“Oh, I meant you.” The girl looks at me, and I blink.
“He isn’t either,” Mackie replies, leaning forward. “He’s mine, so back off, sister.”
“Good catch.” She sighs, changing her voice. “Congrats.”
He glares at her back as she leaves, and I drape my arm around his neck and tug him closer. “Possessive.”
Mackie looks at me, still annoyed, as I wipe the sugar from his lips and suck it away. “Like you weren’t glaring at everyone I talked to at the bar.”
“I was, but there’s a difference. I only see you,” I promise as I kiss him. “Just sweet enough on your lips.”
He elbows me away, but he smiles before he downs his drink. “Come on, old man, let’s get back out there.”
He laughs at my groan, but how can I protest when he’s that fucking cute?
Our hands swing back and forth, my jacket is around his shoulders, and our smiles are wide. Despite my complaint, I loved getting to see him so happy and showing him off.
“I really enjoyed that,” I admit. “I guess if it involves you, I can get into sports.”
“You certainly like the horizontal bed kind,” he teases, and my jaw drops, making him laugh before I grab him to get my own back.
“Conan?” The voice stops me, and I glance up to see two people in front of us on the sidewalk. My laughter instantly fades away, and I swallow hard as I stare at Penelope and Todd—my husband’s best friends.
“Hey,” I say softly. “It’s been a long time.”
“It has.” Penelope glances at Mackie, and her expression seems to sour before she looks back at me. “I hear you’ve been doing well.”
“So have you, and you guys just had a second kid, right?” I ask awkwardly. We drifted away after my husband died. They were never my friends, and I always suspected they blamed me for his death. Theynever outright said it, but there was hostility when they spoke to me, the same kind I’m sensing now.
“Yup, a boy. We named him Steven,” she snaps. “You remember that name, right?”
My heart sinks at my husband’s name and the accusation in her words.
“Pen.” Todd winces as he looks at me. “Is this your . . . partner?”
“This is Mackie, my boyfriend,” I reply. “Mackie, this is Penelope and Todd, Steven’s best friends.”
“Oh, so he knows about your husband? Strange, since you seem to have forgotten.” I shrink under her vile words, clutching Mackie’s hand like a lifeline. “You moved on quickly enough, and to someone much younger. I get how it is.”
“What, is he supposed to stay single forever?” Mackie snaps, stepping in front of me protectively. I put my hands on his shoulders and try to tug him back.
“Mackie, it’s fine?—”
“No, it isn’t. She’s treating you like shit. Conan said you were Steven’s best friends. Do you really think your best friend would want you treating Conan this way?” he demands.
“I wouldn’t know. He’s dead.” She looks at me. “And Conan isn’t.”
So that’s what it boils down to. My flinch must be felt by Mackie.
“And what, that’s his fault? Accidents happen, and Conan has been loyal to him for many years. He told me about him immediately. I even met his parents, who were happy for him, yet you can’t be? Grow the fuck up. I’m sorry you lost someone important to you, but so did Conan, and treating him like shit for trying to find some happiness in his life after nothing but grief and loneliness for years is just shit. I see you moved on. Kids, yeah? Should he say the same about you?”
“That isn’t fair—” Penelope starts, taken aback.
“No, what isn’t fair is the way you spoke and looked at a man who loved your best friend more than anything in this world. I don’t know you, lady, but I know Conan, and he’s a good person. You will never speak to him like that again or we are going to have issues, understand?”
Todd looks between us before laughing awkwardly. “He’s got spunk. Steven would have liked him.” Todd grunts when Penelope elbows him. “What? He would. Don’t be such an ass, babe. Steve is gone, has been for a long time.”
She looks between us and Todd then storms past us without another word. Todd sighs and heads our way, and Mackie keeps himself between us. “Look, Conan, I’m sorry, man. She’s just . . . Yeah.” He leaves, and I’m left staring after them, feeling sick to my core and ashamed.
