special orders came in. Walking them back to the front of the building, she noticed that Jobe was right behind her. Not close enough to invade her space…but close enough to let her know that he was still there. And still affected her.
She shook Tony, Gabe, and Vinny’s hands and gave Jennifer a heartfelt hug. Her friend whispered in her ear, “We’ll talk. It’ll be okay, I promise.” Nodding, she let them walk down the stoop. Steeling herself to be professional, she turned with her hand out.
“It was nice seeing you, Jobe. Thank you.” God, I hope that sounded icy enough. Forcing herself to look into his eyes, she saw the smile on his face.
Taking her hand in his much larger one, he did not let it go. “It was very nice seeing you again, Mackenna.”
Just as she was pulling her hand back, Tony called out from the street. “Gabe’s going with Jennifer in her car, so Vinny and I’ll ride in this one. You can have the other one yourself.”
Jobe grinned as he nodded, silently conveying his thanks to his buddies. They know what this means. They know she was put back in my life for a reason. Don’t have a fucking clue what that is, but I’m sure as shit gonna find out.
Mackenna’s expression was one of shock that his co-workers would just leave them like that. She watched as they drove down the street and then felt pressure on her hand. Jerking it back, she realized that he had been holding it while she gawked at the others leaving.
“Yes, well…um…I have to get back to work.”
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow when we come,” he replied.
“No! I mean, that I won’t be here. I’m sure that you can do all that you need without me. You can just see…um, Rose. The teacher. She can help you. I’ll be…somewhere.” Jesus, I’m babbling.
Smiling, he could tell that she was nervous. Nervous good or nervous bad? He was not sure, but he intended to find out. “Tony’s gonna need you here. You’re the one who’ll have to sign for everything, so you’ll need to be here. At least for part of the installation.”
Drawing herself to her full height, she still had to lean her head way back to look him directly in the eyes, saying, “Fine. I’ll be here. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Turning she walked on unsteady legs back into the center, closing the door behind her. As she heard him walking down the sidewalk, she peeked out of the window. Black, tight t-shirt stretched across his back. Tall, muscular. Thick hair that just beckoned fingers to be run through it.
Closing her eyes, she drew in a ragged breath. Why did you have to come back into my life? Why couldn’t you have just stayed a memory? She leaned her forehead on the pane of glass, as her heart ached for the millionth time as she wiped away another tear. Lifting her head, she saw him sitting in the driver’s seat. Staring. Directly. At. Her.
Chapter 5
J obe opened his apartment door at the knocking, knowing before he did who would be outside. Vinny, Gabe, and Tony all stood in the hall. He threw open the door, wordlessly inviting them in. How many times over the years have we done this? Shutting the door behind him, he watched as they settled onto his oversized sofas. He also noticed Tony eyeing the whiskey bottle on the coffee table.
Walking over, he sat down in one of the chairs facing the sofa and nodded toward the bottle. “In answer to the question on your mind, no, I haven’t been drinking. But yes, I’ve been thinking about it.”
“Fair enough,” Tony replied, leaning back in his seat.
The silence blanketed the room, each man holding on to their own thoughts. Finally, Vinny was the one to break the ice.
“So what’s the deal? You gonna be okay with this assignment? ’Cause if you’re not, I’ve told Tony that I’ll take it.”
Shaking his head, he said, “No, I’ve got it. There’s no need to worry about me.”
“You had to be stunned, man. I didn’t know who she was until I saw your face. Then her name hit
She shook Tony, Gabe, and Vinny’s hands and gave Jennifer a heartfelt hug. Her friend whispered in her ear, “We’ll talk. It’ll be okay, I promise.” Nodding, she let them walk down the stoop. Steeling herself to be professional, she turned with her hand out.
“It was nice seeing you, Jobe. Thank you.” God, I hope that sounded icy enough. Forcing herself to look into his eyes, she saw the smile on his face.
Taking her hand in his much larger one, he did not let it go. “It was very nice seeing you again, Mackenna.”
Just as she was pulling her hand back, Tony called out from the street. “Gabe’s going with Jennifer in her car, so Vinny and I’ll ride in this one. You can have the other one yourself.”
Jobe grinned as he nodded, silently conveying his thanks to his buddies. They know what this means. They know she was put back in my life for a reason. Don’t have a fucking clue what that is, but I’m sure as shit gonna find out.
Mackenna’s expression was one of shock that his co-workers would just leave them like that. She watched as they drove down the street and then felt pressure on her hand. Jerking it back, she realized that he had been holding it while she gawked at the others leaving.
“Yes, well…um…I have to get back to work.”
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow when we come,” he replied.
“No! I mean, that I won’t be here. I’m sure that you can do all that you need without me. You can just see…um, Rose. The teacher. She can help you. I’ll be…somewhere.” Jesus, I’m babbling.
Smiling, he could tell that she was nervous. Nervous good or nervous bad? He was not sure, but he intended to find out. “Tony’s gonna need you here. You’re the one who’ll have to sign for everything, so you’ll need to be here. At least for part of the installation.”
Drawing herself to her full height, she still had to lean her head way back to look him directly in the eyes, saying, “Fine. I’ll be here. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Turning she walked on unsteady legs back into the center, closing the door behind her. As she heard him walking down the sidewalk, she peeked out of the window. Black, tight t-shirt stretched across his back. Tall, muscular. Thick hair that just beckoned fingers to be run through it.
Closing her eyes, she drew in a ragged breath. Why did you have to come back into my life? Why couldn’t you have just stayed a memory? She leaned her forehead on the pane of glass, as her heart ached for the millionth time as she wiped away another tear. Lifting her head, she saw him sitting in the driver’s seat. Staring. Directly. At. Her.
Chapter 5
J obe opened his apartment door at the knocking, knowing before he did who would be outside. Vinny, Gabe, and Tony all stood in the hall. He threw open the door, wordlessly inviting them in. How many times over the years have we done this? Shutting the door behind him, he watched as they settled onto his oversized sofas. He also noticed Tony eyeing the whiskey bottle on the coffee table.
Walking over, he sat down in one of the chairs facing the sofa and nodded toward the bottle. “In answer to the question on your mind, no, I haven’t been drinking. But yes, I’ve been thinking about it.”
“Fair enough,” Tony replied, leaning back in his seat.
The silence blanketed the room, each man holding on to their own thoughts. Finally, Vinny was the one to break the ice.
“So what’s the deal? You gonna be okay with this assignment? ’Cause if you’re not, I’ve told Tony that I’ll take it.”
Shaking his head, he said, “No, I’ve got it. There’s no need to worry about me.”
“You had to be stunned, man. I didn’t know who she was until I saw your face. Then her name hit
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