Center Stage: Magnolia Steele Mystery #1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

didn’t usually fall for his type, but I was feeling a slight tug in my ovaries. I suspected most women probably fell at his feet, and even I was a bit affected by his charm. I put my hands on my hips. “It’s my first night back in town, Colt Austin. What makes you think I want to spend it with you?”
    “The fact that you’re working Luke Powell’s party and talkin’ to me now.”
    I pulled out my best sassy attitude. “I’m working this party because my momma was in a bind. You’d do the same for your momma, wouldn’t you, Colt?” Any self-respecting southern boy would practically lay gold pavers in a path for his mother if she asked him to. “And as for standing here, talking to you now, Tilly asked me to help you. And since she’s like a second mother to me, I’d do anything she asked. Don’t read anything more into it.”
    He clasped his hands over his heart. “That was a mortal blow.”
    “And yet, somehow you’ll survive. Now tell me what to do.” When he gave me a devilish grin, I added, “To help set up the bar.”
    We unpacked the boxes, setting out the various bottles, and Colt flashed me a grin as he arranged his tip jar. It was undoubtedly an open bar party, but I was sure Colt would get plenty of tips from the female guests and a few of the male ones too.
    “I better head back to the kitchen. My own job calls.”
    “I’ll be watching you, Magnolia Steele.”
    I lifted an eyebrow. “I think you’d do better to pay attention to your own job.”
    A trickle of guests arrived soon after, and I fell back into serving like a duck took to water. I had so many years of waitressing under my belt that it was practically second nature at this point. The party was in full swing within an hour, but there was still no sign of the host. I was glad Tilly had assigned me to the relatively sedate downstairs living room area. Most of the guests were milling around the upstairs landing, the large entry foyer, or the public area of the pool. I caught Colt watching me from upstairs a few times, but I did my best to ignore him and do my job. The last thing I needed was a man in my life. For the most part, I blended into the background. I caught the attention of a few men, but I was sure none of them recognized me.
    Then my luck ran out. I was walking around with a tray of bacon-wrapped shrimp and mini sliders when I heard a voice that sent chills down my back.
    “Maggie?”
    I froze and turned around in slow motion.
    “Tanner.” I hadn’t seen Tanner McKee since the night of our graduation. The night I’d lost my virginity to him. The night my whole life had changed.
    His mouth dropped open in shock. “It’s really you.”
    “Hey.” I gestured to him with the tray of sliders, the buns scooting dangerously close to the edge. “You look good.” And he did. He was dressed in a gray suit paired with an ice-blue tie. His light brown hair was shorter, but his brown eyes were the same milk chocolate color I remembered. “What are you doing here?”
    He swallowed. “ Me ? What are you doing here? And working as one of the wait staff . . .” He looked around, definitely confused. “Why aren’t you in New York?”
    “Uh . . . research,” I said, coming up with the idea off the top of my head. “I’m researching a part.”
    “Well, you look good too. Just like when we were in school and you worked your mom’s parties.”
    I glanced down at my uniform, then back up into his face. “How are you?”
    His eyes clouded. “It took me a long time to get over you, Magnolia.”
    I truthfully couldn’t say the same—the fight we’d had that night had revealed our utter incompatibility—but seeing him was a reminder of everything I’d left behind. Of all the people I’d hurt, him included.
    My eyes started to burn, so I widened them slightly. I couldn’t afford to break down in public. Or in private, for that manner. I needed to live up to my last name.
    He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for what