When A Man Loves A Woman(40)

She didn’t know whether to give him a peck on the cheek or a hug. He must have felt the same way since he didn’t make any move to greet her with any intimate gesture. They both regarded each other sheepishly. She had no idea why this sudden feeling of shyness crept over her. Why did Mac bring out this side of her? She was an extrovert who very rarely felt off kilter.

“I missed you,” Mac blurted out.

She let out a sigh. How she loved the way Mac cut to the chase and spoke his mind.

“I missed you too. And I almost called you about a half dozen times out of sheer curiosity,” she admitted.

“You should have,” Mac said in a low voice. “I would have liked that.” Their eyes met and Delilah lost her train of thought as she found herself pulled in by his gaze.

“Yes,” she said, uncertain of what she was saying yes to. “Exactly.” Oh no! She was babbling.

Mac grinned at her as if he knew she was mesmerized by his presence. “Before I forget, I found this for you in Hanover. I hope you like it.”

He handed Delilah a long pink box with a little bow on it. He’d bought her something in New Hampshire. More importantly, this gift showed her that she’d been on his mind while he had been away from her. With the enthusiasm of a child, Delilah opened the box, letting out a gasp of pleasure as a beautiful necklace stared back at her.

“Mac!” she gushed, swinging her eyes up to his face. “This is stunning. Thank you so much.”

“It reminded me of you. I’m glad you like it,” he said with an easy smile.

“Can you put it on for me?” she asked, immediately wanting to wear the necklace he had so thoughtfully selected for her.

She turned around so Mac could place the necklace around her neck and work the clasp.

“Make sure it’s clasped tightly. I would hate to lose this,” she said fretfully.

Mac’s deep chuckle warmed her ears. “I’ve got it under control, Delilah. Turn around so I can see how it looks.” Delilah whirled around and smiled as she saw the gleam in Mac’s eyes. “Perfect,” he said with an approving nod. He grabbed her hand and pulled her close to his side. They began walking toward the outdoor stage area where the production was being held. Mac reached into his pocket and pulled out some bills for the “donation only” admission.

All the proceeds went to enrichment projects for youths in Breeze Point. It made her feel good to see Mac being so generous in his support of the arts.

On their way past the concession stand they decided to get some snacks for the performance. They had already discussed getting some pizza after the show so they chose things to tide them over for the next few hours. After picking out drinks, soft pretzels and chocolate chip cookies, they headed toward an area close to the stage. With Mac’s help, Delilah spread out the blanket and they both settled down onto it in preparation for the show.

Mac began to tell Delilah all the details about his trip to New Hampshire. She was overjoyed to hear about the information Mrs. Worther had revealed to Mac. In an investigation such as this one that went back two decades, any information was crucial. Someone out there knew what had happened to Callie. Someone had attempted to get information about Mac from the foster care agency. It was something vital to go on. Mac hadn’t hesitated to pass it on to Parker, who, according to Mac, had been intrigued by the southern angle and the probing phone call.

Tears welled in her eyes as Mac recounted the moment that they had given Mrs. Worther the deed to her home and the check. It was such a poignant story—the reunion   of Mrs. Worther with the seven Donahue boys. The deed to her home had been icing on the cake. A powerful act of love. It was just one more awesome facet to the Donahue brothers.

The stage lights began to flicker as a warning to the audience that the show was about to commence. As the audience hushed, the actors took the stage in vibrant costumes, spouting flowery language that sent Delilah straight into heaven. The scenery was lush and faithful to the time period. The mood transported the audience back in time.

After a few scenes unfolded, Mac leaned over and whispered, “I’m not too familiar with the Bard, but I’m enjoying this. Lots of drama.”

“I’m no expert by any means, but I love the flow of the language. And you really have to listen to the words in order to absorb their meaning.”

“Is it me or is this a little dark?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Very dark,” Delilah said with a somber nod. “But it’s one of his most powerful plays. A cautionary tale about obsession, jealousy and madness.”

At intermission they dug into their snacks. The chocolate chips in the cookies had melted a little bit, making it slightly difficult to handle without making a mess.