My Only One

There is no doubt in my mind that Mack wants me but still I have this small nagging thought in the back of my head. Why did he wait so long? Did this shooting have him making rash decisions? When we first met, I thought he couldn’t stand me. I figured that he only accepted me because I am around so much. My best friend is his sister-in-law so he really doesn’t have a choice in the matter. I wasn’t going anywhere so either way he would have to deal with me. Over time the two of us grew on each other and formed our own friendship. I think maybe we both friend-zoned ourselves because we were afraid of rejection. I shake my head at myself as I pull off my lab coat. This isn’t what I should be thinking about right now. My emotions have been all over the place these last couple of weeks.

I need to focus on my anger. That’s easier to handle. I can’t believe he went to that man’s house. He has no regard for his own safety. What he discovered there makes it hard for me to stay mad at him. Especially when he decided to end our call with an I love you.

I pull off my lab coat and head toward my computer, wanting to know more about the man that shot Mack. We’ve obviously done lab work for the man. I’m not sure how much information I’m going to find out, but something is telling me to dig for his wife’s sake. That poor woman. I can’t imagine what she is going through. I know her husband shot Mack but I also know Mack has a big heart when it comes to the underdog. I’m sure between him and Quinn they are going to try to help her in some way. That’s the type of people they are. Actually that’s how the entire Castile family is. They are always willing to lend a hand or help those that are less fortunate. I’m the perfect example of that. Mack took a chance on me. He invested in my dream when no one would. Maybe there is something I can do too. Maybe this woman’s unborn baby does have a family out there somewhere. I could try to help her take the steps to find them. Once things settle down, I’ll mention it to her. For all I know she won’t want us to dig. That was something she’d need to decide.

I leave the office and take the elevator down to the garage. I’m delighted to have a car back and be able to drive myself places again. Even though having Mack as a chauffeur wasn’t such a bad thing. I look down at my phone and see Mack messaged me to head to his house after work. I can’t wait to see him, not only to know he’s okay, but also to rip into him for being an idiot.

I pull up to Mack’s place and park my car. I gather my bag, climb out and head up the walkway. I find a rose at the bottom of the steps. I bend down to pick it up and proceed up the stairs. Before I reach the front door I see that there are others scattered about. I mosey over and pick those up also. I don’t even bother to knock and push the front door open to see thousands of roses everywhere.

There are so many that it’s ridiculous and over the top. “See, you can’t be mad at me,” he says as he walks out of the kitchen with a glass of wine in his hand. I not only smell the roses but I can smell he’s cooking something too. He’s right though. I can’t be mad at him. In fact, all I can think about is what it would be like to come home to a man like Mack every night. The silly things he’d do to make me happy.

I take the glass of wine from his hand. He leans down and brushes his mouth against mine. His words of love still play in my mind. I’m sure he loves me. We have known each other a long time but is it a deep love like Maisie and Star have? Mack is a good man. We all know that but I also know that he can jump from one project to another. I worry that I could be messing up our friendship. I can’t help but think again; why now? It’s the one thing I need an answer to.

“We need to talk.”

Mack pulls back from the kiss. “That’s never a good sign.” He lets out a long sigh. “Over dinner. I bet you barely ate your lunch.” He guides me over to the table to sit down.