Chapter 20 #2
Everly picked up her fork and dove in as Lydia set the knife down, studying Mac’s stunning face and her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun, noting the dark circles under her eyes as everyone still wore their pajamas as the clock ticked closer to seven. “Are you getting any sleep?”
Mac shrugged as she poured more batter onto the skillet. “Will was super sweet and took care of Maverick this morning so I could catch some extra Zs.”
“That’s nice. But I mean, are you getting any sort of regular rest?”
Mac shrugged again. “I have an almost five-month-old and a four-year-old. Sleep deprivation is a way of life.”
She hated that her beautiful friend looked so tired. “Aw, Mac. If you need a nap, just say the word. You know I’ll take care of the kids.”
Mac smiled as she flipped the new batch. “I appreciate it, but I’m mostly used to it now. It’s par for the parenting course.”
“Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
She moved the pancakes to a platter. “Yes, I do. Thank you.”
Lydia smiled as Everly smiled at her in her purple butterfly pj’s. “Things are good, otherwise? Life’s good up here in Shoalmans Bay?”
Mac nodded as she put a couple of pancakes on a plate for herself. “Things are really good. Will’s super busy at work right now, and I’m busy with the kids. We’re going to try gymnastics after the Fourth of July. Aren’t we, Ev?”
Everly looked up from her plate. “Yup.”
Lydia grinned, absolutely in love with her sweet-faced second cousin. Everly had her mom’s bold blue eyes and her dad’s dark-brown hair. “Gymnastics sounds like so much fun.”
Everly nodded again as she went after another square of her pancake.
Lydia hugged her, caring little that her arm was now sticky with syrup. “I missed you so much.”
Everly grinned again. “I missed you, too. Except when I saw you on the computer.”
She touched her hand to her heart as it melted. “Can I bring you home with me when I leave in August?”
Everly looked at Mac.
Lydia laughed as she hugged her again. “I’m just being silly, Ev. Your mom and dad would miss you too much, and who would I read stories to on the computer if you were already in my house?”
“I like stories.”
Lydia grinned. “I know you do, honey.”
Mac added syrup to her breakfast and cut in. “So, let’s talk about you and your hottie personal trainer.”
Lydia rolled her eyes as she smiled, reaching for the dishcloth to wipe her arm.
“He looks even better in person.” Mac waggled her brow. “Nice job.”
Lydia laughed as she sat down again. “Thanks.”
“What did you guys end up doing last night?”
“We went out for pizza and walked on the beach.” Which had been nice after the off-and-on tension of the evening.
Their drive north had changed everything.
She and Ty had a new dynamic to navigate now that they were actually in Massachusetts.
But it was a relief that they’d still been able to laugh and have fun while they shared their dinner, then when he’d pulled her against him as they strolled along the water’s edge.
Mac swallowed her bite. “So, tell me more about your mysterious hunk. What’s your favorite thing about him? Unless it’s X-rated. Then we’ll wait for naptime.”
Lydia laughed as Mac grinned. “I’d say my favorite thing is that he’s fun,” she told her best friend, vowing to be honest whenever she could be. “He’s constantly making me laugh. We had a dance party on the side of the interstate yesterday—his idea, not mine.”
Mac’s eyes grew wide as she smiled. “What?”
Lydia nodded. “He asked me to pull over in Rhode Island.”
Mac laughed.
She chuckled as she rolled her eyes again. “There’s never a dull moment, which I like. And he’s sweet and attentive—very affectionate. He’s always touching me.”
Mac hummed in her throat as she took her next bite. “Sounds nice.”
Lydia nodded, unable to deny that she loved it when he captured her hand or pulled her into a hug. It felt good to be wrapped up in Ty.
“Things sound serious.”
She shrugged, grabbing a pancake of her own as they moved into dicey territory. “They’re serious enough.”
“Is he the one?”
She shrugged again before she buttered her breakfast because she didn’t know how to answer that.
If Ty had walked into her life under different circumstances…
If he were just Ty instead of Special Agent Tyler Corddry, he would undoubtedly be the closest thing that she’d found to “the one.” But he was Special Agent Tyler Corddry, and he was investigating her family. “It’s hard to say at this point.”
Mac raised her brow. “That’s not a no.”
She shrugged. “I guess it’s a ‘we’ll see.’”
“‘We’ll see’ works for me.”
She sent Mac a small smile as Maverick stirred in the bouncy seat that he currently slept in close by on the floor. Happy for a distraction, she got up before Mac could move, grinning as she headed the baby’s way, loving the smiling caterpillars on his onesie. “It looks like someone’s waking up.”
Maverick smiled up at her with the Monroe dark-blue eyes. Her dad and Burke had had them, too.
“Good morning, handsome.” She bent over, unsnapping the safety belt, then picked him up, nuzzling her nose against his soft skin as she snuggled the baby like she’d longed to do ever since Will had called in the middle of the night to tell her that his son had been born. “You’re such a cutie, buddy.”
“I’m a cutie,” Everly told her.
“You better believe it,” Lydia said, sensing some sibling jealousy. “You’re my best girl.”
Everly nodded, focusing on her breakfast again, clearly satisfied with Lydia’s answer.
Mac sighed. “We’ve been dealing with that for the last few weeks.”
“It’s pretty normal. Baby brothers are a big adjustment.”
Mac nodded. “I know. Usually, she’s pretty good with him, but the other day she H-I-T him on the arm.”
Lydia’s eyes widened. “Oh. I’ll keep an eye out for that.”
“It was the first time she’s done it. We talked about how she needs to use her words when she’s feeling upset. I’m hoping that it won’t happen again, but just in case.”
Lydia nodded again. “Okay.”
Mac moved to put warm water into a bowl, then grabbed a bottle from the fridge, setting it in to warm it up. “He’s going to be looking for this in just a minute.”
Lydia smiled at the baby again. “And I’ll happily feed him when he does.”
Mac took her last bite. “Mav and I will have to have ourselves a sit-down before my breasts explode, but bottles are definitely easier at this time of the morning.”
Lydia glanced around at the breakfast mess. “I can imagine.”
Mac put her dish in the dishwasher. “Would you mind if I head upstairs for a couple of minutes? I want to get to Gram-Gram and Mom and Dad’s rooms and make sure that things are all set. Their flight lands at two thirty.”
“Not at all. Feel free to do whatever you need to do. I’ve got things down here.” She glanced at the grocery list on the counter. “I’m heading to the store in a little while. Do you want me to grab this stuff?”
Mac looked at her with hopeful eyes. “Would you?”
“Definitely.”