Chapter 38

The two couples made their way to the table, laughing. They sat and talked until Maggie heard her name called. She turned to see a couple making their way to their table.

“Amy! John! How are you?” Maggie asked, hugging them both.

“Darling, tell me how you know John and Amy?” Liam asked after he slapped John on the back and kissed Amy gently on the cheek.

Before Maggie could say anything, Amy jumped in.

“Liam, this is the teacher that helped Joey! She was the one who told the principal that we should get him tested for dyslexia.

“She tutored him that summer and for the next two years and he is now at grade level for reading and it’s all thanks to Maggie!”

Maggie blushed. Liam pulled her closer and kissed her cheek as John continued, “And it doesn’t hurt that Joey has a huge crush on Maggie and would jump off the roof if she suggested it!”

“The same goes for me,” Liam said as they laughed.

Liam explained that Amy and John both worked for the firm and John was a senior member.

He whispered in her ear, “Maggie, you have no idea how upset they were with Joey. He was miserable and Amy and John were losing their minds until they got him assessed. I am so proud of you!”

Maggie looked at him and touched his cheek. “Thank you. Joey is an incredible little boy, and I had a soft spot for him the minute I stepped into that classroom to do my student teaching. When Amy asked me to privately tutor him, I couldn’t say no, especially when I got my hands on the special curriculum to help kids with dyslexia.

“He thrived when we started using it and he took off. I was so proud of him!”

Liam squeezed her hand as they sat there. “And I am so bloody lucky to have you in my life!”

Liam introduced Maggie to the rest of the table, and she found that she genuinely liked them. They all seemed very down to earth and enjoyed being around Liam.

“Wait, Maggie, are you by any chance the same Maggie Sloan that will be coaching at St. Mark’s?” a woman named Amanda asked.

Amanda was an attorney at Liam’s firm. Her husband, Jesse, was a shipbuilder, who had very large shoulders and reminded Maggie of a teddy bear.

“I am, actually. How did you know?” Maggie asked.

“Our daughters attend there and our oldest is a sophomore on the softball team. I was excited that they got a young coach that might have actually played softball before!” Amanda said, laughing.

“Oh, that’s great! I can’t wait to meet her. I am so excited about this. And just to ease your fears, I have played softball and still do!” Maggie said.

Dinner was wonderful, full of laughter and delicious food. Hannah, Amanda, and Amy gave Maggie the lowdown on the different firms and people that were there. They laughed and giggled the night away.

Right after dessert, the head of the Bar Association came up and started his presentation. He was funny and everyone laughed throughout his speech.

He started on the awards and Maggie clapped so hard when they won Firm of the Year. Liam and John went up to accept the award and John gave the acceptance speech.

The last award was litigator of the year and Liam won. Maggie had no idea that he had even been nominated. She jumped up with the rest of the crowd to give him a standing ovation. Before he could leave, Maggie kissed him, and she watched her lover walk up to the microphone and take the large piece of crystal from the host.

“Um, I would like to thank so many people for this. I am truly honored to work with these people and to associate myself with them…”

Liam listed the people who worked with him on his big cases and thanked everyone in his office. Then he took a deep breath.

“…And I would like to thank someone very special to me who changed my life. Maggie, darling, I love you!”

Everyone who knew Liam was shocked at his declaration of love to Maggie and clapped as the rest of the room applauded him.

He made his way back to the table, and a photographer came over and took a picture of him with the award and then one with him and Maggie. Liam requested copies of the photos before he left.

“Why did you say that to everyone?” Maggie asked.

“Because everyone in this room deserved to know that I am beyond in love with you! I want them to see how you have changed me!”

She kissed him again as so many people came over to congratulate him and meet Maggie. She was introduced to too many people to remember.

A band started playing as couples got up to dance. Liam finally got away from the well-wishers and took Maggie to the dance floor.

“I am so proud of you, Liam! This is huge! Why didn’t you tell me that someone put your name in?”

“Because I didn’t think I had a chance at winning. I just kept it to myself.”

“You are amazing, Liam, truly brilliant!” she gushed and kissed him as they danced. Liam kept his hand on the exposed skin of her side and back.

He loved the feeling of her getting goosebumps at his touch and knew they were going to have amazing sex when they got home, not to mention the surprises he had planned for her birthday tomorrow.

They danced together and swapped partners, and then Maggie excused herself to run to the restroom. She went in finally being able to pee for the first time in hours and went to wash her hands.

She was touching up her lipstick when Veronica came in and scowled at her.

Maggie rolled her eyes and tried to ignore her. She put her lipstick back in her bag and was walking out when she felt someone grab her arm.

Maggie whipped around and saw Veronica sneer at her. “You think you have him for now, bitch, but Liam will be mine again!”

“I feel bad for you, you know? You are pathetic, clinging to a man that wants nothing to do with you! Now, take your hand off me or I will remove it and shove it up your fucking ass!” Maggie hissed.

There must have been something on Maggie’s face that told Veronica that she was dead serious, and she dropped her hand.

Maggie turned on her heel and stormed out of the bathroom and back to the table where she drained what was left of her drink, slamming the glass down when she was finished.

“Are you all right, Maggie?” Nick asked as he came by with a beer.

She told him about the encounter in the bathroom and Nick hugged her. “Don’t worry about her Mags. I think you put her in her place! She will never be a threat to you or Liam.

“He never cared for her; she was just another notch in his belt. Please don’t worry; what he feels for you is real and true. He never would have announced you to this group if it wasn’t the case!”

“I know about his past. I know he screwed around. I come with baggage too, and I don’t want that to get in the way. If some bitch is making waves, I don’t want to give him any reason to question us!”

“You could be an alien with two heads, and he would still follow you to the ends of the earth. Please trust me!”

Maggie nodded and let Nick take her back to Liam. They danced another two songs, then Liam couldn’t wait anymore and took her home.

He had to peel that dress off her and shag her again. Their new bed was set to arrive Monday, and he was going to take full advantage of the broken one now.

They barely made it home and upstairs before they were naked on the bed. He was eating Maggie alive, and she was writhing in pleasure, grabbing his hair, and yelling his name.

Liam had his tongue fully inside her as she orgasmed, and he licked her clean. He didn’t wait two seconds before he stripped down and thrust into her.

He put her legs, with the heels still on, on his shoulders and pounded into her. It was intense, and they both yelled each other’s names as they came at the same time.

“God! How do you do that to me, darling? You are so fucking hot! I can’t get enough of you!”

“You are incredible, and I love your cock in me, babe! And your tongue and your fingers…”

He laughed as they crawled up to the top of the bed and lay down together. They heard the clock downstairs chime one in the morning, and Liam whispered, “Happy Birthday Maggie! I love you!”

And that was the last thing Maggie heard as she fell asleep.