"Mmmm. Has Eloisa gone back to school?" she asked, hoping to switch the topic to her half sister.
"Yesterday. She just left me here in this state, when I can barely get out of bed in the morning. I have two daughters. I devoted myself to my girls, and neither of them will make the effort to support me when I'm emotionally shattered."
Since her head was already starting to throb, Mac leaned over to lightly bang it against her desk. "The semester's starting. She has to go back. Maybe Milton-"
"Martin."
"Right, maybe he'll apologize, then-"
"It's over. There's no going back. I'd never forgive a man who treated me so shabbily. What I need is to heal, to find myself again. I need some me time, some quiet, a place to detox from the stress of this ugly situation. I've booked myself a week at a spa in Florida. It's just what I need. To get away, out of this awful cold, away from the memories and the pain. I need three thousand dollars."
"Three-Mom, you can't expect me to cough up three grand so you can go get facials in Florida because you're pissed at Marvin."
"Martin, damn it, and it's the least you can do. If I needed medical treatment would you quibble about paying the hospital? I have to go. It's already booked."
"Didn't Grandma send you money last month? An early Christmas-"
"I had expenses. I bought that horrible man a TAG Heuer, a limited edition, for Christmas. How was I to know he'd turn into a monster?"
She began to weep, pitifully.
"You should ask for it back. Or-"
"I would never be so tacky. I don't want the damn watch, or him. I want to get away."
"Fine. Go somewhere you can afford, or-"
"I need the spa. Obviously, I'm strapped financially after all the holiday expenses, and I need your help. Your business is doing very well, as you're always happy to tell me. I need three thousand dollars, Mackensie."
"Like you needed another two last summer so you and El could have a week at the beach? And-"
Linda burst into tears again. This time Mac didn't beat her head against the desk, but simply laid it there.
"You won't help me? You won't help your own mother? I suppose if they put me out on the street, you'd just look the other way. Just go on with your own life while mine's destroyed. How can you be so selfish?"
"I'll transfer the money into your account in the morning. Have a good trip," she said, then hung up.
And, rising, she walked to the kitchen, pulled out a bottle of wine.
She needed a drink.
WITH HIS BRAIN NUMB FROM NEARLY TWO HOURS OF TULLE, roses, headdresses, guest lists, and God all-and his system overhyped on coffee and cookies (damn good cookies), Carter walked back to his car. He'd left it parked closer to Mac's studio than the main house. Because of that geographical choice, he'd been given the assignment of dropping off a package that had been delivered to the main by mistake.
As he carted it under his arm, the first thin flakes of snow began to swirl. He needed to get home, he thought. He had to finish a lesson plan and fine-tune a pop quiz he planned to spring at the end of the week.
He wanted his books, and the quiet. The afternoon of estrogen, sugar, and caffeine had worn him out. Plus his head hurt again.
The snow and the house brought gloom, enough to have the path lights along the walk glow on. Yet, he noted, none glowed in Mackensie's studio.
She could've gone out, he mused, be taking a nap, be walking around half naked again. He considered just propping the package against the front door, but it didn't seem responsible. Added to that, the package served as the perfect excuse to see her again-and reexplore the secret crush he'd had on her when he'd been seventeen.
So he knocked, shifted the package, waited.
She opened the door, fully dressed, which brought both relief and disappointment. In the dim light she stood, a glass of wine in one hand, her other braced on the door.
"Ah, Parker asked if I'd bring this over on my way out. I just-"
"Good, fine. Come on in."
"I was just-"
"Have some wine."
"I'm driving so-" But she was already walking away-that way she did, he noted, that was a kind of gliding, sexy stride.
"I'm having some, as you can plainly see." She got down another glass, poured generously. "You don't want me drinking alone, right?"
"Apparently I'm too late for that."
With a laugh, she pushed the glass into his hand. "So, catch up. I've only had two. No, three. I believe I've had three."
"Uh-huh. Well." Unless he was mistaken, there was anger and upset under the three-glass buzz. Instead of drinking, he reached over to turn on the kitchen light. "Dark in here."