“Yeah, she trashed the place. Broke windows, graffitied the outside, and went through the office files. Blake and the police think she was looking for money. No one has spotted her yet.”
“Wow. I mean…wow. I didn’t know.” Colton and Blake had put their everything into the gym. The urge to contact Blake was strong, yet his betrayal was stronger. She hoped she sounded indifferent. “Has she had any contact with Natalie?”
“No. Luke and Sage are keeping a tight rein on her. They don’t want her to know about her mother’s antics and have kept her busy with outings and visits to the family. She’s coming over tomorrow to hang out with Katie and me.”
“Seriously?”
“We’re playing it as a babysitting interview. When she learned she’d get paid for watching Katie, she agreed.”
“But really you’re babysitting her.”
“She’s fifteen. I’m just keeping her safe.”
“From her mother. The psycho.”
“Yeah.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“You’re more than welcome to join us.”
“Tempting as that sounds, I’m good. Brandy is closing up for me. I’m heading to my mom’s after lunch.”
“My door is always open.”
“I know. Thanks for listening and not pressuring me.”
“Me? Pressure you? Now you’re being silly. You’re the one who puts the pressure on the rest of us,” Maggie teased.
They finished their walk talking about Katie, and placed a bet on when Ellie would announce she was pregnant.
As long as it wasn’t Mackenzie, she was happy. She’d started her period yesterday and didn’t have to worry about it interfering with her sex life.
Because her sex life was now nonexistent.
***
After another successful night of avoiding Blake’s texts and knocks, Mackenzie got up bright and early, whipped up a double batch of her infamous brownies, and had Coast & Roast open by five. There weren’t many patrons this early on a Saturday in July, so she used her time to work on next week’s schedule.
The jingling of the bell on the front door brought her head up and her heart instantly lodged in her throat.
“Blake.”
“You’re avoiding me.” His eyes held a mixture of worry and annoyance, his body stiff and solid. She missed touching him. And hearing his voice, feeling the vibration of his laughter when he held her.
“I’m busy.” Blake looked around the empty shop. “I’m doing stuff.” She held up her laptop.
“Did I do something to upset you?” He stepped closer, leaning against the counter that separated them.
Even over the rich aroma of coffee and chocolate, she could smell him. Fresh from the shower and smelling of the outdoors.
“Like I said. Busy.”
“Okay.” He clenched his jaw and shoved his hands into his back pockets. He really shouldn’t do that. It stretched his jeans too nicely over his package, and pulled his shirt across his pecs. It was unfair and completely distracting. “I’ll have a coffee.”
“What kind?” She saved her blank spreadsheet and grabbed a cup.
“It’s hot out already, so how about an iced coffee.”
How adorable. Just like his girlfriend. Mackenzie slammed the paper cup back on the stack and grabbed a plastic cup. Filling it with ice cubes, she yanked the coffee pot from the fridge and poured it over the ice. After jamming the lid on it, she slid it across the counter and tossed down a straw.
“That’ll be two ninety-nine.”
Blake cocked his head and studied her. “What’s going on?”
“I served you coffee. Now you pay. That’s how we do things around here.”
Ignoring his cup, Blake rounded the counter, invading Mackenzie’s personal space.
“You’re not allowed back here.”
“What are you going to do about it?” He stepped closer until the toes of his work boots touched her sneakers. “Tell the boss on me?” The grin that would have had her dropping her panties two weeks ago made her cringe.
She shrugged her shoulder and turned away.
“Hey.” Blake’s voice turned serious, as did the downward turn of his eyes. “Mack, what’s wrong?” He traced her cheek with his finger and she pulled away again.
She couldn’t let him touch her or she’d cave, forgetting she didn’t trust him. Yet she needed to act like she didn’t care about him. Like she was moving on.
“Blake. It’s been fun. Real fun. But I’m done with this. With us.”
“What? Why?” He dropped his hand and peered into her eyes.
Mackenzie darted her gaze and shrugged again, her shoulders getting a good workout. “We said we’d let each other know when we were ready to move on. I’m moving on.”
“Why?”
“That goes against our rules, remember?” Picking up a rag, she pushed past him into the seating area, where she wiped down the still clean tables.
“I don’t remember that in the rulebook. I can ask why.”
“No reason. Just ready for a change. It’s been fun, though. Thanks for the great sex. I promise not to make things awkward for you and your family. We’ve both moved on. No hard feelings.”
“Both?”
“Sure. Whatever. I’m cool with that.”
He needed to leave soon or he’d see the lies in her eyes, the tears ready to call her bluff.
“Does this have anything to do with Alyssa? Has she threatened you?”
If only her problems were that simple. A deranged psychopath would be easier and less painful to deal with than a broken heart.
“Your sister has nothing to do with my sex life.”
“Have you…are you…”
Mackenzie sensed his unease and used it to her advantage. Picking up the rag, she turned to Blake and patted his cheek with her free hand in a friendly gesture. “It’s been a fun ride, Blake. You’re easy on the eyes and do one hell of a job in bed. See ya around.” She kissed his cheek and willed her shaky legs to make it to the counter, where she leaned on it for support. Opening her laptop again, she typed in a bunch of letters and numbers into her spreadsheet, lifting her hand in a casual wave when Blake finally left.
His untouched coffee stared at her until she dumped in the sink, watching it swirl down the drain.
Much like the contents of her heart.
Chapter Sixteen
Blake
Not wanting to go back to the loneliness of his apartment, Blake drove to his brother’s house. He hadn’t seen his niece since the barbecue and figured he owed it to her, and to his brother, to make a regular appearance.
Besides, he wanted to make sure she was safe as well.
He and Colton had spent too much time mulling over police reports, filing insurance claims, and calling around for contractors who could do the building repairs. There hadn’t been much time to talk about Natalie.
“Hey stranger.” Sage greeted him at the door with a sad smile.
“Mind if I invite myself to dinner?”
“Lucy’s been doing it for years. You’re a welcome change. And much better looking.” She waved him in and nodded over her shoulder. “Luke and Natalie are on the deck playing cribbage. She’s kicking his ass so he’s extra surly tonight.”
“Good to know.”
Blake helped himself to a beer in the fridge and got another one out for his brother. Because he was generous like that.
“I hear you’re getting crushed by a kid,” he joked as he stepped out on to the deck.
“I’m not a kid, old pervert.” Natalie jumped from the table and stomped past him, slamming the door behind her.
“That went well.” Blake took Natalie’s empty seat and picked up her scattered cards.
“Sorry about that, man. We haven’t figured out what her issue is with you yet.”
“Not your fault, Luke. I’m sure Alyssa had fed her an open buffet of lies. Speaking of, what’s for dinner?” He didn’t want to rui
n Luke’s evening. Blake knew Luke felt bad about not being able to get Natalie to open up. She’d only been living with them for a few weeks. It would take years for the girl to come around.
In the meantime, Blake would keep a presence in her life, but not push for answers. She’d talk when she was ready. If ever.
They finished the game in silence. Unable to focus, Blake lost the lead Natalie had on Luke.
“You suck at cribbage.”
I suck at life. “Yeah. Pretty much. Dinner ready?” He wanted to eat and run. Luke would understand, and so would Sage.
Natalie wouldn’t come down for dinner with Blake there and Sage insisted he stay to eat.
“She’s going to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around her. You’re welcome for dinner here any time. If Natalie has a problem with you, she can tell you about it. Or me. Or Luke. The sulking bit is getting old.”
“The girl has been through a lot, Sage. And I doubt I’m making it any easier on her.” Blake pushed back his chair and cleared his plate.
“She’s fifteen and is quite capable of making choices. I’m not going to pressure her to talk about whatever the hell is going on in her messed-up head, but she’s not going to use it as a crutch to act like a spoiled little brat.”
“Tough love?”
“Sage is the best at that.” Luke grabbed Sage around the waist and pulled her in for a kiss. Ever the unlikely pair, those two.
“Don’t go too hard on her because of me, though. Okay?”
“You’re not worth it.” Sage winked and punched his shoulder lightly.
Blake left feeling no better about the situation with Natalie, and even worse about the end of his sex-lationship—no, his relationship—with Mackenzie.
Watching Sage and Luke tease, support, and touch each other whenever they were near made him wish things were different. That he hadn’t made that stupid negotiation with Mackenzie. What they had wasn’t about sex. If it was he wouldn’t be so torn up inside about not seeing her again.
He wouldn’t struggle falling asleep at night. He’d be able to concentrate on his job, on his workouts. Instead, she monopolized his thoughts and distracted him night and day.
He longed to be with her again. Naked would be golden, but he’d love the simplicity of preparing a meal with her in the kitchen, like Luke and Sage did tonight. Of sitting across from her at the table and talking about their day. Of working out with her at the gym or going for a walk along the beach. He’d take Mackenzie in any way she’d give him. Anyway she’d have him.
If she wanted to move on, to sleep with other men, he still wanted to be her friend.
Blake slammed his fists on his steering wheel and swore. “Bullshit,” he said to the night sky. He didn’t want to be her friend. And he sure as hell wasn’t okay with her being with any other man.
Mackenzie held his heart in her hands and damned if he’d let her hands touch another man.
***
Mackenzie
Now that Blake was with his bimbo girlfriend, Mackenzie didn’t need to keep her lights off or pretend like she was sleeping. Dressed in comfy shorts and an old workout shirt, she propped her feet on her coffee table and took out her tablet. It had been way too long since she’d read a book.
Her digital library was full of books waiting to be read. Basing her decision on the covers, she scrolled past the ones with half-naked men—they reminded her too much of Blake—and past the women in corsets and gowns—a historical romance would not cure her mood—until she found a cover that promised to be suspenseful and a little violent.
Nothing like mystery and blood to get her heart and mind off the charming smile that haunted her dreams, both day and night.
She’d made it thirty percent through the book when her phone rang. It wasn’t often that anyone called—everyone texted these days, with the exception of her parents.
Mackenzie picked up her cell and read the caller ID.
“Hey, Mags.”
“Is this Mackenzie?”
Not recognizing the voice, Mackenzie pulled her phone away from her face to read the caller ID again. “Who is this?”
“Maggie gave me her phone to use.”
“Great. Who is this?” Mackenzie bookmarked her page and set her tablet down.
“It’s Natalie. I’m babysitting.”
“Maggie left you alone with Katie?” The woman had lost some brain cells with her pregnancy but Mackenzie thought they’d returned.
“I’m not incompetent.”
“I didn’t say you were.” But that’s what she was thinking. “I didn’t think you were interested in babysitting.”
“I’m not, but the pay is good. Ten bucks an hour. Beats flipping burgers or serving coffee all day.”
Yeah, no offense there.
“So why are you calling me?”
“Graham convinced Maggie to go out dinner. She left me her phone and gave me your number in case of emergency.”
“Is there an emergency? Is Katie okay? You should call Graham. Or 911.” Mackenzie shot up from the couch, slid her feet into flip-flops, and grabbed her keys from the counter.
“It’s not that bad. Katie keeps puking. I don’t know what to do.”
Neither did Mackenzie. Baby care didn’t scare her but it wasn’t her thing either.
“What is she doing right now?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“She can’t do anything but sit there. I mean, lay there. She can’t even sit. She pukes though.”
“Okay. I’m on my way. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Make it five.”
“I live thirteen minutes away. I’ll be there in ten.”
“Whatever.”
“Ungrateful brat,” Mackenzie muttered as she disconnected the call.
She sped through two yellow lights and made it in nine. It was the best she could do. Barging through the front door, Mackenzie yelled out, “Where is she? Where’s Katie?”
“Will you shut up? You’re gonna wake her with your yelling.”
“She’s sleeping?” Mackenzie spotted the empty swing and cradle and ran down the hall to the baby’s room.
Sleeping so perfectly innocent was little baby Katie. Her purple outfit was soaked around her chest and shoulder, and little white chunks of spit-up trailed toward her belly.
Mackenzie stroked her head, checking to see if she was warm, and planted a kiss on her soft cheeks. She smelled like formula and spit-up and baby.
Backing out of the room on tiptoes, she sighed in relief and headed to the kitchen where she found Natalie.
“When you say puke do you mean spit-up?”
“Same thing.”
“No, it’s not. Was she crying when she was spitting up?”
“Not really. I was feeding her the bottle and next thing I know it’s like a scene out of the Exorcist, white puke flying out of her mouth.”
“You’re too young to watch movies like that.”
“Whatever, grandma.” Natalie rolled her eyes and found the stash of Oreos in the cabinet.
“I don’t think Katie is sick. She tends to spit up when she has formula. She did that the last time I watched her.”
“So I didn’t get her like, sick or anything?”
Mackenzie was tempted to berate the teen and put her in her place, but behind the attitude and mega-chip on her shoulder, there was an ounce—no, a speck—of compassion for the baby.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, it’s always good to err on the side of caution. I’m glad you called me.”
“Not like you did anything to help.”
And, the attitude was back. “Natalie, I don’t know what your problem is with me—”
“If you’re anything like my uncle,” she sneered, “then you’re an asshole as well.”
Oh, like mother, like daughter. Mackenzie tried to tell herself that she was an adult and the child in front of her was the product of a messed-up mother and years
of insecurity.
“I don’t know what your issue is with Blake either—”
“As if.” She snorted. “He’s the one who got us into this mess.”
“Us?”
“My mom and me. He used to pimp her out for money so he could buy drugs. He did that for years. Then when she got pregnant, he ditched her. We don’t even know who my father is and Blake left us. He’s probably whoring you out now as well. How much do you make an hour and what’s his cut?” Natalie shoved an Oreo in her mouth with a smug little bratty smile.
“Is that what your mother told you? You really think Blake would do that?”
“He’s an asshole and since you’re his bitch, you probably are too.”
Oh, the temptation to smack the sass out of the teen’s mouth was burning in her fingertips. Mackenzie took in a deep breath and paced the kitchen, calming herself before she said something awful, stooping down to Natalie’s level.
“Blake is a kind, generous, honest man. He’d never do that to your mother or anyone else. And I highly doubt he’s ever done drugs. His body is a temple.” And didn’t she know it.
“People change.”
“Before the other week, had you ever met Blake?”
“No. Like I said, he ditched us.”
“Has your mother been a source of truth and honesty all these years?”
Mackenzie saw a slight faltering in Natalie’s stony expression. She didn’t want to completely dis the mother if she was someone Natalie held in high regard, but she would set the record straight on Blake.
“Do you think it’s odd that your mother’s younger brother would pimp her out? She was fifteen when she was pregnant with you, which would have made Blake thirteen. Pretty young to have been pimping your mother out for all those years.”
Natalie’s tight expression loosened, her forehead wrinkling as she digested what Mackenzie said. Knowing when to walk away, she went down the hall to change Katie out of her wet clothes.
When she came back she found Natalie on the couch, channel surfing. “Do you need me here or are you okay if I go?”
“I don’t need you.”
Mackenzie picked up her keys and left. When she got behind the wheel her words came back: Blake is a kind, generous, honest man.
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