Mack Daddy(62)

A look of alarm shone on her face. “What the heck is going on, Mack? I asked around looking for you, and they told me something happened with Jonah.”

“I didn’t think you were going to show.”

She knelt down and kissed her son. “I’m so sorry, honey.” Turning to Mack, she said, “I didn’t expect to get called into the office on a Saturday. But I’m here now.” She gave her ex a once over. “Why are you drenched?”

“I was volunteering in the dunk tank but left when I noticed some boys picking on Jonah.”

“What were they doing exactly?”

“Pulling his hair and making fun of him.”

“Are you serious? You shouldn’t have left him alone.”

She was such a bitch to him.

Torrie finally acknowledged me. “Miss. O’Hara.

“Hello, Miss Hightower. Good to see you again.”

She addressed me, “Did you see what happened?”

“I did see them taunting him and pulling his hair. Mack interrupted it. They’re a group of boys who are known for making trouble. I’ll be contacting their parents.”

“I’d like their parents’ names and contact information, as well,” she said before turning her attention to Mack. “I’m going to get him out of here, take him home with me for a little bit.”

“He’s fine, Torrie. He needs to learn to be strong. He should stay.”

“He doesn’t look fine to me. I’m just around the corner anyway. You can come get him later.”

Mack seemed upset that Torrie insisted on cutting into his scheduled time with Jonah, but he let Jonah decide. “Do you want to go to Mom’s?”

When the boy nodded yes, Mack said, “Okay…well, it’s my night, Torrie. We have dinner plans with some friends, so I’ll come get him at five.”

I inwardly cringed at the thought of Mack going over to Clarissa’s tonight.

“Fine,” she said curtly before holding out her hand. “Come on, honey.” She looked at me. “Good to see you, Miss O’Hara.”

I faked a grin. “Same.”

After they disappeared, Mack and I were left alone for the first time.

A long moment of silence followed until he bitterly bit out, “Where’s your boyfriend?”

“He went home.”

“That was real funny what he did. Pretty juvenile for an old fucking man.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was going to be mean about it. I think he just finally snapped.”

“I can relate. I can feel myself snapping at this very moment, in fact.” He wrung the water out of his shirt. “What was supposed to be a good day has turned into a real shitty one. I’m so done.”

“You need a drink.”

His reply took me aback.

“I need a fuck is what I need, Frankie. Want to volunteer? If not, I bet Clarissa would be down for that.”

That burned.

He was mad and intentionally trying to get a rise out of me. But I took it without dishing anything back because I felt like I somehow deserved it after this morning. I could see right through him. More than anything, he looked hurt.

Still completely soaking wet, he got up suddenly and exited the room without saying goodbye. All eyes seemed to be on him as he walked through the gymnasium and eventually out into the parking lot. I watched as he got into his truck and sped away.

I stood there frozen at the entrance, unsure of what to do. Lorelai had taken over manning the pastry table. The right thing would have been to stay and figure out another way to help. But I was so done with going against my own happiness to do the right thing.

As I escaped into my car, I decided I was going straight home to face Victor, to tell him I would be moving out. It was the right decision, even if things didn’t work out with Mack. My having such intense feelings for another person wasn’t fair to him. So, I told myself I was heading to our condo on Beacon Hill. But the reality was, I was driving down Route Nine toward Framingham.

When I arrived at his house, Mack’s truck was parked outside.

He was home.

I nervously knocked on the door, thankful that Mrs. M. was nowhere in sight.

After about a minute, he opened, still looking angry as hell. “What are you doing here?”

All of our time together seemed to flash before me as I looked into his pained and exhausted eyes. It had all come down to this moment.

Say something.

“I’m still her, Mack—that, awkward, unsure girl who’s just in awe of you. I’ve been enamored with you for many different reasons over the years, but today, seeing you with your son, well, I’ve never loved you more. I love you. And I see you. I see how hard you try. I see all the love you have to give.”