AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When Laney hugged Mac, he squeezed her back and said, “Don’t be stubborn. Let him take you.”
Laney eased back and smiled. “Good night, big brother.”
She turned, squaring her shoulders and glaring at Ryker. “Your concern is noted, but not necessary. Good night.”
And like the regal woman their mother always was, Laney took a chapter from Elizabeth O’Shea’s book and walked out with head high and back straight.
Mac shot Ryker a look.
“I’m on it.”
Ryker kept his distance, but slowly followed Laney out the door.
“Those two may end up in a fistfight before the night is over,” Braden commented.
“Ryker’s good, but my vote is on Laney. Mainly because she’s pissed and Ryker would never hurt a woman.”
“What about you?” Braden asked, leaning against the back of one plush chair. “You have dodged any topics concerning Jenna and I thought for sure she’d be here on your big night.”
Mac snorted. “Don’t ask.”
“Let me focus on your problems for a while,” Braden said. “We’ve had a successful night, Zara’s resting and it’s just you and me. Lay it on me.”
Mac found himself pouring out the details of the last two weeks as if he were some damn woman chatting with her friends. But he needed Braden’s advice and he was more than willing to offer his brother a distraction.
“So you pretended to be engaged and now...what? You want to actually be engaged?”
Mac raked a hand through his hair. “Hell, I don’t know what I want. I know I want her back and as more than a friend, but to take it that far... I don’t know.”
“And you haven’t seen her in a week?”
Mac shook his head. Not since he’d been on the phone with Ryker and she’d looked at him like he was a monster. He’d never get that image out of his head. He’d chosen work over her and he’d quite possibly destroyed her.
“I thought I’d have everything figured out by now, but it’s been a week and I still don’t know how to approach her.”
Braden laughed. “On your knees, buddy. Plan on doing a lot of groveling. I’ve been there. It’s hell on the ego and pride, but well worth it in the end.”
Mac knew Jenna would be worth everything, but was he willing to risk her happiness for his selfish need to be with her? Would she get tired of all the secrets, all the sneaking around and him unable to answer the questions she was bound to have?
The scrolls were still out there somewhere and it tore him up that he had so little control over getting them back. But there was one thing that was still very much in his hands.
He was ready to fight for his girl.
* * *
Jenna rolled over in bed and froze. Why did she smell her mango tea? There was another scent that filtered in as well...some pastry? What?
Jenna jerked up in bed. She lived alone so any smell coming from the other room was a bit alarming.
She tossed the covers aside and tiptoed to the doorway. She opened the crack wider to peer out. From just the right angle she could see into the kitchen and what she saw stopped her cold.
Mac. He was bustling around in her kitchen as if he owned the place. She should’ve taken his key back the day she’d surprised him at his place, but she’d been too hurt and too angry. All she’d wanted to do was get out of his sight before she broke down and he saw exactly how much he affected her.
So after a week of nothing, what was he doing here?
Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to give him an inch. She turned and headed into her master bath and went about her daily routine. She washed her face, pulled her hair back and brushed her teeth. Since this was Sunday, the flower shop was closed and she usually cleaned. But even if Mac weren’t in the other room she still wouldn’t feel like it.
In the past two weeks she’d gone from a beautiful state of euphoria to the lowest level of depression she could remember. No matter what she did, she was reminded of Mac. They just had too many memories together. Movies, food, random little shops near her condo, countless places that held a piece of them, and she couldn’t function.
How pathetic did that sound? Well, she could function, but she didn’t want to. She wasn’t quite finished with her moping just yet. He’d hurt her, hurt her badly, and she wondered if she’d every truly get over it.
In Bora Bora he’d been demanding, exhilarating and positively perfect. Then she’d seen him mask his feelings, hide behind work and force her to walk away. She wouldn’t beg. She had too much respect for herself to ask a man to stick around. Mac may have wanted to ignore his feelings, but she wished he’d just come clean.
