Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

"A man in a suit?" Maggie looked staggered.

"Oh, I remember now! No wonder he looks familiar. He's that fellow who dropped by for a visit with the young couple last time. I gave him a good beating then. Yes, it's him! He is acting very suspiciously;

certainly up to no good."

Before Miriam was done speaking, Maggie darted out of her place with a pounding heart without even bothering to put on shoes.

In the end, Xavier couldn't muster up the courage to call Maggie. He felt that he was destined to go home disappointed, a victim of his own cowardice.

Just as he was about to turn and leave dejectedly, he heard a bright, sweet voice calling out to him. "X- Xavier!"

Feeling surprised, he spun around and saw Maggie hurtling toward him, dressed in bunny pajamas and tying her hair into a bun.

disappeared, and

evening, Ms. Madison," stammered Xavier with

he awkwardly shoved the flowers and the gift box

raced. She merely accepted the flowers but declined

the flowers, but I can't possibly accept your

ever, she added, "I know you prepared the flowers and gifts because I helped... No, because I repaid Ms. Alyssa's favor. It was no trouble at all—just a minor gesture compared to what she had done for me. I'm the

her tears. Similarly, Xavier, teary-eyed and overtaken by passion, hugged Maggie. His empty

nearly shaking the petals off the purple hyacinths

blushed, melting

breath tickled her ear. Embracing her, he could not let go. "Everything I did was

miss

Alyssa and Jasper's home. The place looked as merry as Christmas. Alyssa, draping an arm around Lauren's shoulders, chatted with her and