Page 29 of The Chance

Mac’s doing okay, and that’s all that matters.

My sexuality has no place here.

Chapter Thirteen

Mac

“I’m gay.”

The statement earns me a quirk of the brow that disappears behind the bill of my bodyguard’s hat and the flick of a fry in my direction.

I swear I remember seeing a list of definitions that piqued my interest. Things about intimacy and sexuality that had me wondering if Jordan thought I was questioning myself.

Is he trying to educate himself to help me?

Maybe I was just dreaming.

“And?” he mumbles as he lets us into the back of my sister-in-law’s store.

My answer dies in the flurry of chaos that surrounds us, a clothing rack nearly clipping me when I enter.

“Sorry!”

Jordan grabs me, his hand on my arm heating my skin, and puts himself in front of me.

“Stay close,” he murmurs as he begins to weave us through the maze of people and wheeled displays, the back of his shirt fisted in my grip.

I’ve never seen this place so busy.

“No wonder Aria needed someone to come get the Hell spawn.” I spot the dino-nugget-printed pj’s through the throngs of people and start pushing Jordan in my niblings direction.

Aria stands when we reach their little huddle and grabs my face hard enough to smoosh my cheeks. “Macaroni.”

“Hey, baby girl.” I offer her a grin when she pulls me down ’til her face fills my vision.

“Fuckingthank you,” she whispers, then releases me. “My assistant’s hands are already full, and theywill notleave her be.”

I snort and nod, crouching next to the twins who squeal in greeting and toss away the toys in their sticky hands.

“Uncle Mackie!”

I’m sandwiched between the two tiny humans, both sets of arms threatening to strangle me when I wrap my arms around them and stand.

“Peeball, Mackie.Peeballs,” my namesake yells into my right ear and I swing my narrowed gaze at him. “Unckie,” he corrects, then slams his head against my shoulder and rubs his cheek against my shirt like a cat. “Pweez.”

I try to hide my snicker as Elle threads little fingers into my hair from my left. “Where’s your daddy?”

Elle shrugs. “Getting dressed or somefin’.”

I catch Aria’s nod as she tucks her phone back into her pocket with a grin. “Part of this mess, like always,” she says with pride, though she pretends to be annoyed. “I’ll need you back here later, once all this has calmed down.”

Nodding, I tighten my grip on the beasts in my arms and turn toward Jordan. “Ready?”

“Yeah!” Makkin exclaims, fist pumping the air, his little head still on my shoulder. “Peeballs, peeballs, peeballs.”

Jordan swallows and spins away, another muttered “Stay close” off his lips as he leads us back through the working mob and out into the blazing sunlight.

We walk down the alleyway, Makkin slumping in my arms with each step closer to the empty section of the building, Elle still twirling my curls.

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