The Secret Life of Mac

by Melinda Metz

  Briony noticed Ruby’s eyes had become bright with unshed tears. “It’s like that cat knew I had a hole in my heart and he knew what it would take to fill it.” She choked out a laugh. “I can’t believe I’m talking like a Hallmark movie. But it’s how I feel.”

  Briony was finding the whole thing hard to buy. It was like some kind of urban legend everyone had decided to believe. “And you don’t think it would have happened without MacGyver? You don’t think you would have become close to Riley and her family some other way? They live nearby, you said.”

  Ruby shrugged. “Maybe. But they’d lived nearby since before Riley was born, and it didn’t happen until Mac stole that pony and left it for me.”

  “Okay, I’m not saying I believe in Mac’s magic, but if it’s real, maybe Mac led me to Nate for some other reason. Or maybe it wasn’t Nate he was taking me to! Maybe it was Gib. He’s one of the residents. Mac was at his house the first day and in his art class the second. Maybe Gib and I are supposed to connect.” I sound crazy, Briony thought. This whole thing is ridiculous.

  “Maybe. Except for the part about the overwhelming attraction, which I’m assuming you didn’t feel for Gib,” Ruby answered. “And the conversation that got way beyond chitchat.”

  The waiter brought over their drinks. “Beautiful.” Briony took a sip. “And yummy. Thanks for suggesting it. Now tell me what food I should order.”

  “Obama’s favorite order is on the menu. Three chicken wings and a waffle,” the waiter volunteered.

  “I always do a chicken breast and a waffle. And a side of mac and cheese,” Ruby said. “Which is what I’ll have today.” The waiter made a note on his pad and looked over at Briony.

  “Make it two. I’m putting myself in her hands,” Briony told him. It wasn’t until he was heading for the kitchen to put the order in that she realized what she’d done. She’d let Ruby make her decisions for her. It was like Vi said. Like how Briony couldn’t even decide whether she needed an umbrella.

  “What?” Ruby asked. “You went pale, and you’re on the pale side to begin with.”

  “It’s . . . It’s that I was talking to my best friend the other day, my maid of honor, and she was saying that at my bachelorette party I was asking everyone if I should get married. I guess I was really drunk. I couldn’t believe Vi hadn’t told me, but she said she thought it was just me being me. That I never do anything without asking for someone else’s opinion.” Briony turned her glass back and forth, watching the pink and yellow begin to blend. “When I thought about it, really thought about it, I realized it was true. And I just did it again. I didn’t even look at the menu. I just was all ‘I’ll have what she’s having. ’ ”

  “You’re being a little hard on yourself, don’t you think?” Ruby put her hand over Briony’s to stop her from nervously playing with the glass. “It’s a local place. You’ve never been here before; I have. Don’t you think most people would ask the California native what was good?”

  “Ask, yes. Then think if it’s what they wanted. I didn’t even think!” Briony exclaimed. “Vi thinks that’s why Caleb was so perfect for me. Because he’s the kind of guy who likes taking care of people. He was happy to give me advice. But never in a bossy way. Because he’s perfect.”

  “Here we go with the perfect again.”

  “I told you, it’s not just me who thinks he’s perfect. Everybody thinks he’s perfect.”

  “I have another story where the point will become apparent, like the one about being a biology major,” Ruby told her. “Once when I was in high school, I found this dress that was perfect. I loved it. Loved, loved, loved it. I still remember exactly what it looked like. Black-and-white check, belted waist, with a little red rose at the throat. So classy. And so not me. I never wore it, not even once, even though I begged my mom to buy it for me. When I put it on, even though it was a perfect dress, it didn’t look right on me.”

  “Didn’t you try it on at the store?”

  “Of course. But I loved it so much I convinced myself it looked great. But it didn’t. And I didn’t have the shoes for it. Or the jewelry. Or the hair. Or the body type. It just wasn’t me.”

  “So, you think Caleb was my perfect slash not perfect dress,” Briony said.

  “It’s a possibility,” Ruby answered; then she exclaimed, “Oh no! Did I just give advice? I shouldn’t be giving you advice after what you told me. In fact, I promise right now, no, I will not give you advice, even on breakfast foods, ever again.”

  “It’s okay. I—” Briony was interrupted by her phone ringing. She glanced at it, and her heart gave a bam! “It’s Nate.” She answered, “Hi, Nate. Is Mac there again?”

  “Not that I know of. Is he missing again?” Nate asked.

  “I’m not sure. I’m not home. But it’s definitely possible,” Briony said.

  “I was actually calling because I wondered if you’d like to go out for a drink tonight, see a little of LA.”

  Her heart gave a double bam. “One sec,” she managed to say. “I have to, um, do something.” She muted the phone and turned to Ruby. “He just asked me out. What should I do?”

  Ruby smiled. “Don’t ask me.”

  Briony pressed her lips together. Should she? She was a woman who had been about to get married less than a week ago. But it was just a drink. It wasn’t going to lead to anything, even if he made her body weak. She was going home soon.

  Ruby started to hum the Jeopardy! theme.

  Briony unmuted the phone. “Thanks for asking, Nate. I’d love to.”

  * * *

  “Get ready, LeeAnne. You’re gonna love this,” Nate told her when he swung by the kitchen. “I’m about to head over to Briony’s to take her out for drinks.” LeeAnne gave a whoop and slapped Hope a high five. “Where do you think we should go? The bars around here change every thirty seconds, it seems like.”

  LeeAnne snorted. “Oh, please. I bet you haven’t stepped inside a bar for at least a year.”

  Nate thought about it. She was right. The last time was about a year and a half ago, when Nathalie had dragged him to a place in Echo Park where one of her boyfriends was doing stand-up in the backroom. He was pathetic. But with The Gardens, and his mom, and his sister, it was almost impossible to find . . . Yeah, he was pathetic. “So where do you think would be good?”

  “She’s visiting. She’ll want something really LA. But which LA?” LeeAnne murmured, staring up at the ceiling as if there were a list of bars up there. “Got it. Mama Shelter. Rooftop, not restaurant.”

  “Never been there,” Nate admitted.

  “Really? You?” LeeAnne asked with mock amazement. “Relaxed vibe, amazing views, great cocktails.” She looked over at Hope for backup.

  “I don’t go anywhere. My life is study, work, study, work, sleep, repeat,” Hope reminded her, with a smile. “And anyway, I’m sure it’s out of my league.”

  “Will you stop saying things like that! I don’t want to hear anything like that from you again.” LeeAnne used such a sharp tone that she surprised Nate.

  “Sorry,” Hope muttered. “I’m going to see if there are any new dietary restrictions.” She hurried out of the kitchen.

  LeeAnne sighed. “Well, I handled that beautifully. I just hate that she doesn’t think she’s as good as anyone else. She acts like she goes to school wearing a sandwich-board sign saying ‘I Live with My Parents in Public Housing.’ And that she really believes that makes her out of anyone’s league. She’s so great. I just want to strangle her.”

  “It’s good she has you around to tell her that. Just maybe say it softer next time,” Nate said. “And avoid strangling. A murder at The Gardens would affect our ratings.”

  She shook her head. “Get out of here. And make sure you stay until sunset, dude. There’s nothing more romantic.”

  “This isn’t a romantic thing. It’s a friendly thing,” Nate protested. “She doesn’t know anyone. She’s new in town. That’s why you said I should call her, remember?�
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  “Stay until sunset anyway. It’s the best tourist attraction around.” LeeAnne took him by the shoulders and turned him toward the door. “Now get out of here.”

  * * *

  Nate could tell LeeAnne had made the right pick as soon as he and Briony stepped out onto the rooftop bar. She turned around slowly, taking in the entire view. “Gorgeous.”

  “You can even see the ocean. Way down there.” Nate pointed.

  “I feel like we’re on a beach with all the bright colors and lounge chairs,” Briony commented.

  “Shall we sit or lounge?” he asked.

  “Um.” Briony looked from the little tables to the extra-wide loungers. He wondered if she was thinking the loungers might be a bit too intimate. They didn’t have to be. There was plenty of room for two people. Although it would be easy to get close, too. “What do you—” she started. Then she gave her head a shake. “Lounge. Definitely lounge.”

  Nate led the way to a spot where they’d be facing the sunset, if they ended up staying that long. Briony stretched out, crossing her ankles. “Ahhh.” He started to sit down when he felt his phone start up. He’d put it on vibrate, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to turn it off entirely. Not with someone prowling around his mom’s place and someone—most likely the same person—sabotaging The Gardens.

  “We need drinks. I’ll go up to the bar.” Which would give him a chance to check his messages. “What would you like?”

  She hesitated a moment, considering. “Something . . . beachy.”

  “Are we talking little umbrella?” he asked.

  “Absolutely,” she answered, grinning up at him. The first time they’d met, all he could see was a mess of a woman. Okay, a mess of a woman with fantastic legs, from what he could see through the tear in her dress. The second time, he was struck by how different she looked, with her auburn hair pulled back, all sleek, and her face free of makeup streaks. This time, he took in how truly pretty she was, with her deep blue eyes and smooth skin sprinkled with freckles. He had the sudden crazy impulse to play connect the dots with the ones near the base of her throat. They’d make a perfect star.

  He realized he was staring, and that possibly it seemed like he’d been staring at her breasts instead of those five freckles. He had taken a quick look, and her breasts were worth staring at. But he hadn’t, because he wasn’t fifteen.

  His phone vibrated again. “Right back,” he told Briony, then headed to the bar. He paused briefly and checked his messages. Both from work. Both nothing Amelia couldn’t deal with. He shot messages back saying so.

  A few minutes later, he returned to Briony and handed her a drink. “This is the beachiest one I could find. No umbrella, but it does have a Life Saver, also lemon, and cherry bitters.”

  She took a sip. “Yum. What’d you get?” she asked as he stretched out next to her.

  “Something with tequila and jalapeño and lime. I like a little kick.” He took a swallow. “It’s good. Want to try it?”

  “Sure. If you try mine.”

  They traded. He found his gaze going to her mouth as she brought the glass to her lips. He looked away, not wanting to stare, and tried her cocktail. “Better than I thought it would be,” he said.

  “Yours is amazing.” She took another taste.

  “You want to keep it?”

  “Let’s share both.” Briony took one more sip; then they traded back. “You want to hear something stupid?” she asked.

  “Sure.” He was intrigued.

  “It wasn’t until about a year ago that I realized why Life Savers are called Life Savers. I took one out of the roll, and it was like I actually looked at it. I couldn’t believe I’d never noticed it looked like—”

  “A lifesaver,” they both said together.

  “It’s like when I was looking at a picture of the Sistine Chapel,” Nate said, “and I realized in the part where God’s reaching out his finger toward Adam, the part around God kind of looks like a brain.”

  “Oh, now that’s unfair!” Briony exclaimed. “I tell you I noticed something completely obvious about a piece of candy and you throw back something not at all obvious about a masterpiece.”

  Nate gave a snort of laughter. “I’m obviously just a lot more intelligent than you are.” She surprised him by giving him a light sock on the arm.

  He was feeling really comfortable with her. He wouldn’t have teased her if he didn’t. Weird for a first date, where he was usually choosing what to say fairly carefully. Except this wasn’t a date. Maybe that was the difference. He’d never hung out with a woman as a friend. Back in high school, as part of a group, yeah, but not like this.

  “We’re almost exactly as high as the palm trees,” she commented.

  “Now that I think about it, I might have been high as the palm trees when I had that realization about the Sistine Chapel,” Nate said.

  “You’re goofy. You had me fooled. I thought you were completely responsible and logical, but you’re goofy,” Briony informed him.

  Goofy. No one had ever called Nate goofy. Maybe it was a reaction to having a night off.

  “Just so you know, that getting high comment? Joke. Although when I was fifteen, sixteen, different story. Back then, I walked around in my Electric Wizard T-shirt acting like a badass, which I in no way was.”

  “Um.” She lightly bit her bottom lip. “Can we still share drinks if I admit I have no idea who that is?”

  “Oh, man. Only the best doom metal band ever. Their music sounded like it was playing backward even when it was playing forward.” He shook his head at his younger self. That kid would never have imagined himself taking on the responsibility of The Gardens and the family almost as soon as he graduated from high school.

  “A later version of being Parka?”

  “Exactly!”

  “And I was thinking you were such a nice boy, watching TV with your grandpa and the residents at The Gardens,” Briony teased.

  “I did that, too. I just changed my shirt first. It’s not like I was high all the time. And, anyway, have you ever watched Home Improvement while stoned? Genius.”

  “I never smoked weed.” She looked embarrassed. “I was a ridiculously good girl. I didn’t even cut school on Senior Cut Day. If there was a rule I followed it. I did watch Home Improvement, though,” she added quickly. And looked even more embarrassed.

  “Did you have any fun at all?”

  “Did I have any fun?” she repeated, clearly not able to come up with an answer right away. “I guess so. Sometimes.” A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I got good grades. Does that count?”

  Instead of answering her, he handed over his cocktail. “You finish it. You deserve it.”

  Briony drained the glass. “I know I already said it, but this place is gorgeous. Do you come here a lot?”

  “I’ve actually never been here. I had to ask for advice on where to take you,” he told her.

  “Really?” She sounded surprised. “I’m trying to give that up.”

  “Give what up?”

  “Asking for advice. I’ve been told I do that too much.”

  “I’ve been told I don’t get out enough. Which is probably true, since I needed to ask advice on where to go tonight. It’s hard to find a good time to get away from The Gardens.”

  “You had to grow up fast,” she commented. “Well, we’re at the beach now. We don’t have to think about work. We don’t have to think about anything.” She closed her eyes, tilting her face up toward the sun. Nate watched her for a moment, then did the same. He felt his muscles begin to relax. Muscles he hadn’t even realized were tight. Muscles he hadn’t even realized he had.

  After a few minutes, he felt the lounge shift underneath him. He opened his eyes and saw Briony sitting up, looking at him. “Unless you want to talk about work. Because that—”

  Nate held up one hand, stopping her. “Not at the beach.” She lay back, took a couple sips of her drink, then held it out to
him. He took a swallow and started to hand it back.

  Then his cell vibrated.

  Damn it. He had to check it. He finished off the glass. “We need more drinks. Same again? Or something different.”

  She opened her mouth, then shut it, and rubbed her fingers over her lips. “Something different. Two something differents so we can try more. Cal—People always say you shouldn’t mix types of alcohol, but I say, what the hell.” She threw both arms over her head.

  “That’s a myth. It’s the amount of alcohol you drink and how fast you drink it that are important. Turns out mixing doesn’t really make such a difference.”

  “Now you’re back to reasonable and logical. The respectable owner of a retirement home. I like goofy better,” Briony said.

  “I’ll work on it when I get back.” Nate took a quick look at his phone as he walked to the bar. Text from Amelia asking something that wasn’t at all important. He shot a message back telling her to make the decision. Then he sent her another text telling her that she should make all the decisions until he got back.

  When he reached the bar, he couldn’t stop himself from sending a third text that said: “Unless it’s an emergency. Then definitely call!”

  He ordered drinks from the bartender in the “Mama Loves You” T-shirt. Seeing it made him send a fourth text: “If security sees anything out of the ordinary at my mom’s place, then call. Anything.” His mom would definitely call him if she noticed someone outside her place again, but it was possible security would spot something she hadn’t.

  “I have a How I Met Your Mother and a Throw Mama from the Train. Which do you want first?” Nate asked when he returned to Briony.

  “Throw Mama.”

  He handed her the drink. “I also got us two bottles of water. We should stay hydrated while we drink,” he said. “I’ll try to make that my last responsible act of the night.”

  “Good.”

  He returned to his spot beside her on the lounger, and they started trading drinks again, talking about absolutely nothing important. They fell into silence as the sun began to set behind the Hollywood sign, the clouds turning deep pink, then orange as the sky darkened.