Page 43 of Seizing Mack
“That’s awful!”
“It is,” he agreed. “I was at a holiday party. She worked second shift at the hospital and was supposed to come later after she got off work. But someone slipped something into my drink and set it up so that when Annie showed up, it looked as if I had cheated on her with someone else.”
Mack’s brows drew together. “A jealous ex?” she guessed.
“Jealous, yes. Ex, no. I was never interested in Eve Sanderson. Unfortunately, the feeling wasn’t mutual and she didn’t like taking no for an answer.”
Mack’s lips thinned. “Sounds like an entitled bitch.”
“In a nutshell.”
“Wait... Eve Sanderson. She was just in the news not too long ago. She roofied a local man and tried to blow up his girlfriend.” Her eyes widened as she connected the dots. “Oh my God. Nick, I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. It happened a long time ago.”
“Grief doesn’t punch a time card.”
“Spoken like someone who truly understands.”
She shrugged. This time when she tried to pull her hand away, he let her. “I lost my mother a long time ago, too, but it still hurts. I still miss her. So yeah, I get it.”
The conversation had taken a dark turn. Nick didn’t like the sadness in her eyes, and he didn’t want to talk about Annie anymore. Maybe someday he’d feel comfortable revealing more, but the subject was too heavy for their first coffee date.
“What about you? What brought you to this tiny hidden valley in the middle of nowhere?”
Her expression cleared slightly. “I like the natural beauty, I guess. Mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes. The unpredictability of four distinct seasons.”
“Outdoorsy type, huh?”
“Definitely. Give me a mountain trail over a paved road any day.”
“A woman after my own heart. I knew I sensed a kindred spirit.”
She smiled, her features softening into that comfortable, relaxed look she’d had earlier before it grew wistful.
“I like the small town vibe, too. It reminds me of where I lived as a child, before my dad moved us to the west coast.”
“And what aboutSeize? Life-long dream?”
“Not exactly. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I joined the Marines after high school, found my focus, and the rest, as they say, is history. Did you always want to be a detective?”
“A Marine, huh? That’s impressive.” She beamed. “To answer your question, no,” he told her with a serious face. “When I was seven I wanted to be a famous race car driver. Or Batman.”
She laughed and the mood lifted again. Talking with Mack was so easy, as if they had known each other for years instead of hours. They covered a variety of topics including music, movies, and food choices. Unsurprisingly, they liked many of the same things.
Before he knew it, it was midnight. As much as he didn’t want the night to end, they both had early mornings ahead of them.
“Thanks for having coffee with me tonight, Mack.”
“Thanks for asking.”
“Maybe we can do it again sometime.”
He held his breath as her eyes lifted and met his. In that moment, the rest of the world faded away. Nick felt a new level of connection fire to life between them, something deeper and stronger than the simple pull of attraction he’d felt before.
“I’d like that,” she answered softly.
The urge to kiss her was strong. To pull her close and put his lips to hers. To feel her body pressed against his, knowing she would fit perfectly.
