“Um . . . ” Dean looked slightly sheepish.
“I think someone saw something outside and got the wrong idea!” Daniel stated, amused.
Mack put her arm around his waist. “Dean, I’d like you to meet my sister, Melinda, and her husband, Daniel.”
Dean leaned in to shake their hands. “I think I did get the wrong idea.”
“Thought so.”
“Guys, this is Dean,” she looked at her sister, “he’s the guy I’m in love with.”
Well, that was probably the first time Melinda had been left speechless.
Dean noticed Daniel looking oddly at him. “Is anything wrong?”
Daniel sat down beside his wife. “What are your intentions toward Mack?”
Melinda looked toward her husband in surprise. “Daniel, you’re not her father.” Melinda swatted him on the shoulder.
“Her father isn’t here right now so, as her brother, I think I should act in his place.”
Mack tried not to laugh at the look on Daniel’s face. Dean put a hand on her arm. “I’m in love with Mack, and my intentions are no one’s business but ours, but I’ll tell you that I don’t plan on letting her go.”
“Okay, now that’s settled, let’s have coffee and cake and wait for Thomas and Lucas to appear,” Mack said, relieved. Least said, soonest mended, she thought to herself.
Thomas entered the kitchen first with a bunch of carnations in his hand for Mack. “To the lady of my heart,” he said with a wink.
“Mommy!” Lucas shouted as he walked in behind Thomas. “I didn’t know you were coming. Where’s Daddy? I need to tell him that I went and played poker in the Irish Pub in town.” He launched himself into his mother’s arms for a big hug and kiss.
“Daddy is out with Dean, but he’ll be back soon.” She put him down and Lucas ran into the living room, shouting for his mother to join him. “Calm down, Lucas. I’ll be there shortly.”
Melinda walked over to Mack, laughing. “Wow, it seems like you have been busy, Mackenzie Louise Harper. Just how many more guys are going to be coming knocking on the door to proclaim their love for you?”
She nudged her sister with her hip. “That would be telling!” Mack teased.
Mack walked over to Thomas and took the flowers from him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Thomas blushed.
She suddenly remembered it was the first time Thomas and Melinda had met. “Thomas, this is my sister, Melinda.”
“I gathered that, Mack.” Then he moved over toward Melinda and held his hand out to her. “Nice to meet you. You have a good boy there. I’m going to miss him.” Thomas turned away and walked into the living room to join Lucas on the Wii, wiping his eyes secretly as he went.
Mack followed Thomas with her eyes and turned to her sister. “I think they’ll both really miss each other, Melinda.”
“Perhaps he could come and visit us in Boston. It isn’t too far away,” Melinda suggested.
“I’ve thought about that, and was wondering if, perhaps, I could have Lucas every, maybe, third weekend, and bring him up here? I think they would both love that. Plus, it will give you and Daniel some free time.”
“Mack, that would be great. But what about Dean?”
“I love him, Mel, and he says he loves me and I believe him. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but we both live in Boston, and I believe we’ll be together so we can bring him up here, together.”
“Just be careful, Mack, you haven’t known him for long, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Says she who met, fell in love, and married Daniel all within ten days. Without telling anyone until the deed was done, I might add.”
“Okay, okay, not the best person to give advice, but . . . that was seven years ago, and I still love him, Mack.” Melinda took hold of Mack’s hand.
“I know, Mel, thank you. Let Thomas take Lucas fishing this afternoon before he leaves, if he’ll go that is. Now that you guys are here, he may not want to. We can hang out at the beach with the guys. Besides, I want to tell you a love story.”