Page 69 of Jumping In

I lean into him and kiss his lips softly. He sighsagainst me and nods.

“Okay, but if you change your mind—” he begins, but I cut him off.

“If I change my mind about any of it, I will talk to you. We’re a team. That’s what couples do—talk things out. I doubt I’ll change my mind, but I promise if I do, we’ll talk about it. What’s got you so anxious about this?”

Mac blows out a breath and looks at the floor. “I’m stuck here. And you don’t have to be, as you proved when you went off to Caracrest.”

I recoil, leaning away from him like he punched me in the stomach. I wasn’t expecting that from him, especially when he was the one who pulled away before we were even out of high school.

“That was always the plan though. I didn’t even know you needed me. You can’t blame me for leaving when I didn’t know. We weren’t even friends then.” He looks up at me like I’ve assaulted him now and I realize he’s been holding on to this hurt just as long as I have.

“We’vealwaysbeen friends, MJ. It was when I wanted to be more that I pulled back. I didn’t want to hold you back and make you feel stuck in this podunk town with me.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “You had all these dreams and ambitions, and I would not be that guy who made you give up on them.”

Tears prick the back of my eyes, and I shake my head. He huffs.

“You can honestly tell me you still would’ve gone to Caracrest if I had told you how I felt way back then?” he asks.

“How you felt?” I shake my head, confused.

“I loved you, MJ. I’ve always loved you. You have always been my person from when we were little kids to now. You get me like no one else does, and I want to hang on to you with all my might, but because I loved you, I knew I couldn’t do that.” The tears are falling now, sliding down my face, and he reaches up to catch them on my cheeks. “You would’ve stayed and probably resented me at some point, and I would have hated myself. So yeah, I’m scared this isn’t real. I’m scared you’ll change your mind.” I shake my head and take one of his hands into mine, bring it to my lips.

“I’m not changing my mind. I’m here for good. This is real. I want to renovate the loft or find a house for us in town, for real. I want to get married someday and have all the babies with you. I want to teach them how to read, and you can teach them how to swim. I want to make all the memories at the creek and grow old with you. I want to spend evenings sitting on a porch with you looking out at the creek. I want to have our own library filled with our favorite books and all the annotated copies we’ll read and reread. I want it all.”

I kiss the tears that are now tracking down his cheeks and give him a watery smile.

“I want it all and more. With you.” As if my long-winded declaration convinced him, he finally nods his head and leans in, pressing his lips to mine.

“I love you, Mac. You’re stuck with me now,” I murmur. He chuckles against my lips and then grabs my thighs, pulling me into his lap. I kiss him deeply, sliding my tongue into his mouth, and he groans. He squeezes my thighs and stands with me in his arms. I lean away to protest, but he chases my mouth and captures my lips again. He moves us through the shop, up the stairs and onto the bed in the loft where he devours me and makes me feel just how much he loves me too.

Chapter 26

Mac

July 26

My skin is slick with sweat as I make the short walk from the shop to Hal’s to meet MJ and the guys. The summer air is sticky with the threat of a monsoon rolling in, and even in cargo shorts and a light T-shirt, I’m ready for a cold drink and a dip in the creek.

I push the large wooden door in and immediately hear chatter and loud country music filling the space. Thankfully, the house lights are on so I can easily spot Blake’s tall frame from the doorway, and I make my way through the crowd to the high top my friends are occupying. Varying glasses half-full of different colored liquids litter the table.

MJ greets me with a huge grin, and I’m surprised when her speech is crystal clear. “Hey honey! Come, try one of these Shannon made!”

“She’s been experimenting with different recipes all fucking night,” Blake grumbles. I grab the least girly-looking drink on the table. It’s dark brown and in a short glass. Coffee and vodka hit my tongue, and I groan.

“Yeah, yeah, they’re not terrible,” Blake grumbles beside me.

“Dude, these have been great all night. You’re just annoyed because she can make a better drink than you!” Austin jabs his elbow into his brother’s side, and we all laugh at Blake’s expense.

“Here, try this one.” MJ slides a martini glass toward me that’s half-filled with pink liquid. It looks girly as fuck but when I take a sip I moan. “I knew you’d like that one. It’s me.”

I almost choke.

“Come again?” Austin snickers.

“Guys, gross!” MJ exclaims. “Shannon named it after me. She said it fits my essence or something.”

MJ leans her head into my space and lowers her voice. “Does it taste like me?” I nearly choke again but shake my head.

“Nah, baby. Nothing tastes as heavenly as you do. But it does make me think of you. The strawberry is a nice touch and is that . . .” I take another sip. “Vanilla vodka?”

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