Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
T he tacos had been delicious, but all Mack could think of was their earlier kiss as he helped Lorna clear the table and fill the dishwasher. He almost dropped a plate when she bent over to pick up one of the three spoons Izzy had dropped on the floor.
She’d changed into black leggings, a pink cami, and a loose sweatshirt that kept sliding off one shoulder—which drove him nuts every time it did.
He loved her body—the lushness of it, the curves he imagined exploring, and all he wanted was to pull her against him and slide his lips over the creamy skin of her bare shoulder.
They’d been a little careful around each other tonight. He was still very aware of when they were in each other’s space and when her hip or shoulder brushed his, but he was doing his best to be thoughtful and easy and not bulldoze her with all the feelings and desire trying to bust out of him.
“I wanted to give Izzy a bath tonight. The warm water helps her sleep, and the steam is good for her ears,” Lorna told him when they’d finished the kitchen. “Would you be willing to hang out with Max a bit longer so I can get her bathed and put to bed?”
“Heck, yeah.” He nodded toward the family room. “We’ve still got more work to do on the pirate ship.”
Max shook his head. “I don’t want to work on it without Mommy. It’s a family project.”
The sentiment hit Mack hard. The kid had no idea what it meant to him to be included in any kind of mention of family. “What do you want to do then?”
“Do you know how to play checkers?” Max asked.
“Course.”
Lorena chuckled. “Probably not the way Max does.” She picked Izzy up and balanced her on one jutted hip. “Good luck.”
Mack figured out what she meant ten minutes later when Max had set up the board and they had started to play.
“King me,” the boy said, after going back to the same spot where he’d already gotten a second black checker stacked on his first one.
“I already did,” Mack told him.
“I know, but I landed here again,” the boy explained as if it made perfect sense.
“Are you just making up your own rules?”
Max shrugged and offered him an impish grin. “It’s our game. That means we can make up the rules and play it however we want.”
“You can’t argue his point,” Lorna said, as she passed through the room with a wiggling baby wrapped in a towel in one arm and a stack of clean pajamas she’d just grabbed from the dryer in the other.
Mack stared across the board at his pint-sized opponent.
When in Rome...
He placed another black piece on top of the boy’s already double-stacked checkers. Then he picked up his red piece, hopped over two of Max’s black ones, then lifted the checker up and spun it around the board twice before landing in one of the farthest spaces. “All right, king me too.”
Max cocked a small eyebrow as he stared down at the board, then back up at Mack.
“I call that the helicopter move,” he said in a serious tone, and waited for the boy to challenge him.
Max studied the board then his face creased with a wide grin. “I like it,” he said and slammed a red checker on top of the one Mack had landed. He picked up the rest of the red ones he’d won and crowned three more of Mack’s checkers that were in various spots on the board. “I win.”
“How do you figure?”
The boy held up his empty hands. “I’m out of checkers.”
Mack laughed, completely bewildered and besotted with this adorable kid.
“Wanna play again?” Max asked.
“No.”
The boy’s face fell.
“But I have a new game. Have you ever played Chuckers ?”
His face brightened. “No. How do you play?”
“First, you have to go get the biggest bowl you can find,” Mack instructed.
The boy raced into the kitchen and came back a minute later with a large pink Tupperware bowl.
He’d had the same one growing up, except it was a faded gummy yellow, and served as the combination popcorn, pasta salad, and puke bowl. “Perfect. Now go stand over there,” Mack told him, pointing to the other side of the room then scooping a handful of checkers off the board. “And I’m going to start chucking these checkers and you try to catch them in the bowl.”
By the time Lorna came downstairs ten minutes later, the bowl had been forgotten, and the carpet was littered with black and red checkers as the game had lapsed into just the two of them hurling the pieces at each other in a version of ‘Dodge Checkers’.
She raised an eyebrow at Mack as her son dove for cover from another checker onslaught. “Is this your idea of calming him down to go to sleep?”
He ducked as a red piece sailed past his ear. “Checkers with this kid didn't feel like a calm activity in the first place. Have you ever played with him?”
She barked out a laugh. “Oh yes, many times.”
“This isn't checkers,” Max called from his spot behind the chair. “It’s Chuckers . Mack taught me.”
She offered a questioning glance at Mack. “What’s Chuckers?”
“Instead of playing with the checkers on the board, you chuck ‘em at each other,” Max yelled then fell into a fit of giggles as he crawled out from behind the sofa and flung a black game piece in Mack’s direction.
Lorna ducked. “Super idea.”
“It started out that we were just trying to chuck them into a bowl,” Mack explained, sticking his hand out to catch a checker in midair before it hit Lorna.
The doorbell rang before Mack had a chance to justify his newly invented game, and he was surprised to see Dodge and Maisie standing on the doorstep.
“Sorry to stop by unannounced,” Maisie said. “But we were coming home from dinner and saw Mack’s truck parked outside and decided we should stop and have a chat.”
“Hey brother,” Dodge said, stepping inside and nodding to Mack.
“It’s no trouble,” Lorna said. Over the last year, she and Leni had become quite good friends with Maisie and Ford’s girlfriend, Elizabeth, and they often hung out at Lorna’s house, drinking wine and chatting after the kids had gone to bed. “You know you’re both welcome here anytime.”
Dodge’s huge black dog, Moose, stood obediently on the doorstep, waiting for an invitation to come inside. Lorna opened the door wider and beckoned the dog into the living room, where Moose made a beeline for Max, who fell on the floor, giggling as the dog covered him in slobbery puppy kisses.
“Can I take Moose upstairs to my room?” Max asked his mother.
“Sure, honey,” Lorna said. “But only if you promise to put your pj’s on and then read him some books. And not be rowdy. Your sister is asleep.”
“I promise,” the boy said, holding one finger to his lips to shush the giant dog as it followed him up the stairs.
“So, what’s up?” Mack asked when they were gone, knowing his brother well enough by now to see that something was going on.
“Not sure if you were aware, but you two seem to be the talk of the town today,” Dodge told them.
“Us?” Lorna asked. “Why?”
Dodge aimed a good-natured grin in Mack’s direction. “Oh, for so many reasons. Starting with the fact that somebody caught you two making out in the alley behind the coffee shop this afternoon.”
Soft pink color rose to Lorna’s cheeks.
“Guilty,” Mack said, before she had to respond. “But why would anyone care about that?”
“Haven’t you ever lived in a small town?” Maisie asked. “That’s exactly the kind of thing everyone cares about.”
“And also,” Dodge said. “I was at the feed store this morning and someone mentioned seeing a white truck driving through this neighborhood several times last night. They thought someone was trying to case the place to rob everyone.”
“Ah shit. I hadn’t thought about that,” Mack said, offering Lorna a one-shouldered shrug. “I did drive by your house a few times last night. But I was just worried about you and the kids, and that Lyle might come back after I’d left.”
“Yeah, so, Lyle Williams is the other reason we’re here,” Maisie said. “He was in the library this afternoon using our computers, and I heard him asking one of the other librarians all these questions about different commercial businesses in town and what was involved in transferring ownership of a business. He didn’t come right out and mention the coffee shop by name, but from what I overheard, that’s what he was interested in finding out about.”
Lorna’s face drained of color, and she sank into the corner of the sofa next to where Mack stood. He eased himself down onto the edge, wanting to take her hand, but settled for pressing the side of his leg to hers.
“I knew it,” she said. “He’s coming after the shop. I think he wanted this house. He strolled in here last night like he already owned the place. Literally just let himself into my house. But when I told him it still belonged to my mom, he must have started digging into if I owned the building downtown.”
“The nerve of that guy,” Maisie said.
“Something must have happened with Misty. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be back in town.” Lorna looked at Dodge. “Have you heard about her or anything about why he’s back?”
Dodge shook his head. “I hadn’t heard he was in town at all until tonight when I told Maisie that I’d overheard the talk at the diner about you two hooking up.”
“We haven’t ‘hooked up’,” Lorna said. “But I may have given Lyle the impression that we’re a couple.”
“And a few people at the coffee shop today may have overheard him calling me her boyfriend when he dropped in for a visit,” Mack explained. “Although I have a feeling that’s the only reason he left, both last night and this afternoon.”
“Then you’d better keep it up,” Maisie said. “I know you were married to him, Lorna, but I’ve never liked that guy. There’s something a little scary about him. And I think you’re better off with him thinking a big strong cowboy is with you and the kids. In fact, I think you should make sure everyone in town thinks you’re a couple, just in case he starts asking around about you two.”
“How do you suggest we do that?” Mack asked, not that he was opposed to the idea. He nudged Lorna’s knee, trying to get her to smile. “Maybe another make-out session? But this time in town square, maybe on the courthouse lawn?”
She nudged him back, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her lips before turning to Maisie. “Any other suggestions?”
“I don’t know,” Dodge said, scrubbing a hand over his jaw. “More PDA might be just what you need to convince this guy he isn’t needed or wanted around you.”
Lorna shook her head. “I am not making out with your brother on the courthouse lawn.”
Dodge laughed. “I didn’t mean that. But maybe a smaller public display of affection like holding hands or just being seen together in town.”
“You two should go out to dinner together, like at The Tipsy Pig,” Maisie suggested, naming the most popular barbeque place in town. “Dodge and I can watch the kids. But you should do it soon. Like tomorrow. And go when the most people will see you. And then maybe get some ice cream afterwards and hold hands while you walk down Main Street. Nothing says a real couple like holding hands while eating ice cream. Every romance novel will attest to that.”
Mack looked at Lorna. “What do you think?”
She shrugged. “It makes a certain kind of sense. Although I don’t want to give Lyle any more reason to get angry.”
Fury lit in Mack’s gut. He hated that her first thoughts went to not making the guy mad. And hated it even more that she even had to worry about his temper. “We wouldn’t be goading him or flaunting anything in his face. I think what Dodge and Maisie are suggesting is that if we’re seen by enough people around town as a couple, then word will organically get back to Lyle.”
Dodge nodded. “And it’ll give you credibility if the guy starts asking around about you.”
Mack picked up Lorna’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Look, I’m already being talked about in this town, so it doesn’t bother me to be part of someone’s gossip, but I understand if you’re cautious about people thinking we’re together. Although I’d sure rather have folks talking about how the new guy got such a gorgeous girl to go out with him than for being another one of Brandy Lassiter’s bastard sons.”
Lorna frowned. “Stop. That doesn’t matter to me. I would be proud for people to think I’m with you.”
Her words hit him square in the heart. ‘Proud’ wasn’t normally a word people used when it came to him. It made him want to prove he was worthy of her pride.
“Thank you,” he said softly, just to her.
Maisie clapped her hands together. “Sounds like we have a plan. Tipsy Pig, tomorrow night, say around six. Do you want to drop the kids off at my place, or should I pick them up?”
“I can drop them off,” Lorna said. “Are you sure you’re okay keeping them? They can be a handful.”
Maisie nodded. “Of course. Dodge will help me, and we’ll have fun with them. In fact, why don’t you bring their pajamas, and they can just sleep over. Give you a break for the night.”
Lorna offered Mack a tiny shrug. “I guess we’re going on a date.”
After working out the details, Maisie and Dodge left, and Mack cleaned up the checkers while Lorna put Max to bed.
“He was practically asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.” She stifled a yawn. “He was plum wore out.”
“Seems like he’s not the only one,” Mack said, tossing the last of the toys he’d been picking up into the bin. “I’d better get out of here and let you get to bed. But I’ll see you in the morning at the coffee shop. Seven again?”
“That would be great,” she said, following him to the front door. “It seems like a lot though, now you’re not just helping me at the shop, but also taking me on a fake date. You sure you’re okay doing this?”
He turned to face her. “I’m more than okay. With all of it. I told you I’d do anything to help you.”
“I just don’t want to cause you any problems. Or put you on Lyle’s radar.”
Mack huffed. “I can handle Lyle. In fact, I’d almost welcome the guy to come at me. I’ve wanted to deck him from the minute he walked into this house.”
She nodded. “I get it.”
“I do see one problem with this plan though,” he told her.
“What’s that?”
“If we’re going to try to convince people we’re a real couple…” he said, offering her a roguish grin as he slid one arm around her waist and pulled her close. “I think we might need to practice some of that PDA my brother was talking about.”
A smile played at the corner of her lips as she placed her hand on his chest. “Oh yeah?”
“I mean, it makes sense. I don’t want to try to kiss you while we’re out somewhere and have our noses bump or have it seem awkward.” He reached his hand up to cup her cheek and grazed his thumb along her bottom lip. “So, it only makes sense that we do a few practice runs before tomorrow night.”
“Yes. That does make sense.” Her words came out breathy, and he caught the slightest tremble in her voice.
But he remembered her reaction from earlier that afternoon and wanted to take it slow.
He leaned in closer but paused right before his lips met hers. “So, Lorna, is it okay if I kiss you?”
Her fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt in her hand as she breathed out one word. “Yes.”
Slowly, softly, he grazed her lips with his, savoring her quick inhale then capturing her breath as it released with a soft kiss. He kissed her mouth again, keeping it tender and slow, then pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, then another along her jaw, and another on her neck.
She smelled like her perfume mixed with baby shampoo and tasted like spearmint gum. The wide collar of her sweatshirt had slipped down over her shoulder, and he could finally run his lips over the bare skin that he’d been fantasizing about all night.
She dropped her head back, giving him permission to sample more of her as she let out a quiet moan, and he had to hold himself back from pressing her against the door and ripping those snug leggings off.
But he used every ounce of control he could muster and kept his hands from roaming over her curves.
Just being able to kiss her was enough.
For now.
Back at her mouth, he played his lips against hers, drawing her in then deepening the kiss.
It took everything he had to finally pull away.
Still holding onto his shirt, she stared up at him, looking a little dazed and breathless. “Wow,” she whispered.
“Yeah.” Putting his hat on, he took a step back and opened the door. “I think we’ve almost got the hang of it,” he said, offering her another grin. “But I think we’d better practice some more tomorrow.”
Practice makes perfect.