Page 44 of Life After You

Trey slings an arm around Mac’s shoulders as we walk, grinning down at her. “I can’t believe you didn’t warn us about Patty. That woman is a menace.”

Mac laughs, nudging him in the ribs. “I told you all to behave.”

“Hey, if a beautiful woman wants to flirt with me, who am I to say no?” Trey smirks, then winks. “No matter how many decades separate us.”

Chace snorts. “Right up until her beau folds you like laundry. Did you see his fucking forearms? Trunks, Trey. Trunks.”

The group erupts into laughter while Trey flips Chace off, grumbling under his breath about being “a respectful young man.”

Sam walks ahead, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, shaking his head. “You’re all idiots. She was an angel for sure. Such a sweetie—reminds me of my Gam-Gams.”

Mac grins, jogging ahead to loop an arm through his. “See? Sam gets it.”

He sighs dramatically, but the corner of his mouth twitches. “Of course.”

The walk back to the van is slower, the air still buzzing with laughter and stupid inside jokes. It feels like no time has passed at all—like we never spent months apart, like Mac was never missing. Even she seems more at ease, her steps lighter, her laughter coming freely. It’s a damn good sound. One I don’t ever want to go without again.

When we reach the boarding house, Mac pushes open the front door and turns to face us, hands on her hips, wearing that look that says she’s already five steps ahead of us.

“Alright, rockstars, we’re fed and watered. If you’ve got a spare change of clothes, great. If not, we’ll head into town in thirty—I know a few good places, and if not, Clay or Dean will. Then you’ve got a few hours to make yourselves presentable. I don’t want to be seen with a bunch of sweaty guys who smell like, well… guys.”

Chace raises a brow. “That’s rich coming from someone named after a pasta dish.”

Mac flips him off over her shoulder as she heads inside. “Be ready in thirty. We gotta be out of here by seven!”

Trey stretches, his shirt riding up just enough to flash part of the tattoo running along his ribs. “Anyone else need a nap before we do this?”

“Nah,” Sam mutters. “But a shower wouldn’t kill you.”

Trey grins. “You offering to scrub my back?”

Sam doesn’t dignify that with a response—just shoves him toward the stairs.

I linger at the door, watching Mac as she disappears down the hall. There’s something different about her. A shift. Like she’s planning something. Like she’s… happy.

Maybe it’s my imagination. Or maybe, just maybe, we’re finally getting somewhere.

I don’t want this to stop. Not now.

I need to grab some clothes from town, get ready for whatever tonight brings. But there’s one thing I know for sure.

I’m not letting her disappear again.

Chapter Thirteen

Kayla

A car arrives for us at seven—well, I say car, but it’s more of a shuttle. We all pile in, dressed to kill and smelling more fragrant than ever. In a good way. I even found a perfume shop in town that had something close to what I usually go for. A little pricey, but worth it. There’s something about being dressed sharp, smelling good—it changes the way you carry yourself.

Not that it stopped us from acting like high schoolers, fighting over who got to wear what scent.

Mac, though.

Dios mío, angel, what are you trying to do to me?

I can barely take my eyes off her. And unfortunately, I’m not the only one.

The guys sneak glances as she steps into the bar, their gazes flicking to the dress hugging her curves like it was sewn onto her skin. A muscle in my jaw twitches. She’s always been beautiful, but tonight? Tonight, she’s something else entirely. And every guy in this place fucking knows it.

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