Hometown Love (24 page)

Jessie shoved her hand into her pocket before she started on yet another nail. Chewing every nail off accomplished nothing; only talking to Mack would answer her questions.

She’d planned to join them for movie night tonight like she did almost every Saturday night. However, when he’d left the store that afternoon, he said he’d talk to her later, not
see
her later. Did that mean she shouldn’t go over? Had Bethany decided to join them instead? Or had he been so relieved over finding Grace that he hadn’t even thought of it? She wanted the last one to be true. Still, she remained on the couch.

Usually they ordered pizza around five and started up the movie while they waited. It was quarter of now. Should she go over and confront Mack with her questions when Grace went to bed? Or should she stay here and let him make the first move?

Stay here,
her heart told her. Bethany might still be there, and right now, she couldn’t deal with the woman flirting with Mack as if she didn’t exist. And besides, Mack might still be working things out with Grace. She could be a stubborn little girl.

Since Jessie was now planning for a night alone, she called for her own pizza and selected a movie. One adapted from her all time favorite book, the narrator had just finished setting up the story about to unfold when her phone rang around five-thirty.

“I thought you were joining us tonight?” Mack asked. His voice no longer shook with fear. “Grace won’t let me start the movie until you get here.”

Did your ex-wife leave?
“I need to skip movie night. My head is about to split open.” She experienced a pinch of regret at the lie. “Tell Grace I’m sorry, but all I want is to rest my head and go to bed early.”

“I know the feeling.” Mack accepted the lie without question, only making her guilt worse. “Do you need anything?”

The concern she heard made her want to slap herself. “No, I took some medicine and now I’m laying down.”

“Call me in the morning and let me know if you’re up for dinner at my mom’s.”

She’d not thought of the dinner invitation since Mack had asked her earlier in the week. “I will.”

“If you need anything, call me.” Once again, she heard concern in his voice. “Get some rest. I love you.” He sounded one hundred percent sincere, but hadn’t Jeremy?

The headache Jessie claimed bothered her hit her not long after her phone call with Mack, preventing her from finishing the movie. So, after popping some headache medicine, she turned in and decided to figure out what to do about dinner tomorrow when she woke up.

The headache that started Saturday night turned into a full migraine by midnight. Even still, by earlier Sunday afternoon, her body once again felt normal—at least physically. Her head, though, remained a jumble of questions. Was Mack the type of guy who’d cheat on her? And if he was, how would she know for sure? She’d always suspected Jeremy had cheated on her, but she’d never had any concrete evidence, just suspicions and little things that didn’t add up. Then, of course, there was Bethany. She’d straight-out told Jessie she wanted Mack back. Did she want to spend her time competing with the other woman? She’d put so much effort into putting herself back together after Jeremy that she didn’t want to go backward. She wanted to keep moving forward with her life. A life she wanted with Mack and Grace, but not if it meant lots of drama thanks to Bethany—or any other woman for that matter.

At some point, she and Mack had to talk. It might not guarantee she’d get an answer she liked, but she needed to start somewhere. Today though, wasn’t the day to do it.

After skipping dinner on Sunday, Jessie went out of her way to avoid Mack both Monday and Tuesday by covering for an employee who called in sick even though she’d opened the store both days and worked eight hours already each day. At any other time, she would’ve called the employees with the day off and asked them to come in. Only if she couldn’t get anyone to cover would she stay. This time, she didn’t even both calling anyone else. Staying at the store gave her a perfect excuse in case Mack invited her over.

While she avoided seeing him, she still spoke with him on the phone each night. Unlike in the past, she kept their conversations short. Sunday, she claimed her head still bothered her and she couldn’t talk. Monday, she told him she had work to complete for an accounting client. Tuesday and Wednesday, she pulled out the “I’m tired card” to end their conversation. Mack never questioned her. Each time, he accepted her excuses at face value. But on Wednesday, his tone insinuated he suspected she was avoiding him, which meant she needed to confront him soon, whether she was ready or not.

“The curtains I ordered for downstairs came in yesterday,” Jessie told Sean Thursday afternoon. As promised, she’d started purchasing the necessary items to decorate his house and surprise Mia when she came home at Thanksgiving. “The things for the master bedroom won’t be in until next week.”

Sean sat on the other side of her desk. He’d stopped in on his way home from work to grab a new saw blade. “That’s fine. I’m not done with the master suite anyway.”

When she’d stopped for the window measurements, she’d seen what was to become the master suite and she wasn’t surprised he still had work left to do. “Do you want me to start downstairs or wait until you’re done?”

“Wait. I’m still sleeping in the living room.” Sean stood and grabbed the blade he’d purchased. “Tony and Striker are coming over Sunday for the game. Why don’t you and Mack come?”

No sooner did Sean mention Mack than her cell phone rang. She glanced at the number and confirmed what she somehow already knew. “I’ll ask him.”

“You gonna answer that?”

“I don’t recognize the number. If it’s important, they can leave a message.” She switched the phone to vibrate. “I’ll talk to Mack about Sunday and let you know.”

***

Something was up. He didn’t know what, but since the school picnic and the incident with Grace, Jessie hadn’t been herself. At first, he’d accepted her explanation. After all, people suffered from migraines all the time. Her reasons for not being around on Monday and Tuesday were valid, although he found it unlikely that she couldn’t find another employee to fill in on both days. However, her behavior on Thursday proved his suspicions. When he called and got her voice mail, he’d left a message like he always did. In the past, she’d called him back not long afterward. Yesterday, though, she’d sent him a text and nothing more. Whatever the problem, he needed an answer, and tonight he planned to get it. So, before leaving the office, he made sure Erin knew he’d be late picking up Grace, then headed for Jessie’s apartment.

For the most part, she kept a regular schedule at the store unless her assistant manager needed the night off, so she didn’t work Friday evenings. Since his suspicions arose, he’d been cognizant of her recent behavior. No matter how hard he tried, nothing jumped out at him as a cause. Yes, she’d appeared a little upset when Bethany showed up the previous Friday night to attend the school picnic, but once she and Grace left, Jessie had acted the same as always. He couldn’t count Saturday because of all the stress Grace’s actions had caused, and they’d not seen each other since, which brought him back to his original dilemma.

The lights in her apartment window confirmed she was home. Prepared for just about anything, he climbed the stairs and knocked. Right on cue, she answered the door.

“Mack, shouldn’t you be picking up Grace?”

His gaze swept over her from head to toe. Other than the dark circles under her eyes, she appeared fine, if not surprised by his unannounced visit. “I asked Erin if she could stay a little longer tonight.” He pulled off the tie he’d worn that day. Thankfully, he didn’t need one every day, but he’d had an appearance in court that afternoon. “We need to talk, and I figured it would be easier without Grace.”

She sighed. “You’re right.” She closed the door and walked into the living room.

Mack followed her.

Was he right about them needing to talk or about it being easier without Grace around? Did it even matter at this point? He waited for more, but when she stayed silent, he made the first move. “You’ve been avoiding me. Why?”

She raised her hand as if to bite her nails, then crossed her arms instead. “Are you and Grace moving to New York with Bethany?”

Ah. 
Now
things more sense. Grace had told Jessie why she’d run away. “No. Like I told Grace, this is home now. We’re not moving anywhere.”

“Then Bethany didn’t tell Grace you were moving back with her?” Her words came out as more of an accusation than a question.

“Bethany told Grace she wanted us to move back with her. Grace misunderstood. I explained to both of them why that’s never happening. Is that what’s been bothering you?”

Jessie unfolded her arms and ran a hand through her hair, then crossed her arms again. “If you two aren’t getting back together, why were you kissing her last weekend?” Her voice remained strong, but he noticed the tears in her eyes.

He hadn’t realized Grace had shared that, too.

“Listen, Mack. I understand if you want to try things again with Bethany. You were married and have a daughter together. If that’s what you want, then go ahead. Just be honest with me. Don’t keep me hanging around in case things don’t work out.”

Considering all the hell she’d gone through with her last boyfriend, he wanted to strangle Bethany for causing her anxiety now and casting doubts on their relationship.

“She’s beautiful. Any man would want a chance with her, but you’re the one she wants.”

He had a reply prepared until she uttered the last sentence. “Did Bethany say something?”

“You could say that. But you didn’t answer my question.”

He’d suspected Jessie had a stubborn streak, but she’d never turned it on him until now. “She came on to me Jessie.” He saw the conflict in her eyes when he reached for her hands. “She wanted us to give it another try, but I told her no. You’re the one I want in my life, no one else.” For the first time since he’d walked in, she cracked a smile. Not the one she usually gave him, but he’d take it.

“And I want to be with you and Grace.”

He heard the ‘but’ before she said it.

“But I won’t compete with her for you. I can’t have her coming on to you or telling me to back off because you and Grace are her family.”

Oh, how he’d love to wrap his hands around Bethany’s neck at the moment.

“Can you promise she won’t be a problem again?”

His instincts said she wouldn’t. Since they’d first separated, Bethany had never acted as if she wanted them together again. He suspected she only did so now because she was single and he had Jessie, a situation that had not occurred before. In another month or so, she’d have someone else and not think about him again.

“It doesn’t matter if it does; I don’t want her. I want you. And, really, she only said that because she’s bored and lonely. Bethany doesn’t do well on her own. She needs an audience.”

Jessie took a step back and his hands fell by his sides. “And what if she wants you to be that audience?”

He understood her concerns, but that didn’t make the situation any less frustrating. “Trust me. I made my feelings clear on Saturday, but if they didn’t get through to her and she does do something again, you have my permission to deck her. I won’t tell anyone.” He wanted to lighten the atmosphere.

He didn’t get the smile he hoped for. “While that’s a tempting idea, I’m serious, Mack.”

He wished he could give her a perfect answer. Right now, he just had his gut and what he knew about Bethany to go on. “We’ll make it so she can’t try anything. If I drive Grace to New York, you’ll come with me. When she picks Grace up at my house, you’ll be there, too. We’ll make it so she’s never alone with me. Will that work for you?” He used the first ideas that popped up.

Stunned
described her expression. “You’d do that?”

“I love you, remember? But we aren’t going to have to worry about it. In another month, she’ll introduce Grace to some rich guy she met in the city and all will be right again.” He waited for a smile or a nod. When one didn’t come, he went on. “Do you trust me, Jessie” Deep down, he knew she did. If she didn’t, she never would have slept with him, not after what her ex-boyfriend put her through. Once realized how much she trusted him, Jessie would know she had nothing to worry about. She had to reach that conclusion because the idea of Jessie leaving him scared the hell out of him. Somehow, in a short period of time, she’d become an essential part of his and Grace’s lives. He couldn’t imagine life without her.

The seesaw her emotions sat on leaned in his direction, and she searched her heart. Yes, she trusted him. Throughout their relationship, he’d been understanding and patient. He’d never pushed. He gave her control and let her set the pace of their relationship from the beginning. And she loved Grace. She thought of her more as a daughter than her boyfriend’s daughter. She wanted them in her life. If she let Mack go now, not only would she be losing him and Grace, but she’d also be losing some of the new person she’d fought so hard to become.

If Jessie ended things with Mack, Bethany would now have control. That, she couldn’t let happen. Whatever else took place between them; it had to be because it was what
they
wanted, not Bethany or anyone else.

“I do trust you.” She moved closer. “And I’m sorry about the last few days.” Jessie embraced him, managing to hit her arm on the pistol holstered on his side. She’d done it at least a half dozen times since they’d started dating. One of these days, she’d remember he wore the thing to work.

Rather than answer, Mack pressed his lips against hers. When he pulled away she wanted another kiss.

“As far as I’m concerned, the last few days never happened, Jessie.”

He bent his head toward her again, but she beat him to the punch and reclaimed his lips, infusing all the emotion she felt into that single kiss. Somehow, though, he took control of it, and she just hung on and savored every moment.

When they pulled apart, his ragged breathing matched her own, and she suspected the look in her eyes mirrored the hunger in his.

“I wish I could stay, but Grace is waiting for me.”

“I know. It’s okay.”

“Why don’t you meet me at my house?” He brushed some stray hairs behind her ear. “She misses you. You can’t even imagine how disappointed she was when you skipped movie night.”

She’d like nothing more, but she shook her head. “I can’t. Maryann is coming over. She’s got some big news she wanted to share. When you knocked, I thought it was her.” She suspected Gage had proposed. The two of them had been together forever. “I have a few things to do in the morning, but I’ll be over afterward. I promise.”

Mack’s hands brushed the sides of her breasts before traveling lower and around to her butt. “You could always call her and cancel. Tell her something came up.” He pressed her against his erection and she considered the suggestion.

“We wouldn’t have much time together anyway tonight, and Maryann sounded so excited.” She reminded herself how long they’d been friends. It would be wrong to cancel on her.

His mouth came down on hers for one long, drawn-out kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow then. I love you.” He released her and took a few steps away.

“I love you, too. Tell Grace I love her.”

Mack’s smile grew bigger. “Will do.” He opened the door as Maryann raised her hand to knock.

***

Everyone expected constant chatter when they walked into Peggy Sue’s Coffee Shop in the morning. However, a different noise level greeted Jessie Saturday morning.