My Only One

by Goode, Ella

  “Fine.” I grab my purse, handing Mack my keys. “I’m paying you back,” I tell him. Who knows what it will cost for me to fix the car? I have no clue what is wrong with it. I’m sure if I dig a little I’d figure it out but I wasn’t going to let myself do that. I’d fall down a rabbit hole.

  “I’ll work it out,” he reassures me. I stiffen for a second as his hand goes to my back as he leads me over to his car, opening the door for me. I slide in. The smell of Mack fills my lungs before he even hops into his seat. Instantly, I feel a buzz around us that I can’t place. For some reason now it feels like something is happening but I don’t know if that’s good or bad. For now I’m just going to take the ride he’s offering.

  Chapter 4

  Mack

  After I drop Dally off at her house, I arrange for a tow truck to pick up her car. It was a spark plug issue but I opt to tell Dally that it was her engine. She could use a new car. She’s been driving this one since college.

  “My engine block died?” She sighs through the phone.

  “Yeah, sucks, huh?” I muscle the fridge door shut and throw the cheese and sandwich meat onto the counter. “You want me to have them tow the car to your apartment or have them send it to the junkyard?”

  “Those are my only two options?”

  I flip the mayonnaise cap off. “I didn’t know there were more options than those two.”

  “I could donate it.”

  That sends me into a panic. She’d find out then that the car wasn’t really broken down. “Nah. It’s too junky to be donated. It’d break down and then the charity would be breathing down your neck for repairs. Better to sever your ties now and just make a cash donation.”

  “Maybe you’re right. But how will I get to work and don’t say you’ll drive me.”

  “My assistant is out of town. You can use the company car she drives.” I layer on the cheese and meat until the sandwich is a couple inches thick.

  “I didn’t realize Quinn was gone. Is she on vacation?”

  She wasn’t before, but she is now. I send her a quick text from my work phone.

  Quinn. Ur on vacay for the nxt two weeks. Go c ur mama. Show up and I’ll fire you.

  Is this about Dally?

  When is it not?

  She sends me an eye roll emoji. I toss the phone aside and return to my conversation with Dally. “She’s going to see her mama.”

  “Is her mom sick or anything because I just saw Quinn the other day and she didn’t mention a thing about going on vacation.”

  “She just misses her mom, darling.”

  There’s a pause as Dally tries to figure out what exactly I’m calling her. She thinks it’s just me drawling out her real name. Or maybe she knows I’m calling her darling but can’t handle what it all means. I heave a gust of air and shove half the sandwich in my mouth. What’s my sister, Star, call it, sympathy eating? No, depression eating. I did a lot of that when I was a kid. I’ll have to do an extra set of reps to make up for my lunch.

  “I guess if she’s not using it, it’ll be okay. I’ll need to do a quick rundown on my finances to see what kind of replacement I can afford. I don’t think my insurance covers this.”

  I grab my other phone.

  Can you create a dummy insurance policy that gives a full replacement value vehicle?

  For Dally, right?

  There will never be another answer to any of these questions.

  Got it.

  Thanks. Send it over with the coffee machine.

  Smiling, I tune back into Dally, who is fretting about buying versus leasing. “I can have my accountant run some numbers for you. He said he’s bored since I’m not spending my money like other trust fund kids. He’s threatened to quit more than once.”

  “Your accountant is your cousin.”

  “Just because he’s family doesn’t mean that he can’t quit. It just makes family get-togethers awkward. Like, Mom isn’t going to sit Noel next to me. Instead, I’ll get Penny and man, I can’t stand Penny.”

  “Is she the one that starts every sentence with ‘well, actually’?”

  “The very one.” I toss the rest of my sandwich aside and amble into the living room. “She got mad when everyone refused to acknowledge that Tofurky was a brand name and not the description of the veggie turkey meat that Star’s friend had brought.”

  Dally groans. “I remember because then she and her mom got into a fight about how Tofurky was vegetarian and not vegan. I thought her mom was going to explode when Penny refused to eat it.”

  “Holidays are the best,” I quip. I drop into the sofa and tuck the phone against my ear. Castle, my cat, jumps onto my lap and nudges my chin.

  “Is that Castle I hear?” Dally asks.

  “Yup. She misses you.” Right on cue, my little girl lets out a small mewl. I scratch the tiny thing under her chin. She dips her head and rubs herself against my hand. Animals like me. Other women like me. Hell, even men like me but Dally is still resistant. I wish I could scratch her under her chin and have her respond with a purr.

  “I miss her, too. I wish I could get a cat.”

  “Mm-hmm.” I love Dally to death, but I wouldn’t put a pet in her care. The woman is dangerously forgetful when it comes to anything but her lab.

  “I can hear your judgment over the phone,” Dally accuses.

  “I didn’t say a thing,” I protest. Castle rubs her wet nose against my chin. I drop a kiss on her small forehead and let her use my chin as a scratching post as she butts the top of her head against me.

  “You don’t have to.”

  “Well, darling, you haven’t kept a plant alive so I’m a little concerned about wee ones that require regular feeding.”

  “I’m not that bad,” she exclaims.

  Castle climbs down to my chest and curls into a small ball. I absently pet her as I answer Dally. “Maybe if the pet was a lab experiment and you had to monitor her regularly, it’d be okay but, darling, outside of the lab you’re kind of a disaster.” Which is why I’m around. Dally can deploy her brilliance with her DNA lab and I can take care of Dally. It’s a perfect solution and everyone sees it but her.

  “You’re supposed to be my friend, Mack.”

  “I thought you said a true friend was one who would tell you if there was lipstick on your teeth.”

  “Which you didn’t do,” she points out.

  “Once! Once I didn’t do that in college and I didn’t point it out because you looked pretty.”

  “With lipstick on my teeth? Come on, Mack. No one looks good with lipstick on their teeth.”

  “You did.” She looks good all the time.

  “Whatever. Let’s move on. What car do you think I should get?”

  I pull out my laptop and hit some car sites. Dally may not love me, but I’m her best friend. We end every night talking on the phone like this. If I can’t be with her, at least I have this.

  Chapter 5

  Dally

  I open my fridge and of course there is nothing inside of it. I don’t know what I thought I was going to find. I hadn’t eaten enough last night and I woke up hungry. I normally would skip breakfast but my stomach isn’t going to let me today. It’s then I remember I don’t have a car to stop and grab something. That is the one thing I’d forgotten to ask Mack last night. I have no idea where I’m supposed to pick up the car. I’m pretty sure he didn’t mention that part. I’ll have to text him and ask.

  He’d started talking about different types of cars I should test drive and I might have fallen asleep. It wasn’t because Mack bores me; I was exhausted from the day. I should have been listening better but his voice always comforts me so much that it actually lulled me to sleep. I would need a new car and as usual, Mack is willing to help. He always has a calming effect on me. In the back of my mind I somehow always know that he will handle important things for me. No matter how much I try and fight to do them on my own. He gives me more peace of mind than I think I’ve realized before now. Kn
owing that he’ll be there no matter how many times we bicker about little things. Each night before we both go to bed, my phone buzzes and his name appears on the screen. I always pick up regardless of what happened between us that day.

  Maisie’s reminder that Mack isn’t always going to be around has me slamming the refrigerator door. Anger I shouldn't have courses through me that he thinks he’s going somewhere. Who the hell would he be going somewhere with? I try and shake it off. Mack has been acting different. I’m pretty sure he called me darling. I didn't call him on it because what if that wasn't what he said? Then I would’ve felt all awkward for saying out loud that I thought he called me a term of endearment. Still, that little word coming from his lips felt foreign. I search my mind trying to think of whether he calls other people names like sweetheart or love but I come up with nothing.

  My phone that’s still on my charger in my bedroom starts to ring. It was almost dead when my alarm went off this morning. Another clue that I passed out with Mack still on the phone. I dash toward my bedroom, seeing Mack’s name appear across the screen.

  “Hey,” I answer.

  “You okay?” His voice comes out worried.

  “Yeah. Why?” I glance at the clock. I’m not running late. Why is he worried?

  “You’re out of breath,” he says.

  “Not all of us get up and run miles on end in the morning. A dash down the hall to grab a phone can leave some of us winded.” I turn, finding shoes to slip on.

  “I’m pulling up.”

  “To my place?”

  “Yeah. I brought the car.”

  “Oh. Yeah. I forgot,” I fake. He must have mentioned that after I passed out.

  “No. You fell asleep.”

  “Way to call a girl out. No wonder you’re single.” I huff as I grab my keys and head toward the door.

  “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” I hear him say as I close and lock the door to my place. I can tell he is smiling even though I can’t see him, which causes me to smile too. I don’t even bother to respond since I’m only a few feet away from where he is parked. I hang up on him just to make a point before I head his way. All of a sudden I feel nervous to get in the car with him. It’s as if something has changed between us but neither of us are sure how to handle it. My mind races as I approach the car. Thoughts of him calling me darling on a regular basis gives me butterflies. I school my expression and get my breathing under control. I must have zoned out for a few seconds because before I know it, I hear Mack’s voice.

  “You going to get in the car?”

  I look up to see him standing with the passenger side door held open for me. I’m not sure why it surprises me. He’s always such a gentleman. I should have expected it. Is it possible that he looks even more handsome today than he did yesterday? I mumble a good morning to him because that’s about all I can manage at this point. I climb into the car and he shuts the door. Leading him to believe that I’m my normal grumpy self and not that I’m suddenly confused about our relationship.

  I watch out of the corner of my eye as Mack walks around, opens the driver’s side door and gets in. He lifts up a coffee from the cup holder, handing it to me. I take a sip and of course it’s made exactly how I take my coffee. “Sorry for falling asleep on you.” I give. He only smiles bigger at me.

  “Not going to lie. It was easier for me to narrow down cars for you to test drive without having you shoot down all the ones I picked.” I snort a laugh because I know he’s right. He hands me a bag and I know without looking it has a chocolate chip muffin inside.

  “I don’t know why I try to even fight you sometimes.” I shake my head as I take a giant sip of my coffee. We continue to drive in silence while I eat until we make it to the office. After parking the car, we take the elevator until we reach the floor where my lab is located.

  “You hanging around here all day?” I turn to look at Mack as he holds open the door for me to enter my office. He really is handsome. I think the way he treats me makes him even more so. It’s why this attraction I have for him keeps growing.

  “You’re welcome for the ride to work.” He raises a smug eyebrow, handing me the keys to the car so I have them. Our fingers graze and I jerk back from the instant heat that my body feels. You’d think I never touched him before. What is wrong with me?

  “We should sleep together,” I blurt out. “Something weird is happening here. I think my body is having a reaction to yours. Maybe if we have sex it will pass.”

  Mack stands there for a moment looking shocked.

  Self-doubt creeps into my mind. What if he doesn’t want to sleep with me? I’ve seen the women that come on to him. “Unless you don’t want to. It was just an idea,” I try and say it like it’s no big deal as I turn to head toward my work area wondering if I’ve only just made things worse.

  Chapter 6

  Mack

  We should sleep together?

  We should sleep together?!

  I nearly bust down the lab door, but inside, the white coats make me halt. Everyone’s busy doing important work. In here, lives are being saved. Sure, a good portion of the DNA tests are for customers just seeking some watercooler info to share, but Dally does work for law enforcement. Currently, Dally’s viewing some gibberish on a computer. I back away. There’ll be time enough to confront her about this later.

  Until then, I need to get everything ready. An image of my bedroom pops into my head. Laundry was delivered a couple of days ago and I haven’t put anything away. I rarely put anything away. I mean, what’s the point when I’m taking stuff out anyway? I’ve got folded towels on the counter in the bathroom and T-shirts on my dresser. If—no, strike that—when I take Dally home tonight, the place has got to be clean.

  I hurry to the elevator and call my assistant. She answers after the first ring.

  “Quinn, I—”

  “This is Quinn. I’m on vacation because my mother is ailing. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” The phone beeps in my ear. I pull the device away from my ear and stare at the screen in dismay. Quinn really went on vacation. Damn it. Now I have to do things for myself.

  I scroll through my contacts to see if I have the number for the person who cleans my house. I don’t but why would I? That’s Quinn’s job! I do a quick internet search and call up the first number that pops up.

  “Yeah, I need my house cleaned. How big is it? 4,000 square feet I think? When? Today. I’ll remote open the side door and you can go right in. I have a cat but she shouldn’t bother you.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t have any one available that can clean your residence today. The soonest opening I have is Wed—”

  “Forget it,” I cut the person off. “I’ll pay twice—no, three times as much.”

  “I’m sorry. I wish I could help you. Really, but I don’t have a crew available.”

  I hang up and try another number and another and by the fifth rejection, I’m feeling a little panicked. Time to break out the big guns.

  Star. If u hv any feelings at all for ur bro call me asap.

  The phone rings as I’m unlocking the door to Quinn’s Mercedes.

  “What is it?” Star asks, her tone slightly on edge. “You’re not injured, are you?”

  “Nah. I need help finding a cleaner.”

  “What’s wrong with the one you have?”

  “Nothing, but I can’t get in contact with them. Quinn’s got the number and before you can tell me to call Quinn, I can’t because she’s at her mom’s on vacation.”

  “Oh, Mack,” my sister sighs.

  “I know.”

  “You have too much money,” she accuses.

  I rest my phone on the console and let the Bluetooth connect before replying. “We have the same amount.”

  “I know but somehow it seems you have more. I don’t know how to explain it.”

  “It’s because you’re married and your wife makes you do things that you didn’t hav
e to do before, like go grocery shopping.” I navigate out of the parking lot and arrow the car toward my house.

  “There’s some truth to that,” Star admits. “Why do you need your place to be cleaned right now? Don’t you have your staff come weekly?”

  “Yeah, but, tonight it needs to be cleaned.”

  Star gasps. “Mack. Does this mean what I think it means?”

  I can feel heat climbing up my neck. I tug at my collar. “Dunno. What do you think it means?”

  “You and Dally are finally getting together. Oh my gosh, wait until I tell Maisie!”

  “Wait!” I yell into the phone. “We’re not together yet. This is the first step. You guys need to stay on your side of the city and not interfere.” I have visions of them showing up at my house with balloons and banners congratulating us on losing our virginity to each other.

  “I thought you wanted my help,” my sister pouts.

  “I just need the name of a reputable cleaning company that can come and make the house look shiny and new.”

  “I don’t know if that exists. I hate to tell you this, Mack, but you might have to pick up the house yourself. I feel like it would be good for you. Character building even.”

  I glare at the phone. This is why sisters are bad.

  “I can feel your angry stare through the cell phone,” Star announces. “I have a couple of free hours this afternoon and will come over and help you. In exchange, you have to donate a fat check to the Skylight Foundation.”