Chapter Twelve #2
Kayla wanted to defend Skye, to try to explain more to Mack about how it was okay to not be good with feelings.
Unfortunately, the thought reminded her of a dozen different times over the years when she was left to cry alone in a bathroom while Skye did her own thing.
But that was just Skye and everything else in their relationship had made up for it.
Besides, Mack and Skye had always hated each other, so Kayla let it slide.
She picked up her book and this time actually read a few pages.
The protagonists weren’t catching her attention, though.
She skimmed forward and realized it would be another fifty pages at least until the first sex scene.
She sighed and dove back into the words, hoping there would at least be a good kiss coming soon to make it worthwhile.
After ten minutes without a kiss, Kayla glanced over at Mack. She had pulled out her tablet, and Kayla had assumed she was reading a book on it, but as Mack adjusted the screen, she could clearly see a densely packed spreadsheet.
“Um, excuse me,” Kayla said. “Are you working when we’re in paradise?”
Mack blushed adorably and tried to angle the screen away from Kayla. “Yeah. What else am I supposed to do?”
“How about relaxing?”
Mack just blinked at her, her eyes blank.
Kayla couldn’t help but laugh. “You do know how to relax, right?”
She’d expected Mack to tease her back, so she was surprised when the blush deepened, and her gaze dropped to the frayed towel beneath her. “Um, no actually.”
“No? You don’t know how to relax?”
“Not according to my ex.”
Kayla wanted to laugh again, but poor Mack looked like Lucy when she was scolded for eating Kayla’s slippers. “Oh. Is that what happened with Weepy Chardonnay Girl? I always wondered.”
Mack blinked at her several times, then burst into laughter. “Weepy Chardonnay Girl?”
“You two came to Mom’s birthday party that time, and she got really drunk on Chardonnay and cried on Mom’s shoulder for like an hour about how great you are.”
“I didn’t know that was the nickname you gave her. She was mortified about it. Mom told you?”
“Yeah. She told me that girl would try to marry you if you weren’t careful.”
“I guess I was careful. But yeah, that’s what happened with her.” Mack scrunched up her face in concentration. “Actually, it’s also what happened with Soup Is Too Hot Girl, Hugs and Kisses Girl, and Took an Edible on Our Anniversary Girl.”
Kayla noticed Mack wasn’t sharing her mirth. In fact, she was looking distinctly sulky. Kayla gave her a gentle poke in the ribs, hoping against hope to earn a smile. “I’m pretty sure it was Takes an Edible for Every Date Girl.”
Mack’s chin dropped to her chest. “Yeah, it probably was.”
Kayla’s heart broke at the frown, adding lines to Mack’s forehead and cheeks.
Sure, she worked a lot, but she was an amazing person, and she deserved better from her girlfriends.
“Hey you.” She waited until Mack looked up at her to continue.
“They were all wrong and they were all jerks. Well, except for Hugs and Kisses Girl, but she was too young for you anyway.”
“You’d think they were all too young. Do you have to call them girls? Makes me feel like a creep.”
“Woman doesn’t pop as much at the end of a mean nickname.” Her teasing wasn’t making a difference, so she made sure to lose the teasing edge to her voice. “Hey, I’m serious. They were all jerks, and you deserve better.”
Unfortunately, it was too little too late, and Mack was deep in a sullen mood. She set aside her tablet and looked out over the ocean and its tiny whitecaps. “Whether they were jerks or not, the consensus is that I’m a sucky girlfriend. So, it’s a good thing this engagement is fake.”
Kayla’s stomach lurched and she looked around the pool deck. What if Skye were around and heard that? Panic welled for a heartbeat, but the coast was clear. Unfortunately, Mack had noticed the moment, and she sighed.
“See? I’m even a sucky fake girlfriend.”
Mack sat up and reached for her bag, but Kayla wasn’t going to let her storm off and believe that nonsense.
She put on the same voice she used when she had to scold the dogs.
“Hey, stop that. Let’s not forget that you’re here, being my fake girlfriend because I was such a sucky girlfriend that the love of my life left me without a backward glance. ”
Mack gave her a crooked smile that only made her look more like a neglected Golden Retriever.
Did she have to be so cute when she brooded?
“You’re sweet, LaLa, but there’s only room for one at this pity party.
At least you have the love of your life.
Meanwhile, here I am, thirty-seven years old with nothing but a string of half-hearted disaster relationships behind me and zero prospects in front of me. ”
Kayla’s hand went numb where it held on to Mack’s arm, and her stomach sank.
Mack was by far the best human being she had ever known.
Sure, she threw herself into work, but ambition was sexy, and Kayla had never had any trouble getting Mack’s time or attention when she needed it.
These women were just needy and didn’t know what they had.
Now, if only she could get Mack to see that.
Kayla said, “You know what? We’re both being ridiculous. Here we are, sitting at this gorgeous pool overlooking a pristine beach and the most beautifully clear ocean I’ve ever seen, but we aren’t even enjoying it because we’re feeling sorry for ourselves.”
Mack shrugged. “Yeah. We are.”
“Well, that’s dumb.”
“Okay, well, how do we shake this?”
A dollop of mischievousness coursed through Kayla, and she hopped to her feet. Holding out her hand, she said, “For starters, we’re going over to the swim-up bar, and we’re both getting the signature drink of the day.”
Mack grimaced. “It has bananas in it.”
“Gross. Okay. New plan. We’re going to the swim up bar and we’re getting two margaritas with so much tequila it should be classified as a weapon of mass destruction.”
Mack hesitated for a moment. Was she going to give in to the sadness?
If she did, this would be a long afternoon, and Kayla couldn’t stand the thought of her being down for so long.
Then Mack smiled widely, like the goofy teenager who had gotten into all sorts of trouble with her.
She slid her hand into Kayla’s and allowed herself to be pulled up and over to the water’s edge.