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I hated calling her a friend when I wanted her to be so much more but being friends with her just might give me another chance to be something more.
“So are you.”
Chapter 6
Hope
It shouldn’t have surprised me to see the picture of Mac and me in the gossip columns the next day, but it did. The East was famous for the people who frequented the establishment and that paparazzi and even the staff had been known to look for the right opportunity to get a scoop on the newest gossip.
Though, how Mac and I sitting and having a drink at a bar was news, much less gossip, was beyond me. We were known to run in the same social circles, and no one had ever put us together, until now.
The picture was taken right after Mac had said something funny, or it was right after he mentioned us dating and I had laughed out of nervousness. My eyes were closed so I hadn’t seen the look he gave me, but the picture captured it perfectly, or they had found the exact moment to make it look like he was gazing at me with desire in his eyes.
My breath caught when I first saw the picture. I had never imagined that Mac could look at me like that and I wasn’t sure what to do thinking he had. I immediately told myself it was only because the person taking the picture happened to catch him looking at me at the perfect moment, nothing more.
It didn’t mean anything. Nor did his comment about us actually dating.
I had honestly thought he was joking. We had been having fun, sharing a drink, and catching up. Him bringing up us actually dating was just another way for him to keep the conversation going. It didn’t mean he was serious about it, or at least I didn’t think so, though all I had to do was look at the picture online and I started to have my doubts.
Had it been so long since I had been out with a man that I forgot what it was like when one looked at me with desire, or when one was asking me out? I wanted to think I was better at noticing those things that I hadn’t been that oblivious, but maybe I was.
I wasn’t sure what to do about the picture. Should I call Mac and see how he felt about it? The man was the head of public relations for his family’s company, if anyone would know how to handle it, he would. Did I call my sister, Faith, who was in the same line of work? I had no idea what I would say to Mac if I talked to him, so it seemed easier and more productive to talk to Faith.
“Cole, take her, will you?” Faith said as she answered the phone.
I could hear my niece crying in the background and then it slowly faded as Cole took her away. Faith let out a soft sigh and I could almost see her walking away from her husband and child.
“That’s better. Now I can hear myself think. Do I even need to ask why you’re calling me this early in the morning?”
“You’ve seen the picture of me online?”
“Oh, you bet I did. Mom has already called. She would have called you but hoped you would be otherwise occupied.”
“She did not,” I said slowly and loudly.
“Not in that many words but it was implied. I take it you didn’t have an overnight guest in the tall, dark, and handsome variety?”
“No. We did not go home together. We were only there having a drink. It wasn’t even that.”
“You sound flustered. What’s going on?”
“Are you serious? There’s a picture of me in the gossip column of a major paper linking me to one of the city’s most eligible or at least sought-after bachelors. Gee, I have no idea why I might be flustered.”
“I think you two look cute together. You always could light up a room when you laughed, and it looks like you’re doing more than that where Mac is concerned.”
“Stop it. Don’t say that.” I found myself looking down at the picture and had a hard time disagreeing with my sister.
“Have you seen the picture? It’s like an ad for a porn site or at least it belongs on the cover of a romance novel. It’s hot.”
“You aren’t helping me. I called to get advice on what to do.”
“Do you want advice on where to go? I could recommend some good restaurants.”
“That isn’t what I’m talking about. How do I diffuse this? How do I get out of this?” I asked.
“Why do you want to get out of this? What are you talking about? Don’t think for a second I’m not mad at you because you didn’t tell me that you and Mac were dating. I know I’ve been busy but I’m never too busy for you,” she countered.
“We aren’t dating. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”
