nodded. "You're right. They have. The wedding's starting to not look like what we had planned. We're going to have to talk to them."
"I'm afraid so. Hopefully, they'll be okay with it, but if they're not, we can't let that change our minds. It's our day."
"I'm with you all the way. We'll talk to them on Monday." Marissa contemplated having a third slice of pizza but decided against it. "I don't want to get too full."
"Me either. Do you think you have room for dessert though?"
"Dessert?"
"Yep. I stopped by Krystal's to pick up a peace offering for being late. Opal gave me your order."
"I forgot all about it. Wait. You have our cake?" Marissa couldn't help but smile at the thought of chocolate cake.
Bianca grinned. "Yep, I sure do. You stay here, and I'll get it."
Marissa sighed. Bianca was incredible. She knew exactly what to say and do tonight, like she always did. She didn't judge Marissa or make fun of her for her reaction or her feelings. She simply listened and understood. It was just what she needed, and Marissa loved her even more for it. Suddenly, she wasn't all that interested in chocolate cake. A wicked smile crossed Marissa's face and she grabbed Bianca's hand effectively stopping her from standing and leaving. "I have a great idea. What do you say we put all of this away and save the cake for a little later, give ourselves a chance to work off dinner and make room for dessert?"
To make sure there was no room for misunderstanding, Marissa leaned in and captured Bianca's lips. The kiss deepened and soon became torrid. The couple reluctantly separated in want of oxygen.
Bianca husked, her voice lowered and was laced with desire. "I love how you think, Counselor. You grab the food. I'll get the drinks and Max."
Marissa grinned and gave her fiancée a quick but promised-filled kiss. "I'll race ya!"
/
A/N: I don't own the lyrics from the song Maggie heard while she was drowning her sorrows. They were taken from "Goodbye in Her Eyes" by the Zac Brown Band. They own them. I couldn't get them out of my mind though when I started writing this chapter and thought they would fit with how Maggie was feeling. I was able to tie my evil side up long enough to give you all a break on the cliffhangers. I didn't want to see our girls miserable for too long, especially Marissa given her current condition. I also didn't want Bianca to beat herself up for being away from home so much. Plus, I think she would want to let Maggie down easy but also be firm and leave no room for doubt about her relationship with Marissa. So, how'd I do? See you soon!