by Carsen Taite
Stealing a look at Mac, who was fiddling with the burgers, Jordan countered his question with one of her own. “What’s her story?”
“I was hoping you’d tell me. She lives down the street in the biggest house on the block. She had a husband when she moved in, but he’s been AWOL for the last few months.
She seemed to be warming up to you. Maybe she’s switching teams.”
Fed up with what she was hearing, Mac interjected, “Big brother, you scare me when you try to act hip.”
“I’m trying to encourage a little affection between friends.
It seemed like she was into Jordan.”
“Yeah, and who isn’t.” Mac’s mutter was barely loud enough to register, but she caught a sharp look form Jordan.
Marty didn’t notice, asking, “Jordan, what do you think about Mac’s new prospect?”
“Prospect?” Jordan shot another look at Mac, who averted her eyes. “Gee, Marty, I don’t seem to be privy to this latest piece of gossip. Dish.”
“It’s nothing,” Mac said. “I was telling Marty about our online adventure and he thinks I should try harder to find love in cyberspace, that’s all.”
A burst of cold air from the house was followed by a parade of Mac and Marty look-alikes, alerting the guests that the rest of the Lewis clan had arrived.
Marty waved from his post at the grill. “Grab something to drink and send the kids over. We’ll get them served and then I’ll throw on food for us old folks.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Marty, Alice, everything tastes great.” Jordan rubbed her stomach. “I’m going to have to put in extra miles on the bike tomorrow.”
“Please. You look fantastic.” Samantha had managed to snare a seat on Jordan’s right. “I bet you could eat my cake and yours and still not gain an ounce.”
Jordan’s comeback was interrupted by a shout from the pool. “Mom, watch me, watch me!”
Samantha placed her hand across her brow, squinting against the sun while trying to focus on her energetic eightyear-old. “I’m watching, honey.”
Running down the diving board, Adam yelled, “Look!”
His enthusiastic command caused most of the heads at the adult table to turn. But Jordan was still looking at Samantha’s face, and the next few seconds were eerie as she watched fear unfold.
“Adam!” Samantha leapt to her feet and ran toward the pool.
Mac was already in the water, having anticipated the accident the moment she saw Adam jump into the air. The misplaced dive that followed caused him to strike his head on the diving board, and he was floating in the deep end, a small trail of blood nearby. Jordan ran to the side of the pool, pulling while Mac pushed the youngster onto the stone border.
Samantha tried to push them both away as she dropped down at the prone boy’s side.
Mac gently grasped her shoulder. “Jordan’s a doctor. Give her a little space.”
Samantha nodded, tears flowing. Though she stopped trying to elbow Jordan aside, she remained next to her, sobbing.
Unbearable moments of silence passed as Jordan listened to Adam’s chest, then turned him on his side.
“Is he going to be okay?” Samantha begged.
At that very moment, Adam gasped and spit up a healthy dose of pool water. Jordan wiped his chin with the tail of her shirt and examined him carefully. He had a gash on his forehead and a busted lower lip. Both required stitches and, damn it, she didn’t have her bag. Several years in the trauma ward during her fellowship had taught her injuries requiring quick attention were apt to occur anyplace at any time. As a result, she kept a medical bag packed and ready in the trunk of her Beemer, which wasn’t with her today since they had ridden in Mac’s Jeep.
Leaning in so only the little boy could hear her, she asked, “Adam, can you hear me?”
She barely caught his whimpered, “Yes.”
“Good. Do you remember who I am?”
He nodded. “You’re Jeremy’s aunt.”
She smiled. “You’re going to be okay, but I want to take you to the hospital where we can check you out. You okay with that?” She looked back over her shoulder and was nose to nose with the boy’s hovering mother. “Samantha, is your car here or at your house?”
“We walked here. Should I go get it?”
Several voices piped up, offering to drive. Jordan looked up from the mother and son and realized all the party guests were gathered around. “You’ve got an SUV, right?” she asked Marty.
He dragged out his keys. “I’ll carry him.”
Jordan nodded. “Someone toss me a towel and let’s get this show on the road.”
About two hours later, Jordan finally returned to the waiting room. “Sorry for the wait. They’re stitching him up now. His X-rays came back fine.”
“Thank goodness.” Mac sighed.
“Where is everyone?”
“Marty went back home.” The adults had decided it was unfair to Jeremy to end to his birthday on such a horrible note, so the party was continuing in a subdued fashion. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine. I’m not the one whose son almost broke his neck.”
“Well, I bet Samantha is impressed with the heroic figure you cut,” Mac said. “Lucky you were there to sweep her off her feet and save the day.”
“Leave it alone, Mac. Her only concern right now is her little boy. She’s worried he’s going to have a scar, which he probably will.”
“I’m sure you can fix that too,” Mac said sweetly.
Jordan’s face tightened. “Adam may not want to lose his chance at a bona fide scar. He thinks it’ll be cool. Can you believe a couple of hours ago he was unconscious and now he thinks his brush with death was cool?”
Mac smiled. “Are they letting him go home now?”
“Yes. He’ll be sore, but they’ve decided not to keep him overnight.”
“I’ll call Marty. He’s offered to give them a ride home.”
Mac hesitated. “Are you staying?”
“No. I’ve done all I can.”
Mac bit back the reply that hovered. Jordan’s flat tone and blank expression suggested she’d been teased enough. “Now that all the excitement is over, I’m starving.”
“I wonder why. You left a perfectly good hot dog to go for a swim.”
“It’s hard to pass up a chance to be the hero of the party.
Even for a hot dog. Though you did kind of show me up with all your doctor mumbo jumbo.”
“Sorry. Next time, I’ll let you do the heavy breathing.”
“Very funny.” Mac smiled. “What do you say we get something to eat?”
“Sure, but nowhere fancy, okay? I have blood on my shirt.”
Mac grimaced. Sliding her hand into Jordan’s, she said, “You know, you did save the day. Adam definitely thinks you’re a hero.”
“Impressing kids isn’t always so easy.”
“Unlike their mothers.” Mac expected a comeback, but Jordan’s hand slid away and she stood, her expression weary.
“Let’s get out of here.” She started for the door, not even waiting to see if Mac was following.
Disconcerted, Mac jumped up and strode after her. When they got to the car, she said, “There’s an extra T-shirt in my gym bag if you want to change. I was thinking we could grab a burger at Hunky’s.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Jordan let herself into the passenger side.
She was silent as they drove, but her discomfort showed in every shallow breath she drew. Mac knew her too well not to notice, but she also knew enough not to speak. Whatever Jordan had on her mind, she wasn’t going to share it.
Parking on the Cedar Springs strip was scarce, but Mac found a place for the Jeep on a residential street a couple of blocks away and they walked in silence to the popular neighborhood burger joint. The diner itself wasn’t busy, as most of the evening crowd in Oak Lawn had already eaten and were on their way out to the bars. Mac and Jordan settled into a booth and wasted no time o
rdering cheese burgers, fries and draft beer.
Mac grinned as she watched her fidget. Jordan’s full chest strained against the cotton fabric of the tight little T-shirt she’d borrowed. Truth be told, she looked damn good. The taut garment accented both well-toned muscles and ample breasts.
“What’s the matter?” Mac gazed down pointedly. “A little tight?”
“More than a little. Now I remember why I stopped raiding your closet back in high school. Of course, this is pretty tight.”
Jordan’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It must be your ‘impress the girls at the gym with your toned body’ shirt.”
“Yeah, that’s it. But now you’ve stretched it out with your big boobs, it won’t impress anyone anymore.”
“Very funny.”
“That’s me, the good humor girl.”
“Speaking of being in a good humor, Marty seemed to think you’re excited about an upcoming date. Care to dish?”
“Poor segue. Marty wants me to be happily married, so he thinks every date is the first step down the aisle.”
“Poor dodge,” Jordan countered. “Do you have a date with someone new?”
“Maybe.”
“What do you mean ‘maybe’?” Jordan cocked her head at the cagey response.
“I have a date, but I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Oh, is it with that Charla woman again? I swear I won’t make fun, though I don’t get what you see in her.”
Mac sighed with frustration. “No, Jordan, it’s not with Charla. It’s with someone new. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You mean you don’t want to talk about it with me.”
Jordan’s voice rose. “You had no problem discussing your newfound love with Marty.”
Mac kept her tone even despite the defensiveness Jordan’s accusation sparked. “He asked and I told him I have a date. I told you what I told him. End of story.”
“Did you meet this new love interest online?”
“Can we change the subject?”
Jordan’s response dripped sarcasm. “Sure, Mac. Let’s talk about whatever it is people who haven’t known each other practically their whole lives talk about.”
Mac rolled her eyes. “Don’t be an ass.”
“I share everything with you. I don’t get why you’re shutting me out.”
“Maybe we’d both be better off if you didn’t share everything.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jordan’s look reflected genuine surprise.
“Maybe we don’t need to share every detail of our love, or in your case, sex lives with each other. We have plenty of other things to talk about.” Even as she spoke the words, she wanted to take them back. They’d always shared everything, and it felt strange to have to back away.
Jordan stared across the table, stunned. Apparently, her commentary about Mac’s last date had pissed Mac off. But surely Mac knew she only cared about her and didn’t think Charla was worthy of her. She certainly didn’t expect to be shut out like this and she didn’t think it was fair. They’d shared the details of their dating lives for the last twenty years. There had to be something else going on, but Jordan couldn’t fathom what it might be. Mixed in with her confusion over the wall Mac had erected were other confounding feelings. For the past few days, Jordan’s thoughts had been laced with more than friendly feelings toward Mac, stirring butterflies in her stomach. Even now, Mac looked adorable in her still-damp shorts and T-shirt. Normally, Jordan would have sealed the deal with the likes of Samantha Bennett, regardless of the accident. She would have offered herself as a distraction, one the hot mom would have been unable to resist, not that she’d tried. She’d done everything she could to capture Jordan’s attention.
Jordan toyed with her cutlery, sneaking covert looks at Mac as she consumed fries, seemingly oblivious. Whether her quest was for comfort or craving, she wasn’t sure, but she couldn’t look away. Her only certainty was she wanted something she had never experienced before.
“Jordan, did you hear what I said?” Mac’s tone was exasperated.
Looking directly into her eyes, Jordan saw pleading beneath the exasperation. Mac was pleading with her to be given this, whatever it was. Maybe independence. She started to reply, but self-realization stopped her. She had no business saying anything about what she felt when she didn’t know what it meant, for either of them. Noting Mac was waiting for a response, she said simply, “Yes. You’re right. There’s plenty of other stuff we can talk about.”
“Okay. Well, thanks, then. I appreciate your understanding.”
Jordan’s gaze didn’t waver. “Whatever you need, Mac.
Whatever you need.”
They finished their meal without another word, despite the “plenty of other stuff” they could talk about.
CHAPTER TWELVE
She’d been waiting in the bar mere moments when the woman approached. Prompt—she liked that. Looks even better than her photo. Bonus. So far, things were going well. “Mackenzie?” The voice, questioning at first, turned quickly to a silky purr. “Your picture does you no justice.
You’re gorgeous.”
Mac knew only one other person who was as forward, and it had taken years for her to grow used to it. She fought to hide a bashful response, choosing to appear equally confident.
“Thanks Rebeca. You look terrific yourself.” Indicating the hostess stand nearby, she asked, “Would you like to have a drink here or go ahead and get a table in the dining room?”
“Let’s get a table, better for private conversation.”
“Great. We have a reservation. I’ll let them know we’re here.” Mac made her way to the hostess. While she exchanged words with her, she glanced over her shoulder. Her attempt to observe her date discreetly was thwarted by her date’s seeming attempt to do the same. Their eyes locked. Mac was the first to glance away, but not without noticing Rebeca take a sweeping survey, head to toe. A bold grin signaled her approval and Mac’s face grew warm in response.
Their table was in a small alcove situated in a perfect spot, removed from the front door and the kitchen, secluded and intimate. Leaving their menus unopened, they chatted for a few minutes. The conversation revolved around the basics.
Upon discovering Mac was a restaurateur, Rebeca expressed surprise at her choice of location for their first date.
“Why not invite me to the Lakeside? Then you could have been on your home turf and you could be sure that the food would be great. It always is.”
“Thanks. You’ve been there before?”
“Of course. You must know that you have a big following in the community.”
“Sure. I’m surprised I haven’t seen you there.”
“I must have been in when you were busy, or on your day off. It’s a great place.” Rebeca paused to take a drink of water. “I’m a bit surprised you chose this restaurant. It hasn’t been open very long. In fact, I don’t know anyone who’s tried it yet.”
Mac leaned in close and in a low voice said, “Rebeca, I have a confession to make.”
Emerald eyes signaled anticipation. “I love confessions.”
“I’m mixing business with pleasure.” Mac paused. “This place offers a menu very similar to the Lakeside and I wanted to check out the competition. I figured I could try two new things at the same time. Hate me?”
Rebeca laughed. “Not in the least. You have a very practical side. Good to know. We may as well make the most of this, don’t you think? What’s your usual modus operandi when you’re checking out the competition?”
“I usually order a little bit of everything. Then, either the waiter thinks I’m a huge pig, or they mistake me for a restaurant critic. The latter usually results in better service, but I try never to give them a hint either way.”
“As good a shape as we’re both in, I think there’s little danger that we’ll be mistaken for huge pigs. Let’s make this a working date, then, shall we?”
Mac nodded, pleased a
t the response. This was going to be fun.
A couple of hours later, they contemplated each other across a French press brimming with dark roast coffee. The waiter’s only remark during the constant parade of dishes had been something along the lines of “perhaps next time you would like a larger table,” but his observation was delivered with a smile.
Though she had a few criticisms with regard to several of the dishes, Mac decided this establishment would be a worthy rival to the Lakeside. Checking out her date, she asked, “Are you as full as I am?”
“God, yes. I can’t believe you ordered four desserts. I see extra hours in the gym in my future.”
“Do you have a full gym where you work?” Rebeca had said she worked for a physical therapy facility, but she’d been short on the detail.
“Of course we do. Well, it’s not exactly at my work. We have privileges at Images and I use them liberally.”
Mac ventured a bold response. “I can tell.”
“Why, Ms. Lewis, you are kind. Thanks for noticing.”
“I’ve been meaning to check Images out. A friend of mine knows a personal trainer there. I go to the Y occasionally, but I could use the discipline of a training routine.”
Rebeca didn’t pick up on the prospect of a workout companion. “I remember your profile said you’re a cyclist.
I’m sure you get all the exercise you want that way. You’re in great shape.”
“Well, then thanks back to you for noticing, Ms. Blixen.
With the Lakeside close to the trails, cycling is the easiest way for me to keep in shape. I keep both my bikes at the restaurant so I can take off whenever I get a break.”
“You must spend a lot of time at work.”
“Nature of the beast. Luckily it’s a great place to hang out.
My friends call it their home away from home. And actually, if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be sitting here. Going online was their idea. The perfect dating solution for a workaholic like me.”
“Has the experience been successful for you?”
