Page 37 of My Dearest Mackenzie

Jumping out of the SUV in my jeans and white polo, I walked around the back of the car to open the door for an approaching Frances. She looked absolutely delectable in white cutoff shorts and a red off-the-shoulder sweater, her tanned skin exposed. I thought back to her kickboxing and the way her muscles flexed…

“Sorry I ran late,” I said, breaking my moment.

“It’s no big deal, you texted…” She climbed into the car, her ass in my face, and I made a note to never let anyone else open the door for her.

The truth was I’d had to collect myself after meeting Connie. I wasn’t sure if I could reconcile Max, my great-grandfather, even being my family. Who the fuck sends their own kid away for falling in love?

I set my feelings aside as I rounded the car and hopped in the back.

“I didn’t know what we were doing, so I hope this works,” Frances stated, waving her hand in front of her outfit.

“I wasn’t entirely sure either, but I made some calls…another reason I was late.”

Alex drove toward the helipad and Frances watched out the window, not knowing where we were headed.

“You okay, after today?” she turned toward me and asked, her expression soft.

“Yes. It was…a lot. I’m sorry for you, that you had to hear that about my family. I wish Milly had told me, let me know what went down. I look like a fool for not knowing. Somehow, it feels like I could have protected you before these ugly truths were exposed. I’m a little ashamed and sad for her…but I get it was the way they handled things in that time.”

I rambled and Frances took my hand. We stayed like that, her thumb rubbing mine, until Alex stopped the vehicle and I’d calmed.

“Helicopter?” Frances spoke, looking out the window, noting the helipad.

I nodded. “I figured we could have dinner in the Hamptons, make sure there weren’t dust bunnies attacking my place. You seemed worried for me.”

“Should I have worn something dressier?”

I shook my head. “That’s perfect. If it’s okay with you, we’re staying in and someone is coming to cook. If you want to go out, we can, but this gives us time to unwind and not rush.”

She nodded. “Sounds dreamy.”

I couldn’t help but think it was dreamy just having her with me, a thought I’d never believed I’d have. Then again, I never thought I’d send Corey an SOS text to find a chef and have him or her hightail it to my Hamptons place.

Corey was oohing and aahing and having a small orgasm over the phone when he called me. Luckily, he’d arranged a few catered lunches out in Southampton for me, and it was an easy task for the jack-of-all-trades in my life.

Now, as I opened the door to the helicopter and Frances climbed in, my heart rate spiked. My mind lived somewhere in between this being a huge mistake and the best thing I ever did. Seated, buckled, headphones on and prepped on safety, we were lifted into the air by the pilot. It was a short ride, and I took in Frances keeping an eye below us. She was smiling so wide, it hit her eyes. I wasn’t sure who the excitement was for, but for a moment I allowed myself to believe it was me.

I couldn’t help but lean in and kiss her neck, making my way to her cheek, and finally, her lips. It was messy, and our headphones kept invading one another’s space, but for a hot moment we said what couldn’t be spoken with words.

Breaking free, we stared at one another, my thumbs caressing her face. We didn’t speak, despite feelings swirling all around us.

Much later, situated over a cocktail on the back porch while Serena, a local chef, made dinner, I said, “You know, I thought this whole chase of yours was kind of nuts.”

She laughed; it was throaty and did things to me I wanted to ignore but couldn’t. A silent growl to protect and savor this woman roared in my chest.

“I know, I know. It was a little nutty on my part. Still is. But I have to stay on this goose chase for my own closure. Thankfully, my parents are enjoying retirement in Florida and don’t ask what I’m up to. Although…I’m truly sorry for involving you. I didn’t mean to expose parts of your life you didn’t want to know about or that made you feel bad.” She ran a hand through her hair and I wanted it to be my fingers.

So much of this woman was still a mystery, yet there was a piece of yarn connecting us in an undefinable way. “You don’t say much about your family other than your Paps. Tell me about them, now that you know all the dirt on my great-grandfather…”

We sat on padded chairs catty-corner from one another, and the hand she wasn’t holding a drink with squeezed my knee.

“Max isn’t you…”

I swallowed the guilt that had been lodged in my throat. “It’s part of my family’s legacy.”

“Like Connie said, my grandma was Sally, and my Paps, well you know all about him by now.” Frances switched subjects back to my question, somehow knowing she wasn’t going to be able to change my mind when it came to Max.

I nodded. “Good ol’ Jimmy, lucky in life, loser in love,” I said.

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