Millionaires' Destinies(118)
“Oh, sweetie, I know and I’m sorry,” she said, although somewhat relieved to hear the feistiness in his voice and to finally see some color in his cheeks.
“Where were you?” Tony asked.
“I’ve had one crisis after another today,” she told him. “But that’s no excuse. I should have been here.”
“Mack wasn’t here, either.”
She regarded Tony with surprise. Since she had seen Mack, she’d assumed Tony would have, too. “Mack hasn’t been by all day?”
“Not once,” Tony confirmed. “He said he’d be here, too.”
That made no sense at all. Mack had been in the hospital most of the morning. She sighed as she realized that he’d spent the better part of that time with her. “If Mack said he’d be here, then he’ll be here,” she reassured Tony. “He’s never once broken his word to you, has he?”
“No.” Tony gave her a curious look. “Do you like Mack?”
“He’s been a wonderful friend to you,” she responded carefully.
“But do you like him?” Tony pressed. Before she could respond, he added, “I think maybe he likes you.”
Beth had to fight a grin at the latest round of matchmaking. She’d been warned about Tony’s interest in her relationship with Mack, but even so, the questions surprised her.
“I was kinda hoping he’d fall for my mom,” Tony admitted. “That would be so awesome, but he hardly gives her a second look. If he can’t be my stepdad, then it would be really great if he was with you, Dr. Beth. You’re way prettier than those flashy babes with him in those pictures in the paper. You’re real, you know what I mean?”
She laughed at the compliment. “Thanks, Tony. I appreciate the loyalty, but I don’t think I can compete with a supermodel.”
“Sure you can,” a much deeper voice chimed in.
Beth whirled around to find Mack in the doorway, a grin on his face. “How long have you been eavesdropping?” she asked testily.
“Long enough to hear my pal Tony here trying to set us up again.” He gave her an impudent look. “So, how about it, Doc? You want to have dinner tonight with my aunt?”
Beth gaped at him. He was inviting her to Destiny’s? “Maybe we should discuss this outside.”
“Just say yes, Dr. Beth,” Tony encouraged. “It’s not every day you get asked out by a guy like Mighty Mack.”
“I’ll say,” she muttered, then forced a smile for Tony’s benefit. “Could I see you in the hallway for a moment, Mack?”
Mack winked at Tony. “I hope she’s not going to turn me down. Rejection really sucks, you know.”
Tony nodded knowingly.
Beth rolled her eyes at the pair of them. In the hallway, she frowned at Mack. “Why did you put me on the spot in front of Tony?”
“Because Destiny invited us for tonight, and I told her I’d have an answer for her in an hour. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to track you down once you got away from Tony’s room. Besides, what’s the big deal? Hearing me ask you out obviously made his day.”
“That’s what worries me. Tony has expectations for us now. And your aunt?” She shook her head. “Are you really sure you want to do this?”
“Truthfully, it was my idea,” he admitted.
She regarded him with surprise. “You’re willingly going to subject yourself and me to your aunt’s matchmaking? I thought you said she was like some sort of grand master manipulator. Why would you want to put ideas into her head?”
“The ideas are already there,” Mack pointed out.
Beth thought back to her private dinner with Destiny and knew he was right. “Then how do you see this helping?”
“It might not. It might be a terrible mistake.”
“Well, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about tonight,” she said irritably. “I think I’ll pass.”
“And let Destiny think you’re a coward? Or worse, convince her that you’re already emotionally involved with me and trying to fight it?”
She regarded him blankly. “Huh? That’s too convoluted even for me.”
“Not for Destiny.” Mack insisted. “I’m telling you, if you say no, it will open up a huge can of worms. This way we get the dreaded meeting over with. She might even conclude that we’re a very bad match.”
Suddenly Beth got it. She wasn’t sure she liked it, but she understood exactly what Mack was up to. He was looking for an out, and he was hoping his beloved aunt would provide it by finding fault with Beth after all. If Destiny found Beth to be an unsuitable match for a Carlton, Mack would use that valued opinion to let himself off the hook.