Chapter 8 #3
“I’ve never thought about that before.” Of course he hadn’t. He’d gone to college on a full athletic scholarship and never once had to worry about paying for it. “What would you have studied?”
“Maybe oceanography or biology. Something to do with the water. I’ve always been obsessed by anything involving the ocean.”
Fascinated by this new insight, Mac studied her face as she stared out at the water, lost in thought. “There’re online courses you could take.”
“I was halfway through an online associate’s program when I got pregnant.” She took Thomas’s hand and smiled warmly at the baby, making Mac jealous. “Now I have other priorities.”
He wanted her to direct that dazzling smile at him. What he wouldn’t give for just one genuine smile, the one that engaged her eyes as well as her full, sexy mouth. “Maybe you can go back and finish someday.”
“Maybe.”
They docked just after nine in the fishing village of Galilee on Rhode Island’s south shore. With Thomas in his car seat and Maddie riding shotgun, Mac drove the truck off the ferry into the crowded port.
“How about some breakfast and then we can do whatever you want?” Mac suggested.
“Sure, that sounds good.”
Over eggs and toast at a greasy spoon, he asked where she wanted to go.
She hesitated, but only for a moment. “The mall,” she said with a delightfully girlish grin.
Thrilled to see her playful side reemerging after three days of distance, Mac McCarthy—a man who had never once willingly stepped foot in a shopping mall—took his lady to the biggest, brightest, busiest mall in the state of Rhode Island.
Maddie loved the excitement and elegance of the Providence Place Mall. A ruthless bargain shopper, she haunted the sale racks in all the children’s clothing stores and got some nice deals on summer clothes for Thomas. Worried as always about her finances, she bought nothing for herself.
Pushing Thomas in the stroller they’d brought from the island, Mac followed her around with unwavering patience.
He never rushed her or showed an ounce of displeasure, but she knew he had to be hating every minute of this.
Mindful that he had things he needed to get done that day, she glanced up at him. “I’m all set if you want to go.”
His brows narrowed over those steel-blue eyes. “We just got here. You haven’t looked at anything for yourself.”
“I don’t need anything.”
“Thomas and I are going for a walk. We’ll meet you back here in an hour.”
“What will you do with all that time?”
“Pick up a few things Janey asked me to get.”
Maddie nibbled on her thumbnail as she studied him. “Are you sure?”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Go. Have fun. Spend some money. That’s what credit cards are for.”
Laughing, she didn’t even mind the kiss that zipped through her like a live wire. “You’re a bad influence.”
“Thank you. Now go.”
An hour to herself in a mall! Flitting from store to store, she bought a few new tops and some jeans.
She gave herself one hour off from worrying about money and stocked up on underwear, bras and socks.
Outside Victoria’s Secret, she stared longingly at an ivory silk nightgown in the window that would look ridiculous on her.
Still, it was fun to look and to imagine. . .
When she met Mac at the designated spot, she discovered that he, too, had put the hour to good use.
The basket under Thomas’s stroller was full to overflowing with bags.
She saw a baseball bat sticking out of the top of one of them.
When she raised a questioning eyebrow, he replied with a shrug and an adorably sheepish grin.
Mixed in with the others, a pink-striped bag caught her attention.
“You bought something for Janey at Victoria’s Secret? ”
“It’s not for Janey,” he said with a secretive smile.
Maddie’s knees weakened. What had he done? She had no idea, but she wasn’t about to ask him. She’d learned not to encourage his outrageous behavior.
“Ready to go?” he asked, sliding an arm around her shoulders.
“Yes.” As they walked to the parking garage, Maddie glanced up at him. “Thank you.”
He kissed the top of her head. “My pleasure, honey.”
Mac took the long way back to the ferry, driving them through Newport to stop at the carousel at First Beach. Thomas loved the merry-go-round, and Mac sprang for five rides before Maddie reminded him of the time. They had a ferry to catch.
“You’re totally spoiling him,” Maddie said as they set out across the Newport Bridge to the lumber supply place. And me, she wanted to add but didn’t.
“So?”
“I’d hate to get him used to it. This time next week, he’ll be back to his boring life, wondering where his sugar daddy has gone.
” The instant the words were out of her mouth, Maddie regretted them.
To refer to Mac as Thomas’s daddy, even as a joke, was so wrong and unfair.
She could see that Mac was becoming attached to her son and vice versa.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, but his hand tightened on the wheel.
“You’re going back to Miami.”
“Not anytime soon.”
Maddie didn’t want to feel relieved, but the more time she spent with him, the more she wished she could keep him forever.
She’d never known a man so thoughtful and caring and sincere.
Add that he was sexy as hell, and he became one heck of an irresistible package.
During their lovely day together, she’d begun to feel like a fool for resisting him.
Maybe she should give in and have a rip-roaring affair with him.
The whole town thought she already was, so why not go for it?
At least then, after he went home to Miami, she’d have the memories to sustain her.
But what would sustain her heart if she gave even a portion of it to him?
Too late, the devil on her left shoulder said. You already have.