Mac thought he might have lost his marbles. Why didn’t I just nod and find someone to chat with out by the pool? A rhetorical question if ever there was one. Because she’s prettier than you remember. Something that dawned on him walking back through the house. Then, when he saw her laughing with her friend on the lanai, a long-forgotten memory of the feel of her touch crashed into him, heating his blood as it surged through his body. Before he even realized it, his sensibility jetted on him, turning him into the proverbial moth drawn into the scorching heat of her light.
“Are you ladies enjoying your visit to our fair city?” Even though he stood closest to Melanie, Mac made sure to engage Lainey in the conversation.
“Oh, it’s Mel’s first trip but I’ve done this Banyan Tree Bay rodeo several times. TJ over there,” Lainey pointed to her husband’s younger cousin. “He and Jason grew up more like brothers despite their age difference. So, we’ve made the trip about once a quarter to visit. Especially since he met Allie.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve heard the story about their trip to the BVI. I have to give him credit for traveling as her bodyguard.” Mac took a long swallow of water.
“What’s he talking about?” Mel’s brow furrowed as she squinted her eyes at her friend. “Long story short, Allie wanted to investigate a suspect who had been on the lam from the BTB PD and her, by extension. But since it was way out of their jurisdiction, Tim couldn’t send any officers. But he knew that TJ could use a distraction, so he asked him as a personal favor to go with her. After a few close calls with death, they returned home in one piece and in love.”
“Oh. That was, um, gallant of him?” Mel’s brow furrowed at the end of her question.
“Ha. Or a bit daft.” The tall blonde glanced over her shoulder and then back at Melanie and Mac. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go check on Jason and our daughter.”
Before his brain could come up with an excuse to stop Lainey, Mac found himself alone with Melanie. And feeling as awkward as a schoolboy.
“Um. How long are you visiting for?” He saw something flash in her eyes at the question.
“Two weeks total. But we’ve already been here a few days. Why do you ask?”
Nervous energy rushed through him when he saw the smile on her face. Did he really want to open this cliched can of worms?
“Basically, two reasons,” he saw a trace of emotion cross the green eyes he never thought he’d see again. “The first one is to be polite. I mean, it’s standard to inquire about an out-of-towner’s visit.”
“And the second?” Her voice seemed to have dropped an octave, immediately sending messages to the long-buried memories in his head.
“I was wondering if you’d like to spend some time sightseeing with me. I’m usually working so it’d be nice to learn more about my adopted home. And this would give you a chance, also.”
“Oh. Um.”
Mac couldn’t help but grin as she stumbled over his invitation. Maybe she does remember.
“Yeah, that would be great.” An easy smile playing at the corners of her mouth punctuated her soft voice.
He nodded just as she turned toward the house. With his gaze pinned to her retreating back, Mac had trouble identifying the warm glow flowing through him.
Ha, eejit. That’s happiness. It had been so long since he’d felt it that the normal emotion seemed foreign to him. How could I not be happy right now?
Standing by himself, a chuckle tumbled from his mouth. “Old man, that’s a rhetorical question for sure.”
Maybe spending private time together would be just another holiday fling for Melanie, just twenty years later. But Mac hoped it would become something much more.
“Are you ladies enjoying your visit to our fair city?” Even though he stood closest to Melanie, Mac made sure to engage Lainey in the conversation.
“Oh, it’s Mel’s first trip but I’ve done this Banyan Tree Bay rodeo several times. TJ over there,” Lainey pointed to her husband’s younger cousin. “He and Jason grew up more like brothers despite their age difference. So, we’ve made the trip about once a quarter to visit. Especially since he met Allie.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve heard the story about their trip to the BVI. I have to give him credit for traveling as her bodyguard.” Mac took a long swallow of water.
“What’s he talking about?” Mel’s brow furrowed as she squinted her eyes at her friend. “Long story short, Allie wanted to investigate a suspect who had been on the lam from the BTB PD and her, by extension. But since it was way out of their jurisdiction, Tim couldn’t send any officers. But he knew that TJ could use a distraction, so he asked him as a personal favor to go with her. After a few close calls with death, they returned home in one piece and in love.”
“Oh. That was, um, gallant of him?” Mel’s brow furrowed at the end of her question.
“Ha. Or a bit daft.” The tall blonde glanced over her shoulder and then back at Melanie and Mac. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go check on Jason and our daughter.”
Before his brain could come up with an excuse to stop Lainey, Mac found himself alone with Melanie. And feeling as awkward as a schoolboy.
“Um. How long are you visiting for?” He saw something flash in her eyes at the question.
“Two weeks total. But we’ve already been here a few days. Why do you ask?”
Nervous energy rushed through him when he saw the smile on her face. Did he really want to open this cliched can of worms?
“Basically, two reasons,” he saw a trace of emotion cross the green eyes he never thought he’d see again. “The first one is to be polite. I mean, it’s standard to inquire about an out-of-towner’s visit.”
“And the second?” Her voice seemed to have dropped an octave, immediately sending messages to the long-buried memories in his head.
“I was wondering if you’d like to spend some time sightseeing with me. I’m usually working so it’d be nice to learn more about my adopted home. And this would give you a chance, also.”
“Oh. Um.”
Mac couldn’t help but grin as she stumbled over his invitation. Maybe she does remember.
“Yeah, that would be great.” An easy smile playing at the corners of her mouth punctuated her soft voice.
He nodded just as she turned toward the house. With his gaze pinned to her retreating back, Mac had trouble identifying the warm glow flowing through him.
Ha, eejit. That’s happiness. It had been so long since he’d felt it that the normal emotion seemed foreign to him. How could I not be happy right now?
Standing by himself, a chuckle tumbled from his mouth. “Old man, that’s a rhetorical question for sure.”
Maybe spending private time together would be just another holiday fling for Melanie, just twenty years later. But Mac hoped it would become something much more.
