Blake
Not wanting to go back to the loneliness of his apartment, Blake drove to his brother’s house. He hadn’t seen his niece since the barbecue and figured he owed it to her, and to his brother, to make a regular appearance.
Besides, he wanted to make sure she was safe as well.
He and Colton had spent too much time mulling over police reports, filing insurance claims, and calling around for contractors who could do the building repairs. There hadn’t been much time to talk about Natalie.
“Hey stranger.” Sage greeted him at the door with a sad smile.
“Mind if I invite myself to dinner?”
“Lucy’s been doing it for years. You’re a welcome change. And much better looking.” She waved him in and nodded over her shoulder. “Luke and Natalie are on the deck playing cribbage. She’s kicking his ass so he’s extra surly tonight.”
“Good to know.”
Blake helped himself to a beer in the fridge and got another one out for his brother. Because he was generous like that.
“I hear you’re getting crushed by a kid,” he joked as he stepped out on to the deck.
“I’m not a kid, old pervert.” Natalie jumped from the table and stomped past him, slamming the door behind her.
“That went well.” Blake took Natalie’s empty seat and picked up her scattered cards.
“Sorry about that, man. We haven’t figured out what her issue is with you yet.”
“Not your fault, Luke. I’m sure Alyssa had fed her an open buffet of lies. Speaking of, what’s for dinner?” He didn’t want to ruin Luke’s evening. Blake knew Luke felt bad about not being able to get Natalie to open up. She’d only been living with them for a few weeks. It would take years for the girl to come around.
In the meantime, Blake would keep a presence in her life, but not push for answers. She’d talk when she was ready. If ever.
They finished the game in silence. Unable to focus, Blake lost the lead Natalie had on Luke.
“You suck at cribbage.”
I suck at life. “Yeah. Pretty much. Dinner ready?” He wanted to eat and run. Luke would understand, and so would Sage.
Natalie wouldn’t come down for dinner with Blake there and Sage insisted he stay to eat.
“She’s going to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around her. You’re welcome for dinner here any time. If Natalie has a problem with you, she can tell you about it. Or me. Or Luke. The sulking bit is getting old.”
“The girl has been through a lot, Sage. And I doubt I’m making it any easier on her.” Blake pushed back his chair and cleared his plate.
“She’s fifteen and is quite capable of making choices. I’m not going to pressure her to talk about whatever the hell is going on in her messed-up head, but she’s not going to use it as a crutch to act like a spoiled little brat.”
“Tough love?”
“Sage is the best at that.” Luke grabbed Sage around the waist and pulled her in for a kiss. Ever the unlikely pair, those two.
“Don’t go too hard on her because of me, though. Okay?”
“You’re not worth it.” Sage winked and punched his shoulder lightly.
Blake left feeling no better about the situation with Natalie, and even worse about the end of his sex-lationship—no, his relationship—with Mackenzie.
Watching Sage and Luke tease, support, and touch each other whenever they were near made him wish things were different. That he hadn’t made that stupid negotiation with Mackenzie. What they had wasn’t about sex. If it was he wouldn’t be so torn up inside about not seeing her again.
He wouldn’t struggle falling asleep at night. He’d be able to concentrate on his job, on his workouts. Instead, she monopolized his thoughts and distracted him night and day.
He longed to be with her again. Naked would be golden, but he’d love the simplicity of preparing a meal with her in the kitchen, like Luke and Sage did tonight. Of sitting across from her at the table and talking about their day. Of working out with her at the gym or going for a walk along the beach. He’d take Mackenzie in any way she’d give him. Anyway she’d have him.
If she wanted to move on, to sleep with other men, he still wanted to be her friend.
Blake slammed his fists on his steering wheel and swore. “Bullshit,” he said to the night sky. He didn’t want to be her friend. And he sure as hell wasn’t okay with her being with any other man.
Mackenzie held his heart in her hands and damned if he’d let her hands touch another man.
***
Mackenzie
Now that Blake was with his bimbo girlfriend, Mackenzie didn’t need to keep her lights off or pretend like she was sleeping. Dressed in comfy shorts and an old workout shirt, she propped her feet on her coffee table and took out her tablet. It had been way too long since she’d read a book.
Her digital library was full of books waiting to be read. Basing her decision on the covers, she scrolled past the ones with half-naked men—they reminded her too much of Blake—and past the women in corsets and gowns—a historical romance would not cure her mood—until she found a cover that promised to be suspenseful and a little violent.
Nothing like mystery and blood to get her heart and mind off the charming smile that haunted her dreams, both day and night.
She’d made it thirty percent through the book when her phone rang. It wasn’t often that anyone called—everyone texted these days, with the exception of her parents.
Mackenzie picked up her cell and read the caller ID.
“Hey, Mags.”
“Is this Mackenzie?”
Not recognizing the voice, Mackenzie pulled her phone away from her face to read the caller ID again. “Who is this?”
“Maggie gave me her phone to use.”
“Great. Who is this?” Mackenzie bookmarked her page and set her tablet down.
“It’s Natalie. I’m babysitting.”
“Maggie left you alone with Katie?” The woman had lost some brain cells with her pregnancy but Mackenzie thought they’d returned.
“I’m not incompetent.”
“I didn’t say you were.” But that’s what she was thinking. “I didn’t think you were interested in babysitting.”
“I’m not, but the pay is good. Ten bucks an hour. Beats flipping burgers or serving coffee all day.”
Yeah, no offense there.
“So why are you calling me?”
“Graham convinced Maggie to go out dinner. She left me her phone and gave me your number in case of emergency.”
“Is there an emergency? Is Katie okay? You should call Graham. Or 911.” Mackenzie shot up from the couch, slid her feet into flip-flops, and grabbed her keys from the counter.
“It’s not that bad. Katie keeps puking. I don’t know what to do.”
Neither did Mackenzie. Baby care didn’t scare her but it wasn’t her thing either.
“What is she doing right now?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“She can’t do anything but sit there. I mean, lay there. She can’t even sit. She pukes though.”
“Okay. I’m on my way. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Make it five.”
“I live thirteen minutes away. I’ll be there in ten.”
“Whatever.”
“Ungrateful brat,” Mackenzie muttered as she disconnected the call.
She sped through two yellow lights and made it in nine. It was the best she could do. Barging through the front door, Mackenzie yelled out, “Where is she? Where’s Katie?”
“Will you shut up? You’re gonna wake her with your yelling.”
“She’s sleeping?” Mackenzie spotted the empty swing and cradle and ran down the hall to the baby’s room.
Sleeping so perfectly innocent was little baby Katie. Her purple outfit was soaked around her chest and shoulder, and little white chunks of spit-up trailed toward her belly.
Mackenzie stroked her head, checking to see if she was warm, and planted a kiss on her soft cheeks. She smelled like formula and spit-up and baby.
Backing out of the room on tiptoes, she sighed in relief and headed to the kitchen where she found Natalie.
“When you say puke do you mean spit-up?”
“Same thing.”
“No, it’s not. Was she crying when she was spitting up?”
“Not really. I was feeding her the bottle and next thing I know it’s like a scene out of the Exorcist, white puke flying out of her mouth.”
“You’re too young to watch movies like that.”
“Whatever, grandma.” Natalie rolled her eyes and found the stash of Oreos in the cabinet.
“I don’t think Katie is sick. She tends to spit up when she has formula. She did that the last time I watched her.”
“So I didn’t get her like, sick or anything?”
Mackenzie was tempted to berate the teen and put her in her place, but behind the attitude and mega-chip on her shoulder, there was an ounce—no, a speck—of compassion for the baby.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, it’s always good to err on the side of caution. I’m glad you called me.”
“Not like you did anything to help.”
And, the attitude was back. “Natalie, I don’t know what your problem is with me—”
“If you’re anything like my uncle,” she sneered, “then you’re an asshole as well.”
Oh, like mother, like daughter. Mackenzie tried to tell herself that she was an adult and the child in front of her was the product of a messed-up mother and years of insecurity.
“I don’t know what your issue is with Blake either—”
“As if.” She snorted. “He’s the one who got us into this mess.”
“Us?”
“My mom and me. He used to pimp her out for money so he could buy drugs. He did that for years. Then when she got pregnant, he ditched her. We don’t even know who my father is and Blake left us. He’s probably whoring you out now as well. How much do you make an hour and what’s his cut?” Natalie shoved an Oreo in her mouth with a smug little bratty smile.
“Is that what your mother told you? You really think Blake would do that?”
“He’s an asshole and since you’re his bitch, you probably are too.”
Oh, the temptation to smack the sass out of the teen’s mouth was burning in her fingertips. Mackenzie took in a deep breath and paced the kitchen, calming herself before she said something awful, stooping down to Natalie’s level.
“Blake is a kind, generous, honest man. He’d never do that to your mother or anyone else. And I highly doubt he’s ever done drugs. His body is a temple.” And didn’t she know it.
“People change.”
“Before the other week, had you ever met Blake?”
“No. Like I said, he ditched us.”
“Has your mother been a source of truth and honesty all these years?”
Mackenzie saw a slight faltering in Natalie’s stony expression. She didn’t want to completely dis the mother if she was someone Natalie held in high regard, but she would set the record straight on Blake.
“Do you think it’s odd that your mother’s younger brother would pimp her out? She was fifteen when she was pregnant with you, which would have made Blake thirteen. Pretty young to have been pimping your mother out for all those years.”
Natalie’s tight expression loosened, her forehead wrinkling as she digested what Mackenzie said. Knowing when to walk away, she went down the hall to change Katie out of her wet clothes.
When she came back she found Natalie on the couch, channel surfing. “Do you need me here or are you okay if I go?”
“I don’t need you.”
Mackenzie picked up her keys and left. When she got behind the wheel her words came back: Blake is a kind, generous, honest man.
Did she really believe that? Could he have lied to them all, pretending to be someone he wasn’t? She’d been fooled by Chad years ago. And Blake had fooled her with his woman on the side.
Only this time she wasn’t young and naïve, pretending to see something she’d hoped had been there. Instead, she’d pretended not to see it. Not to see the love she had for Blake, or the love she felt he returned.
Murphy’s Law sucked. She’d finally opened her heart again, learned to trust and fall in love, only to find he was already taken. Another dishonest, cheating bastard. She’d felt stupid when Kelly, pregnant with Chad’s baby, had shown up at her doorstep. The signs were there all along, yet she’d refused to see them. To acknowledge them.
The late nights at work, the weekend business meetings. The control over her life.
None of that existed with Blake. They’d made love regularly, and what she believed to be honestly. Yes, Blake worked a lot and there were times when he had to cancel on her, but he’d made it up to her in droves with cute texts and passionate kisses. He acted like he really wanted to be with her.
Even after learning of his girlfriend on the side, she’d still hoped it was all a farce, that there was another Blake Riley who’d recently moved back to town. Only, when she confronted him, he did nothing to deny it. Not that she came right out and told him she knew of his girlfriend. Still, the man was an ass.
Oh, and what an ass.
But he didn’t deserve the bad reputation Alyssa had poisoned her daughter with, nor did he deserve the vandalism. He didn’t deserve her sympathy, but he had it.
And her heart.
Mackenzie rounded the storefront and pulled out back to the parking lot. She put her key in the door and was surprised to find it unlocked. Maybe she didn’t lock up when she left in a hurry to check on Katie? It would be completely unlike her, not that she’d been acting normal lately.
She locked the door behind her and scrunched her nose at the overwhelmingly strong smell of chocolate cake. In the moonlight shadows of the coffee shop’s kitchen, she could see a few things out of place on the counter.
Mackenzie flipped on the light and nearly had a heart attack.
“Holy freaking shit.” The place had been ransacked. She didn’t keep too many supplies in there since Rachael moved her catering business to the kitchen at the Rocky Harbor Inn down the road. Mostly the cabinets held pans and some measuring cups. The fridge and freezer, however, kept the pastries Rachael made for Coast & Roast fresh.
The trays of eclairs and cream puffs were strewn all over the floor. Mackenzie spun around and noticed round splotches of brown on the back wall as if someone was target shooting with her whoopee pies. Chocolate cake crumbs littered the floor under her feet.
Nervous to see the damage of the storefront, Mackenzie inched her way through the kitchen and into the coffee shop.
“No,” she cried. The front door, formerly glass, had been shattered. Paper cups and napkins took the form of confetti, covering nearly every inch of floor space. The tables and chairs were knocked over and cushions ripped open.
Mackenzie picked up the register from the floor and found it empty. She never left anything in it other than a handful of change. The cash was locked up in a safe in her apartment.
“Crap.” Her apartment. She spun on her feet and ran to the back stairs, taking two at a time. The door to her sacred place was still locked and she sighed in relief when her home looked intact.
Bright, flashing blue and red lights shone through the window, followed by the sound of sirens.
Mackenzie jogged down the stairs and was greeted by a cop at her front door. “Hands where I can see them.” He pointed a gun and flashlight at her.
“I own this place. I was robbed.” She held her hands up and squinted at the bright light. “I just returned and walked into this.”
“You called 911?” the officer asked, still pointing the deadly weapon at her.
“That’s Mackenzie Pratt. She owns Coast & Roast,” a welcomed voice said behind the officer. “She’s a family friend.”
“And you are?”
“Colton Riley. My wife and I own the Rocky Harbor Inn down the road. Vivian Kramer called in the burglary and called me when she couldn’t get ahold of Mackenzie.”
The officer finally dropped the gun, leaving the flashlight pointed at her chest. Mackenzie slowly lowered her arms.
“Mackenzie, are you okay?” Colton pushed his way through the open door, glass crunching under his feet, and drew her in a strong embrace. He wasn’t normally the touchy-feely guy but she received the hug with gratitude.
“Yeah. Shocked as hell. I just got back a few minutes ago. I had no idea when I opened the door…”
“How did you open the door, ma’am?” The officer eyed her skeptically in the now-open doorway.
“The back. I live upstairs and came in through the back door. It was unlocked. I noticed the kitchen first, then came out here and you showed up.”
“Did you touch anything?” another police officer asked from behind.
“Only the register.”
“Anything missing?”
“I don’t keep cash in it. I have a safe somewhere else that wasn’t touched.”
The officers relaxed their disposition and scanned the shop, taking notes and asking questions. No, she hadn’t noticed any strange customers lurking around. No, nothing seemed to be missing. No, she hadn’t been threatened by anyone.
“You sure about that? Your name came up on a restraining order.”
“Me? Who the heck would have a restraining order out on me?”
“Not on you, ma’am, on an Alyssa Snyder. A Blake Riley filed the report some days ago claiming your tire had been slashed and his truck spray-painted. Few days later his gym had been vandalized. Sounds like a similar situation.”
“Colton? You don’t think…?
Alyssa must not have heard of her breakup with Blake. She should be focusing her terror on the bimbo who was currently in bed with Blake.
“Most likely so.” Colton rubbed his hand up and down her back. “Blake will be here any minute.”
“Blake? Why?” Mackenzie pulled away from Colton, her gaze darting around her trashed coffee shop.
“I knew he’d want to know.”
“Yeah. Sure. I guess if this is the work of his deranged sister.”
Colton studied her with a confused expression.
“Officer Harland?” Mackenzie called over Colton’s massive shoulder. “Can I run upstairs to my apartment? To change.”
The officer took in her outfit of short shorts, ratty T-shirt, and flip-flops and nodded his approval. She hadn’t planned on seeing anyone but Natalie and the baby when she left her apartment in a hurry. Was that only a few hours ago?
She reached the bottom of the stairs to her apartment when someone came crashing through the back door.
“Mackenzie?” Blake yelled, not seeing her behind the door. “Mack?” He stepped inside and slammed the door, running toward the coffee shop.
As tempting as it was to run upstairs and hide, she called out to him. “I’m over here.”
Blake stopped in his tracks and spun around with such force she thought he’d fall over.
“Mack,” he whispered, his legs making his way to her in three long strides. His hands busied themselves running up and down her arms, skimming her back, her hair, before resting on her face. “You’re okay?”
She nodded, melting into his warm touch at the concern in his eyes.
“I’m sorry.” He leaned in and, still cupping her face in his calloused, comforting hands, kissed her softly. He sighed into her mouth and peppered her lips with kisses before making a trail with his lips across her cheek and to her ear, finally settling on her neck. “I’m so, so sorry.”
For what, she wasn’t sure. Sleeping with another woman? Lying about his girlfriend? Or for the trouble Alyssa had caused? It wasn’t his fault his sister was a psychopath.
Remembering she was mad at him, that his lips had been on another woman, Mackenzie pulled away.
“Thank you for your concern, but as you can see, I’m fine. I need to get ahold of my insurance company, though, so if you’ll excuse me…” She turned and headed up the stairs, proud of how her voice came out slow and steady.
“Why are you brushing me off?”
“I’m not your concern, Blake. You’re not responsible for Alyssa’s actions. I appreciate you coming out here this late at night, but you can go home to your…you can go home now.”
She didn’t want to sound petty or jealous, so she cut herself off before she stooped to a level that paralleled his Snyder family.
“I don’t think so.” Blake followed her up the stairs, pushing his foot through her door before she could close it in his face. “There was something going on with you before the break-in. I’m not walking away that easily again. What the hell is it, Mackenzie? What happened between the morning we woke up together in my bed and now? Are you really seeing someone else? Because if you are, then…”
“Then what? Are you going to get in his face, boss him around, tell him to get lost?”
“Yeah, maybe I am.” Blake’s laser stare pierced her soul.
“You don’t own me, Blake.”
“I never said I did.” He stepped closer and she took a step back.
“I can see whoever I want.”
“So who are you seeing?”
“No on—none of your business.”
Blake’s devilish grin nearly caused her panties to drop. He had her and he knew it. But it didn’t matter if she had someone on the side. It was Blake whose bed was being warmed.
Garnering her pissed-off vibe again, Mackenzie stepped closer to Blake, jabbing a finger in his chest. “You don’t own me and I don’t own you. We had a deal. You broke it. Go home to your bimbo and stop acting like a jealous ass—” not wanting to call him the one word that had been painted all over his truck, she changed tactics—“asshat.”
“Asshat?”
“Yes, asshat.” Mackenzie fumbled for an insult. “You’re as bright as a black hole, and twice as dense.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re not pretty enough to be this stupid.”
“Enough with the witty insults. This is how we started our relationship, I don’t want it ending the same way.” Blake tugged at his hair.
“And that’s the smartest thing you’ve said all night. What we had, whatever it was, is over.”
“Mackenzie,” he begged.
“I don’t play the other woman well.”
“What are you talking about?”
Loud footsteps on her stairs sounded before the knock on her apartment door. Thankful for the reprieve, she elbowed past him and opened the door to Officer Harland and another man, ushering them into her apartment.
“This is Detective Whittemore. He’s the one who’s been investigating Alyssa Snyder.”
“Detective,” Blake said from behind her, reaching out his hand.
The men shook hands and Whittemore returned his focus to Mackenzie. “Can I ask you a few questions?”
“Sure. I don’t know anything, though. I didn’t see or hear anything. Colton said my neighbor across the street called it in. I must have come home right after the call.” Mackenzie shivered, realizing she must have passed Alyssa right after she fled. Either on foot or in car, she hadn’t a clue.
“Have you seen Ms. Snyder around before? In the park or in your shop?”
“I don’t even know what she looks like.”
The detective pulled out a picture and handed it to her. “Have you seen this woman before?”
Mackenzie covered her mouth and gasped. The long brown hair. The vacant eyes. She’d seen them before. They’d been haunting her for too many nights.
“What is it, sweetheart?” Blake rubbed her back and she shivered, her stomach churning, threatening to spill the grilled cheese she had for dinner.
“You’ve seen her before?” the detective prodded again.
Mackenzie nodded, her eyes filling with tears. It had been a lie. All of it. She turned to Blake, gazing into his honest and caring eyes, and stroked his cheek, trailing her finger down to his lips.
“I’m so, sorry, Blake.” Tears pooled in her eyes and he reached out and swiped them away with the pads of his thumbs.
“Sweetheart, what’s going on? I’m so confused right now.”
“Me too.” She laughed through her tears and sniffed.
“Ma’am,” the detective interrupted. “Can you tell me if you’ve seen Ms. Snyder before?”
Mackenzie bit her lip and nodded, still gazing into Blake’s eyes. She sighed and turned toward the detective.
“Alyssa Snyder came into Coast & Roast a week ago.”
“You never told me that!” Blake’s hands on her shoulders turned her roughly toward him again. “Why didn’t you tell me—”
“Mr. Riley. Please leave the questioning to me.”
Closing her eyes, Mackenzie turned again and told her story. “I didn’t know who she was at the time. She ordered an iced coffee, talked to me about moving to Rocky Harbor to be with her…boyfriend.”
“She has a boyfriend? We need to keep him away from Natalie—”
“Mr. Riley,” the detective warned again.
“It’s okay.” Mackenzie took Blake’s hand in hers and squeezed. “She set me up. Let me think she was moving to town to be with her longtime boyfriend. She said…she said his name was Blake Riley. I thought…I thought…”
“Oh, sweetheart.” This time the detective didn’t interrupt as Blake pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“I did,” she said into his chest.
“Miss. Pratt? Did you see her again after that?”
“No.” Mackenzie shook her head. “I sort of kept to myself for a few days. I was either at work or at my mom’s. Until tonight. Oh, God.” She pulled out of Blake’s arms. “Natalie is babysitting baby Katie tonight. Someone needs to make sure they’re safe.”
“Mr. Riley…Colton Riley already took care of that. Her guardians, Luke and Sage Riley, are already at the house. Everyone is accounted for.”
“Except for Alyssa,” Blake growled.
“We’ll find her, Mr. Riley. She’s an amateur who has been flying under the radar for quite some time. We won’t let this level of harassment continue in Rocky Harbor. You have my word on it.”
“Thank you.”
“Here’s my card. Call me if you can think of anything else, or if Ms. Snyder comes around again.” He handed the card to Mackenzie and headed toward the door.
“I will.”
The officer and the detective left and Blake sighed loud and hard.
“You really thought I was seeing someone else?” He sounded more hurt than angry.
“She was convincing.” Mackenzie set the business card on the kitchen counter and poured herself a glass of water. She drank the entire glass before Blake spoke again.
“And you thought I’d do that. Have a girlfriend on the side and not tell you? Aren’t I the one who said no seeing anyone else? You were the one who hesitated to commit.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time someone went back on their commitment.”
“Don’t lump me in with the losers you were with before me.”
“Humble much, are we?” In truth, Blake was the most humble man she’d ever known. She’d hurt him by not trusting him. No matter how solid and confident Blake tried to appear, he was insecure, just like her.
“I’d never cheat on you. I’ve never cheated on anyone. I’m an open book, upfront and honest. If I tell a woman I’m going to be faithful to her, I am.”
“I know.”
“No, apparently you don’t know.” Blake scrubbed his hands across his face in frustration. “Hell, I don’t know. I’ve never made a commitment like that to anyone else before, but I’d like to believe I’d be faithful.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t believe in you. Alyssa was…was convincing. My fiancé cheated on me. His mistress was four months pregnant a few weeks before our wedding. I left him, obviously. They’re happily married with another one on the way.”
Her mother shared that bit of news with her last week, thinking the baby was Mackenzie’s. She’d let it go.
“Sweetheart.” Blake took her hands in his and brought them to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. “Why didn’t you tell me this?”
“It never came up. Besides, we weren’t doing the let’s talk about our past relationships thing.”
“Well, I want to do it now.”
“Now?” Mackenzie glanced at the clock on the microwave. “It’s past midnight. I have to get up early…Oh,” she sighed. There’d be no morning coffee orders. No line out the door of patrons waiting for their caffeine fix. She needed to call Diane and Brandy, board up the front door, put up a sign.
As if reading her thoughts, Blake kept her hands in his and led her to the door. “Let’s take care of things downstairs and then talk. Or go to bed. Or…” He wiggled his eyebrows and she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sex? After all this you want to have sex? I thought you were mad at me.”
“Cupcake. I’m very mad at you for not believing in me. Believing in us. And I’m really mad that I haven’t seen you naked in more than a week because you think I had another girlfriend. You’re going to have to think of some pretty creative ways to make this up to me.”
“I am, am I?”
“Damn straight, gorgeous.” Blake drew her in for a long, languid kiss that nearly put her into a coma before pulling away and practically dragging her down the steps to clean up the mess.