“Hello, Richard. My name is Mackenzie Harper, and this is a good friend of mine, Dean . . . Simone. We’re sorry to disturb you, but we were wondering if you would be willing to talk to us about something that happened a long time ago?” Mack held her breath while she waited anxiously for Richard’s reply. He took so long to answer that she started to fidget. Dean tightened his hold on her hand in reassurance.
“Do I make you nervous, young lady?”
She hesitated. “Actually, yes, you do. I’m nervous about asking you what it is I need to know.”
“So, ask me and get it out of the way.”
She inhaled deeply. “I found a diary dated 1947, it belonged to Rose Degan.”
Richard inadvertently froze. His eyes narrowed.
“You remember Rose, don’t you, Richard?”
After a few moments, he focused on Mack. “Rose was the first woman I ever loved, and I never loved anyone else like I did her. She was everything to me.”
“Will you tell us what happened the night she died? Please, Richard?”
He didn’t answer but instead looked toward the curtained window as if he was seeing something else. Finally, he looked back at them and whispered, “I’ve never spoken about that night since it happened, and then I only said I saw her go over the cliffs from a distance.”
“So what really happened?”
He sighed heavily as he shut his eyes Mack actually thought he had fallen asleep, until he started to talk, slowly, but directly.
“I stayed outside that night after she got home from work. I was so jealous and I wanted to make sure she didn’t sneak out to meet him. I’d taken sandwiches to eat for dinner and a thermos of coffee. Unbeknown to me, Jacob had been invited to dinner by her father. Don’t know what happened, but he left soon after arriving. So I stayed, knowing deep down that she would try to sneak out to see him. Later, I don’t know what time it was, I saw a figure moving quickly away from the house. I knew instinctively it was Rose so I ran in the same direction and then she disappeared from sight.”
Richard opened his eyes and looked longingly at Mack. “I’m not proud of what I did next, but I loved her and I panicked.”
“We’re not here to judge you, Richard. We just want to know what happened to Rose.”
He realized Mack was serious.
Richard took a deep breath. “I went running to the back door and started banging on it. I wanted to tell Rose’s father that she was gone, but Thomas opened it. He looked upset himself. I threatened him so that he would tell me where she had gone.” He paused and shook his head. “He told me he thought she had gone to meet Jacob, and that she normally took the footpath over the cliffs.”
Richard looked distressed so Mack stood up and moved to help him take a few sips of water.
“Thank you.”
He didn’t look too good. “Richard, do you want to continue?”
“Yes. It’s about time I admitted the truth.”
“Okay,” Mack said, hesitantly. She wanted the truth, but a part of her was terrified at what he would say. Mack took her seat next to Dean.
“I caught up to Rose on the cliffs. She was just standing there, near the edge, lost in her own thoughts. I made her jump in surprise.” He coughed. “She turned around to look at me and wanted to know what I was doing there. I told her I loved her and wanted her to stay with me and marry me. She laughed in my face. Rose told me that she was in love with Jacob, and only him, and that she was—” he wiped tears from his eyes “—pregnant with Jacob’s child. She told me that she was running away to marry him. I begged her not to. I told her that I would still marry her and we could raise the child as mine. She told me no, and as I started very slowly walking toward her, she took a couple of steps back, and went off the cliffs.”
Richard stopped and gulped in some much-needed air. “After that, I went back to Degan House. Her parents had arrived back home by then. I told them that I saw her go over the cliffs from a distance and that I never had a chance to talk to her.” He paused. “About a week later, her father came to see me and asked what really happened. I told him about the baby. He was angry as hell and ended up punching me. He told me never to talk about Rose again. I really did love her, Mackenzie. I didn’t mean for her to fall, and I would have saved her if I could have.”
As Richard finished talking, Mack handed him a tissue. She took one for herself and looked at Dean, who also had tears in his eyes. She turned and hugged him tightly.
Mack looked at Richard. “Thank you for telling us. It means a lot.”
“Tell Thomas I’m sorry for not saying any of this way back then. I was in shock and,” he paused, “a coward. I’m not proud of my actions. I thought everyone would think I’d pushed her off because she was going to him instead of choosing me.”
“Oh, boy.” Mack had to take some deep breaths to stop from crying.
“I need to rest now,” Richard said, his lips turning into a scowl as his hands began to shake in agitation. He dismissed them with one sweep of his old, wrinkled hand.
Dean took hold of Mack’s hand and led her back to the car. He helped her inside before he ran around the front to climb in himself. “Where do you want to go from here, Mack?”
She offered him a sad smile. “Just take me home.”
“Okay, babe. Anything you say.”
Chapter 34
Back at Rose Cottage, Dean ushered Mack inside and into a chair at the kitchen table. “Your hands are freezing.” He turned to warm some water for a hot drink, trying to bring some life back into her.
With a drink made, he passed it to Mack and wrapped her fingers gently around the cup. “Thank you, Dean, for being there with me.”
He moved his chair closer to Mack’s as he put an arm around her and rubbed her shoulder with his hand. “I’m here for you . . . now and always. I love you and I’m not going anywhere.” He cupped his hand underneath her chin and brought her face up to his for a sweet, slow kiss.
“Are you really, Dean?”
Dean smiled. “Yes, Mack. I am. If that’s okay with you?”
“Mmm. That’s more than okay.”
The next minute, Lucas barged right through the kitchen door. “Auntie Mack, you’re back!” Not realizing he’d interrupted anything, Lucas carried on walking straight through to the living room. “You coming, Dean?” he shouted, his voice filled with challenge.
Dean glanced at Mack. “In a minute, champ.”
Mack seemed to be pulling herself together, so standing, he took hold of her hand and urged her up into his arms.
With her arms wrapped around his waist, she snuggled into his chest and slid her hands further down Dean’s back. She pulled his hips into contact with hers, and then lifted her face up to look at him. He sealed his lips to hers.
He was breathing heavily as he pulled his lips away from hers. “You’re asking for trouble by doing that!”
“Promises, promises.” She gave him a saucy grin.
About to grab her again, Dean stopped himself as Thomas walked through the back door.
“Are you feeling better, Mack?” Dean asked.
She nodded.
Dean smiled. “We’ll finish what you started later,” he whispered, and planted a quick kiss on Mack’s lips before he joined Lucas on the Wii in the living room.
Mack felt all hot and bothered after having Dean’s hands and mouth on her. She watched Thomas walk cautiously into the room before he made eye contact with her. “You look like a flushed ghost,” he observed. Mack raised an eyebrow. “You’re white as a ghost and obviously flushed with whatever that young man was doing to you.”
She blushed even more. “Thomas, we spoke to Richard this morning.” She took a seat at the table and waited for Thomas to join her. “He told me what happened that night, and he also told me how your father knew Rose was pregnant.”
Thomas silently rubbed his face with his hands. “I did wonder if Richard had spoken to her before she died because I could never
figure out how Father knew she was pregnant.”
“Apparently, he found her at the cliffs and begged her to stay and marry him. He said she’s the only woman he has ever loved, and I believe him. Richard told Rose he would even bring Jacob’s child up as his own.”
He shook his head. “He was married and has a daughter. Are you saying he admitted to only loving my sister, Rose?”
“No. He said she was the first woman he had ever loved and he never loved anyone else as much. I guess, in his own way, he loved his wife, but it was just in a different way.”
“Then I feel sorry for him. His wife was a lovely woman. In fact, she was best friends with my wife, and when Janet died, she would bring meals to me three times a week.”
Mack just sat quietly for a short time, at a loss for words. “Richard said to tell you that he was sorry he never told you anything about that night. He presumed everyone would think that he’d pushed her off because she’d chosen Jacob instead of him.”
Mack glanced into the living room to make sure Dean and the Wii game they were playing was still entertaining Lucas. She caught Dean’s eye. He winked at her and blew her a kiss, which made her smile.
She turned back to Thomas. “Your father visited Richard about a week after Rose died wanting to know what had happened. He hadn’t believed Richard’s account of that night. He told your father everything, including that she was pregnant. Your father punched him.”
He sniggered. “Yeah, I can believe that. My father didn’t lose his temper often, but when he did, you didn’t want to be anywhere near him.”
Thomas took hold of Mack’s hand and squeezed. “Thank you. I guess, in the back of my mind, I have always wondered whether or not he had anything to do with her death. I can’t imagine what he must have felt like, watching the woman he loved going over the cliffs.”
“It’s all so sad. Dean is going to arrange for me to meet his grandfather soon. I’m not looking forward to telling him, but he needs to know and I really need to be the one to tell him. I feel so connected to Rose. Their story breaks my heart.”
Dean was standing in the doorway watching Mack and Thomas talking. He was falling more in love with her. She was the most compassionate woman he had ever met, and hopefully, she would be all his for a long time to come.
“Dean, you okay?” Mack asked, bringing him back to the present.
He walked over to her and placed a tender kiss on the top of her head. “When you look at me like that, I’m more than okay.”
“Auntie Mack, after dinner can I go and have a sleepover at Thomas’s cottage . . . please?”
Mack glanced at Thomas, who was nodding his head. “Are you sure, Thomas?”
Thomas looked choked up. “I’d love that, I really would.”
Mack looked at an excited Lucas. “Well then, I guess we better pack you a bag, and then I’ll get dinner ready.”
After dinner, Thomas took Lucas back to his place, leaving Mack and Dean to do the clean up.
Mack had plans for tonight, and those plans included Dean and a comfortable bed.
She left Dean to finish cleaning the kitchen while she went upstairs to shower.
With the shower turned on, she took her clothes off and threw them into the washing basket. She stepped under the spray and just stood, letting the hot water ease her aching muscles.
She felt a slight draft and glanced back to find Dean climbing into the shower behind her. He was completely naked and his erection pointed straight at her. She was mesmerized and completely turned on.
With a sexy grin, he moved in close to her and grasped her hips while he started to place feather-light kisses along her neck and shoulders, sending shivers all the way through her body.
She reached behind with her hands landing on Dean’s hips. Stepping back into him she felt his erection rub between her buttocks. Dean shivered as she dug her nails into his bare butt.
He reached to the side for the shower gel and squeezed a large amount into his hands before he started to explore Mack’s body.
Starting at her shoulders, he moved down her arms, briefly lacing their fingers together. Bending down slightly, he placed a quick kiss on her shoulder. He caressed her arms back up to her shoulders and moved along to her collarbone, then to her breasts. Massaging each one with his gel-covered hands, he rubbed her nipples with his fingers. Mack moaned.
“God, Dean,” Mack croaked as she rubbed her bottom against Dean’s erection.
He started to move one of his hands down her stomach, smoothing them between her legs before he slipped them between her wet folds. He pushed one of his fingers inside her. Mack writhed, trying to find the right friction to send herself rocketing into orgasm heaven.
He pulled his finger out of her. “Not yet,” Dean whispered, kissing her shoulder as he continued to use his hands on her breasts, massaging and pinching her nipples.
Mack figured two could play at that game and reached for the gel, squirting some on the palm of her hand. She reached behind her back and came into contact with Dean’s erection. She took a firm hold of him and started to glide her hand up and down him. Dean pushed two fingers inside her again and started to move them in and out of her as fast as she was moving her hand on him as he still rubbed and pinched her breast. Mack turned her head and met Dean’s glittering eyes.
He pulled his fingers out of her and turned her around. He gripped her bottom tightly as he hoisted her further up the wall and entered her in one smooth motion. He sealed their moans with his mouth locked passionately to hers as he thrust in and out of her.
The only sounds in the room were running water, heavy breathing, and the sound of flesh smacking against flesh.
Dean felt the start of Mack’s orgasm rippling along his shaft. He moved his mouth from her lips and clamped down onto one of her breasts. She was in so much ecstasy as she squeezed his dick so hard that she took him with her into the realms of unadulterated pleasure.
They rested forehead to forehead, still breathing heavily. “I love you, Mack.”
She looked up into Dean’s eyes and with a smile, said, “I love you, too.”
Chapter 35
“Good morning.” Mack started to stroke his erection.
Dean roared with laughter. “Morning, have I told you how much I love you?” He rolled her onto her back.
“Yes, but feel free to tell me again.”
Dean became serious and rested his elbows on either side of Mack’s head. “I love you, Mack, so much.”
She ran her fingers along Dean’s lips. “I love you, too, always.” Smiling, she pulled him down on top of her and wrapped her legs around his waist as he slipped inside her and made very slow, passionate love to her.
Mack was sitting outside with a cup of coffee, waiting for Thomas to bring Lucas home and for Dean to shave and change clothes.
Seeing a car pull into the drive, Mack put her cup down on the step. She didn’t recognize the vehicle, but no sooner had she stood up to check it out than her sister was running toward her for a hug.
“Mack!” She threw her arms around Mack’s neck.
Mack returned her embrace. “Melinda, what are you doing here? You said you would text me if you got an earlier flight.”
“Sorry, Mack, but it was a standby flight, and we just had time to get on board. Where’s my little Lucas?”
Mack was still a bit stunned. “He’s with Thomas, but he’ll be back soon. Wow, I can’t believe you’re here.”
Melinda held Mack at arm’s length. “You’re at home here,” she stated.
Mack grinned at her sister. “Yes, I am . . . wait until you meet Dean later. He’s the hot guy who’s renting next door.” She laughed and headed inside, leaving her sister to follow.
As Melinda followed Mack inside, she couldn’t work out whether Mack was teasing or being truthful. “Are you sure there’s a hot guy named Dean living next door?”
“Positive. You’ll like him, but he’s mine so no flirting, sis!” Mack pointe
d a finger toward Melinda, her eyes full of amusement.
Melinda was the biggest flirt going, and Mack always wondered how Daniel managed to get her to behave. They’d been married seven years and still seemed to be in love. Daniel was older than her sister by five years, but acted much older, which was probably what Melinda needed to calm her down.
“Sis, where’s Daniel?” Mack asked as she suddenly realized her brother-in-law was missing.
“Finishing a call on his cell in the rental car,” Melinda replied as she began exploring the cottage. Leave it to her sister to be nosy.
Mack headed toward the back door. “I’ll be back in a minute, Mel.”
“Okay.”
Mack walked out into the yard and spotted Daniel still sitting in the car.
As he climbed out, Daniel spotted Mack walking in his direction. “Hey, sis!”
“Hey, Doctor Daniel!” Mack laughed and ran around to the driver’s side of the car to give him a big hug and a quick kiss on the lips.
As far as Mack was concerned, Daniel wasn’t her brother-in-law, he was her brother, the one she had always wanted. He also treated her like his sister.
Unbeknown to Mack, Dean had seen their little interlude at the car and was pissed. What in the hell was she playing at because an hour ago, she’d been naked in bed with him. So who in the hell was that guy?
Trying to decide whether to go around to Mack’s, or stay there and fume, he picked up his keys and stormed next door to make a claim on his woman because she belonged to him and no one else.
Dean walked straight into Rose Cottage without even knocking. He spotted Mack standing near the coffee pot, walked straight over to her, took her face in his hands, and kissed the very life out of her. He lifted his head, grinning down at Mack, who appeared to be having a little trouble focusing.
“Wow, do you greet everyone like that?” Melinda asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
Dean had just noticed the woman in the kitchen, and he had a sinking feeling that he’d misunderstood the hug and kiss outside.
Rose and Jacob Page 20
