Page 79 of Seizing Mack
Epilogue
~ Mack ~
One year later...
Mack looked over the top of her tablet at her new husband, still somewhat shocked by the last quarter’s numbers. There was actually a waiting list for full memberships, and Booty Camp classes were booked for the next six months.
Nick was finishing off the last of the organic, gluten-free pizza — a new recipe Mack was considering for her latest nutritional guide — and holding the crust just out of reach of Kato. The lack of focus that had kept the big brute from being a professional drug sniffer didn’t seem to be an issue now. The dog’s concentration was absolute.
Kato was now a permanent part of their family. Nick insisted that adopting the goofy (but incredibly cuddly) furbaby would give him peace of mind for those times when he was working late, but Mack knew better. Nick had an ever bigger, softer heart than she did. She’d known from the moment Nick first brought Kato through the door that he’d found his forever home.
“You have to give it to him now,” she said, waving her hand at the dog. Each time Nick moved his hand, Kato’s eyes followed as though hypnotized. “Look, he’s sporting a total ear boner.”
Nick paused and shot her a disbelieving look. “Ear boner?”
“Yeah,” she nodded pointing to the way Kato’s ears pointed toward the ceiling. “See how they’re sticking right up like that? That’s called an ear boner.”
“You’re making that up.”
“Am not.”
“That isnota real thing.”
“Of course, it is. Google it.”
He thumbed his iPhone, doing just that. “Son of a bitch.”
“Doubter,” she smirked. “Go on, give him the crust at least. There is another pie in the oven for you.”
Nick tossed Kato the crust and stood. “Shit!” he exclaimed, slipping on his first step forward.
“It’s your own fault. If you hadn’t teased him like that, he wouldn’t have drooled so much.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. It’s like black ice. You don’t see it until it’s too late.” She reached over and grabbed a towel off the counter and tossed it to him. Nick grumbled a little as he dropped the rag on the floor and wiped with his foot, but Mack caught the discreet scratch behind the ear that he gave the dog.
“Speaking of hidden pitfalls, have you heard from your stepsister lately?”
“Yeah, she’s still pissed that I didn’t send her a housewarming gift.”
“She tell you that?”
“Sort of. She sent me this.” Mack held up her phone to show him the series of symbols that comprised Delilah’s latest text: (_*_)
“What is that?”
She grinned. “The emoticon for an asshole.”
Proving that karma was alive and well in the world, Dee and Kent Emerson had moved in together.The Playboy and the Princess. No one had seen that one coming, but no one was complaining, either. With Dee and Kent focused on each other, everyone else could breathe a sigh of relief.
“Yep. She’s pissed.” Nick pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and hard. “Your dad cut her off, for real this time?”
“Yep. He said since she’s living with Kent, she’s his problem now, and Catherine actually backed him up. After Dee’s juvenile stunt last year, I think Catherine’s finally seen the light.”
“You mean when Dee called her mother feigning some crisis to keep Catherine from having Thanksgiving dinner with us?”
“Uh-huh. Dad told me that Catherine genuinely regretted not coming, especially when he told her how much fun we all had without her.” Mack grinned. “Though it probably worked out for the best. Catherine has a gift for making people uncomfortable.”
