Chapter 26
Mac
"She'll be here," Sophie said quietly, setting up their usual orders without being asked. "And Mac? Whatever she tells you today, be kind. She's been carrying this alone for a long time."
"I will be."
"Good." Sophie's expression was fierce.
Rachel walked in at exactly 4 PM. She looked beautiful but exhausted, like she hadn't slept well. Dark circles under her eyes that makeup couldn't quite hide. Her hands clutched her purse strap like a lifeline.
"Hi," she said, sliding into their usual booth.
"Hi." Mac wanted to reach for her hand but something in her body language told him to wait. "How are you?"
"Nervous. Ready to throw up, possibly." She tried for a smile but it didn't reach her eyes. "But I'm here. And I need to tell you something."
"Okay..."
Sophie brought their drinks, set them down quietly, and disappeared without her usual banter.
Rachel wrapped her hands around her mug but didn't drink. Just stared at the coffee like it held answers.
"I lied to you," she said finally. "When you asked about Matthews, I said I didn't want to talk about it. I wasn’t completely honest… I do know him. Very well actually. And he—" Her voice cracked. "He's the reason Brad left me. Well, some of the reasons."
Cold washed over him. "What do you mean?"
"Brad didn't decide on his own that I was too boring.
Derek convinced him. Over months. Systematically undermined our relationship, planted doubts, told Brad I'd hold him back from NHL success.
" Rachel's hands were shaking. "I didn't know.
Not until after. After the engagement party, after everything fell apart, Brad's teammate got drunk and told me the truth.
That Derek had been in Brad's ear for months, pushing him to break up with me. "
"Why?" Mac's voice came out harsh. "Why would Derek do that?"
Rachel looked down at her coffee, tears spilling onto her cheeks. “Because I said no.”
Mac went very still. “What?”
“Derek. At a team event. Six months before the engagement party.” She swallowed. “He cornered me in a hallway. His hand on my waist. Then higher. Saying things…” Her breath hitched. “I said no. I tried to walk away. But he—he grabbed my arm. Pushed me against the wall, and—”
She stopped. Her mouth opened, then closed again.
“I got away,” she said quickly, too quickly. “I pushed him hard enough that he stumbled, and I ran.” She stared into the coffee like it might swallow the memory. “That’s all I told myself it was. What I could survive.”
Mac didn’t interrupt.
“I didn’t tell Brad,” she went on, voice shaking. “I was scared he wouldn’t believe me. Derek was his friend. His mentor. Who was I compared to that?” Her voice broke completely. “So I said nothing.”
A beat.
“And Derek…” Her fingers curled tight around the mug. “He made sure I paid for it. Convinced Brad I was wrong for him. Orchestrated that public humiliation. Made sure I lost everything.” Her eyes flicked up to Mac’s, then away again. “All because I fought him off.”
Something cold and murderous settled in Mac’s gut. “Rachel, that’s not—Jesus. That’s assault. That’s—”
“I know what it was,” she cut in, sharp, then continued quieter. “I know.” A pause. Heavy. “And I still didn’t tell anyone. I still kept parts of it to myself.”
Her shoulders sagged. “And he made sure everyone thought I was the problem.”
"You didn't do anything wrong. Rachel, listen to me, none of that is your fault. Not the assault, not staying quiet, not what happened after."
"I should have told Brad. Told someone."
"You did nothing wrong." Mac reached across the table, taking her hands in his. They were ice cold and shaking. "Matthews is a manipulative predator who punished you for having boundaries. That's on him. Not on you."
"But Mac, he's coming here. To Evergreen Cove.
And if he sees us together, if he realizes I'm happy again.
" Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "What if he tries to do the same thing to you?
What if he poisons your team against me, convinces you I'm not worth it, destroys this like he destroyed everything else? "
"He won't."
"You don't know that."
"Rachel, look at me." Mac waited until her eyes met his. "I know you. I know who you are. Some asshole PT isn't going to change that. He could tell me anything, show me anything, and it wouldn't matter. I'm not going anywhere."
"But what if—"
"No what-ifs. Rachel, I'm not Brad. I don't need a PT's approval to know what I want. And what I want is you. Exactly as you are."
Rachel was crying openly now, not bothering to hide it. "I was so scared to tell you. I thought you'd think I was stupid for not seeing what he was doing. Or that you'd blame me for causing it."
"Never. God, Rachel, never." Mac moved to slide into her side of the booth, wrapping his arms around her. She collapsed against him, her body shaking with sobs. "You were a victim of a manipulative asshole."
They sat like that for a long time, Mac holding Rachel while she cried, Sophie quietly keeping other customers away from their corner, giving them privacy.
Finally, Rachel pulled back, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."
"You told me now. That's what matters." Mac brushed tears from her cheeks with his thumb.
"You really don't think differently of me?"
"I think you're incredibly brave and strong."
She leaned her forehead against his. "I don't feel strong."
"You are. Trust me." He kissed her forehead gently.
They sat in the booth for another hour, Rachel explaining everything she knew about Derek; his reputation, his tactics, his tendency to target people who crossed him.
Mac listened, holding her hand, his mind already working through how to protect her, how to protect the team.
When they finally left the café at 6 PM, Mac opened the truck door for Rachel, his knuckles white on the handle.
"So just to clarify," Mac said, his tone almost conversational, "Derek Matthews assaulted you, destroyed your life as revenge, and is now coming here to mess with my team and the woman I love."
"Yes."
"Cool. Just wanted to confirm before I murder him." Mac's smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'm thinking justifiable homicide. The jury will understand."
"Mac—"
"I'm mostly joking." He waited until she climbed in. "But that psychopath comes near you again? I don't care about his reputation. I will end him."
Despite everything, Rachel smiled slightly.