Chapter 17

I struggleto get Rose and Jacob out of my thoughts and thinking about them brings tears to my eyes.

“Hey, Mack,” Dean says in greeting as he walks into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee pot. He pulls up short when he sees my tear-stained face. Changing direction, he moves straight up to me, and after looking closely, wipes the tears away with his thumbs.

He removes the pan from the burner and turns it off as he pulls me into his arms. “Mack, what’s wrong? Why are you so upset?”

I can’t answer and just burrow my face deeper into Dean’s chest. I wrap my arms around his waist while I sob.

A few minutes later, I pull away and move to the sink to splash cold water on my face, stopping briefly as I hear Thomas outside talking, probably on his phone. “It’s something and nothing. Please don’t say anything?”

Dean nods and frowns. “Are you all right now?”

“Actually, I think I am, but a good morning kiss might make me feel so much better.” I stand right in front of him with a soft smile on my lips while I search Dean’s eyes. He doesn’t disappoint and gently caresses my shoulders with his warm hands before he leans closer for a very quick kiss, too quick.

“Auntie Mack, are you really doing kissing things with Dean?”

“Oh!” I turn crimson while Dean grins and walks over to Lucas doing the high five thing.

“How’s it going, champ?”

“Good. I slept in today,” Lucas replies, trying to see out of the window, obviously looking for Thomas.

“Thomas will be in soon, Lucas. I think he’s talking on his phone.”

“I wish he’d hurry up.”

No sooner has he spoken, the back door opens and in walks Thomas. “Morning, folks.”

He walks over and hand me a bunch of peonies.

I lean over to give Thomas a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I think you need to marry me, Thomas.” He’s so sweet and will make an amazing grandfather.

“Hey, not funny. He can get his own girl. You’re mine.” Dean pulls me into his arms, laughing.

Suddenly, I’m all serious and look up at Dean. “Am I really?”

Dean stops laughing and caresses my face. He pushes the hair back from my forehead. “Mack, I’ve never felt like this before, but I’m starting to think, that maybe, yes, you are.” He places a lingering kiss to my lips.

“Auntie Mack, are you making breakfast?”

Thomas chuckles. “I think she’s distracted.”

Flustered, I pull away from Dean and finish making breakfast while deep in thought.

I wonder what I’m doing. How did this happen? Why did this, with Dean, feel so right? Never in my life have I been so attracted to anyone. Dean has popped into my life twenty-four hours ago. How in the heck has he managed to get under my skin so quickly? When he kissed me, I practically swooned at his feet.

I finally compose myself and place the eggs, bacon, and biscuits onto the table.

“Can we eat without mentioning anything unpleasant?” I catch a slim smile hovering on Thomas’s lips as I take my seat and start to load my plate with food.

“This looks great,” Thomas compliments.

“Thank you.”

Thomas looks rather tired. “How was your evening?” Perhaps that might explain it.

“Late night, but a good one. I won at poker, fifty bucks,” he says rather proudly. “I don’t think I’ve won that big since 1998.”

I froze with my fork halfway to her mouth. “Are you serious?”

“Sure am. I think Lucas here is my good luck charm.”

“My granny and gramps play strip poker. Is that what you played?”

Dean roars with laughter, which in turn has everyone else laughing, except for Lucas.

“What’s so funny?” Lucas asks, baffled.

“Your granny and gramps playing strip poker, and no, that wasn’t what I played,” Thomas manages to reply.

“But why is that funny? Granny says?—”

“Lucas, that’s enough. Your breakfast is getting cold.” Heaven knows what Lucas is about to say.

Lucas, not wanting to be hushed, carries on, “Auntie Mack, I was only going to say that Granny said she wasn’t embarrassed about her body or the droopy parts at her age.” He pauses to catch his breath. “What droopy parts does she mean, Auntie Mack?”

Both Dean and Thomas make a quick exit outside. I can hear Dean laughing on the other side of the kitchen door.

I giggle to myself and tell Lucas to ask his father.

I really needed to have a word with my mother, who is the most flamboyant person I have ever known. My mother still lived in the sixties and isn’t bothered who knows it and she gets more outrageous year by year. Sometimes she forgets whom she’s talking to as Lucas has just proved. No matter how much like our mother Melinda is, she would’ve hit the roof if she’d heard that comment.

I remember growing up with Melinda, how proper behavior was expected when we were in school. Our mother used to threaten to wash our mouths out with soap and water if we said anything impolite. Perhaps I needed to try that with our mother. Give her a taste of her own medicine.

With breakfast now finished, I move to the backdoor to find Thomas and Dean sitting on the stoop. “Thanks for the help, guys.”

Dean grins. “Is it safe?”

“It is and, for abandoning me, you get to wash the dishes.” I motion to the dirty dishes.

Dean stands and kisses me.

* * *

“Lucas,what would you say if we go fishing this morning and then read some comics this afternoon?”

“Sounds cool.”

Thomas held Lucas’s hand as they walked over to his cottage to collect the rods from the front porch where he’d left them in preparation for the morning’s adventure.

Thinking about Dean and Mack, he chuckled to himself. He’d noticed them both glancing at each other all through breakfast. Things looked to be heating up there. They’d only just met yesterday, but they seemed so in tune with each other. Sometimes a man and woman could spend a lifetime together and never be truly ‘together’. His mother and father came to mind. He really hoped everything worked out for Mack and Dean. They made such a promising couple.

“Thomas, do you know how to make a cake?” Lucas asked, breaking his train of thought.

He looked down to see him waiting for a response. “Why do you want to make a cake?”

“Auntie Mack.”

Thomas raised his eyebrows. “Why? Is it her birthday?” She hadn’t mentioned anything.

“No, but she always makes them for me so I thought I could make her one this time.” He looked so hopeful as he added, “With your help.”

“Hmm. Well, I think it would be safer if we buy one. It might be more like the blind leading the blind if we try to make a cake.” Thomas grinned at Lucas, who looked ready to carry on discussing a cake, then obviously thought better of it.

“Okay, I guess.”

They reached his cottage. “Let’s try and catch some fish for dinner instead.” He collected the rods and his fishing basket, took hold of Lucas’s hand again for the walk to the stream. It was his favorite fishing spot that he’d been coming to for more years than he cared to remember.