Though how his life could get more miserable than it already was, he didn’t know.
* * *
Will was going to die.
Mackenzie wandered around her kitchen on autopilot, brewing a cup of tea, eating but not really tasting a piece of toast. Staring at the sunlight streaming in from the window. Doing the dishes.
All the while, her mind was somewhere else. Somewhere dark and terrifying. A place that held not even the tiniest flicker of hope. A world without Will.
With a strangled groan, she sank into one of the chairs around the kitchen table and buried her face in her hands, a position she’d found herself in often over the past five days. She hadn’t heard from Will since he’d walked out that night, and a part of her almost wished his silence dragged on a bit longer.
What was she supposed to say if he called?
Did she tell him what she’d seen?
But how could she? She’d tried warning people before when she had a vision about them, but no matter what she did, the visions always came true. She couldn’t change them. Couldn’t stop them.
And what she’d seen… She wished like hell she could stop it.
The gunshots. The shriek of the helicopter rotors, the heart-stopping explosion rocking the chopper.
The smoke.
Helicopter falling from the sky, hurtling toward the canopy of green below.
A sob choked her throat as Will’s face flashed across her mind. The grim realization in his dark eyes when he realized his fate. When he accepted it.
“No!” she burst out, shooting to her feet.
It wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t happen.
Say you want to be with me.
Why, why hadn’t she been able to say it? She’d already crossed a line anyway and slept with her best friend, so why couldn’t she take that final step and admit what they both knew to be true?
Because you don’t want to lose him.
No, she definitely didn’t want that. Will was the only steady male in her life. Even after he’d joined the Navy and left town, he always came back. Weekends, holidays, any time he could get leave, he came back to Hunter Ridge. To her.
Would he come back this time? After everything that happened last week?
And what would she say to him if he did?
Hey, Will, I acted like an idiot. The sex was incredible, the best of my life. And oh, you’re going to die.
She paced the kitchen, her bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor, as her heart pounded against her ribs in a steady rhythm of panic. She had to tell him. Warn him. So what if he was probably furious with her? Maybe if she said something, she could change what she’d seen.
Lifting her chin in determination, she grabbed her phone from the counter. She jumped when it started ringing in her hand.
Hope bloomed in her chest. Quickly pressing the talk button, she lifted the phone to her ear and said, “Thank God you called!”
There was a beat, then a soft female chuckle. “Why do I get the feeling you were expecting someone else?” came Paula Durtz’s amused voice.
Disappointment jolted through her. “Oh. Hi, Paula. I, um…what’s up?”
“I just wanted to see if you’re still coming into town today.”
Town? Oh, right, she’d promised to drop off that necklace for Paula. “What time did we say again?” Mac asked.
“Two. So are we still on?”
She glanced at the clock hanging over the sink. It was quarter to, which meant she needed to get going. Yet the idea of leaving the house troubled her. She wasn’t in the mood for socializing, not when she couldn’t stop thinking about Will. About what it would cost her if she lost him. Actually lost him.
But Paula was the closest thing to a friend she had in Hunter Ridge. Maybe if she talked to her, told Paula what she’d seen…? Maybe the older woman could offer some advice.
“Yeah, we’re on,” Mac said. “I’ll meet you in the square in fifteen.”
4
“I love it,” Paula declared fifteen minutes later, holding up the pendant to admire it. The late afternoon sun caught on the little gold heart, making it sparkle.
Mackenzie gave a wry smile. “You hate it, and we both know it. It’s not your style at all.”
She emphasized the last remark with a pointed look at all the jewelry currently draped over various parts of the other woman’s body. A chunky silver necklace hung around Paula’s neck, and the numerous bracelets around her wrists boasted colorful costume gems and dangling charms. Even Paula’s wedding ring, a thin silver band encrusted with little diamonds, was elaborate in comparison to the simple necklace Mac had created for her. Not that Paula’s accessories were gaudy—if anything, Mac’s necklace was just too plain.
Paula laughed. “If it’s not my style, then why did you make it for me?”
“Because it’s as far as my skill can take me,” she grumbled.
“Well, if you’d just let me pay you for reading my fortune, then we wouldn’t have to go through this jewelry pretense, now would we, hon?” The lines around Paula’s mouth creased in amusement. “Don’t get me wrong—I’m willing to buy all the necklaces you want to make me. But don’t kid yourself, Mackenzie Ward. You’re not a jewelry maker, plain and simple. You’re a psychic.”
Mac tried not to flinch. She hated that word. Hated it. She wasn’t in denial; she was quite aware that her visions did indeed make her psychic. She simply didn’t like thinking of herself as that. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d struggled with her gift. She despised the visions. Didn’t need ’em, didn’t want ’em. As an adult, she’d tried hard to distance herself from them.
She’d graduated from high school, gone to college, learned how to make jewelry. She’d moved back to Hunter Ridge determined to work on her craft and start a business, and though the townsfolk humored her by buying her pieces, Mackenzie wasn’t stupid. She knew they only cared about her psychic abilities. She also knew most of them thought she was a nut job. They might chat with her in the supermarket or strike up friendly conversations at the local bar, but their minds were always on her “gift”. Wondering if she’d seen something terrible happen to them, thinking of a way to ask her about their future without looking like that’s all they wanted.
Only a few people seemed to genuinely care about her, visions or not. Paula was one of them. Will was another.
An ache seized her chest at the thought of Will.
Helicopter falling from the sky…
“Mackenzie? Honey, you okay?”
Paula’s voice sliced through her painful thoughts. She turned away from the woman’s concerned gaze, pretending to focus on a few fat pigeons sitting on the large fountain in the middle of the town square.
It was a gorgeous day, the sun high in the blue, cloudless sky, a warm breeze floating through the town. You’d never think a fierce storm had passed through here less than a week ago, but it had, and along with turning Mac’s entire world upside down, she’d heard the town had suffered some damage too. Lightning had struck one of the shops on idyllic Main Street, and a tree had cracked in two and smashed into the roof of the bowling alley.
When Mac had gone into town the next day, a few people even had the audacity to ask her why she hadn’t seen the storm coming. Fuckers. Like her visions could be controlled.
“Don’t be angry with me, hon.”
She nearly fell off the bench when she felt Paula’s hand on her knee. With a strained smile, she said, “I’m not angry with you. I was just thinking about the storm last weekend.”
Paula smiled knowingly. “Will was in town then, wasn’t he?”
Mackenzie wasn’t surprised that the other woman knew about Will’s visit. Paula owned the one and only general store in town, which ensured she knew everything that went on in Hunter Ridge. Ever since her husband died two years ago, Paula had thrown herself into that store, and she rarely closed shop before two in the morning. Since Will would’ve had to drive through Main Street when he
got in, Paula would’ve noticed his car. She noticed everything.
“Yeah, he was here,” Mac admitted.
“Did you two have a nice visit?”
“Not really.” She shrugged. “We fought.”
Paula raised her eyebrows. “I don’t believe that. You and Will have been inseparable since high school. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so much as raise your voices at one another.”
“There’s a first time for everything, I guess.”
Oh, yeah, definitely a first time for everything—like having mind-blowing sex with her best friend.
“But you made up, right?”
“Actually, I haven’t seen or spoken to him since,” Mac said evenly.
She wished the bitterness in her voice wasn’t so obvious, but she couldn’t help it. Yes, Will’s stony departure had been her fault. She’d refused to open her heart to him, to give him what he wanted, and she didn’t blame him for being mad. But not even a phone call since he’d left? She knew he wasn’t out of the country, since he always called or texted her before he went away, so the silence on his part bothered her.
“This is silly. Call him up, Mackenzie,” Paula ordered, her curly brown hair bouncing on her forehead as she shook her head. “You and Will love each other.”
That’s the problem.
She didn’t voice the thought, just offered a tense smile and said, “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course. Anything.”
She hesitated. “If I saw…if I told you I’d seen something dark in your future, would you want to know?”
Paula’s face went pale. “Oh dear Lord! You saw my death!”
Mac quickly patted the woman’s arm. “No, not at all. I promise. This is strictly hypothetical.”
Paula visibly relaxed. “Wait. You’re thinking about poor Mr. Garber, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” Mac lied.
“Aw, honey. You know you shouldn’t feel guilty about what happened. You couldn’t stop it.”
“No, I couldn’t,” she said sadly. “The vision came too fast. He died before I could even call the police.” She swallowed. “But if I saw something ahead of time, about you—hypothetically—would you want to be warned? Even if you knew it was set in stone?”
Paula paused thoughtfully. “Is it really, though? Set in stone, I mean?”
Tears stung Mac’s eyes. “So far. I’ve never seen anything that didn’t happen. It always comes true, Paula. Always.”
“Then, yes.” Paula gave a brisk nod. “I would want to know.”
“Really?”
“Sure. I’d get my affairs in order. Make amends. Leave nothing unsaid. I’d want to enjoy every second I had left.”
Mac fell silent, wondering if that’s what Will would do. Straighten his affairs, enjoy his last moments?
Somehow she couldn’t picture it. Knowing Will, he’d push everyone away—for their own good, of course. He’d say a quick goodbye and disappear, wanting to protect the people in his life from unnecessary heartache.
And although she hadn’t seen or spoken to him in days, the thought of him leaving turned her insides. If he knew he was going to die, he would push her away, while she would want nothing more than to keep him as close as she could.
A helicopter falling from the sky…
She shoved the horrific image aside and straightened her shoulders. She might not be able to change the future, but she sure as hell could change the present.
“Tomorrow,” she announced.
The older woman looked startled. “What?”
“If I don’t hear from Will tonight, I’m calling him first thing tomorrow.”
Paula grinned. “Good girl.”
Mac drew in a calming breath and repeated the word in her head.
Tomorrow.
* * *
“So?”
Will stared into Shelby’s excited blue eyes and wondered if he was nuts for actually seeing the merit of this crazy scheme. It didn’t help that he was feeling pretty disoriented, considering the two women had come knocking on his door at six in the morning and interrupted his much-needed sleep. He hadn’t slept much since his night with Mackenzie. Too much tossing and turning and cursing her for being so damn stubborn.
With a groan, he rubbed his tired eyes and rose from the couch, where Holly and Shelby had sandwiched him after he’d led them into the tiny living room of his even tinier bungalow. This place had never quite felt like home to him. It kept him close to the base, but that was the only draw about it. To him, home was Hunter Ridge. And not the two-story redbrick house he’d grown up in, which was now occupied by another family. Nope. Home was Mackenzie’s creaky old farmhouse, the only place where he felt truly like himself.
Home was Mackenzie.
“Come on, Will,” Holly said as she trailed after him into the kitchen. “You know this is a good plan.”
“You know it is,” Shelby chimed in.
“Would you at least let me make a cup of coffee before we discuss this juvenile bullshit?” he grumbled. Striding over to the counter, he clicked on the coffeemaker and then grabbed a mug from the cabinet over the sink. “You guys want any?”
Both women shook their heads, then waited patiently as he fixed himself a cup of black coffee. But he could see the unrestrained enthusiasm in their eyes. Leaning against the fridge, he gulped down the scalding liquid and waited for the java to do its thing. Almost instantly he felt alert, his mind sharpened by the caffeine. But while the sharp mind should’ve kick-started his usually excellent common sense, he still found himself intrigued by the women’s ridiculous plan.
Obviously picking up on his interest, Shelby gave a delighted laugh. “You think it’ll work, don’t you?”
Sipping his coffee, he eyed them over the rim of his mug. “I’ll admit, it’s not a bad idea.”
Holly grinned. “So when do we leave?”
He scratched the stubble on his chin with his free hand. “I’m not saying I’ll do it.”
“Of course you’ll do it,” Holly said. Her grin widened. “This is going to be so much fun.”
Will eyed the brunette. “Have you spoken to Carson about this idea? You know, your live-in boyfriend? I hardly think he’s going to agree to this.”
Holly shrugged. “Sure he will. He’s been saying for ages how you need to settle down.”
“I’m perfectly willing to settle down. It’s the woman I want to settle down with who’s not being cooperative.”
“Which is why we’re going to kick some sense into her stubborn head,” Holly said breezily. “Trust me, no woman wants to see the man she loves with another woman. The claws always come out when a chick feels threatened.”
Will chuckled. “Sure you want to face those claws, Hol? Mac’s a lot tougher than you think.”
Holly smirked. “I can handle her.”
Next to her, Shelby laughed. “Can I be there when we tell Carson about this?”
“I still haven’t agreed,” Will interjected, sipping his coffee again.
But the protest was futile, because they all knew he would do it. Childish as this plan was, he suspected it might be exactly what Mackenzie needed. Although he wouldn’t go as far as to say she’d taken him for granted, he did believe there was some truth to that.
Since they were fifteen years old, Mac had leaned on him for support. Whether she’d been upset about the visions or complaining about her older sister, who’d been appointed Mac’s guardian after their parents died, Will always offered his ear and his shoulder. He’d watched her date other guys, listened to her describe her sexual fantasies, and through it all, Mac had continued to ignore the chemistry between them.
But while she’d had no problem introducing Will to whatever boyfriend she was with at the time, he’d never taken a woman back to Hunter Ridge before. And there had definitely been other women. Warm, willing females with whom he’d passed the time and dated in an attempt to forget Mackenzie.
What would she do if he brough
t a woman home? Would it tear at her insides the way the sight of her with other men tore at his?
Would she finally find the strength to admit she loved him as much as he loved her?
He didn’t know the answer to any of those questions, but he was damn well going to try and get ’em.
He slammed his mug down on the counter and set his jaw. “You know what? Scratch that. I have agreed.” He fixed a determined stare at Holly. “We leave tomorrow.”
* * *
“You want to borrow my girlfriend?” With an outraged curse, Carson dropped the box in his hands so he could curl both fists and wave them in front of Will.
The cardboard box smashed onto the floor of Carson and Holly’s new glorious kitchen with a resounding thunk and the distinct sound of glass shattering.
“My new plates!” Holly wailed, immediately sinking to her knees. She ripped open the tape closing the two flaps together and peered into the box. Then she looked up at Carson in horror. “You’re a monster!”
Carson scowled at her. “I’ll buy you new plates.” The scowl deepened. “That is, if I decide not to break up with you. I can’t believe this was your idea. I told Garrett you and Shelby shouldn’t hang out. The two of you are trouble together.”
“They’re just trying to help me out,” Will pointed out, experiencing a jolt of sympathy at the despair on Holly’s face. He swiftly knelt down and tried to pry her hands out of the box. “Quit sticking your fingers in there, Hol. It’s filled with broken glass.”
Carson released an enraged roar. “Don’t you dare comfort my girlfriend. My girlfriend!”
Holly got to her feet and planted her hands on her hips. “Now I’m definitely going,” she shot back. “You broke my plates.”
“So you’re going to play house with my lieutenant as punishment?”
“He’s in love with another woman!”
“Well, I’m in love with you!”
Holly’s eyes softened. “Doesn’t it make you love me more knowing I’m willing to help one of your friends?”
Out of Uniform Box Set: Books 1-3 Page 16