Misery Company

Chapter 31

“You would think right? But when you left I realized that time I spent hating you let me hide from what was really going on. I was a mess about my mom showing back up and my Aunt really got on my case to give her a chance and also figure out what I was doing after school. I snapped and Jake paid the price.” She ran her hands through her hair again out of frustration. “I loved him and I screwed it up.” Mackenzie whispered, a confession she was clearly not comfortable with.

Dean was glad she decided to open up to him but hearing that she loved his cousin and probably still did actually hurt.

“Now can we go? I really want this day over with.” That time he didn’t stop her from leaving the closet.

Dean sat there for another minute as he tried to calm down. He agreed with Mackenzie, this night needed to be over with. During that minute fear mixed in with his sudden anger, did Mackenzie want Jake back? If Jake expressed wanting the same thing then what would she do? Who would she pick?

Dean knew in his heart she’d marry him for Megan’s sake but now it was much more then that. Dean didn’t want her to do the right thing, he wanted her to pick him, want him because her heart desired it.

IIII

Mac spoke when spoken to but mostly she kept to herself during dinner. Every so often she glanced at Jake who sat next to Mrs. Chandler across from her and Dean; Megan sat next to her father on the other side. Mac felt like crap for looking at her ex and worse for noticing how good he looked. He was in his late twenties now, all his boyish charm gone and replaced by all man. His black hair was shorter and combed back neatly away from his face, his green eyes were sinfully dark and sexy. He wore a goatee now instead of a clean shaven look. For some reason that made her stomach tighten in a forbidden way.

She stabbed her food with a fork but only had a few bites. She listened as the Chandler clan caught up but mostly she was hiding inside her head. She thought about the night Jake was leaving town to go back home after his extended internship, she picked that night to break up with him because he was leaving. She cried a whole week after he left and regretted her choice all the time but she never called him.

Under the table she felt Dean grab her hand, she turned and looked at him. He gave her a small smile before turning back to his mom who was gushing about Megan’s pie making skills. Mac didn’t plan to tell him the whole story in the closet but he had been so caring and nice that it all flew out of her mouth. She believed him when he said he was worried about her.  Plus if she didn’t tell him he’d probably keep bugging her for answers.

He was being too damn sweet and not to mention sexy. Dean Chandler was full of surprises, who knew? She had him pegged as the standard jock type in high school but then Megan came into the picture and humanized him, from that day on it was never the same. From that day on they were destined to change her life.

After dinner Dean helped his mom in the kitchen while Mac helped Megan get cleaned up. “Did you have fun tonight?”

“It was ok, pizza is better. Uncle Jake is really nice.”

“He always is.” Mac softly agreed as she led Megan back to her room from the bathroom.

“Hey.” Speaking of the devil, Jake greeted her as she left Megan’s room. “Can we talk, alone?” he asked.

Mac wanted to run back inside the closet and lock herself inside but instead she said. “Yeah let’s step outside.” She couldn’t keep running from him because it wasn’t fair and if things kept going well for Dean and his family there was a good chance Jake would be around more.  They stepped out the apartment into the hallway and closer to the elevator for space. “So?”

“You look good.” Jake said.

Mac couldn’t stop the grin that broke out across her face. “So do you.”

“You and Dean huh?”

“Yeah…”

“I’m not surprised, there’s always been this push and pull between the two of you.”

“When we were together I never thought Dean like that, I promise.”

“I know but you missed him when he left,” he held up his hands and continued before she could interrupt. “Even though you swear up and down it’s not true.”

Mac decided not to argue since she was now marrying the guy, everyone would think every moment they shared in the past was some secret love connection. “How’ve you been?”

“Good. I’m working full time with Uncle Greg’s firm and I’ve been seeing someone.”

“Oh…that’s nice.”

Jake chuckled and stepped closer, pulling her into a hug. “Don’t worry you’ll always be the one that got away.”

Mac inhaled deeply taking in the scent of his cologne, that hadn’t changed, his scent was like taking a walk back into the past, back to those few weeks where everything was ok and she was happy truly happy for the first time in her life. No matter what happened Jake would always be the first person to accept her for herself, the person that opened up apart of her she didn’t know existed. “Damn it.” she softly hissed with a frown.

Jake titled her chin up and saw her red eyes. “Happy woman about to get married don’t cry.”

Mac bit the inside of her mouth to keep from letting anymore tears fall. “I am happy, ecstatic.” That didn’t sound very believable but before she could try and retract the apartment door opened and Dean stepped out along with his mother.