Page 28 of Hooked on Mack
A warmth spread through my chest as I reached for my wineglass.“Mack, you have no idea how much I'm looking forward to this.”
“As am I,” he replied, his eyes never leaving mine, causing a flush to creep up my cheeks.
All the years I'd spent burying myself in work, chasing success at the expense of my own happiness, and for what? The brief moments of pleasure were few and far between, often overshadowed by late nights at the office and weekends filled with paperwork. As I looked into Mack's warm, inviting eyes, it was time for a change—time to start truly enjoying life beyond the courtroom.
“I need to admit something,” I began hesitantly, trying to find the right words. “All these years, I've been so focused on my career, on winning cases and building a reputation. But tonight, there's so much more to life than just that.”
He nodded. “It's not always easy to find a balance. But I believe we owe it to ourselves to try.”
“Exactly. I want to start enjoying life more—and I think this date is the perfect beginning.”
Mack raised his wineglass, the corners of his mouth lifting into a familiar, charming smile. “To new beginnings, then.”
“New beginnings.”
“Come on. Let's let loose tonight! I know the perfect place. There might even be… dancing involved.”
Dancing? The thought thrilled and terrified me. My heart pounded at the prospect. “Alright.”
“Trust me, you won't regret it,” he promised, shooting me a reassuring wink that made the butterflies in my stomach flutter even more.
18
Mack
The weekend with Larissa had been nothing short of heavenly, and it was going to take more than the usual Monday morning blues to dampen my spirits.
“Morning, everyone,” I greeted my coworkers, who were scattered about the office, hunched over their desks or congregating in small clusters. The place was buzzing with activity—phones ringing, fingers tapping away at keyboards, and the gentle hum of the photocopier in the corner churning out fresh pages of legal jargon.
“Morning, Mack!” came a chorus of responses, accompanied by knowing smiles and a few mischievous glances exchanged among my colleagues. It seemed like word of my romantic escapades had found its way around the office grapevine, and as much as I wanted to keep my blossoming relationship with Larissa under wraps for now, I wasn't ashamed of it either. If anything, I felt invincible—like it had given me a new kind of strength I never knew I had.
As I settled into my leather chair, feeling the familiar embrace of its well-worn contours, I took a moment to absorb the energy of the room. This was my sanctuary, the place where I felt most alive and capable. And now, with Larissa by my side,it seemed as though even the toughest cases and longest hours would be a breeze.
“Alright, let's get this show on the road.” I powered up my computer and dove headfirst into the day's work. But even as I busied myself with emails and legal briefs, I couldn't shake the persistent feeling of happiness.
“Hey! How was your weekend?” My coworker, Samantha, asked. I looked up from my computer screen, feeling the corners of my mouth tug into a knowing smile.
“Great, actually.”
“Really? Just great?” Samantha nudged, raising an eyebrow. “Because, you know, Becky and I might have seen you and Larissa at that fancy restaurant on Saturday night. Table for two, candlelight… very romantic.”
A few other coworkers who had been listening in snickered and exchanged knowing glances. Suddenly, I found myself at the center of office gossip. I knew there was no point in denying it—the cat was out of the bag.
“Ah, so you two were spying on me, huh?” I teased back, attempting to deflect the attention. But Samantha was relentless.
“Can you blame us? After all, we've never seen our golden boy, Mack Harrington, so smitten before!” She grinned, winking at me.
“Did you guys share dessert?” another coworker chimed in, his voice dripping with innuendo. The office erupted in laughter, and I felt my cheeks grow hot.
“Alright, alright, enough with the third degree!” I exclaimed, trying to maintain my composure.
“Come on, Mack, you can't expect us not to be curious!” Samantha said, grinning broadly. “You two certainly make quite the power couple.”
“Thanks, I guess,” I replied sheepishly, feeling the weight of their gazes upon me. In my heart, I knew that what Larissa and I had was special, and no amount of teasing or gossip could change that.
The laughter continued, my face turning as red as a ripe tomato. Clenching my jaw, I tried to keep my cool, but the teasing was really getting under my skin. My fingers tightened around my pen, threatening to snap it in half.
“Alright, guys, let's give Mack some space,” said Pete, noticing my discomfort. But his words only seemed to encourage others.
