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Without him.
Somehow, in the span of a week, Macon had become something meaningful to me.
I wasn’t sure what, but I was glad it was him who had barged into my house that night, and despite what I’d said to him after he walked up to me in that parking lot, I had been more than relieved to see his face.
I’d nearly gotten everything put back where I’d had it when there was a soft knock on the door. When I got there, I found Macon on the other side, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. He smelled clean, like he’d freshly showered, and he had that burning intensity about him that never seemed to ease.
“You don’t have to knock,” I said casually. “I don’t really have any other visitors. And besides”—I grinned—“I have the best security system around.” I moved the door back and forth, demonstrating the squeaking noise that had given away his not-so-stealthy entrance the night I arrived.
He shook his head, his brows furrowed. “We’re gonna fix that.” He then looked down at the lock and back up and me. “And as for your security system, lock the door.”
“But it’s Ocracoke,” I answered with a shrug. No one ever locked their door.
Those hazel eyes met mine, and I shivered.
“Lock the damn door, Marin.”
Bossy Macon is back.
“Okay,” I said, biting my lip to keep from grinning.
“Have you eaten?” he asked, putting a large box of tools down near the front door.
“I had ramen at noon. Does that count?”
“Barely,” he answered. “I was going to go grab takeout at Billy’s. Do you want something?”
I perked up. “Oh, can I go with you? I wanted to say hi. I didn’t get a chance the other day.”
Billy was one of the few people I’d actually connected with during my short time on the island. He’d been kind to Daniel, letting him work for hours on the patio by the water.
“You know he lives next door, right?”
“Well, yeah, but I can’t just go knock on his door.”
He looked at me, his face going blank. “Why?”
I opened my mouth and then snapped it closed again. Finally, I answered, “Because…” I paused, seeing his eyes light up as he grinned. “Because that’s weird. I haven’t seen him in years.”
He just shook his head back and forth. “You really didn’t live here long, did you?”
I just rolled my eyes. “Obviously.”
“Billy would love the company,” he assured me. “But if you’re uncomfortable just dropping in, I can bring you over sometime.”
“Have you and Billy always been close?” I asked.
Macon had mentioned him a lot, even saying he’d told him about our situation.
The real one.
“We weren’t as kids,” he explained. “But we’ve become pretty close over the last few years.”
I wanted to ask more, but before I could, he asked, “Did you still want to come?”
“Shouldn’t we call ahead?”
“No,” he answered. “We can order there. It will give you more time to catch up.”
