Macy's Parade (The Morrison Family Book 6)

by D. R. Grady

  “Then let’s do it. I’ll go make a fire.” Nick turned and left the room. That gave her some breathing space. A good thing, since there were four kids present.

  “Where are the ingredients?” Savannah’s question broke into her thoughts, and Macy didn’t mind. Nick Morrison was a distraction she just didn’t need.

  Life proved complicated enough without him popping in and turning things upside down for her. Then there were his children...

  “I put them in the pantry on the top shelf to the left.”

  Savannah nodded and disappeared through the door.

  “Which movies did they get?” Starla asked and pulled herself into a chair at the island. She immediately set to swishing the chair back and forth.

  “A bunch of the Harry Potter movies.” Macy looked through the other purchases. There were several different kinds of popcorn and a bag of red licorice. Plus the S’mores.

  Brandt checked out the snacks with her. “Think these will work?”

  “Yeah, I like popcorn and S’mores.”

  “I like licorice,” Starla said and batted her eyelashes.

  “So do I,” Macy replied and tried batting her own. For some reason, she didn’t think she was as effective as the Mini-Marilyn seated in front of her.

  “I found everything,” Savannah announced. She carried the bag with the ingredients.

  “Did you write all the ingredients on the board?”

  “No, why?”

  “Well, if we use them up tonight, we won’t have any for the lake.”

  “Oh, good thinking. We definitely don’t want to go to the lake without S’mores. But you’ll need more of all this stuff,” Savannah said.

  “Oh? I got a box of graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows, and a package of chocolate, how much more will I need?” Macy stared at Savannah, and abruptly remembered to close her mouth. How many could these kids eat? One tended to make her sick.

  “This is plenty for us for now, but we always get visitors. You know – family members and neighbors. Better go with triple this amount.”

  “Okay,” Macy replied weakly. Goodness, but she was not looking forward to next weekend. “Does this mean I’ll have to cook double for meals?”

  “No,” Savannah said. “Everyone chips in for those. It’s just the evening stuff. We usually take the S’mores ingredients. Granna takes the stuff for moon pies, Aunt Tia brings candy, you know, everyone has something they take to share.”

  “Oh, that sounds fine, then.” Macy sat down beside Starla and pressed a hand to her beating heart. Visions of cooking for the entire camp and never seeing the light of day played like a bad movie through her brain. Being chained to the stove for an entire weekend was not what she’d call fun.

  “Everyone truly does help cook, right?” Why she needed this constant reassurance, Macy didn’t know. She was tired of worrying over this.

  “Yeah. We only really eat breakfast and lunch by ourselves. Usually the family gets together for supper. That’ll be the burgers and hot dogs. Did you get me some soy ones?”

  “Yeah. They’re in the freezer with the regular burgers.”

  “They weren’t too expensive were they?”

  “No.” Macy frowned at Savannah. “If you eat them, they’re not expensive at all. Stop worrying.”

  “I’ll eat them. I liked the ones you cooked for me the other night.”

  “That’s the brand I bought for you again.”

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  “Macy when are we going to watch the movie?” Starla cocked her head to the side, and her blonde curls blocked her vision.

  “Once your daddy builds the fire. Have you seen the Harry Potter movies before?”

  “Yeah,” Savannah said. “We’ve read all the books again, but we haven’t seen the moves lately.”

  “Okay, why don’t we roast the marshmallows first, then watch the first movie? We can eat the S’mores and popcorn while we watch.”

  “I like that idea,” Starla said and slipped off her stool with easy grace. She trailed from the room in a vision of pink.

  “How likely are she and Brandt to stay awake through the entire movie?”

  Savannah smiled. “They’ll end up having to see the ending tomorrow.”

  “That’s what I figured.”

  Savannah left, clutching the marshmallows and graham crackers, while she directed Brandt to take the chocolate and some skewers Savannah also managed to procure somewhere. Macy turned to the popcorn and placed the first one in the microwave. She stepped into the pantry to the second microwave and placed another inside that one.

  When she returned to the kitchen, Nick was there, and he wiggled a brow at her. She tried wiggling hers back, but then decided action spoke loudest. Instead, she tugged him into the pantry with her, shut the door, and kissed him senseless. Or was it her who went senseless?

  Either way the exercise was fun.

  Nick initiated the second kiss once they momentarily came up for air. “You need to kiss me more often,” he grumbled against her lips.

  “Hello, you could kiss me more often.”

  “Okay, I solemnly swear to kiss you whenever the opportunity presents itself.”

  She laughed. “And that’s different how?”

  He didn’t bother to answer her, but instead kissed her again. The buzzing of the microwave interrupted them. Macy reluctantly pulled away from him and turned to remove the popcorn.

  “We just need to be careful,” she warned.

  Nick blew out a frustrated breath and shoved a hand through his hair. “I know. A part of me wants to say to heck with what the kids think, but the more rational part understands we need to be careful for their sakes.”

  “They’ve been hurt enough. They don’t need the complication of wondering about us. Going through so many nannies before me was bad enough. Then to have me involved with you isn’t going to help matters.”

  Yet kissing Nick was one of the most pleasurable experiences in her life. Macy didn’t bother to deny that. She didn’t want to. But she couldn’t risk losing her heart to him.

  Too late, a little voice taunted her.

  “I guess if we’re careful, we can keep this from them. But Macy, I don’t want a summer fling,” Nick said, and he wouldn’t look her in the eyes.

  “Neither do I,” she whispered. She didn’t want any sort of fling. She just wanted Nick.

  “So what are we doing?”

  “Just because I’m going to school, does that mean we can’t date? It might make life a bit more complicated, but I’ll only be in school for four years.”

  “Four years is a long time.”

  “It’s not so long. If our relationship means enough to us, we’ll make it work.” Macy didn’t know how she knew that, but the fact was entrenched deep inside her heart. If Nick wanted her enough, he’d work on their relationship with her. If he didn’t want her enough, it would be better to know that now.

  Before she got hurt. Too late, the little voice piped up again. Macy batted it down, because she couldn’t deal with its pessimistic little tolls. Nick wouldn’t knowingly hurt her, just as she wouldn’t hurt him, either. Not if she could help it.

  What if she couldn’t help it? What if she still hurt him, that irritating little voice asked snidely.

  Macy ignored it. She stared into Nick’s dark blue eyes and wanted to lose herself in the midnight depths. This man could be a wonderful part of her future, but she didn’t know how to mesh the two desires. One had been a part of her for so long. But the other, this living, breathing, enticing man was fast taking up room in her dreams space.

  “What if it doesn’t work?” Nick sounded frustrated.

  “What if it does?”

  “I’ve been hurt pretty badly before.”

  “Me too.”

  “Did your significant other run off with your best friend, after having four children with you?” Pain briefly crossed his face, and she could only imagine the sense of betrayal he must have fe
lt.

  “No, he left me after he learned I can’t have children.”

  That stopped Nick. He blinked then stared at her with new comprehension. “You can’t have children?”

  “No. I was in a car accident five years ago. I was bleeding internally. The only way to save my life was to take my uterus. I can’t have kids.” Tears prickled in her eyes, and her throat went scratchy. She didn’t tell that story to many people.

  “My wife left because she couldn’t handle four kids, and your...”

  “Fiancé,” she supplied.

  “Your fiancé left because you couldn’t have kids. Maybe we were made for each other,” he said in a teasing voice. It helped to break the tension trying to bow her.

  “Maybe,” she managed through her tears.

  Nick didn’t ask any questions or say anything. He simply drew her into his arms and held her.

  Exactly what she needed. She couldn’t have children, and he had four. Four kids who needed a mother but didn’t have one.

  Vet school lasted for four years. Then she could transfer to a practice up here in Hershey. She could come home on weekends. Even in her head the arrangement stank.

  How on earth could they make this work?

  Yet if it meant enough to them, they would figure it out.

  Macy had to believe that. It was her only hope.

  Chapter 17

  By the time they popped the rest of the corn, Savannah and Brandt had toasted several marshmallows. Nick noticed Starla had opened the graham crackers and the chocolate and she delicately nibbled the edge of one of the chocolate bars.

  He set bowls of popcorn on the coffee table and decided Bryce didn’t need supervision to work the DVD player.

  Nick was confident Bryce could teach the engineers who had designed the device a few things. Bryce looked up. “Dad, Rob called, and I told him we’re watching Harry Potter. He’s coming over.”

  “Okay, that works,” Nick said and ruffled Bryce’s hair. He thought maybe he better tell Macy. She would know better if they had enough snacks.

  Poking his head around the corner, he told her. She nodded, but didn’t seem concerned. “Do we have enough snacks?” he came right out and asked.

  “Yeah, we’ll be fine. We all just ate supper, so I doubt anyone is truly hungry.”

  He cocked a brow at her. “We have Brandt here.”

  “His eating habits aren’t due to a growth spurt?”

  Nick contemplated that for a moment. “He’s always eaten more than the other kids, but I suppose the drastic increase could be due to him growing. Have you noticed him growing taller?”

  “No, but his old clothes are too small.”

  “He’s getting fat?” Nick sounded horrified.

  Macy laughed. “No. He’s just filling out and growing, like kids do. He’s active enough that I don’t think he’ll get chubby. But he does have the biggest appetite I’ve ever seen on a kid.”

  “He’s always been like that. Melissa had trouble keeping him satisfied as a baby. She started him on cereal and solid food a lot earlier than the other kids.”

  “She’d have had to. He eats more than Savannah.” Macy finished whatever she was doing and moved on to the next task.

  “Yeah. She’s my smallest eater.”

  “I’m thinking with the soy burgers and such, we can improve her eating habits.”

  “I hope so. She seems very skinny to me.”

  “She is tiny, but remember she’s a teenager, and the age she’s at is the gawkiest. But I think she’ll grow out of it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She’ll grow into herself.”

  He nodded. “You know, I remember my sister going through a similar stage. She was all arms and legs for a while.”

  “But she grew into herself, right?”

  Nick stared at her for a moment before a beatific smile creased his face. “Not really. She’s still pretty gangly. Awkward, you know?”

  “How much of that can be directly attributed to you?” Macy raised a dubious brow.

  “Oh, none of it, I’m sure.”

  “Right,” she said, not believing a word. Macy couldn’t wait to meet this woman. She had to be up for some sort of martyr’s award. Three older brothers, all of whom obviously had tortured her.

  “Is your sister a vegetarian?”

  “I don’t think so,” Nick answered with a frown. “You’ll have to ask her this weekend.”

  “She’ll be at the lake?”

  “Yeah. She has a cabin.”

  “What does your sister do?”

  “She has a Ph.D. in microbiology, I think.”

  “You think, you don’t know?”

  “I always mix up all the biologys. I know she has a Ph.D. in something.”

  “Nice, Morrison.” Macy had to taunt him.

  “She’s a nerd.” Nick looked pleased with himself, so she rolled her eyes.

  “I’m glad you weren’t my brother,” she said, with feeling.

  He wrinkled his nose. “Me too. I definitely enjoy kissing you too much to have you be my sister.”

  “Speaking of siblings, it sounds like my brother is here,” Macy said, cocking her head as she caught the rumble of a car engine.

  They heard Bryce go to the door. “Hi, Rob,” he said.

  “Hi, Bryce,” Rob answered. Macy smiled. Most people wouldn’t think twice about such a greeting, but neither male had been born with the simple ability to greet one another. Both had needed to learn such social niceties.

  Nick trailed into the family room and Macy heard the rumble of male voices. She couldn’t tell what they said, but didn’t mind. The last batch of popcorn finished and the microwave beeped at her. She upended the bag into the last bowl and carried it and her drink into the family room.

  Everyone was already seated and they turned expectant eyes on her. She smiled at Rob who grinned at her. He had already commandeered a bowl of popcorn and he and Bryce were sharing it.

  Savannah sat quietly in a corner chair. A bowl of popcorn rested on her lap.

  Brandt’s bowl was nearly empty so Macy made a mental note to pop more if the bowls scattered about weren’t enough. With Brandt she knew not to assume.

  Starla nibbled on a piece of chocolate and Macy liked how she thought. Leaning forward, she snagged one of the chocolate bars and peeled the wrapper off.

  “Have you seen Harry Potter before?” Bryce asked Rob.

  Rob nodded. “Macy and I went to see them in the theaters with one of our brothers.”

  “You have more than one brother?” Starla asked. Macy grinned to herself. The femme fatale would need to keep track of all males in her life. A smart female should probably do that.

  “Yes. We have two brothers and a sister,” Rob told her. He ate more popcorn, but not before smiling at her. Macy couldn’t help but be proud of him.

  “He turned out pretty well,” Nick said beside her, and she saw him watching Rob.

  “Yeah. We’re proud of him.”

  “I hope Bryce turns out as well.”

  Macy smiled. “I have a good feeling he will. They’re fast friends.”

  “Why do you think that is?”

  “Because someone finally understands them. That’s uncommon for an Aspie.”

  “It must be weird.”

  Macy shrugged. “I’m sure it would be, if they’d known anything different, but they don’t, so I think it’s probably just that feeling of belonging you get when you’re in a room with other architects.”

  Nick nodded. “We don’t have to talk about certain things, because we all know.”

  “Right. I think that’s how Rob and Bryce feel. They understand each other on a different level because they’ve been through similar experiences. These two especially because I’ve disciplined both of them,” she said wryly.

  Nick grinned. “Lucky guys,” he said with an impish look.

  “Let’s watch this movie,” Macy decided. The man seemed determined to lan
d her into trouble. The problem was she wasn’t as worried about that as she should be.

  ***

  Nick and Rob ended up carrying Starla and Brandt to bed. Neither child managed to stay awake for the ending, but they both tried, he had to give them credit. Macy helped tuck both of them in.

  “Think we should brush their teeth?” She almost wrung her hands when she asked him.

  “I think their teeth will be okay for one night without brushing,” he assured her. He couldn’t remember them having this much fun together as a family in a long time.

  “Okay.”

  “They had a good time tonight,” he said quietly as they crept from Brandt’s room.

  Rob kissed Macy goodbye and left, and he could hear Bryce and Savannah arguing in the bathroom.

  Macy stuck her head around the doorway. “Savannah, why don’t you use my bathroom?”

  “Thanks, Macy,” she said and scooted out of the room, leaving the space to Bryce.

  “That was a good solution.”

  “It’s an easy one, anyway.” Macy sighed. “I think they had fun.”

  “It was a good way to spend a gloomy Friday night.”

  “When was the last time you guys had fun on a Friday night?”

  “Macy, I barely remember yesterday, much less how frantic my life was before you came into it.”

  That set him to thinking. Was he so attracted to Macy because she made his life easier? With her around, he actually slept the night through. He didn’t have to worry about anything in the house in the way of chores. Sure, he had to clean his bathroom, but since he was the only person who used it regularly, he didn’t worry about that too much.

  But the advent of Macy had brought about a clean, organized house. Newly clothed children. Fed, happy children. She took care of all the household things, except the bills, and that was fine with him. If the kids or he needed something, she got it for them.

  Would he be attracted to the next woman who came along and organized his home? Even if she wasn’t blonde? The years had dulled even the ache of single parenthood. But Macy caused thoughts, images, and feelings within him he hadn’t known with Melissa during their good years.

  Macy yawned and he nearly drowned in hormones. Okay, he definitely found her sexy. He’d never been turned on by a yawning woman before, so this had to prove something. She rubbed a hand over her eyes.