by D G Barnes
“Stop me from what?”
“Getting to second base of course. I saw the sparks flying between you two at breakfast the next morning. You can’t deny it.”
Mac had to snort at that. Ellie was right; there had been something there if only for a moment, and she wanted to pursue it. “What do you know about second base anyway. Wait! On second thought, I don’t want to know. I trust you; that’s all that matters.”
Ellie laughed and headed for the door. “Not to worry. I just like to read about romance. There’s no second base, first base, or even a ball field in sight for me. Now, hurry up. Dana will be here any minute.”
As if on cue, they heard a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Ellie called cheerfully as she dashed to answer it. Mac could make out Dana’s voice returning Ellie’s greeting, and she tingled with excitement while also feeling a bit nervous. She rushed to finish and made her way to the living room, pausing for a moment to admire Dana. The sundress she wore had a floral pattern, and it fell to just above her knees. Her dark brown hair hung loose, touching her shoulders. Mac stood quietly, taking in Dana’s every movement as she talked with Ellie. She felt her own smile grow bigger when Dana laughed at something Ellie said.
The heat rose in her face when Dana stopped in mid-sentence noticing her, doing a double take before turning toward her. Busted. No denying it. Dana didn’t speak, not right away, but her eyes spoke volumes. Slowly the corners of her mouth climbed as Mac approached.
“Hey there. You look stunning in that dress,” Mac said.
Now it was Dana’s turn to blush. “Why, thank you, Ms. Mackenzie. You look rather striking yourself.”
She bowed dramatically. “I do say, Ms. Lawson, you are far too kind,” she said in her best southern drawl.
Ellie rolled her eyes and groaned. “Please.”
“Shall we go?” Mac laughed.
Dana nodded. “Your car or mine?”
“Oh, definitely yours. I’ve been dying to go for a spin in that sexy little Beamer since I first laid eyes on her.” Mac waggled her eyebrows.
Dana laughed. “Well, my sexy little car and I would be happy to take you for a spin.”
“Yes!” Mac did a little fist pump in celebration. “Okay, Ellie, I’ll see you later. Try not to burn down the house.”
“Goodnight, Ellie.” Dana walked out the door Mac held open for her.
“Good night, you two. Have a good time. Feel free to bring me home a piece of cheesecake,” Ellie called after them.
A short time later, they arrived at a restaurant a couple of towns over. Mac had laughed when Dana asked her to pick the destination as Dana had no idea what the local area had to offer. Mac had suggested The Restaurant, a quiet place that had an elegant charm without being ostentatious.
The hostess showed them to a table for two near a large window which provided a picturesque view of the ocean. Once they had given their drink orders, a glass of Sauvignon Blanc for each of them, they fell into easy conversation, catching each other’s eyes as they spoke. They filled the time with small talk as they read their menus and waited to have their orders taken.
“Have you lived in Halifax your entire life?” Mac asked after their waiter left.
“No, I grew up in the Annapolis Valley. I was lucky enough to land a position with a firm in Halifax right after I graduated from Dalhousie.” Dana picked a breadstick from the basket. “How about you?”
“Emerald Bay, born and raised. Just a small-town girl I’m afraid.” Mac watched Dana take a small bite. Her eyes were on her full red lips as she chewed, and her stomach tightened. Damn, that was sexy. She glanced up to see her raise an eyebrow.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Dana brushed her mouth self-consciously. “Do I have something on my face?”
“No.” Mac chuckled. “You’re fine. I was just…um… admiring your lipstick.”
Her eyes narrowed. “My lipstick? Right.” She took a sip of her wine. “And there’s nothing wrong with being a small-town girl. I recently met a charming one who happens to own her own bar and has a wonderful daughter.”
That threw her for a moment. Daughter? Then the light came on. Of course, Dana would have no idea, and it was a logical assumption to make. “Ellie’s not my daughter; she’s my niece.” A look of surprise crossed Dana’s face, and she opened her mouth, then closed it as if she wanted to ask something and changed her mind.
The corner of her mouth raised in amusement. Dana looked so cute, all embarrassed and at a loss for words. Saving her, Mac spoke. “Ellie’s parents, my brother, Jack, and his wife, Melissa, died in a boating accident four years ago.” She paused for a beat. “Shortly after Ellie was born, we had agreed that I would assume responsibility for her in the event of their death.”
“Mac, I am so sorry. That’s terrible.” She reached across the table and took her hand in hers.
“Thanks. It was hard for everyone at first. Especially Ellie. But we worked through it.” Mac went on to explain how Ellie had taken up drawing and writing, which seemed to help her. While she talked, Dana continued to hold her hand and gently rub her thumb over her knuckles. She was enjoying the pleasant sensations that chased through her and was disappointed when the waiter brought their meals and Dana withdrew her hand. Damn, couldn’t he have waited a bit longer?
“Do your folks live close by?” Mac wanted to steer the conversation away from the unpleasant memory.
Dana nodded as she patted her mouth with a napkin. “My parents divorced when I was young. I don’t know where my father is. My mom though, still lives in the Valley.”
“Siblings?” She cut into her steak.
“A brother. Jason,” Dana said. “He’s a couple years older than me.”
“Oh? And what does Jason do?”
“He’s a lawyer. Lives in Halifax with his wife and two darling daughters.”
Mac nodded as she chewed, not taking her eyes from Dana. “This steak is delicious. How about your fish?”
“It’s wonderful.” She glanced up and caught Mac’s gaze. They held each other’s eyes for a long moment until a loud laugh from a nearby table broke the spell. Dana looked away and cleared her throat. “Say, how come you don’t have an accent like your dad?”
She snorted. “Oh, I have an accent. Just get me pissed off, and you’ll hear it.”
Dana laughed. “No thanks, I’ll pass on that. I’ve heard too many stories of redheads and their fiery temper.” She took another forkful of her salmon, savoring the taste. “You’ve never mentioned your mother.”
“Alive and well. She and dad have a house not too far from the General Store. They built it after immigrating from Scotland a couple of years before my brother was born. They both worked hard, dad on the trawlers and mom at the bakery, until they had saved enough money to buy the General Store when I was around three or four.”
Dana held her gaze and Mac could tell she was genuinely interested in what she was saying. Her smile was bright, and her eyes sparkled. For the rest of the meal, they talked about everything and anything. When Dana spoke, Mac found it difficult to keep her eyes off her mouth, and the desire increased the pull in her stomach.
They split dessert: a slice of the best cheesecake Mac had ever tasted, drizzled with chocolate and a dab of whipped cream, topped off with a strawberry. With the dessert done, Mac plucked the strawberry from the plate, leaned forward and reached across the table. She held it close to Dana’s lips. Dana looked at the plump red berry, then to Mac. Never breaking eye contact or blinking, she gradually took the berry between her lips and enveloped it. Biting it clear, just shy of Mac’s fingers, she sat back and chewed, then slowly licked her lips, catching a drop of strawberry juice that hung at the corner of her mouth.
Mac drew a breath. She had felt Dana’s lips brush her fingertips where they had held the berry, and now her body was on fire. It took every ounce of willpower she had to keep from leaping across the table and kissing her right here. Damn.
&nbs
p; “What’s the matter? You look all… flustered.” Dana grinned from ear to ear.
“You! That’s what. That was so not fair.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She waved down the waiter as he passed. “Check please.” Turning back to Mac she said, “Shall we go? Or do you need a few minutes?”
The ride home was quiet except for the radio playing softly. Mac turned in her seat to study Dana. The top was down on the car, and the wind whipped her hair, making it dance around her head. Dana stared straight ahead, but Mac saw the corner of her mouth turned up. My god but she was beautiful. As if reading her mind Dana glanced over at her and raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just watching you drive.”
Dana laughed, and Mac’s heart skipped a beat when she reached over and took her hand, weaving their fingers together. Mac looked at their hands and enjoyed the contact. Not wanting to spoil the moment, she said nothing the rest of the trip home.
Dana stopped the BMW behind The Rusty Anchor as Mac had asked, not because she didn’t want anyone to see her with Dana but because that’s where the private entrance to her loft was. As soon as the car stopped, Dana got out, and Mac grabbed the package with the slice of cheesecake they had bought for Ellie. She exited the car and came around to the driver’s side where Dana stood, her backside resting against the fender. Dana took the takeout container from her and set it on a wiper blade to prevent it from slipping off the car, then without a word, she pulled Mac close and pressed her lips to her mouth.
Mac stiffened for only a second before leaning in and deepening the kiss. Dana moaned against her lips, and their tongues met. She grasped her hips and pulled her closer, and the urgency of their kisses grew. Dana’s hands roamed her back and tangled in her hair. Mac reached down and lifted Dana up onto the hood of the car with ease, never breaking the kiss. Her hands caressed her knees, then slid up her thighs until she felt the lacy material of her panties.
That’s when she felt the pressure of Dana’s hands against her shoulders gently but firmly pushing against her. Mac pulled back and looked at her, panting and confused, wondering if she had crossed a line. Shit. Please don’t let her be mad, she begged the universe silently. The universe listened.
“Slow down, tiger.” Dana paused for a moment, catching her breath. Sliding off the hood and letting her dress fall into place, she once again leaned against the fender. Reaching for Mac’s hands, she pulled her in close. “I like you, Mac, and I want to spend time with you, get to know you. But I will be honest. It scares the hell out of me, this whole dating thing.”
Mac dipped her head to catch Dana’s eyes. “Hey, I understand. Slow is good.” Not exactly what she wanted to hear, but she could live with it. After all, there were no expectations tonight. Right?
Dana nodded. “Thanks. I feel I should explain though.”
“Okay. But you don’t have to if it makes you uncomfortable.” She rubbed her knuckles with her thumbs.
“I know.” Dana took a breath. “I was living with someone. Gail was her name. We lived together for four years. Dated for a couple of years before that.” She paused and in the dim light, Mac saw she was trying hard to hide her emotions. “A little over a year ago, she left me for another woman, and I didn’t even see it coming. It really hurt, so I’ve avoided dating, mostly out of fear of being hurt again.” Her expression saddened, and Mac was afraid she might cry. She pulled Dana into an embrace.
“She was a fool, and I for one am delighted you decided to take the risk and put yourself out there.” Mac caressed her back.
Dana withdrew after several moments and looked into her eyes, then glanced down at the ground. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get all depressing and weepy eyed on you.” She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and giggled. “Some date I turned out to be.”
Mac lifted her chin with two fingers and kissed her gently. “So, this was a date then?” She raised an eyebrow. “For the record, I kinda like you too.” She kissed her again. Dana deepened the kiss and sucked on Mac’s lower lip as she drew back.
“Yeah, I guess it was, and thanks for understanding.”
Her words stirred the need to protect her as if she wanted to take her into her arms and never let her go. This only confused her as long-term had not been her goal.
“I think we should call it a night.” Dana slipped from her arms and retrieved the cheesecake from its perch on the wiper blade.
“If you insist.” Mac sighed dramatically. Taking the dessert, she asked, “When will I see you again?”
Dana slid into the driver’s seat. “Oh, I don’t know. I’ll have to confer with my social calendar,” she said playfully. “I’ll call you. Good night, Mac. I had a really good time, and hey! That cheesecake is for Ellie, not you.”
Mac laughed and waved as she pulled away. The night had turned out completely different than she had expected. Things had escalated quickly from what they were the week before. This usually would have been a good thing, as it meant she would now be much closer to second base, as Ellie had so eloquently put it. Not that she was complaining. Not in the least. But she couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of the summer would bring. A long-term relationship maybe? No. Couldn’t happen. Just a summer fling, that’s all. Besides, Dana lived in the city, and she was far too busy with Ellie and the tavern for a real relationship. Right? For the first time Mac was unsure of the answer.
She took a deep breath and slowly released it. Her body still thrumming from their hot little make-out session. She would probably need a cold shower or two tonight. Whistling, she turned and headed up to her apartment, cheesecake safely in hand.
Chapter Six
Mac was at The Rusty Anchor early Sunday morning. It meant it was time for the semi-monthly cleaning of the draft beer system. This was the perfect time for taking care of any maintenance and cleaning as the bar didn’t serve alcohol before noon on Sundays; the kitchen, though, was open for brunch. Mac cursed softly from where she knelt under the bar. She kept her voice low to not disturb the older couple who sat a couple of meters away enjoying their meal of eggs, bacon, and hash browns.
“Something wrong?” Ricky asked as he removed the beer taps.
“Yeah.” Mac held up the coupler she had removed from the line. “There’s a big gouge in the seal of this one. It’ll need to be replaced.”
“Hmm. I never noticed that when I cleaned them last.” Ricky took the coupler and examined it. “Somebody must have handled this one roughly. Though I’m not sure how they could have damaged it this bad.” He pulled at his goatee studying the seal. “I’ll have a chat with bar staff.”
“Thanks, Ricky. Do we have any spares out back?” She stood and dried her hands with a rag.
“There should be. I’ll grab—”
Mac looked at Ricky, confused at his sudden silence. He was staring in the direction of the front door, a disapproving crease on his forehead. She followed his gaze, and her body tensed and her jaw clenched recognizing the person who had entered.
Standing in the doorway was one Doris Pennington, the mother of her late sister-in-law and grandmother to Ellie. The older woman’s attire was typical for her: elegant dress, heels, long sleeve gloves, and a fedora. She looked as if she was worth a million bucks and should be hob-knobbing with the rich and famous. She was the matriarch of two women’s clothing stores in the city. They were upscale stores with a wide variety of clothing and accessories suitable for young girls, elderly women, and all ages in between. But by no means did the store’s success put Doris in the social circles she thought she belonged. So, Doris made herself up to look the part instead.
To say the two women didn’t get along would be a gross understatement. Doris’s pompous, self-important attitude had always gotten on Mac’s nerves, but she was able to live with that. It wasn’t like she had to interact with the woman. She was Jack’s mother-in-law after all, not hers.
Doris had never app
roved of Mac’s reckless lifestyle. Though Mac had made tremendous strides to straighten herself out, it didn’t matter. When Jack and Melissa were engaged, Doris vehemently opposed it, feeling Jack was beneath her daughter, being a simple store clerk and son of an immigrant. Thankfully, Melissa didn’t think the same way as her mother.
When Doris found out Jack and Melissa had appointed Mac as legal guardian of Ellie after their death, she went ballistic. She had tried to have the will contested, claiming that because Mac was a lesbian, she was unfit to raise a child. The judge, after tearing a strip off Doris, threw both her and the case out of his courtroom.
Mac watched as Doris crossed the short distance from the entrance to a spot across the bar from her, carefully avoiding the furnishings as if in fear of catching something. With her lips pursed, she glanced around with disdain, stopping short of the bar.
“Doris,” Mac said flatly. “What brings you here?”
“Taylor, I have come to—”
“Mac. I go by Mac. You know this.” She clenched her fists out of sight.
“Yes, well. I only stopped by this dreadful place because you don’t seem to be able to return my calls,” Doris said with annoyance.
This only made Mac happy, knowing that coming here had caused her some level of discomfort. “Huh. Must be something wrong with my phone.” She picked up the broken coupler and cleaned it with the rag. Not that it needed cleaning. It was on its way to the recycling bin, but she needed to keep her hands busy instead of them doing something that might land her in prison.
“Must be. You should have your man there look at it for you.” Doris gestured dismissively toward Ricky.
Mac stopped and glared. “My man?” she said loud enough that the couple at the table looked at her. The vein in her neck throbbed, and she was sure her face was a dark shade of red.
Ricky took her wrist in his hand and squeezed. “Mac,” he warned. “Let it go.”
She shot a look at him and saw an equally stern one looking back at her. He was right. She didn’t need to get into it with this woman; it wasn’t worth it. She nodded and took a breath. “Right, thanks,” she said softly.
