Working_Out (18 page)

“Okay, that was just mean.” Shelby had been dealing with a flamboyant but well meaning mother her entire life. She didn’t like being the center of attention any more than Maggie did. “Can’t I be happy for us?”

“No. Be happy for
you
. You’re engaged. I might have had a good night. But until I know if it will go anywhere, I’m keeping it private.” The disappointment on her friend’s face forced Maggie to confess, “I think I really like him. And I don’t want to see your pity when we break up, okay? So give me a few more days, maybe a week or two, to enjoy him. Then when he and I break off, we can share some ice cream and talk about how men suck.”

“Okay.” Like that, Shelby let it go.

It was too easy. “I mean it.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Shelby held out her hand. “So let’s talk about my ring.”

“Let’s.”

They spent the rest of the morning laughing and walking around Queen Anne. Maggie liked how excited Shelby was about moving in with Shane. She’d been such a mess for so long that seeing her in love and happy about the engagement was like a balm to Maggie’s own hurts. If Shelby could find love with a decent guy, that meant Maggie had hope.

An immediate image of Mac came to mind. She smiled to herself, holding onto that closeness they’d shared. When he’d let her be herself, when he’d accepted the dirty, terrible desires she had and fed them, he’d given her more than a sexual rush, but a deep seated contentment, that maybe she wasn’t so bad a person for having weird desires. She wasn’t the only one who’d gotten off on the naughty talk, or the spanking, or the anal sex.

She hurried to rejoin Shelby by a chocolate store and wondered if Mac would like the other present she’d decided to give him. The sex he’d love, she had no doubt. But the other item had come straight from her heart. She just hoped he wouldn’t laugh at her. No, Mac wouldn’t laugh, but if he didn’t treasure it like she hoped, he’d hurt a part of herself she’d unconsciously given him.

Her time with Shelby passed swiftly. Shelby returned to Shane’s, breaking up his guy time with Mac, Geo and his father. Apparently the Collins family had decided to fly to Portland to spend the holiday with his mother’s relatives, leaving Shane to spend Christmas with Shelby and her family.
Which includes me,
Maggie thought, pleased.

And on that note… She checked her messages for any word from Trevor and frowned, finding none. She knew he had business to take care of, but a nice note to his sister wouldn’t have been too much to ask.

Due at Mimi’s in another hour, she refreshed her makeup and grabbed gifts for everyone. Then she drove over and parked behind several other vehicles. Mimi lived in a home in Queen Anne, not that far from Maggie’s. The large Victorian had a bohemian feel, which suited Mimi to a T. Done in bright colors, with detail on the carved shingles and trim painted to contrast the cornflower blue of the wooden paneling, the house clearly had the style of its owner.

Mimi answered the door in a flowing caftan that had been chic in the 80s. She pulled off the red and green, as she did all her clothes, with her accessories. Bangles clanged and shimmered as she embraced Maggie in a big hug. Mimi tugged her inside, where she saw Ron and Justin, his new boyfriend, sitting by the fire.

Like Shelby, Maggie wondered how Mimi would fare when Justin turned into a permanent fixture in Ron’s life. Mimi and Ron had been together for nearly thirty years, almost all of Shelby’s life. The pair were inseparable, but it looked as if Justin might the one man who could pry Ron away. Maggie liked him. The guy had a great job—he owned the architectural firm where Shane worked—a nice personality, and looks, which obviously suited Ron. All that, and Mimi hadn’t scared him away yet.

“Hey Maggie.” Ron stood and crossed the room to hug her. Justin did the same.

“You guys look great.” They wore matching grins. Such a handsome couple.

“Yes, isn’t it disgusting?” Mimi put a hand around Maggie’s shoulders. “That they look perfect paired together just makes it worse.”

“Too true, darling.” Ron winked.

Maggie chuckle and handed Mimi a large bag holding their gifts. “No opening these until tomorrow. And Justin, my gift to you is a massage from Shelby. Sorry, but she refused to give me the gift certificates when I asked.”

Mimi nodded. “Girl is head over heels for her new fiancé.” Mimi grinned. “We’re going to have gorgeous grandbabies.”

Ron and Justin nodded, and Ron said to his boyfriend, “I cannot believe you never tried to put a move on him. He’s so cute.”

“True.” Justin moved back into the living room. “He’s also my employee, and he’s straight.”

Ron sighed and joined him on the couch before the fire. “Isn’t he great?” Ron asked Mimi as he hugged Justin. “So dreamy to have a man with principles.”

Mimi made a face at the pair. “You know, not all of us are in love.”

“Really?” Ron’s purr alerted Maggie.

“What’s going on?”
Please don’t let them have discovered Mac and me. Not yet.
They’ll interfere and ruin everything.

“Well, honey, I’ve seen our Mimi with a handsome stranger. One that looks a lot your arrogant boss.”

“Arrogant, so not Kim.” She played along. “You must mean Mac’s uncle, Ian.”

“Handsome?” Justin asked.

“Don’t worry, baby. You’re much better looking. Ian looks like a brute. Too many muscles. Just the way Mimi likes them,” Ron added.

“Oh shut up.” Mimi flushed.

The woman never turned red. All three of them stared at her in shock. Maggie might have worried Mimi was plotting about Maggie’s love life, but that blush sealed it.

“You have a boyfriend!” Maggie hooted.

She, Justin and Ron teased Mimi until the woman relented and told them about the new man in her life. Ian Jameson—the man who would be joining them tonight.
With his nephew.

Maggie’s mouth went dry. She and Mac hadn’t been together around other people who really knew them. Those at the gym had seen them working together, but she and Mac hadn’t been in an intimate setting together. Could she look at him without mooning? Mac said she wore her emotions on her sleeve. Did she really? Or was it that he knew her so well?

The doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it.” Mimi danced out of the room.

“Maggie, some wine?” Ron asked.

“Yeah. A big glass,” she muttered.

Justin grinned. “You know, Ron warned me, but I really like Mimi.”

“We all do. It’s just hard to take too much of her at one time,” Maggie teased. “She and Ron adopted me years ago. They’re good people.”

Justin looked at Ron, and she could see the love on his face. “Yes, they are.”

Maggie was struck with a fierce longing, a need to feel and see that kind of emotion for someone special. Not a friend or relative, but a lover who would view her the same way. She had a bad feeling she’d lost her heart to Mac. But could he ever feel the same way about her? She’d never had permanence with anyone but Trevor, and he was barely around.

As if she’d thought him into existence, her brother appeared out of the blue.

“Trevor?”

“Surprise.” Mimi clapped.

“Hey, short stuff. Did you miss me?”

Overcome with emotion, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight. What a very merry Christmas.

Mac entered Mimi’s house behind his uncle, only to slam into Ian’s back. “Why’d you stop?”

“Uh, sorry.” Ian didn’t move though, so Mac pushed him aside to shut the door behind him.

He turned around and stopped short. “Who the fuck is that?”

He must have said it louder than he’d anticipated, because the room came to a standstill.

The big blond guy holding a clingy Maggie spun on his heel and gave Mac a glare. He stood as tall as Mac and had a build that suggested he did something physical. Mac didn’t care about this size. The bastard was holding Maggie way too tightly.

She saw Mac and grinned through tears. Tears?

Concerned, he stepped forward. “Maggie?”

“Mac, this is Trevor.”

The name didn’t register for a moment, and then he noticed the same blue eyes and blond hair on the guy. Familiar facial features that on Maggie were breathtaking, on her brother looked ruggedly handsome. Though Mac wouldn’t be caught dead describing him as such.

Mac moved to greet him. “Oh right, the brother.” He put his hand out, and Trevor gripped it hard. Mac didn’t flinch, and Trevor let go.

“Name’s Trevor Doran.”

“Mac Jameson.” He couldn’t help looking down at Maggie. Thank God, those weren’t tears of sorrow but joy. “So your brother’s in town?” Though glad for her, he felt disappointed too. He’d hoped to spend his free time with her through the holiday.

“I know. Isn’t it great? He surprised me.”

Trevor smiled down at her, and Mac found himself liking the man.

“Great that you could come back in time for Christmas. I know Maggie misses you.”

The room grew quiet, and he glanced back to see his uncle and Mimi exchanging a glance.

“What?” He realized what he’d said and how it must sound. Like the truth, that he and Maggie talked about more than work. “I don’t just order Maggie around the gym. We talk some.”
And fuck like a pair made for each other.

“Right. Well, don’t just stand there gaping. Mimi, introduce us to your tall, dark and handsome beau.” Ron nodded to Ian.

While Maggie disentangled herself from her brother, Mac turned to regard his uncle—Mimi’s
beau
? The man had his poker face on, and Mac steeled himself for some unpleasant fallout. He’d never liked that look on his uncle’s face, the one that spoke of trouble soon to follow.

Justin tapped Mac on the shoulder. “Beer?” He held out a cold bottle.

“Thanks.” Mac took a long drag, waiting.

“Hell.” Ian wrapped a hand around Mimi’s shoulders

Mac stared in shock. He noticed Maggie’s jaw drop as well. Good to know Mac wasn’t the only one surprised.

“Ian and I are dating,” Mimi announced.

“That’s, uh, that’s great?” Maggie offered.

“So, you think you can put up with her?” Trevor asked and laughed.

“Trevor, really.” Mimi smiled. “Ian’s a perfect gentleman.”

Mac coughed. “Wait. My uncle? A gentleman?”

“Shut up, Top.” Ian kissed Mimi on the cheek. “This dear girl is precious to me.”

“Oh God.” Mac didn’t know if he could handle all the drama that came with Shane’s future mother-in-law. He liked Mimi, but from what he’d heard, dealing with her on a daily basis would drive him nuts. Hell, even Maggie had admitted the same.

“Top?” Maggie squeezed next to him. She looked so damn beautiful wearing a soft red sweater and black slacks. She’d clipped her hair up in a comb that left strands to tickle the neck of her sweater, which hid the love bites he’d left the last time they’d played.

He smiled and met her grin, knowing she’d guessed the direction of his thoughts, because she tugged on the high neck. Before he could answer, Trevor did for him.

“Top is a nickname for a Master Sergeant in the Marine Corps.” Trevor came to stand next to Maggie and assessed him. “You look military.”

“Yeah.” Mac gave Trevor a long look and met the hard glint in his eyes. “So do you.”

Maggie crossed her arms over her chest and studied her brother. “Not
my
brother,” Maggie said as if he she didn’t believe that for a second. She gave Trevor a fake smile. “He’s an investment banker. I mean, does this big ape look like he could handle danger in foreign countries? Are those the hands of a man used to handling a weapon or a keyboard?” It was obvious to Maggie, apparently, that her brother worked at a dangerous job.

Trevor’s backpedalling would have been funny if Mac hadn’t sensed Maggie’s anger.

“Now Maggie. You know I got these calluses from lifting weights. I’m an investment banker who happens to do work occasionally for Uncle Sam. Government contracts, honey. That’s it.”

“Really?” Mac had felt the hard skin on the man’s trigger finger and middle finger, the callous at the V of his hand, where he no doubt often held a pistol.

“Really,” Trevor said with a hard growl.

“Now, now. It’s Christmas.” Ron tugged them into the living room. “Sit and be merry before I get unpleasant.”

“You’d better do it.” Justin downed his beer. “The man doesn’t look it, but he can get pretty ugly if he doesn’t get his way.”

Ron flashed a brilliant smile. “True. Mimi, drag in your new man and tell us all about him. How did you two meet, and how long has this been going on?”

 Mac crossed his arms over his chest. Just what he’d like to know.

His uncle answered all of Ron’s questions easily. Too easily. Mac had that itch that had always forewarned him of danger. He had a feeling his uncle and Mimi coming together had more to do with him and Maggie than them coupling up.

But to his bemusement, he didn’t think he minded. The panic he should have felt over the pair trying to fix him and Maggie up didn’t appear. He knew Mimi had plans for Maggie, the same way she’d once had plans for Shelby. And look, Shelby now had a fiancé. Shane, his good buddy, was head-over-heels in love with her.