“You guys get back to work,” Mack said then. “I’ve gotta take her in to meet the real boss or I’ll never hear the end of it.”
They all laughed as they went back to their jobs, knowing just who Mack was referring to.
As they walked through the lumber barn, Lissa was properly impressed with the size of the area where the lumber was sorted and stored.
“Are you up for the stairs?” Mack asked, pointing to a flight with a dozen steps that led into the back of the building, where the offices were located and then it opened out into the shopping area up front.
“Yes, if I go slow,” she said.
“I can carry you,” he offered.
“No, you can’t, because the last time you did that it made you bleed, so just give me time and I’ll be fine.”
He grinned at her bossy attitude and followed that sweet little ass all the way up and then inside the building.
“My office is four doors up the hall on the left,” he said. “My secretary’s office is up one from mine.”
“Well, your ‘brothers’ out there were fun, but now I’m meeting ‘Mother’ and it’s making me nervous.”
He took her by the hand. “Honey, no matter what I said out there, I am the boss. I can assure you if I love you, they’ll love you, too.”
They had only gone a few steps when a skinny middle-aged woman came flying out of the office he’d said belonged to his secretary, and when she saw them, she threw up her hands and headed their way.
“It is true! They said you were here, but I didn’t believe them.” She kept talking as she walked, waving her hands and wiping away tears. “Oh, Mack Jackson, it is so good to see you in one piece. When we heard what happened, I can tell you there were some prayers sent up. And this must be Melissa. My sister works at the hospital in Mystic. I already know the whole awful story about what happened to you, and I can’t tell you how thrilled we are that this ridiculously handsome boss of ours is finally going to settle down and get married.”
Lissa laughed. She couldn’t help it. The woman was adorable, and she’d actually made Mack blush, something she’d never seen happen before.
Mack just shook his head. “Melissa, this is Bella Garfield. She’s not just my secretary, she also knows where all the bodies are hidden around here. I couldn’t do this without her. Bella, this is my girl, Melissa Sherman, but everyone calls her Lissa.”
Bella was beaming as she took Lissa’s hand, and patted it over and over. “I’d hug you, but I know you’re hurt. And I know Mack probably wants to show you off to everyone else. It’s a joy to meet you, and I know you’re going to have a long and happy life with our own James Bond.”
Lissa frowned. “James Bond?”
Bella giggled. “Yes! We all think he looks like Daniel Craig. You know, the actor who plays James Bond.”
Mack stifled a snort. “Except I’m taller, not blond or British and my eyes aren’t blue. Except for all that, sure I do,” Mack muttered. “Damned embarrassing, if you ask me.”
“Makes as much sense as you claiming I look like Cindy Crawford,” Lissa said.
Bella stared at Lissa, and then squealed and clapped her hands. “Oh! You do! My goodness, you sure do, with that cute little mole by your lips and all!”
Lissa rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure, except that I don’t have long dark hair, I’m half a foot shorter and the only similarity between my face and hers is a mole.”
“Then, we’re a pair of misfits, girl,” Mack said. “Bella, go back to work. Lissa, come with me. There are people to meet, and we have places to be.”
Bella giggled and flew back to her office, and for the next thirty minutes Lissa was introduced to so many people who blatantly adored Mack that her head was spinning. By the time they were back in the car and on their way to his house, she was exhausted and he was wired.
“After you see the house and I get my clothes, we need to eat some lunch. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry already,” he said. “If it’s okay with you, we can get takeout and eat on the way back to Mystic.”
Lissa agreed. “That would be wonderful. I think I’m all talked out for now, but this morning has been an eye-opener for me in so many ways. I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason, and, Mack, if we had gotten married and had a baby ten years ago, there’s no telling how our lives would have turned out. The one sure thing is that we would be two different people than the ones we are now, so just for the record, I admire the man you became without me.”
Mack thought about what she’d said.
“I never thought about it like that, but you’re right. Even if I regret losing those ten years with you, we have so much to be thankful for now. You’re one hell of a woman, Melissa, and however you got to be the warrior woman that you are, I’m grateful you’re mine.”
She was still smiling when he turned a corner and pointed down the street.
“There’s the house, the white two-story with the stained glass. It’s been completely remodeled since I bought it, but if there are things you don’t like we can always change—”
Lissa held up her teacher finger to indicate silence.
“No, that is not an option. I do not come into your world and change it, just as you do not come into my world and change me. We’re filling in blanks, not redoing lives. I already loved everything about you before. We’re picking up where we left off, which means I already love your house because I love you.”
Mack grabbed that teacher finger and kissed it, then pulled up into the driveway and stopped beneath the portico.
“There’s also a three-car garage in the back, but I rarely use it,” he said.
“Oh, Mack, this place is breathtaking. I can’t believe this is going to be my home.”
He grinned, excited that she was so obviously pleased.
“Come inside and prowl around to your heart’s content while I get some clothes, okay?”
“You don’t want to give me the grand tour?” she asked.
“I don’t think I could stand the suspense,” he said. “I’d rather you poke about and pretend it’s a house you’re thinking about buying.”
She laughed. “That sounds like fun. I think I’d like that.”
“So take the grand tour on your own, m’lady. Your castle awaits.”
Eighteen
Lissa’s mouth dropped as they entered the foyer.
“Mack! Oh, my Lord!”
“You like it?” he asked, trying to see the house anew through her eyes, from the white marble flooring to the two-story entryway with the spiral staircase in the center and the massive chandelier dangling overhead.
“It’s stunning. And this spiral staircase is straight out of a movie.”
He grinned, thrilled that she was as entranced with the old girl as he was.
“That staircase was a huge selling point for me when I bought it. My bedroom is upstairs, first door on the right. You explore down here and I’ll be down soon. If you want to go upstairs, wait and I’ll take you up in the elevator.”
“You have an elevator?” she asked.
“The old woman who lived here before I bought it had it put in. She was crippled with arthritis, so the stairs had become an issue for her, but she refused to move her bedroom downstairs. The elevator was her solution. It’s safe. I’ve used it before.”
Lissa was listening, but already itching to see more, and Mack could tell it.
“Go,” he said. “I’ll be down in a few minutes. The library and office are that way. The kitchen and dining room are over there. The living room is straight in front of you. There’s a guest bath just before the library, and a bathroom inside the utility room off the kitchen.”
Lissa turned left, a little intimidated by the sound of her footsteps echoing on the marble, and poked her head in the guest bathroom. She was enchanted by the Old World decor mixed with state-of-the-art bath fixtures. She went from there to the library and was immediately hooked by his collection of books. She moved up for a closer look at the shelves, running her fingers along the spines, checking titles and authors.
The large overstuffed chairs scattered around the room had been situated near the best natural lighting, and the thought of whiling away long hours curled up in one of those chairs with a good book and a blanket seemed like heaven.
The office was decorated much like the library—walnut stain on the wide-plank flooring, soft-as-butter leather in a dark oxblood color and the most up-to-date office equipment anyone could need. The computer system alone was awe inspiring, considering the fact that hers consisted of a laptop and a cheap printer.
She was imagining this house decorated at Christmas, with seven-foot tall trees and garlands hanging from the doorways, as she backtracked and found the dining room. When she saw the length and breadth of the room, she gasped, then, on impulse, sat down in the chair at the head of the table, folded her hands in her lap and gazed down the length of the cherrywood table with seating for twelve. The chandelier hanging midway above the table was obviously an antique that had been wired for electricity, although it had once been made for candles. She closed her eyes, picturing the chairs filling up with family—multiple generations all linked by blood and marriage. She could hear the faint sound of footsteps overhead and knew Mack was still up there gathering what he needed. It seemed a bit sinful to be so happy in the midst of such sadness, but that was how she felt.