"You have three copies of Pride and Prejudice."
"I kept forgetting which one I was reading and checking out new ones."
Rachel burst out laughing again. "You're ridiculous."
"I know."
"It's one of my favorite things about you."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Rachel looked at him, her brown eyes soft. "You're genuine, Mac. You don't pretend to be something you're not. You burned dinner and you're not acting like it's not a big deal or making excuses. You're just... you."
"Is that good?"
"It's really good." She shifted slightly, Mr. Darcy grumbling atthe movement. "Brad used to pretend he was perfect. Like he never messed up, never made mistakes. It was exhausting trying to keep up."
There it was. Brad again. Mac wanted to know everything and nothing about this guy who'd hurt Rachel so badly she moved to a new town to escape him.
"I make mistakes constantly," Mac said honestly. "Ask my team. They'll give you a comprehensive list."
"I like that about you too." Rachel's hand found his, fingers interlacing.
The doorbell rang. Pizza.
They ate on the couch, paper plates balanced on their knees. Mac told Rachel stories about the team, about Luke's kids who treated every game like the Stanley Cup Finals, about Tyler's statistical analysis of optimal chicken wing consumption, about Jamie's elaborate pranks that usually backfired spectacularly.
Rachel talked about the library, about Mrs. Henderson's romance novel addiction, about the teen who'd asked for book recommendations and ended up checking out the entire thriller section, about her dreams of maybe running a bookstore someday.
"You should do it," Mac said. "The bookstore thing. You'd be amazing."
"It's just a dream."
"Dreams are allowed to become real things. That's literally how dreams work."
Rachel smiled. "Is that how dreams work?"
"According to my expert opinion, yes."
"And what makes you an expert?"
"I dreamed about playing professional hockey and now I do it. Granted, it's minor league Vermont hockey, not the NHL, but still. Dreams can happen."
"What if they don't?"
"Then you try a different dream. But you have to try. Otherwise you're just... existing.Not living."
Rachel was quiet for a moment. "Brad told me opening a bookstore was a stupid idea. That I'd fail."
"Brad was an idiot."
"He said I didn't understand business, that I was too naive, that I'd lose everything."
"Rachel." Mac set down his pizza, turning to face her fully. "Brad was wrong. About everything. About you being naive, about you not being enough, about you not deserving good things. He was wrong."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know you. Maybe not everything yet, but I know you're smart and capable and you see things other people miss. You're not naive, you're careful. There's a difference." Mac reached for her hand. "And anyone who made you feel less than amazing was lying to you."
