Page 23 of The Facilitator: Part 2
His reply wasimmediate.
I’m not home yet myself. Decided to grab dinner with the husband-to-be.
Okay, have fun!Ityped.
I’d showered and changed, and was sitting in the living room with my feet curled up under me, reading a proposal from work. Trymast wanted to pitch for a major advertising project at the O2 in Greenwich. It would be a nice contract to have, and I knew the company was more than capable of delivering. I wanted to go over the pitch one last time before signing it off. I wouldn’t be delivering the pitch, of course, and I missed that element of the business. I put the proposal to one side and picked up my mobile. I scanned through and then sent a text to Jerry. He would be on my mind all weekendotherwise.
I want to meet up early next week, if you’re freeI typed. I kept it brief and to the point. I didn’t want him to think I’d forgiven him that easily for standing meup.
Babe, I thought you weren’t talking to me. I’m with Mum, taken her for pie and mash. You need to see this place; it’s fucking awesome. I’ll call you over theweekend.
I didn’t reply, there was no need, but I smiled at the thought of them in a pie and mash shop. I loved his mum and made a mental note to pop in and see her. I hadn’t for a while and I knew she asked after me constantly. I guessed she’d thought Jerry and I would eventually end up together. She’d often tell me all she wanted was to see him settle down. She could die in peace, she’d say, knowing there was another woman looking after him. Jerry would love nothing more than to be looked after, forsure.
The sweep of headlights across the floor-to-ceiling windows startled me. I hadn’t realised I’d dozed off and I winced as I straightened my neck. I seemed to be overly tired of late; maybe I needed another early night, but one without Mackenzie joiningme.
I walked to the front door to greethim.
“Hi, did you have a nice time?” he said as he climbed from the car. He patted the roof after he’d shut the door as a signal for the driver toleave.
He was wrenching his tie loose as he strode towardsme.
“I did. I honestly don’t think I’ve laughed as much in a very long time. I’m going to miss her when she leaves, for sure. How aboutyou?”
“It was interesting. I could murder acoffee.”
I laughed at the ‘murder.’ Mackenzie was picking up some funnyBritishismsand they seemed odd with an Americanaccent.
He shrugged off his jacket and left it crumpled over the banister as he passed the stairs to the kitchen. His tie was placed over the back of a stool at the kitchen island and he rolled his sleeves up as he prepared hiscoffee.
“Are you staring at me?” heasked.
I chuckled. “No, I’m staring at your forearms. I like a little arm porn and yours fit the billperfectly.”
“Arm porn? Is that what you’re reading about. Maybe we should search the Internet forsome.”
Within seconds, he had an espresso for him and a milky coffee forme.
“I’m sure you must have an account with PornHub or something,” I said,laughing.
“Why would I want to? I get everything I need right here.” He winked when hespoke.
Mackenzie could be a real charmer when he put his mind to it. “However, that said, we have our date at the club tomorrow. I want to choose youroutfit.”
I raised my eyebrows at him as I lifted the cup to mylips.
“My list, my rules,” he remindedme.
“So when it was my list, why wasn’t it my rules?” Iteased.
“Because.”
“Because?”
“Because I make them up as I goalong.”
He downed his coffee and I winced at the imagined burn to his throat. “I need to shower, I’ll be back shortly. Then you can tell me all about yourevening.”
It was nice to curl up on the sofa and just chat. I told him about the secret wedding, he’d need to know, as he was a witness also. I also mentioned there might have to be a delay on sending Alex to America. Mackenzie then surprisedme.
