Page 26 of The Fun Part
“I don’t?”
“No. My parents were high school sweethearts. Dad’s still not over her, and it’s been fifteen years since Mom died. He still has all her clothes in the closet, everything in the house right where she left it. He lost his job because he couldn’t focus anymore. He was an architect. He never leaves the house except for his warehouse job. It’s like he stopped living when he lost her.”
“Oh, that’s so sad.”
I let out a breath, pushing the darkness back into its box. “Yeah.”
“Still, I can’t keep accidentally-on-purpose running into you at family and town events. It makes her feel like she’s winning.”
“Winning what?”
She starts texting. “Watch this.” She shows me the message:You were right. Cal’s a major commitment-phobe. Doesn’t even want to be friends anymore.
Mom:I’m so relieved. Just asking for heartache.
She gives me a pointed look. “See? Matchmaking.”
“I don’t get it.”
“You will. I’m going to take care of this once and for all. Stay here.”
“Oh-kay.”
She walks away with a determined look in her eye. Are they about to have a public battle over me? Will her dad kick my ass afterward? He wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy tonight.
I get the feeling a storm’s about to crash through my life courtesy of Mackenzie. I’ve never felt more alive.
7
Mackenzie
Mom and I head to Dad’s office in the back of Happy Endings for a private talk. As soon as I shut the door behind us, she says, “What’s wrong?”
I take a steadying breath. I don’t want to lash out in anger over her meddling ways. I’m a mature adult. No curse words necessarythis time. “Mom, I get the feeling you’re doing a little matchmaking between me and Cal.”
Her eyes widen. “Why do you say that? I told you to stay away from him. The man clearly has commitment issues.”
“Yes, but then you invited him to the Chamber of Commerce meeting.”
She smiles. “So? He should be part of town events. He’s the town lawyer now.”
“The same meeting you invited me to for the first time.”
“A long overdue invitation.”
I huff, my temper spiking. It’s very hard to hold my temper in the face of her serene replies. I understand why Dad was driven to an escalating prank war with her back in the day. “Bit of a coincidence, the timing, don’t you think?”
She lifts one shoulder in a dainty shrug. “Is that all? I’d like to get back to the party. Ally’s going away for four months, so I want to spend more time with her. Me and the girls planned a fun dance to surprise her with. Come on, let’s go.”
I hold up a palm. “Wait. I think it’s suspicious that you keep inviting Cal to stuff where you know I’ll be. Like this party.”
She shakes her head. “Not everything’s about you, Mackenzie. There’s lots of other people at these events. I’m just trying to make him feel welcome in his new hometown. I’d want someone to do the same for you if you moved to a new town.”
“What’s with all the networking help?” I ask in complete exasperation.
“If he doesn’t have enough work, we’ll lose our town lawyer.”
In the face of her extreme denial and reasonable explanations, I’m forced to give up the fight. “Okay, but under no circumstances are you to matchmake me with anyone ever again. You made a solemn promise to Dad to stop. I have no problem ratting you out, and he willnotbe happy.”
