Chapter 7 #3
Rachel's car was parked just down the street. They walked slowly, neither quite ready for this to end.
"This was really nice," Mac said as they stopped beside her car. "Like, really, really nice. I know I probably said that already but—"
"You did. But it's okay." Rachel glanced at him sideways. "It was nice."
Mac took a breath, trying to calm his racing heart. This was it. The moment that would determine everything.
"So does that mean—I mean, would you want to—" Mac forced himself to just say it. "Can I see you again? Soon?"
Rachel was quiet. Mac's heart hammered against his ribs. Say yes, say yes, say yes—
"I don't know," Rachel said finally.
Mac's belly swooped. "Oh. Okay. That's—"
"It's not that I didn't have a good time," Rachel said quickly. "I did. You're very sweet, Mac. It's just..."
"Just?"
"This is a lot." She said it gently, but it still stung. "And I'm not ready for a lot. I need time to think about this."
"How much time?"
"I don't know." Rachel looked down at her keys, gripping them tightly. "Mac, I moved here to get away from everything. To start over. And dating again, especially someone like you—"
"Someone like me?"
"Someone who is real. Someone who clearly feels things very deeply and isn't afraid to show it." She looked down at her keys. "That's terrifying for me. You're terrifying."
"I don't want to be terrifying."
"I know. That's part of the problem." Rachel met his eyes. "You're… the kind of person I swore I'd never let myself get close to again."
"Because of what happened before?" Mac ventured. "With the guy who—"
"Yes..." Rachel's voice was firm, closing that door.
Mac nodded slowly, processing. He could push. He could argue. He could try to convince her.
Or he could just… be honest.
"Okay," Mac said quietly. "I hear you." He shoved his hands in his pockets, jaw tight. "Whoever hurt you before. I can see what it did. How careful you are now." His voice dropped. "But Rachel? I'm not that guy. And I'd really like the chance to prove it."
Rachel's eyes glistened slightly. "Mac—"
"And I think you know that too. Otherwise you wouldn't have stayed for three hours." Mac managed a small smile. "So here's what I'm thinking. What if we don't make this a big thing? What if we just… see each other again? Low pressure. No expectations. Just two people hanging out."
"Mac, I said I needed time—"
"I know. And I'll give you all the time you need.
" Mac took a breath, then decided to risk it.
"But what if, while you're thinking, you let me show you who I actually am?
One more date. That's all I'm asking. And if after that you still think I'm too much or too scary or too whatever, then I'll back off. I promise."
Rachel bit her lip, clearly torn. "What kind of date?"
Mac's heart leaped. That wasn't a no. "Ice skating. At my rink. Wednesday evening, if you're free."
"Ice skating?" Rachel looked skeptical. "I haven't skated since I was twelve."
"Perfect. Then I get to teach you." Mac grinned. "Fair warning: you're probably going to fall a lot. But I'll catch you every time."
Something shifted in Rachel's expression. Not quite trust, but maybe the beginning of it. "You're very persistent."
"Only when something matters." Mac held her gaze.
Rachel was quiet for a long moment, looking at Mac like she was trying to solve a complicated equation. Then, so softly he almost missed it: "Wednesday. Seven PM?"
Relief flooded through Mac so intensely he felt lightheaded. "Yeah. Seven PM. I'll text you the address."
"Okay." Rachel unlocked her car, then paused. "Mac? If I'm terrible at skating—"
"Then we'll be terrible together." Mac stepped back to give her space, even though every instinct screamed to stay close. "And I promise to make sure you don't get hurt."
Rachel looked at him for another beat, then nodded. "Okay. Wednesday."
"Wednesday," Mac confirmed.
"Drive safe."
"You too. When you do drive. Anywhere you drive. At all times."
"I will definitely drive at all times." Rachel laughed, shaking her head as she got in her car. "Goodbye, Mac."
"Bye, Rachel."
She pulled out of the parking spot, and Mac stood there watching until her car disappeared around the corner.
Then he stood there alone in the parking lot, grinning like an absolute idiot.
She said yes. To another date. To Wednesday.
To giving him a chance.
His phone buzzed. Jamie.
Jamie: How'd it go???
Mac: She said yes to a second date
Jamie: HELL YES! When??
Mac: Wednesday. Ice skating.
Jamie: Perfect. Romance + showing off your skills = winning strategy
Mac laughed and pocketed his phone. Then immediately pulled it back out and called Cole anyway, because this was too good not to share.
Cole answered on the first ring. "How'd it go?"
"She said yes to Wednesday. Ice skating at the rink."
"That's great, man! See? I told you being honest would work."
"She almost said no. She told me about some ex of hers. His name was Brad. A hockey player from Burlington. He hurt her really badly. That's why she moved here, to get away from all of it."
There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then: "Brad? Did she say his last name?"
"No, she didn't want to talk about it." Mac stopped. "Why? Do you know something?"
"Maybe. Brad's not exactly an uncommon name, but..." Cole hesitated. "You said it was public? And she moved here to escape it?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Brad Reese?" Cole's voice had gone careful. "Minor league hockey player? Played for the Burlington Blizzards?"
His insides hollowed out. "I think I remember that guy… Plays nasty on the ice."
"Shit." Cole exhaled. "Mac, if it's the same Brad, this guy was a piece of work. It was all over the internet about a year ago. He ended his engagement at the actual engagement party. Made a whole scene. It was bad enough that people were talking about it across leagues."
"Jesus Christ." Anger flared hot in his chest. "He ended their engagement at the party?"
"If it's the same guy, yeah. In front of all the guests. Word was he wanted someone more 'exciting' for his career. Guy thought he was going places." Cole paused. "Spoiler alert: he didn't go places. Last I heard he was still playing minor league, barely."
"What the hell kind of person does that?" Mac's hand tightened around his phone.
"A shitty person?"
"Definitely. No wonder she said I'm 'a lot.' I probably reminded her of—"
"Don't go down that road," Cole interrupted firmly. "You're not him. You can't control what some asshole did a year ago."
"But I play the same sport he did. I'm asking her to trust another hockey player."
"And she said yes anyway." Cole's voice softened. "Mac, she could have said no, but she didn’t."
Mac leaned against his truck. "Cole, I really like her."
"I know, man."
"And I'm going to prove to her that I'm different. Not by telling her—by showing her."
"Good. That's exactly what she needs." Cole paused. "Just take it slow."
"Slow. Right. I can do slow." Mac scratched his hair. "She did stay for three hours though."
"There you go."
"Thanks, man. For the pep talk. For everything."
"Anytime. Now go home, plan the perfect ice skating date, and definitely don't look up Brad Reese online because that won't help anything."
"I wasn't going to—"
"Yes you were. Don't."
"You're right. Okay. Wednesday. I've got this."
"You've got this."
Mac drove home, not spiraling for once, because Rachel had said yes.
Wednesday couldn't come fast enough.