“Hey, you okay?”
She snuggled deeply into Dean. “Oh, yeah.”
Dean placed a kiss to the side of Mack’s head. “I bought you a present today.”
She moved slightly away from him so she could see him. “What?”
He wasn’t sure why but he felt nervous when he pulled the earrings out of his pocket and held his hand out to Mack. She studied them intensely, unshed tears shining in her eyes.
“Oh, Dean, they’re gorgeous.” She took them from his palm. “I love shells.”
“Hmm, a little bird might have told me that.”
She smiled and removed her current earrings to replace them with the shells. “How do they look?”
“Amazing.” Smoothing his hands down the side of Mack’s face, he gently pulled her forward and placed a kiss to each earring. “I love you, Mack.”
Mack shivered. “I love you, too . . . Take me to bed.”
“My pleasure!”
Chapter 33
Enroute to Richard’s nursing home, Mack watched the countryside flying past while she nervously pondered what Richard might tell them.
Yesterday, when they got back from the supermarket, Dean had taken them to the beach where they’d had fun in the sand and sea with Lucas.
Dean had sat and watched them wading in the ocean, and when they returned, he had produced a sketch of them. The image had brought tears to Mack’s eyes. He’d captured the love between aunt and nephew perfectly.
Mack had spoken to her sister last night and both Melinda and Daniel were missing Lucas something fierce. Melinda had told Mack they were going to try to get a flight home and then take Lucas down to Florida for a week.
Thomas would miss him when he went home to Boston, and Dean would have no one to beat him on the Wii. At least M
ack got to see him all the time. She’d already planned to stay in touch with Thomas when the summer was over and perhaps bring Lucas to visit every few weeks. They would both like that. Mack would enjoy visiting with Thomas, also, as she’d started to look at Thomas like he was a part of her family.
Mack was so in love with Dean, she had no idea what was going to happen at the end of the summer. However, she had a gut feeling Dean was with her for much longer than the summer.
Lucas was staying with Thomas and Levi in the bar until after lunch so they had a couple of hours to spare. Mack just hoped Lucas behaved himself, and with a bit of luck, kept his thoughts to himself for a change.
“We’re here, Mack.” Dean pulled into a parking space at the home.
She stared out of the window and surveyed the scene as Dean walked around to open her door.
Dean rested his arms on the side of the car, and asked, “You ready to do this?”
“No, not really. Do you think I’m doing the right thing?” She was terrified of what Richard might reveal.
“You have to do this. If you don’t, you’ll always regret it.”
She let Dean pull her out of the car and took hold of his hand as they walked toward the entrance.
Inside they were greeted by a nurse, who asked them the name of the person they were there to visit.
Mack replied, “Richard,” then it suddenly dawned on her that she didn’t know his surname. She blushed fiercely trying to recall it, but she didn’t think Rose had written it down . . . Thomas had certainly never told her. When she mentioned Sally, they were pointed to the correct room.
On entering Richard’s room, they found it rather dark, and there were two small lamps switched on, although it did little to illuminate the small room with their soft, orange glow.
“I can’t see you over there,” a rather rough voice grumbled.