Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“I can’t believe you’re going on a date.”
Lacey glanced up at the mirror to see her sister standing in the bathroom doorway, her arms crossed and leaning against the doorjamb.
She turned and faced Angela with a frown.
“I don’t have to go.” On the one hand, she really didn’t want to.
She knew that spending time with Mack was only going to make matters worse for herself.
She could feel herself falling for him with each passing day that she saw him.
And on the other hand, she really didn’t want to let this night go to waste. She could feel the excitement growing at being able to be with him one on one without worrying about her sister catching them. Angela would be safely tucked away at home watching Bridger.
Her sister rolled her eyes. “Of course you should go. You don’t date enough in my opinion. You never talk about anyone you’re seeing.”
“That’s because I’m not seeing anyone.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. That silly one-date rule.” She tilted her head, resting it against the wall where she’d propped herself. “So… do I know the guy? Is he someone we grew up with?”
It took all of Lacey’s power not to give herself away.
Angela would be able to read her like a book if she reacted to the question in any other way besides pure nonchalance.
“No, I don’t think so.” She turned back to the mirror and leaned forward to apply her mascara.
Mack had offered to pick her up, but Lacey had put her foot down.
If Angela saw him, she’d know immediately what was happening.
It was safer for Lacey to meet him in town.
“Where did you meet?”
Lacey’s eyes darted to her sister’s reflection. “Work.” It was the only response that would help her keep her secret. Angela knew that Lacey didn’t go hang out at clubs or other places where people usually met. Work was the safest bet.
Angela nodded. “Does that mean you’ll let me meet him? If I stop by the restaurant?”
A knot formed in Lacey’s throat. She nearly snapped at her sister, telling her absolutely not. Thankfully, she’d managed to take a deep breath before responding. “He doesn’t work there. He put his number on the receipt.”
Dang it! Her lies were getting too convoluted. Angela was bound to ask more questions now. She knew that Lacey refused to date anyone who wasn’t a good fit to be around her son. Going out with a stranger was out of character.
Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! She should have just said that a friend from work introduced them.
Angela lifted both of her brows. “And you were willing to go out with him?”
Lacey scrambled for something intelligent to say.
She needed an out. But the only thing that stuck in her head was the excuse she knew she should have made before.
Slowly, she turned to face her sister. “He’s friends with someone at work.
I wouldn’t have just… you know… accepted if someone couldn’t vouch for him. ”
“What’s his name?” This time the question came from lower. Bridger poked his head into the bathroom. “Is it Mack?”
Blood drained from Lacey’s face, then she flushed as she shot a look in Angela’s direction. Her sister only laughed. “Sweetie, I know you like Mack, but he’s got someone else he likes.”
Bridger’s brows creased, and he frowned. “But I thought he liked you.”
That heat refused to abate.
Angela didn’t seem to grasp just how on the nose Bridger’s statement was.
“That’s so adorable.” She glanced at Lacey.
“See? It’s too bad Mack is taken. I would have loved to date him, and then if everything worked out, he could have been Bridger’s uncle.
” Her voice held notes of disappointment, but it seemed less related to Mack and more to the guy who had ghosted her.
She heaved a sigh and ruffled Bridger’s hair.
“You’ll see Mack around. I’m sure of it.
Your mom is close to Sammie. And Sammie’s married to Mack’s brother. ”
Bridger ducked out from under his aunt’s touch, irritation flickering in his eyes. “I know that .” There was something he wasn’t saying. Was he upset that Lacey wasn’t going out with Mack? Well, according to the current conversation?
Lacey didn’t want to think about that. She couldn’t deal with her son getting so attached to Mack right now when she didn’t even know where things might lead between the two of them.
Her sister must have interpreted the frown that filled her features wrong.
She reached out and took Lacey’s hand in her own.
Then she squeezed it. “Don’t worry about us.
We’ll be fine. You should just focus on enjoying your night out.
I’ll put this little guy to bed, and when you get home, you can tell me all about this mystery man. ”
That wasn’t going to happen. But Angela wasn’t going to figure that out until later. Lacey gave her an appreciative smile. “Thanks. I’ll be heading out in about five minutes.”
“I still don’t understand why you don’t let these guys pick you up. They don’t have to come to the door, you know. What’s the harm in them knowing you live in this complex?”
It was a question Angela had asked before—one she already knew the answer to. Thankfully, it was also the perfect excuse as to why Mack wasn’t picking her up, even though the real reason had more to do with who he was and less about him knowing her address.
Lacey glanced up at the run-down brick building before her. She must have the wrong address. She’d never been here. It was located two towns away from Rocky Ridge. If it wasn’t so busy, she might have turned around and gone right back home.
It didn’t appear that Mack was here yet, but she’d meant to arrive early.
Couples came and went from the building. Each time the metal doors opened, country music filtered through the air. Mack had said they’d be going dancing, but she hadn’t expected the activity to happen at a place that looked as though a stiff wind could knock it over.
She climbed out of her car and leaned against the door after she shut it.
Her eyes followed the people in and out.
They were all smiling. And each couple was more different than the last. There were teenagers, adults, and elderly.
Some were dressed up, others wore tattered jeans and boots. No two couples looked the same.
The only thing they had in common was the way they smiled at one another in greeting. They might not know each other, but they all had a common interest.
Dancing.
A smile tugged at Lacey’s lips as the thought filtered through her mind. It was moments like this one that reminded her there was still good in the world. People could still connect in ways that were unexpected.
Something brushed against the back of her neck, and she jumped to find Mack brushing her hair away. The touch was more intimate than she’d been prepared for, and goosebumps rippled across her skin.
His eyes found hers, and he whispered, “Hey, beautiful.”
“Hey,” she rasped back. The last time they’d been this close, he’d nearly kissed her.
Well, he’d actually kissed her, but his lips had only brushed against her forehead. Right about now, she couldn’t get her thoughts off those lips and wondering what they’d feel like touching her own.
Mack grinned, and she startled, realizing she’d been caught staring at something so obvious, there was no way for her to make excuses.
He leaned closer, and she sucked in a breath, expecting him to show her exactly what she’d been curious about, but rather than kissing her, he brought his mouth to her ear.
“If you wanted to kiss me, you should have just done so.”
She pressed a hand to his chest with a scoff. “I don’t kiss on the first date.”
“This isn’t a first date.”
Lacey rolled her eyes. “Okay. Second.”
Slowly, he shook his head. “By my count, we’re on date six.”
She sputtered. “Six? You really are delusional, aren’t you?”
Mack chuckled, holding up a finger with each one he listed. “Our first date when it was just the two of us. The dinner we had with your sister and your son.”
She scoffed at that one.
“The trip to the rodeo. That night at the restaurant.”
“I was working! That wasn’t a date.”
He only continued grinning. “When Bridger was sick. And tonight. It’s not unheard of to kiss a guy after you’ve gone out six times.”
“First of all, three of those were accompanied by other people. Dates are just the two of us.”
Mack shook his head, oozing charm. “A date is when a guy spends time with a girl he likes.”
Her stomach bottomed out. She knew he liked her. Heck, with the way he was acting, he might even claim to have feelings for her. But hearing him say it made all the difference.
He inched closer once more. “And you want to know something else? It’s not going to be our last, either.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but she didn’t get the chance. He reached for her hand and tugged her toward the building.
“After tonight, you’re going to be begging me to spend more time with you.”
“Your confidence is so charming,” she muttered with sarcasm, only earning herself another grin.
Mack pulled her into the building, and she immediately soaked in her surroundings.
This place was made for dancing. There was a bar, but from the looks of it, no alcohol was served.
She didn’t know if food was on the menu or if it was strictly drinks.
A country band performed on stage at the back of the room.
The music blared through the whole space, and swarms of people moved to the beat.
Lacey stared at Mack with surprise.
He chuckled. “What? Are you surprised that I know how to dance?”
Yes. She’d been surprised when he told her what their plans had been.
But being here, she couldn’t see a man like Mack participating in this sort of thing.
He was the epitome of a rugged cowboy. He had plenty of muscles to show for it.
To witness him moving across the floor like the other men and women was going to be interesting, to say the least.
Mack appeared to have gotten impatient for her response, because he pulled her to the dance floor without another word.
His hands slipped around her waist, pulling her so close they were chest to chest. The song that had just started was a love song—one that had him swaying with her, tucking his face close to her neck.
The gentle movements were a stark contrast to the way her heart raced at his closeness. Everything that had gone on between them the last couple of times they’d been together came rushing to the surface.
Even though she felt like they didn’t know one another, there was something in her heart that wanted that to change. She wanted them to be something more. She wanted to be able to trust him.
He lifted one hand and pulled hers from around his neck so he could hold it. The hand around her waist tightened, and he shifted his lips to her ear. “Relax, beautiful. You’re safe with me.”
She wanted to believe him. More than anything, she wanted to believe every word that came out of his mouth. She could see herself leaning on him while she raised her son. She practically craved the support he’d offered her that one night—and he’d done it without the promise of anything from her.
Would it be so bad to let him in? She’d asked herself that question for what felt like the millionth time.
No. It wouldn’t. She wasn’t agreeing to marry him. What harm would there be in letting him see just a little more of her?
“My parents refused to let me raise Bridger when he was born.”
Mack stiffened, but it was short-lived. Still, they swayed to the music. She sensed more than anything that he wanted her to go on.
So she did.
Lacey buried her face in his neck, fighting the urge to tear up.
“I didn’t exactly hang around the best group of kids as a teenager.
I stayed out late, got into trouble. And ended up pregnant.
” She waited, expecting him to say something.
But he didn’t. Perhaps he didn’t care. Or maybe he’d already figured out that Bridger was too old not to come from a teenage pregnancy.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and sighed. “I only got custody of him a year ago. They did everything in their power to maintain control until… they couldn’t. If it wasn’t… If I didn’t get some help, I wouldn’t have him now.” He didn’t need to know all the nitty gritty details.
Mack pulled back and stared at her, his eyes searching for something she wasn’t sure of.
Then he pressed his forehead against hers.
“You are the most responsible and protective mother I know. Don’t ever let anyone else tell you otherwise.
You’d do anything for that kid, and if they can’t see that, then they’re blind. ”
Lacey didn’t know that she’d needed to hear those words until he spoke them. Her body warmed, flushing from head to toe with what could only be described as utter joy. He’d heard all the words she didn’t say. He understood her fears without them needing to be voiced.
He really was perfect.
She didn’t feel the tear escape—wouldn’t have even known that she’d started crying until he brushed a thumb over her cheek. Lacey let out an embarrassed laugh. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t ever apologize to me, beautiful.” Mack gave her a pointed look, then he pulled her close once more.