22. Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Maisie
I t had been a few weeks since that last minute trip to Devon and things had been a bit … peculiar ever since. Life went ahead as normal, vet school everyday, home to Mack and the other guys in the evenings. They were equally busy with their studies.
Jax had spent most of that time locked in his bedroom, Mack had mentioned that he was showing some interest in researching how to run a business, so at least he was keeping himself busy. He then spends most of his evenings out with friends, doing God knows what with God knows who. Teenage boys are icky.
Before the trip to Devon, Mack and I would spend the entire weekend together, getting up late after many rounds of delicious morning sex. We would head out for brunch and then spend our afternoons visiting places, crossing items off the bucket list. We didn't have that many things left on it and I'd been considering the idea of creating a naughty list to take it's place.
Mack and I seemed to have the tendency of getting a little carried away, especially in public places when we weren't alone. Something had been awakened in that man since I'd stripped him of his virginity. We were having a lot of fun together, not only that but he was the sweetest person on the planet. There wasn 't a doubt in my mind that I was head over heels in love with that gorgeous hunk, I still hadn't told him that though. It was as if my mind was making up insane situations that when I tell him it'll all go to shit and I'll be left out in the cold again.
I knew it was insane, but why chance it?
Anyway, that's what we usually did on the weekends, except for the last three weekends it seemed like every person I knew disappeared off the face of the earth on a Saturday morning and didn't return until dinner time. I didn't have any idea where they were going or what they were doing, they were all being cagey and weird. Some of their excuses were somewhat bizarre but who was I to question them? I'm sure I'd figure it out in the end.
Maybe I was imagining things but Ace's excuses were particularly unbelievable …
"Oh, I'm walking Mrs Jones' pet rabbit."
"I'm building a new engine for the nosh wagon." The guy would barely put screen wash in it himself.
"I'm volunteering at the soup kitchen." As far as I was aware we didn't have a soup kitchen. At least Mack's excuses were more believable, he was working overtime at the station to earn extra credits.
Ace had recently introduced us to his new friend Lily, she was a sweetheart and they'd really hit it off as soon as they laid eyes on each other. It helped that they'd spent a huge amount of time getting to know each other through text before they actually met. Ace was like a giant puppy dog, I could literally see big cartoon hearts in his eyes when they were together and rumour had it that she was planning to move here. They weren't going to live together though, they weren't together as a couple. Not yet anyway.
Lily and I had spent some time together and she had insisted that they were just friends, the very best of friends she had said. Someone needed to tell Ace that though because I think he was very much at risk of getting his heart broken if she didn't level with him. They spent all their free time together, going to the cinema, eating together, she even slept over. Not in Ace's room though.
It was all a little strange if I'm being honest, I got the feeling that Lily was more interested in friendship whilst Ace was ready to throw himself on his knees and beg her to love him.
I was staying out of that drama though, it was inevitable that it was going to blow up in their faces and someone was going to end up getting hurt.
I was just pottering around the house, cleaning up the mess left behind from three big dudes and a dog when my phone started ringing on the coffee table. I practically threw myself across the room to answer it, the only person that ever called me was Mack.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hey baby, how're you doing?" His voice was like a balm to my racing heart, if it was physically possible to swoon so hard that you melted into a puddle, I'd currently be a mess all over the floor.
"I'm good," I told him. "Just doing some house work, just found an old pair of boxers in Milo's bed … he's been sleeping with them." I fake gagged, nothing about them were filthy but the thought of Milo's face being where Ace's arse and balls had been gave me flashbacks of a very bollocky situation when Mack and I first met, shudder.
Mack's booming laugh filtered through the phone, his laugh had the ability to make the most grumpy person smile.
"So little flame, what're your plans for lunch?"
"I was just going to have some soup … unless you have a better offer?" I hoped he did, anything could beat eating a bowl of tinned soup all by myself on a Saturday.
"In fact I do, fancy meeting me down at Trudie's? I'm on my break and missing you."
"I miss you too Muscles, I'd love to. Now?" Already moving towards the door to slip on my trainers and jacket.
"Yep, give me twenty minutes and I'll be with you," his voice wavered on the last word. He sounded nervous ... unsure maybe. It reminded me of past Mack, anxiety ridden Mack.
"Sure, you okay baby?" I asked him, just the thought of him being nervous make my heart physically ache. He was still quiet and reserved these days but he didn't carry that heavy weight on his shoulders anymore. He was just a genuinely quiet guy, but there was a distinct difference between being an introvert to being so terrified that you can't see past your own fear. I was beyond proud of all the steps he'd made to feel better about himself.
"I'm fine baby, just tired. These extra hours are taking it out of me. See you soon yeah? I'll meet you in the town square and we can go to Trudie's together."
We made our plans before he hung up the phone and I quickly got myself ready to leave.
I stepped out of my car in the middle of Meadowside and took a look around, it was eerily quiet. It was a small town so wasn't exactly a bustling and busy place but still. There were usually people pottering about, chatting in the town square or just taking a stroll down the high street, but right now it was just me.
You know that creepy feeling you get when someone is watching you? I felt that now, goose bumps prickled my arms and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. It wasn't fear I was feeling, but something was definitely going on.
I continued to slowly walk through the square, looking around left and right, trying to find another living soul so I didn't feel quite so creeped out. I saw the twitch of a curtain in one of the small cottages and I was so freaked out, I almost climbed back into my car again and drove back home.
I came to a stop in the middle of the square, surrounded by gorgeous flowers now in full bloom, large trees dotted around the area along with benches and small paths. Right in the middle was a minuscule duck pond, even the ducks were silent.
Everything was silent.
Until …
The unmistakable opening beats of Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' began echoing all around me, as though it was playing through a large speaker.
The air changed all around me, seemingly coming alive with a buzz. This song immediately made me think of the very first night I met Mack at Afterglow all those months ago. I'd always remember that night as the beginning of the rest of my life, everything changed for me that night, for Mack too.
To the left of me the door to the library flew open and out stepped person after person, half of them I'd never seen before but they all had giant smiles on their faces and every single last one of them was wearing a white leotard, white tights and tutu. Men, women, children, grandparents. They shimmied and danced over to me, moving to the music. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face, just then my attention was torn away to my right.
The door to the pharmacy opened next and out filtered about ten rappers, all dressed in red jackets. That's when I realised what this was. It was insanely brilliant but they were recreating Tay Tay's video! Oh my God, this might just be a dream come true. I wasn't putting all my hopes on it but were they doing this for me? What the hell was going on? Those thoughts didn't stop me from joining in and dancing along with them all.
As I shook my hips and danced around with a bunch of ballet dancers and rappers, the doors to the caravan parked up just in front of my car swung open and out came another ten or so people, all dressed in grey lycra suits. Leading the group was Hugh, who looked so incredibly uncomfortable, although his usually grumpy expression had been replaced with a look of pure joy as he made eye contact with me.
I raised a brow at him in question and he just gave me a small smile and shoulder shrug in return as he led his group of dancers around me in a dramatic dance. My heart was near enough ready to burst right out of my chest, the grin across my cheeks causing my face to ache but I didn't care at all. I'd always dreamed of witnessing a flash mob, it was even on Mack and I's bucket list. This was the very best moment of my life!
The jangle of the bell inside Trudie's sounded through the air, barely audible over Taylor shaking it off. More people filing out, this time we had ribbon twirlers and the guys from the fire station all dressed in silver suits and huge glasses. Every single one of those huge, burly men had a grin plastered across their faces as they shimmied and shook, joining in with the party.
Through the trees behind me I could hear trumpets, real trumpets, playing along with the song. The next sight brought a tear to my eye. A group of children, led by their teacher marched into the square. They were all wearing black and across each of their chests were the words 'Meadowside Primary Band'.
Children as young as five and six were playing for me, dancing away and shaking their little hips, the lump in my throat grew to astronomical levels until I turned around and the sight before me very nearly brought me to my knees.
Two huge bushes had been pulled apart by two of the burly firemen and through them stepped the Bowman brothers. Both Ace and Jax were wearing tiny little jean shorts, leopard print tops and boom boxes balanced on their shoulders. They were both smiling so wide as they came to a stop about three foot from me and gave it all they had. Their hips were twirling, their booties were shaking and I was howling. The laughter and joy bursting out of me in thick waves. I couldn't hold it back if I tried, this was the very best thing ever.
In my periphery I saw more movement, dressed in bright white cheerleader uniforms came Freya, Grace and Lily. Dancing out a clearly practised routine, whilst everybody else continued to dance around me.
Ballet dancers shimmied with firemen, rappers spun around with ribbon twirlers. The entire town had come out to make my dreams come true, but there was one man missing. My man. Where was he?
There must be only about thirty seconds left of the song, everybody was dancing around me giving it all they had but it was as if I could no longer see them as I spun around looking for my Mack. My head flitted from left to right, a lump forming in my throat in anticipation of seeing him.
Had he done this for me?
He must have done, he was the only person I'd shared my love of flash mobs with, we had spent many an evening laughing along to videos on my phone.
Ten seconds or so left … that's when the crowds parted and my eyes immediately locked on the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. He didn't dance along with the others, but strode with purpose towards me. He stopped right in front of me, tears glistening in his eyes before grabbing a hold of my hand and lowering himself to the floor.
Holy shit!
Not just on the floor, but one knee on the floor, in front of me. Just as the end 'ba ba ba' of the song played and everybody around me stopped. All the overwhelming noise and movement paused as everybody turned to look at us.
"Maisie … little flame. My life was meaningless before I met you, my heart was filled with fear and pain until the very moment I walked into that club and saw you shaking that sexy arse up on the bar."
I couldn't help but giggle, I hadn't realised that he had laid his eyes on me at that very moment, I'd been totally in my own world, trying to block out the noise. Until I'd turned around and our eyes had clashed. I remember dancing to the song that night in my cowboy boots and hat.
"We've known each other less than a year but you've brought me more joy in that time than I've felt in my whole life combined. You are joy, you are happiness, you are everything. Maisie, I know it's soon but I can't imagine ever spending a single moment without you in my life, you are my life".
He paused to take a breath, seemingly attempting to compose himself as I looked into his glistening tear filled eyes.
"You saved me Mais, not only from the world but you saved me from myself. Please make me the happiest man on earth, will you marry me baby? Will you be mine?" He said whilst holding up the most beautiful green emerald.
There wasn't a single doubt in my mind when I screamed "Yes!" and threw myself into his arms, knocking him flat on his arse as he pulled me onto his lap and pressed his lips to mine. His kiss was so full of love and passion, I could barely contain the words threatening to burst out of me, I was ready. It was time.
I couldn't even begin to describe what I was feeling in that moment, happiness wouldn't cut it, it was so much more than that.
Our lips finally broke apart and we came back to reality, hearing screams and whoops of happiness sounding all around us. Everyone was clapping and cheering, hooting and hollering.
Mack slipped the stunning ring on my finger before bringing his lips to my ear and telling me,
"This ring was my Nanny Daphne's, she would have loved you so much."
He pressed a sweet kiss to my forehead before pulling back and looking into my eyes, they mirrored mine, so full of love and contentment. Mack raised a hand to quiet the crowd, and as if it had been rehearsed, as I was now realising that it was, the crowd fell silent and Mack picked me up and settled me on the ground in front of him. He took both hands in his and pressed sweet kisses across my knuckles.
"I have something else for you baby … it didn't seem right to do this without them."
"Without who?" I muttered, brow furrowed as I tried to figure out who he meant.
Mack reached into the pocket on the inside of his jacket and pulled out a small velvet bag. My heart was racing, my pulse speeding like a steam train as I looked from Mack to the bag and back again.
He slowly untied the ribbon ties from the top of the bag and reached inside .
My heart stopped and tears instantly flooded my cheeks as he pulled out the only thing I'd ever really treasured until Mack.
I recognised it instantly, silver glinting in the afternoon sun, the intricate heart detailing across the top. I sat frozen, my mouth gaping and tears streaming down my face.
He opened my hand, placed it inside and closed my fingers around it. I immediately brought my hand to my chest and sobbed. He'd found it. He'd managed to find the one thing I couldn't let go, he'd mended my heart and brought my mother back to me.
I sobbed for a long time, silence surrounding me, the only sounds were sniffles and tissue packets rustling as the crowd seemed to join me in my feelings.
When I did open my eyes, I took in the small smile and tears that were slowly falling down Mack's cheeks.
"You found it?"
"I found it baby." He pulled me back into his lap and instantly took the necklace from my hands and fastened it back where it belonged, next to my heart.
I took his face in my hands and pressed a sweet kiss to his tear swollen lips.
"Mack … baby I love you so much it hurts," I told him with a sob.
"I love you so much I can barely contain it, you are my everything. I've never felt love before, never had a family to make me feel whole. I know what that feels like now Mack, you are my family. You're my true love and my happy ever after." I looked deep into his eyes as his chin quivered and a huge sigh of relief left his throat.
"I love you Mack and I'll love you forever."