She nods, and she and Robert sit in the living room as I move around the kitchen. Mackie hurries to my side, lowering his voice. “You didn’t have to tell them. I can make an excuse and leave.”
“No, you’re staying.” I turn him and tie the apron around his waist. “I need another chef.”
“Conan,” he protests, his face ashen.
“Mackie, please, I want you here.”
He softens and nods.
“Okay, then I’ll stay,” he replies as he turns and claps. “Where do we start, chef?”
The meal is quiet. It isn’t exactly awkward, but not comfortable either. Trisha asks about work and talks about the weather and what they did today, but it’s like there’s an elephant in the room. Mackie doesn’t speak much, and I can tell he’s unsure if he should.
The group falls silent, just the scraping of forks on plates filling the air, and Mackie looks upset as he glances from them to me. “Conan isn’t replacing your son with me.” They swing their heads up, and my eyes widen. “I don’t want you to think I’m trying to replace him. Conan loves your son very much. He talks about him all the time. I swear I’m not trying to take his place.”
Trisha melts, smiling softly. “I know,” she murmurs as she looks between us. “I’m actually glad.”
“Glad?” I whisper.
“Conan . . .” She sighs, pressing her hand to my shoulder. “I never expected you to be alone for the rest of your life, and he wouldn’t either. I’m glad you’re moving on. I’m glad you’re giving yourself a chance to fall in love again. We don’t want you to be miserable for the rest of your life. I love my son, I always will, and I love you like a son. I want you to be happy, and so would he.”
“My son is dead,” Robert mutters, and I jerk. “You aren’t dishonoring his memory by giving your heart to another. You can’t spend your life alone.”
“I-I was scared to tell you. I was worried you would be angry with me,” I admit, my chest aching. “I’m falling in love with Mackie, but itdoesn’t mean I don’t still love him.” I spare Mackie a glance, and he smiles, taking my hand reassuringly.
“We would never be angry with you, son.” Robert nods. “And neither would he. I miss my son every single day. We lost him in the blink of an eye, but we still have you, and we will take care of you like you are our own, and you are. We want you to be happy, that’s all.”
Trisha nods, taking her husband’s hand, and they share a look, one stained by pain. Most couples break apart when they lose a child—I looked up the statistics—but if anything, it made them cling to each other, and I’m glad for that. They lost so much already.
“I’m glad Conan found you, Mackie. I was so worried. He shut the world out when my son died. He pushed everyone away and closed himself off. I’ve never seen him as happy as I have today. I missed that smile, the one I saw outside. That’s why we aren’t angry. One look at that and I knew you brought him back to life.”
I see tears in Mackie’s eyes as he looks at them. “I want to make him happy. He’s an amazing man who deserves to enjoy life. Neither of us will fill the hole your son left. He will be with Conan for life, and I plan to keep him alive with him because I believe when you remember someone, you give them life. I lost my parents when I was young, and it’s how I cope. I show them love and fill the world with them when they are gone.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Trisha murmurs.
“As am I,” Mackie offers as he touches her arm. “Tell me about your son. I’d love to know him. He sounds like an incredible man.”
We talk about him for hours, sharing their laughter as memories flow between us. Mackie listens and joins in, and when Trisha and Robert are ready to leave, they are beaming. I have Mackie to thank for that. I’ve tried to keep their son alive, but I could never make them happy, not like Mackie did tonight.
He took two broken hearts and helped heal them.
It’s who he is and the reason I started falling in love with him in the first place.
It wasn’t his place to fix them, but he is trying anyway.
“We’d love to have a meal again,” Robert says gruffly, looking at Mackie. “If you would like to join us?”
“I’d love to.” He beams. “And I’ll get those tickets sent over for the race.”
“I’d like that,” Robert says before nodding at me.
“It was lovely to meet you.” Trisha pulls him into a hug, surprising us both, before pushing his hair back into place. “Take care of him for us.”
“I will,” he promises as he steps back.
Trisha smiles, and I open my arms. She hurries into my embrace. “I’m so relieved you’re happy,” she whispers. “I like him. Keep him.”
“I plan to,” I murmur as she pulls back. Robert shakes my hand, and I walk them out. When I return, I lean into the door, watching as Mackie moves around my kitchen, cleaning and putting everything away.
