28. Gracelyn
CHAPTER 28
GRACELYN
“W hat the fuck do you mean you were engaged? And she’s still a family fucking friend?” I recoil from Mack, putting distance between us. Blood whooshes loudly in my ears and black and white spots dance in my peripheral vision.
“This is unbelievable. The fact that you were engaged and never mentioned it is one thing. A massive thing.” I pace the marble floor, equal parts anger and surprise surging through my veins. “But now she’s here? And we have to hang out for the next few days? That’s fucking weird, Mack.”
He rakes a hand through his hair. “I know, Gracelyn. And I’m sorry. I probably should have mentioned the engagement thing before, I guess. But it’s in the past. Like, so far back. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
I stare up at the ceiling in an effort to avoid his gaze and to keep the tears pooling in my eyes from spilling over. I know I’m a touch dramatic sometimes, but this is a lot of information to process at once.
I take a long, shaky breath before facing him. “I’d love to be the chill girl right now and act like it doesn’t matter. Like I don’t care that you loved someone before me. Enough to propose.” My voice quivers and I suck in air through my nose, try to regain a sliver of composure.
“But the truth is, Mack, I do care. I’m not that chill girl. I’m emotional and a feeler and this just feels—I don’t know—bad.” A pang shoots through my chest and I’m hot all over.
“What do you want me to say, Gracelyn? I can’t go back and change the past. All I can do is apologize for not telling you sooner.”
Deep-down, I know he’s right. There isn’t much he can do at this point, the damage is done. My heart’s a bit mangled, my ego bruised.
Still, I have questions.
I take a shuddery breath, raise my eyes to his. I need to know details.
“Who broke it off?”
Mack’s jaw ticks and he shoves a hand in his pocket, drops his gaze to the marble floor.
“She did.”
All the air’s sucked from my lungs at his admission. I thought for sure Mack was the one who broke things off, left her behind without so much as a glance back.
But no.
Tinsley dumped him.
“Why? What happened?”
A deep furrow forms between his brows, and he shifts his weight from foot to foot. Somewhere in the distance a clock ticks—tick, tick, tick—and the noise is deafening in the silence stretching between us.
Finally, Mack clears his throat.
“We got engaged my senior year of college, and she had big plans. I was supposed to join the league and we’d get married during the offseason. After graduation, though, I didn’t go pro. Things between us got rocky, but we stayed together. I started law school and we were in a decent spot. But the day I quit law school, she dumped me. Said I had no drive and she didn’t sign up to spend her life with a loser.” He raises his eyes to meet mine. “Exact quote.”
Oof. My heart hurts for Mack, even as angry as I am.
“That was it. She gave me back the ring and I left town. We haven’t really spoken since, except for the occasional run-in.”
“I’m sorry.” The words come out a whisper.
Mack rubs the back of his neck, shakes out his arms as if to clear his body of negative energy.
“I should have told you all of this earlier. Sit down. Please. Let me explain.” He gestures at the sofa in the living room and I give in, taking a seat beside him. Even though I’m pissed, I can’t help but feel sorry for him right now. Mouth turned down, worry lines marching across his normally relaxed brow, he’s defeated.
Not the Mack I know at all.
“It’s fine.” He sighs. “All for the best. I’m glad I saw the person she truly is. Way I see it, I dodged a bullet. Tinsley was never right for me. At the time, I thought I was in love with her, but I absolutely wasn’t. We were together more out of expectation.”
“I never, ever felt half of what I feel for you about her. Not a second goes by when you’re not on my mind. I love every little thing about you.” He laces his fingers through mine and locks eyes with me, his pupils dark and deep. “You’re my entire world, Gracelyn. I don’t think about Tinsley. Ever. I barely know her anymore. And I don’t care to. Why would I when I have the most beautiful, sparkling, amazing woman next to me?”
Tension releases from my shoulders, the tightness in my chest loosening. Mack’s right. All of this is history. Still, I’m not too thrilled I haven’t heard about any of this before today.
Mack rubs his thumb up and down my fingers, his callouses rough on my skin.
“Not that it makes any of this right, how I handled things. But I hate where I come from, Gracelyn.” He glances away, staring out at the pool for a long minute. “Everything about this place. My name, all the stupid rules, the etiquette, the mind games everyone plays. I didn’t want any of it to touch you, touch what we have together. You mean the world to me and I didn’t want my family and all of their petty bullshit to affect us.”
“Mack…” I whisper, squeezing his hand. I’m still stunned by the level of things I didn’t know about him, but I’m beginning to understand why he kept so much hidden.
“I didn’t mean to keep secrets from you, baby. I just wanted to protect you.” He meets my gaze, his eyes sad and serious.
I make a choice right then and there to choose forgiveness over pettiness.
“I forgive you. But please don’t let there be a next time, Mack. Tell me—right now—if there’s anything else I should know. Any more exes going to crash the party?” I purse my lips together.
He shakes his head, a wavy curl flopping onto his forehead.
“No. Only the one. You know everything now, right down to my terrible given name.”
I smirk. “I’m almost afraid to ask, Ulysses—” I draw out his fancy moniker, holding in a snicker. “But what’s your middle name?”
Mack groans, wrinkling his nose. “You don’t want to know.”
“Oh, but I do.”
“Fauntleroy.”
“What the hell?”
“Yeah, I know. Another family name.”
“Damn. Your parents hated you, huh?” I grab him by the shirt collar and pull his mouth to mine.
He kisses me long and hard, and relief seeps through me, trickling into every crack in my heart. Filling me up and making me—us—whole again.
Mack loves me. And I love him.
We’re fine.
Better than fine.
Tinsley’s his past, but I’m his future.
Winding his arms around me, Mack holds me close, his forehead pressed to mine. His breath feathers over my face as he stares into my eyes, the golden flecks in his irises shining.
“Thank you, Gracelyn. For forgiving me. I’m sorry if I hurt you—that was never my intent. I love you, baby.”
“I know,” I whisper, my fingers curling in his shirt. “I love you too. Now give me the grand tour of this guesthouse, will you? Because I have to get ready for dinner.”
The guesthouse is almost as impressive as the main house, with marble everywhere and more of the all-white color scheme with splashes of blue thrown in here and there. To coordinate with the rest of the property, I suppose.
There’s a huge bedroom with an en suite bathroom, complete with a soaking tub and walk-in shower with multiple showerheads. Plus a full kitchen, an office, and a home gym overlooking the pool.
“Too bad it’s so chilly. The pool’s amazing.” I peer through the window at the sparkling pool.
“It’s heated. We could swim if you want.”
“I didn’t bring a suit.”
“Wouldn’t stop me.” Mack winks and a hot blush flames my face.
“Ulysses Fauntleroy—that’s downright scandalous.” I cover my mouth, pretending to be shocked at the suggestion. Even though skinny-dipping with Mack is downright tempting.
“Call me that again and I’m throwing you in that pool fully clothed.” His eyes darken, and I wonder if he’s joking.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Don’t try me, Firecracker.”
“Fine.” I pout. “Only because I can’t afford to mess up my hair. I won’t call you that. But it is a fun name to say.”
He rolls his eyes, smacking me lightly on the booty. “Listen, I need to run up to the main house and talk to my dad. Do you want to come with me now or do you need more time?”
I take a quick glimpse in the mirror. “I’m going to change into a different dress and touch up my makeup. I’ll meet you at the bottom of the staircase in fifteen minutes.”
“Sounds good. Call me if you get lost and I’ll send out a search party.”
I slap him lightly on the chest. “Very funny. See ya.”
Standing on tiptoe, I kiss him on the lips before he heads back to the main house. I don’t love the idea of being out here alone, but I get the feeling that punctuality’s a big thing with his mother.
I quickly pull clothing from my bag, selecting a midi black dress with booties that highlights my curves. Changing into a lacy black bra and panties, I slide into the dress and switch out my hoop earrings for diamond studs. I grab my makeup bag and hurry into the bathroom. The lighting’s fantastic as I apply highlighter and blush, another coat of mascara, and a quick swipe of pearly lip gloss. Then I spritz my perfume, letting it rain down on me.
Snatching up my clutch and the hostess gift I brought—a nice bottle of Veuve—I race out of the guesthouse. The sun’s sinking and a cool breeze blows through the trees, the leaves rustling in the wind. I follow the path up to the main house, slightly more relaxed now that I’ve hashed things out with Mack.
I’m almost to the house when I hear the soft giggles and hushed voices coming from the other side of the decorative hedge. I slow my footsteps, inching closer to the sounds. The faint scent of cigarette smoke tickles my nostrils and I hold my finger to my nose to suppress a brewing sneeze.
“She’s not really his type. Well, except for the huge tits.”
The voice sounds like his sister.
“Agreed. I bet he motorboats in those things.”
“Eww, gross, Tinsley. That’s my brother you’re talking about.”
Tinsley, obviously, with her deep Southern accent.
“I’m just saying. Mack’s always been a tits-and-ass kinda guy.”
Ears burning, I’m struggling to breathe. I should keep walking, but I’m afraid they’ll hear me and think I was eavesdropping.
“She’s really quiet. I wonder if the two of them ever talk.” Emma Kate’s voice drifts through the hedge.
“Probably not. They probably just have sex. They can’t have much in common. Your mom told me she’s a hairstylist.” Tinsley sneers the word, making my profession sound shameful. Like I’m a common criminal or something.
“She does have really great hair. And makeup.”
Thanks, Emma Kate. At least I have that going for me.
“I just don’t know what Mack sees in her. She’s so—I don’t know—regular.”
For the second time today, tears sting my eyes. This trip’s going worse than I ever imagined and all I want to do is leave. Go home to Thunder Creek and hide in my bed under the covers for a good long while.
Maybe forever.
There’s a shuffle from across the hedge, the snick, snick of perfume being sprayed. The heady scent of clove carries on the wind, then the crunching of footsteps as Emma Kate and Tinsley walk away.
I clutch the gift bag, my throat dry and chest tight.
I’m never going to fit in here.
Buzz, buzz.
I shift the bag onto my wrist and fish my cell from my clutch.
Mack: You lost?
With shaky hands, I text back.
Gracelyn: No, on my way. Be there in a sec. Had to run back and get the gift
Shoving the cell back into my clutch, I square up my shoulders and hold my head high.
Mack’s ex isn’t going to scare me off. I’m going to go in there and charm the pants off the whole damn family. By the end of this weekend, we’re all going to be besties. I may even invite Emma Kate to be in the wedding, who knows?
I take a deep breath and walk straight into the ring of fire.