Avery nodded. “Reporter of the wacky and weird. Guilty as charged.”
Reggie continued. “The tall Texan is aptly named Tex.”
“How do, ma’am?” Next to him, Bree, his girlfriend, rolled her eyes.
“And Bree, his better half, is a famous photographer.” And smokin’ hot blond and former model, but Reggie hadn’t tacked that on.
“Why yes, I am hisbetterhalf.” Bree elbowed Tex, who grinned. “Nice to meet you, Maggie.”
Maggie shook her hand.
“You might remember Mack.” Reggie nodded to him.
“Hi, Mack.” Maggie’s smile showed him what Reggie saw in her. Besides being sweet, she was surprisingly sexy, considering she had that wholesome vibe going for her. “Thank you for being so kind to my daughter.” She explained to the crowd, “Mack and Reggie helped me after I got hit by a car. My daughter was with me at the time.”
The ladies offered sympathy. Maggie only smiled. “I’m good now. Hey, you guys should sign my cast.”
“I can’t wait.” Mack grinned.
Reggie smacked him in the back of the head.
Maggie, Mack noticed, tried not to laugh.
Benny and Doug turned from the small group who’d been requesting autographs, only to have Mack’s friend group peppering the pair with questions and asking for autographs too. The women paid special attention to Doug, who might almost be as good-looking as Mack.
After consideration, Mack shook that thought aside.Nah, I’m still the prettiest one here.
Doug and Benny turned out to be both funny and engaging, but Mack paid stricter attention to Maggie, who had no problem standing back, chatting with Avery and Bree. How funny to see this, Reggie’s girlfriend not trying to be the center of attention, having everyone feel sorry for her, or waiting on her hand and foot. Not at all like Reggie’s ex.
Mack liked the differences he could see. A lot.
Bree and Avery seemed to approve of her right away. The guys were no doubt taking their time, like him, until they could talk to her more one-on-one.
As everyone started to wind down, Mack asked Reggie, who once again stood very close to Maggie, “Are you guys coming to the party?”
Reggie looked at Maggie.
“I’m game if you are,” she told him.
“Let’s go.”
Doug and Benny decided to skip out with the promise to meet another time. Soon after, everyone wound up at Mack’s. Pizzas had been ordered, and a cooler sat on a kitchen counter filled with a ton of drinks. Mack had made sure they had plenty of chips and snacks laid out on the dining table. He’d prepared for the festivities in advance, his turn to organize the after-party.
But as he laughed with his friends, who took their turns chatting up Reggie’s girl by using their girlfriends as friendly buffers, he had no luck getting her alone. Her beefed-up boy toy wouldn’t let him.
Tex saw what he was up to. “I’ll herd him away.”
“Nice.” While Mack let the Texan do his thing, Brad kept the ladies entertained.
Finally, Mack ended up with Maggie, helping her with a soda.
“Oh, thanks.” She blushed. “It’s not easy to open a can with one hand.”
“How are you doing?”
“Great. The broken arm is annoying, but I’m healing. Slowly.”
He nodded. “Where’s your little girl?”
