“Well, it was kind of a date.”
Her mother reentered the dining room with a pitcher of water and froze. “Wait. You hada date?”
Great. Now Cass would have to run with her date-that-wasn’t-a-date. Her mother grinned like a loon, and her father looked ecstatic.
Cass cleared her throat. “Well, I met a guy at Bessie’s. You’ve been there. It’s not a dive bar or anything. I hang out there with friends a lot.”
“With Jed or Shannon, you mean,” her father said, and she could hear the tinge of disappointment in his voice.
“Right.” Her mom frowned at her father and poured her a glass of water. “So, you liked him?”
“We hit it off. He beat me at pool, then I beat him at darts. And he wasn’t a sore loser.” Mack had been pretty decent about it all. Even about the kiss she’d stolen in that darkened hallway. “He’s nice. We might go out again.” Huh. How about that? Not a lie. Even after all his nonsense about beating her at sex—please—she honestly wouldn’t mind seeing him again.Wait. Does this mean I’m becoming clingy?
“What does he do for a living? Where does he live? How—”
“Aaron,” Jennifer said loudly, then said to Cass, “Your dad is just happy you met someone. Aren’t you, dear?”
Her father started and with a nod apologized. “Sorry. I think it’s great you met someone. Even if you don’t go out again, making new friends is healthy. Even better if the man you met is unattached. Maybe financially independent. That never hurts. I’m just saying,” he added when Jennifer gave him another look.
Cass bit her lip not to laugh at how hard he was trying to keep his questions to a minimum. Her mother met her glance and rolled her eyes.
“Oh, stop,” Aaron grumbled. “You know I can’t help myself when I get on a dating kick. Go ahead and laugh. I know you both want to.”
Her mom coughed into her hand, unsuccessfully hiding her amusement. “Honey, give her a break. You complain because she never goes out. She’s going out and having fun. We’re not so old we’ll die before we get grandchildren. I mean, I’m fifty-six years young.”
“And don’t look a day over forty.”
“Flatterer.”
Cass could deal with their flirting if it meant they left her alone.
“I will admit I’m a little curious,” Jennifer said to Cass. “Will you go out with your new friend again? I’m not pushing, just asking.”
Passively pushing, more like. Cass forced herself to sound casual when her thoughts about Mack were anything but. “I’m not sure. He was nice.” And smokin’ hot in bed. “He’s funny. I’m not committing to anything. But maybe.”
Her parents exchanged a glance she ignored.
“Anyway, just a reminder, but I go back to work tomorrow. I’m not off again until Thursday.”
“Your father and I have a fancy dinner to attend this coming week. But if we can’t meet up, we’ll definitely meet you the following week. And then of course for Thanksgiving.”
“I’m working the twenty-eighth. But we can celebrate the Wednesday before, if you want.”
“That works.” Her mom left to make a note on the wall calendar she kept in the kitchen. For someone who worked with the latest technology, she was surprisingly low-tech at home.
Relieved her parents weren’t going to guilt her for working the holiday, she spent the remainder of her evening enjoying being with family, trying not to think about how happy they seemed because she’d gone on a simple date.
Or that maybe the festive mood had more to do withherbright happiness. Which had nothing to do with her morning. No. Nothing at all.
Chapter Seven
Sunday afternoon, Mack spent a few hours with the guys. They exercised at the station gym, where they normally spent much of their off time. Though Mack enjoyed being away from work, he genuinely loved his job andmostof the people he worked with. Since the fire station had a decked-out gym, he and the guys willingly spent their fitness time there.
He’d just finished a set of triceps curls when an unfamiliar face tried to start a heated argument with Reggie. Not wise. The old Reggie would have handed the guy his liver on a platter. The new, fun-loving and chill Reggie—since he’d fallen for an amazing lady—stood like a statue, his massive hands planted on his hips, likely so as not to strangle the guy.
“I was waiting on the bench,” new guy growled. He stood maybe an inch taller than Reggie and in a tank top and shorts showcased serious muscle. Odd, but Mack couldn’t place him, and he knew everyone in the station. Maybe he was training with Station 44 for some reason? In any case, he was acting like a major dick.
“Roid rage?” Mack offered and received a few laughs.
