Hometown Love (15 page)

Tell him the truth. Don’t just go with it. If he doesn’t like it, better to know now
. “I’m not ready for that.” She moved away from him as she waited for a response. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea tonight.” She looked around for her bra and shirt. Spotting both near his, she reached for them, but Mack’s fingers closed gently around her wrist before she could pick them up.

He picked up her clothes and handed them to her. Did that mean he wanted her to leave? “Mack, I-—”

“It’s okay. Yeah, I thought you wanted more, but I understand. We both got a little carried away just now.” He pulled his own shirt on. When he spoke again his voice remained tender and full of understanding. “Why don’t we get comfortable and re-start the movie?”

Jessie slumped back, not much, but enough that he noticed the motion. The movement made him consider her response minutes before, as well as the one the first night they’d kissed. As she clipped her bra back on, his sister’s comment about Jessie not having much experience with men popped up. Was that why she’d gotten so unsettled tonight? Was it possible she’d never had sex? How could that be? Jessie was Erin’s age. He didn’t think any woman reached their age as a virgin. Then again, it would explain her unease.

Mack tossed the thought around and watched as Jessie pulled her shirt back on, his gaze drawn to the scar that started on her side and wrapped around to her back. “What happened there?” He pointed to the faded mark.

Jessie yanked down her shirt, covering up the scar. “I tripped and fell. Rather than land on the floor, I landed on a wine glass I left on a coffee table.”

Her explanation sounded plausible yet his gut told him it wasn’t the truth. Or, at least, not the whole truth. “That must have hurt.” Despite his misgivings with her explanation, he accepted it. Maybe he spent too much time around criminals who lied all the time. After all, there was no reason for Jessie to lie now. “Do you want anything before we restart the movie?” He ignored the questions her words and actions created. Tonight, it was only the two of them, and he planned on enjoying their time together.

When Jessie shook her head, he grabbed the remote control. “Let me know if you change your mind.” Restarting the movie, he put his arm around her and pulled her close.

He’d seen the classic sci-fi movie so many times he could quote it scene-by-scene, a habit that had driven his ex-wife crazy on the few occasions they’d watched the film together. Tonight, with Jessie, he made an effort not to recite a single line.

When they reached the movie’s first real memorable scene, however, Jessie did the one thing he’d avoided all night and repeated the heroine’s lines word-for-word. Since that particular scene was so well-known, he chalked it up to a random event. The third time she did it, repeating a much lesser-known line, he broke the comfortable silence around them.

“How many times have you seen this movie?”

“As an adult or all together? Because if we’re counting when I was a kid, it would be over thirty.”

“I think I have you beat. I was obsessed with this movie as a kid. Had every toy they came out with and a lunch box.”

Jessie beamed back at him. “Me, too. I think my grandmother still has a few of my toys tucked away in the attic.”

Pleased to learn that they had something else in common, they fell into a discussion about which movie in the
Star Wars
series was best and why. Soon the misgivings Jessie’s earlier explanation evoked, disappeared.

***

Since Sean had helped with his move, Mack felt obligated to return the favor. So rather than spend Sunday morning at home, he found himself at Sean’s after breakfast. Even from the outside, he noticed the improvements to the old Queen Anne style house. Although it still needed a fresh coat of paint, the house had all new windows and a roof. The shrubs, which had become overgrown from years of neglect, were gone and a new mailbox stood near the street. Even with all the improvements, a lot of work remained, according to Sean. When Sean had filled him in on some of what he’d already done and what he still had planned, he’d questioned his friend’s sanity.

Walking past Tony’s truck, Mack started up the paved walkway and glanced over at The Victorian Rose, another Victorian era home that Sean had kept in prime condition for years. Today, like always, a No-Vacancy sign hung out in front and several cars remained in the parking lot. Even before Charlie’s marriage, the bed and breakfast had done well with a steady stream of guests. Since her marriage, though, he didn’t think the No-Vacancy sign ever came down. If anyone deserved that kind of success, it was Sean and his family.

“Now that you’re here, we can start,” Sean said when he answered the front door. “Hope you’re up for some demolition.”

“Always up for that.” Mack followed Sean inside, impressed at the home’s interior. Although a bed and chest of drawers sat in what should be a living room, there was no missing the improvements made inside. All the rooms they passed had a fresh coat of paint. Brand new light fixtures hung from the ceiling, and with the exception of the stairs, the hardwood floors gleamed.

“Off your ass, Tony. Time to get to work,” Sean said when he and Mack entered a well-thought-out kitchen with brand new appliances.

Tony stuffed the last of his muffin into his mouth. “I should ask your mom to send me baked stuff. My mother’s too busy traveling now since she retired.”

“Good luck with that.” Sean led them up a back stairway. Unlike on the first floor, old wallpaper covered the walls and the floors showed their century-plus of use.

“What’s the plan for today?” Mack asked as they passed a gutted bathroom.

“Tearing down a wall to start.” Sean opened a door. “I want to turn this room and the one next to it into a master suite.”

Mack grabbed a sledgehammer from the floor, eager to get started. There was just something about knocking down a wall. “Easy enough.”

The three men worked for over an hour in relative silence until Sean’s cell phone rang. As he left the room to take the call, Tony and Mack leaned their tools against a wall and sat on the debris-covered floor.

“Seems like every time I pass your place Jessie is there.” Tony used the end of his t-shirt to wipe sweat from his face.

Mack remembered Tony’s comment about asking Jessie out himself. At the time, he’d guessed it was just another case of a woman temporarily catching his eye. Now, he wondered, though. While he considered Striker and Sean closer friends than Tony, he’d been friends with the guy for a long time and didn’t want any hard feeling between them. “She’s been over for dinner a few times.” He grabbed his water and downed half the bottle.

Tony did the same before he spoke again. “Surprised O’Brien hasn’t given you hell about it.”

Sean walked back into the room and grabbed the last water bottle on the floor. “Given him hell about what?”

Tony took another swig. “Mack with Jessie. Every time I mentioned her, you acted like her brother and warned me away. Mack here seems to have the green light though.”

“That’s because I know you’re a dog, Tony. Any woman deserves better than you.”

“Glad you think so highly of me,” Tony said, a hint of anger in his voice.

Sean and Tony were close friends. Mack suspected that was the only reason Tony didn’t slug Sean for his comment. Instead, they threw a few insults back and forth. While they exchanged some choice words, Mack recalled Tony’s comment about Sean acting like a brother. “Do either of you know if Jessie has dated a lot?” He wanted to ask if she was a virgin. That would explain her uneasy behavior, but he assumed neither man would have an answer to that question.

“Don’t think so,” Tony answered. “Then again, I don’t think I would’ve noticed.”

“She dated someone for several years. I remember seeing them around town together. But that was a long time ago. Don’t recall anyone since.” Sean downed the rest of his water. “Enough rest. Let’s finish this.”

After leaving Sean’s later that afternoon, Mack picked up some steaks before returning home. While he worked out on a regular basis, his body wasn’t accustomed to swinging a sledgehammer. Already he ached from the activity, and he suspected tomorrow it would be worse. Still, taking down the wall had been enjoyable in an odd sort of way. Now, as he washed away the sweat and dust that covered him, he looked forward to having his daughter home. As wonderful as the weekend with Jessie had been, he’d noticed Grace’s absence. Although he missed her, he hoped she enjoyed her weekend because it might be several weeks before Grace saw Bethany again.

Clean and dressed, he put the steaks on the grill. With Grace due home any minute, he wanted dinner ready sooner rather than later. After two nights with her mom, she’d be overtired. With school tomorrow, it would be a good idea if he got her into bed early. That was one of the reasons he hadn’t invited Jessie for dinner. With her around, he’d have a difficult time getting Grace into bed. His other reason stemmed from the occasional glimpse of apprehension or whatever it was he saw in her. The last thing he wanted was to push her too far too fast. Even in the short time they’d been together, he’d become emotionally invested in their relationship. He didn’t want to sabotage it before it even had a chance to develop further. If that meant taking things a little on the slow side, he’d do it.

“Daddy, I’m home.” Grace walked through the front door as he checked the football score on television. “Look what Mommy bought me.” She held up a boxed dollhouse family. “She got me another house, too. It’s not as big as mine here. It’s a vacation home.”

Mack looked at Bethany. More toys were the last thing Grace needed.

“It is in the trunk. Don’t worry, it’s not as big as her other one, I promise.”

Without a comment, he accepted her car keys. It must be big enough if Bethany hadn’t carried it in herself. “Be right back.”

Judging by the size of the box, the new house was almost as big as the one already in the living room. “We’ll put this together later.”

“When it’s done, I want to invite Jessie over to show her.” Grace kneeled down to examine the picture on the box, her parents forgotten.

“I heard a lot about Jessica this weekend. She sounds sweet.” Bethany took back her car keys. “I need to get going. I’ll see you in a few weeks, okay, Grace?”

“Okay.” Grace gave her mom a quick hug and kiss and then returned to the new dollhouse.

Bethany opened the door to leave. “I’ll be in touch, Mack.”

With his ex-wife gone and his daughter home, all was once again right in his world. “Come on, buddy. Let’s check on dinner and you can tell me about your weekend.”

A little slower than usual, Grace stood and took his hand. “I loved room service.”

The smell of fall hung in the air. Colorful leaves dotted every tree, the vibrant red, orange and yellow creating a rainbow of fall colors. In another few weeks, they would fall, leaving the trees bare, but right now, they helped create a picture-perfect September day in New England. A day so perfect everyone in the area had decided to take advantage of it. The parking lot at Watch Hill Orchard overflowed with cars as Mack searched for a spot. From the passenger seat, Jessie kept an eye out, as well, while in the back seat, Grace and Brianna discussed Halloween costumes.

Thanks to Jessie’s observant eyes, she spotted a minivan just as it backed out of a space and Mack got to it in the nick of time. “All right, you two. No wandering away.” He waited for both girls to get out before he spoke again so they’d both hear him. “You need to be where either Jessie or I can see you at all times. Understand?”

Both girls nodded in agreement. “Can we get ice cream here?” Grace asked.

“Can we see the animals?” Brianna asked.

Watch Hill Orchard wasn’t just a regular old apple orchard. They grew a wide variety of fruit that customers could pick, depending on the month. The orchard also had a bakery that served sandwiches as well as pie, donuts, and ice cream. A large playground had been built for the children, and not far from it, there was an animal petting area.

“We’ll see. First, let’s pick apples and pumpkins. If we’re up for it after that, we can check out the ice cream.”

Satisfied with his answer, Grace and Brianna walked together in front of them. “Those two really are like sisters,” Jessie said as they walked together, Mack’s arm slung over her shoulders. Even though they’d been together about a month now, a warm glow still flowed through her every time he touched her.

“They’re only months apart and neither has a brother or sister. Even after Erin has the baby, I think they’ll still be this close.” Mack pulled her against him and kissed her forehead. “I’m glad you could come with us today.”

When he’d first invited her along, she’d been conflicted. After hearing it was a tradition he’d done with Grace for years, she hadn’t wanted to interfere. Neither Mack nor Grace liked her initial refusal, and both set out to change her mind, a task they’d accomplished in record time. “Me, too.”

They fell silent and boarded the tractor-pulled wagon that would carry them off to the orchard. The wagon swayed and jarred them as it passed row after row of apple trees. The orchard didn’t allow customers to pick just anywhere. Each day, the staff determined which grove of trees would be used.

When the wagon stopped, an employee climbed onboard. “Okay, folks. Before you get started, I have a few announcements.” She waited until she had everyone’s attention before she continued. “Today, we’re picking Gala, Cortland, and Golden Delicious apples. Sorry, we’re all out of Honey Crisp. Please remember to twist the apple from the tree; don’t pull it. Finally, we realize everyone likes to eat an apple or two. Please throw your cores in one of the white buckets at the end of each aisle.” Announcements over, the employee exited the wagon, a trail of eager customers behind her.

“Do you make apple pie?” Mack asked as Grace and Brianna set off in search of apples.

“Sometimes. I have a recipe for apple bread, too.” They joined the girls at a tree. At first glance, it appeared empty, but after careful inspection, Grace spotted some bright red apples near the top.

“Daddy can you lift me up? The apples are too high.”

With ease, Mack sat Grace on his shoulders. “Just pick a few. There are a lot more trees.” While Grace choose her favorites, Mack looked back at Jessie. “I’ll make a deal with you. If you make an apple pie tonight, I’ll cook dinner.”

Tonight would be only the second time since they’d almost made love that they’d be alone. Instead, she’d always spent time with Mack and his daughter either at his house or someplace public. Tonight, though, after apple-picking, the plan was to drop the girls off at his sister’s house so that Erin and her husband could take them to a fair in South Yarmouth first thing in the morning.

On the one occasion she and Mac had been alone, they’d done plenty of kissing but nothing more. He never commented on what had happened weeks earlier, and he didn’t push her toward anything more. Even with all that, she didn’t know how much longer he’d be willing to wait before he told her to put out or get out. She tried to not dwell on the possibility that he might get fed up with waiting. Despite her best efforts, though, she did dwell at times, and when she did, the thoughts of losing him tore her insides to shreds. Even with the fear, she refused to cave in and give him control. She’d been down that road. This time when she made love, it would be when
she
wanted it no matter what.

Unwelcome tension stretched over her as she considered the night ahead. 
Enjoy yourself. Focus on the here and now.

“What do you say?” he asked as he put down Grace and hoisted up Brianna so she could grab a few apples.

“You have a deal.”

Over the years, Jessie had gone apple-picking several times. Never, though, did it take as long to fill their bag as it did that day. One would’ve thought that with four people picking, they would have filled the bag after two or three rows, but not today. And not for lack of trying. Rather, there just were not as many apples as previous years. She’d read on the news that this year’s crop was poor, but hadn’t expected it to be like this.

“Time to call it a day,” Mack said about an hour after they started.

Brianna dropped an apple into the bag while she bit into another, the juice dripping down her chin. “Our bag is super full.”

“Perfect for lots of pies. Now, let’s grab some pumpkins, and if you girls still want, we can get ice cream.”

“I hope they have Green Monster. It’s the best,” Brianna said.

As a group, they walked to the wagon stop for a ride back. “I thought your favorite was Chocolate Chip.”

“Green Monster is my favorite now, Uncle Mack. Grace, you have to try it.”

The scent of diesel fuel reached them, signaling that the tractor pulling the wagon was close.

“What’s your favorite, Mack?” Jessie asked. She’d learned so much about it him over the past month, but there remained many things she didn’t know.

“That depends.” They walked forward as the wagon rolled to a stop. “If I’m in the mood for something traditional, it’s coffee. Otherwise, my favorite is Candy Dish. A place in Boston sells it.” Mack followed her up the wooden steps. “What about you? I bet whatever it is, it contains peanut butter.”

While Grace and Brianna sat on a bench in the center, Mack and Jessie picked a bench alongside the outer wall. From that position, they could keep an eye on the girls and enjoy the scenery. “I do like anything that contains peanut butter, but my favorite is Butter Pecan. Unless it’s in a sundae; then my favorite is plain chocolate smothered with hot fudge and nuts.”

“Can we get sundaes?” Grace asked, her conversation with her cousin put on hold.

Jessie hadn’t considered that Grace or Brianna might hear her. They’d appeared too wrapped up in each other. “Sorry.”

Mack considered the request. “You two can. I’m going to pass today and hold out for apple pie.”

“I think I’ll do the same.”

Neither girl cared what the adults did. Instead, they began to discuss what candy toppings they wanted.

***

An under-stuffed scarecrow dressed in a denim shirt and jeans sat propped against the front tree. Next to it, sat a much smaller scarecrow, this one dressed in a long-sleeved princess shirt and leggings. Jessie had helped Mack and Grace make both scarecrows the prior weekend. Since then, Mack had added black plastic bats and cobwebs to the tree and tied some corn stalks to the front light post. Perhaps because of its proximity to Salem, Halloween had always been a big deal around town and people started with their decorations the month before. Although she considered the whole thing a bit ridiculous, the decorations did add to the fall atmosphere.

“I don’t know what you need for an apple pie, but if I don’t have it, I can run over to the store.” Mack opened the door to the house. “Feel free to check.”

Jessie preceded him into the kitchen. Except for two cereal bowls in the sink, the room appeared as neat and clean as her kitchen. In fact, Mack’s entire house looked tidy. Sure, Grace’s toys remained around the place, but she’d never seen mountains of dirty dishes or clothes hanging around. She wondered how he managed it all. He never complained, but she imagined life as a single dad could become overwhelming, especially considering the stress of his job. Not only did he not complain, he made it look easy.

“We don’t need much.” Jessie opened the cupboard where she’d seen Mack grab spices the last time he’d grilled. “Thank you again for taking me today. I had a lot of fun.”

Mack came around and stood alongside her as she hunted for cinnamon. “Neither of us wanted it any other way. Grace told me to invite you before I even mentioned it to her. She’s crazy about you.”

What about you?
“She’s a fantastic little girl. You do a wonderful job with her.” After she located the spices she needed, she grabbed the flour and sugar, adding them to the collection on the counter. “Just need butter and water and I can get some pies started.”

“I’ll grab the butter from the refrigerator for you and then get dinner going.” Mack pushed away from the counter.

Jessie cored and cut up apples while Mack prepared chicken kabobs for the grill. Every so often, he’d grab something else from the refrigerator and each time he passed by her, he’d kiss her.

I could get used to this
. With no trouble, she pictured them preparing meals like this all the time with Grace keeping them company. “I picked up a gift for the wedding.”

Next to her, Mack washed and dried his hands, eight kabobs finished. “Great. I still need to take Grace shopping for a dress.”

She’d not considered that Grace might come to the wedding, but since everyone in town planned to go, that left few babysitters available. “I need to get something myself.” Since she’d lost weight, she’d purchased one nice sleeveless dress. While it had been perfect for Mrs. O’Brien’s engagement party, it wouldn’t do for an October wedding. “I can take Grace with me if you want. Save you a trip to the mall.”

“You’re amazing, you know that?” His hands slid around her waist and he pulled her against him. “And that’s why I love you.”

The measuring cup filled with flour hit the counter and Jessie stopped breathing.

“You’re as stiff as a board. Are you okay?”

Mack would never say something he didn’t mean. Still, she had trouble comprehending his words. Words that she herself had wanted to say but had held back. “You love me?” She should express her own feelings. That was what people did in a situation like this. First, though, she needed to be sure she’d heard him right. That she hadn’t imagined it.

“You sound surprised. I thought you would’ve figured that out by now.” He let go of her and came around so that he could see her face.

Time for some truth of my own.
“No, I hadn’t figured it out, but I love you and Grace, too.”

He gave her a smile alive with affection and delight. “I’m glad. You had me worried for a minute there.” Dipping his head, he pressed a light kiss on her mouth. “I’m going to put dinner on the grill. Be right back.”

She watched him walk away and leaned into the counter. Wow. He loved her. She’d known how deep her own feelings went for a while, but she hadn’t seen that coming from him.

She watched him outside by the grill. He deserved to know why she’d forced them to stop the night they’d almost made love. But could she tell him? Would he think less of her because she’d allowed someone else such control of her life? Disgust toward herself still plagued her sometimes when she thought back on that time of her life. Would Mack decide he wanted someone stronger around his daughter? Someone who would help Grace develop self-confidence rather than someone who’d almost let a man destroy her self-esteem and self-worth?

Behind her, the oven beeped, letting her know it had reached the set temperature. The reminder took her away from her thoughts and back to the unfinished pie. If they hoped to enjoy it for dessert, she needed to roll out two piecrusts. Everything else could wait until later.

Before tonight he’d not considered the how and when he should drop the L-word on her. He’d assumed by now that she had some idea of how he felt. After all, he’d more or less made her a part of his and Grace’s family. Her reaction when he told her tonight proved him dead wrong. She’d come back with an “I love you, too,” but if that was the case, what kept her so quiet tonight? All through dinner she’d stayed quieter than usual. Even now, a few hours since he’d blurted out the truth without thinking, she remained quiet. Had his impromptu declaration hurt rather than helped their relationship?

“Are you feeling okay tonight?” He’d already gone through all the channels on the television while she flipped through his DVD collect, not once saying a word.

She looked up and gave him a faint smile that contained no happiness. “Fine. Why?”

In his experience, when a woman said those words the way she said them, it meant something
wasn’t
fine. “You’ve been looking at the same DVDs for five minutes.” Ready for a conversation regardless of whether or not he liked the outcome, he switched off the television. “Are you upset about what I said before?”