Page 29 of Seizing Mack
Chapter Fourteen
~ Mack ~
Nick:Sorry I missed you.
Wearing another “borrowed” pair of Jay’s boxers and an oversizedSeizeT, Mack sat cross-legged on her bed and re-read the text, wondering how Nick got her cell number. Then she remembered what he did for a living and felt stupid. It would be child’s play for a detective to find her mobile number.
Mack briefly considered blowing him off, then realized that would make it seem like she was bothered by the fact that he’d failed to show. She wasn’t. Not at all. Why would she be?
Mack:No problem.
Nick:Something came up at work.
She’d figured as much. It was either that or Nick had deliberately blown her off, and he didn’t seem like the type to do that. The situation did provide her with a much-needed dose of reality, however. Nick’s job was a priority, which she understood perfectly.
Mack:It happens.
Nick:Too late to grab a coffee?
Mack’s thumb hovered over the screen. Was he serious or just being polite? Either way, it didn’t really matter. The evening had proven that she was in over her head when it came to Nick Benning. She could tell herself they could just be friends, but the tingles and sense of anticipation she felt whenever she was around him proved otherwise. Until she got control over that, avoidance was her best option.
Mack:Yes, sorry.
Nick:Raincheck?
Mack:Sure.She tapped out the response, confident she wouldn’t have to make good on it. Something else would come up. She’d make sure of it.
Nick:What are you doing now?
Mack stared at the screen, surprised. He wanted to know what she was doing? At least he didn’t ask her what she was wearing.
She snorted, then mentally chastised herself. He wasnotinterested in her. He was just a nice guy who felt bad about standing her up and was trying to make amends with light, topical conversation. Obviously, he didn’t realize that it wasn’t necessary, because show or no-show, it meant nothing more than something to do.
And because it meant nothing, she answered him honestly.
Mack:Getting ready for bed.
Nick:Kind of early for that, isn’t it?
Mack:It’s been a long day and I have to get up early.
Minutes ticked by while she chewed her lip and waited for a response. Had he picked up on her subtle clues? Or was he, at that very moment, shrugging out of his work clothes into something more comfortable? Making himself something to eat? Images of Nick, shirtless in his kitchen, came to mind. Was he a frozen entrée kind of guy, or did he like to cook?
Her phone dinged with an incoming message, breaking her away from that appealing visual.
Nick:Okay. Goodnight, Mack.
Well, that was easy, she thought. Not even a half-hearted attempt to keep her talking. She was glad she’d had the foresight not to take things too seriously, because if she had gotten her hopes up, they’d be crashing and burning with disappointment for a second time that evening.
Mack:Goodnight, Detective.
Mack punched her pillow and tried to put Nick Benning out of her thoughts. It didn’t work. Each time she closed her eyes, images of his mischievous smile and laughing eyes kept popping up.
Eventually, she gave up and got up, grabbing her laptop in the hopes of distracting herself with work. By midnight, she’d completed the class schedules through the end of the quarter. By one, she’d outlined a new combined strength/cardio program geared toward busy moms. At two, she finally put the computer away and fell into a restless, exhausted sleep.
When her alarm went off, she dragged her ass out of bed and made an extra-strong pot of coffee.
“Mack!” Dee called from the second floor. Mack groaned. She was in no mood to deal with Delilah. She ignored the summons and sipped her coffee.
