Page 32 of Forged By Sacrifice

“Eli went into the office for a few hours. Mac and Truck headed back to D.C. on Mac’s boat.”

My hand stilled. “They left?”

She nodded. My heart constricted. Mac had left because of me. I knew he’d leave, but I hadn’t expected him to go without saying goodbye. My heart didn’t know if it should have been celebrating or wallowing.

“Is the coffee smell going to make you sick?” I asked.

“No. Just don’t make me drink it,” she laughed. “You know, it hit me after the guys left. You’re going to law school in D.C.”

“Yeah.” I knew where she was headed and already wanted to end the conversation.

“And Mac lives in D.C.,” she continued.

“Don’t even start.”

“Why? You both seem to have a lot of…you know.”

“Chemistry?” She nodded, and I continued. “There is, but I just want to concentrate on actually finishing law school this time. And it sounds like he needs to work on finding the perfect little wife for his political endeavors.”

“You’re saying you wouldn’t be the perfect wife?”

My heart banged at her words. “Have you met me? No. I don’t intend to be anyone’s wife. Let alone some politician’s.”

I distracted Ava from talks of Mac and me with the wedding magazines that were sprawled out on the coffee table. Ava and Eli’s wedding was in October, and she had her dress picked out, but we were still trying to settle on the bridesmaids’ dresses. She’d said she didn’t care what Jenna, her best friend from childhood, and I wore to the wedding, but Jenna and I had slowly ganged up on her to pick something.

“I kind of like this black halter with the A-line,” I said, showing her the dress I’d sort of fallen in love with. It wasn’t very formal, more like something you’d wear to a simple party, but it was also sophisticated enough for the beach wedding Ava and Eli were having.

“It would look beautiful on you. But I’m not sure black is really Jenna’s color.”

“She could do a red one, and I could do the black. Those are your colors, after all.”

Ava took the magazine and looked at the dress.

“Why do I have to decide?”

“The wedding is only four months away, and if we have to order them, it could take that long to get them.”

“Then, send it to Jenna. If she likes it, go for it. I told you, I don’t care what you wear. I just want you there on the beach with me.”

I took a photo and shot it off via text to Jenna whose number I now had because of all the wedding stuff we were planning with Ava. I realized that we’d have to make some changes to the bachelorette party, because Ava would be four months along by then.

“Does she know about the baby?” I asked before I hit send.

Ava shook her head. “No, she and Colby are coming to stay in a couple weeks, and I want to tell her in person.”

“Phew. Good thing I asked.”

Ava tossed a magazine at me. “Don’t spill the beans. She’s already going to be ticked when she finds out that you and Mac Truck knew before her.”

I laughed, but my heart flipped at Mac’s name.

“You have that look,” Ava said.

“What look?”

“That wistful, ‘if only’ look.”

I laughed. “I am never wistful.”

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