Page 93 of Calling the Shots

Then I wait another solid thirty seconds, just to be on the safe side.

Finally, I crack the door open and peer out. The bathroom’s empty except for me.

I stand at the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror. Tight ringlets curl around my face from the humidity, my cheeks flushing bright pink with heat and humiliation. The skin on my neck’s blotchy and my hands tremble.

Tinsley still has a thing for Mack.

What if he still harbors feelings for her, deep down? What if he’s not sure how he feels? About her or me?

My heart aches as I kick around the possibility that maybe Mack and I aren’t meant to be. Tinsley and Emma Kate do have some things right—I’m different than other girls he’s dated. Less sophisticated, less thin and fit, and apparently a whole helluva lot poorer.

Maybe Jamie and Tinsley and the rest of the world see what I’m too delusional and lovestruck to see.

That Mack and I don’t belong together after all.

* * *

Mack avoids a confrontation with his mother, sneaking into the guesthouse after we “retire” for the night. We snuggle together in the dark, the low howl of the wind rattling the windows. He pulls me in close, his cock rock-hard against my back.

“You interested?” He nuzzles my neck, but I shake my head. I’m way too upset about everything that happened today to even think about having sex.

“Not tonight.”

Sighing, his warm breath dusts my skin. “You okay?”

“Mm-hmm.” I don’t trust my voice to say more. Not after the convos I overheard today, first in the garden, then in the ladies. Chest tight, I can barely breathe, let alone speak.

He strokes my arm and tears sting my eyes. I blink rapidly, trying to get the offending liquid to dissipate.

The move backfires and the tears streak down my face into the fluffy cloud of a pillow, seeping into, and most likely staining, the five million thread count pillowcase.

Dammit.

I cry quietly, but my body must shake because Mack stirs, lifting up on his elbow.

“Hey—are you crying?” He gently spins me to face him and I shake my head no, furtively swiping away the tears.

“Firecracker…” He pulls me against his chest, folding his arms around me and holding me close, my body shuddering as I cry harder.

I sniffle into his bare chest. “I’m…I’m sorry.”

Mack strokes my hair. “Shhh. No, I’m sorry. My family’s horrible.”

“N-n-n-ooo,” I protest. A total lie. Because yes, they absolutely are.

“Yes, they are, babe. Why do you think I moved away?”

Despite how awful I feel, Mack still manages to make me giggle, my chest lightening a touch.

“Is there anything specific I need to address? Whose ass do I need to kick tomorrow? Or maybe tonight? I can rush in there and haul them out of bed.”

I laugh hard at that, drying his beautiful pecs with the sheets. “Not tonight. And no, I’d rather leave it alone.”

He frowns at me, his hand running down my spine. “You sure? If it was my mother, I can talk to her.”

“It wasn’t. Not really. Nothing in particular.” Tinsley’s name dances on the tip of my tongue, but I don’t have the energy to go there. Not right now.

“Okay. If you change your mind, holler, and I will absolutely kick some ass. Got it?” He swipes the last remaining tears from my cheek, so soft, so tender, I almost start crying again.

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