Mac knew Jamie was right. He'd seen it in Rachel's eyes all evening, that wariness, like she was braced for impact.
Jamie's gaze drifted back toward the bar again, where Sophie was laughing at something Coach Davies said, back at the bar.His expression did something complicated before he looked away, taking a long sip of his beer.
"Maybe I should take her home," Mac said. "End the night before I mess it up more."
"Or," Cole suggested, "maybe you ask her what she needs. Communication, Mac. It's revolutionary."
About halfway through dinner, Rachel and Ellie returned from the restroom. Rachel's expression was carefully neutral, but Mac could see the tension in her shoulders.
She slid back into her seat, not quite meeting his eyes.
"Everything okay?" Mac asked quietly.
"Fine." The word was too quick, too bright.
The rest of dinner passed in a strange limbo. Rachel participated in conversations, laughed at jokes, but there was a distance now that hadn't been there at the beginning. Like she'd retreated behind glass.
Mac tried to draw her out, asking about her favorite things to do in Evergreen Cove. She answered, but everything felt surface-level. Safe.
The check came around 8.30 PM. Mac grabbed it before Rachel could reach for her purse.
"Mac, let me split it—"
"I've got it." He said it more firmly than he'd intended.
Rachel's jaw tightened. "I can pay formyself."
"I know you can. But I invited you. This is on me." Mac realized too late how that sounded, controlling, presumptuous maybe. "I mean, if that's okay. If you want to split it—"
"It's fine." But her voice said it wasn't fine.
The team said their goodbyes in stages. Cole and Ellie left first, Ellie giving Rachel a warm hug and whispering something Mac couldn't hear. Luke and Tyler left next, still debating if ‘Die Hard’ was a Christmas movie or not.
Jamie lingered by the door, his eyes drifting once more toward where Sophie was now clearing tables at the bar beforehe caught himself and turned back to Mac and Rachel with his trademark grin.
"MacKenzie, Rachel,enjoy the rest of your evening. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"That's not a useful restriction," Mac pointed out.
"I know." Jamie's smile didn't quite reach his eyes as he disappeared into the April night.
14
Mac
Mac and Rachel walked through downtown Evergreen Cove. The evening was cool but pleasant, spring definitely in the air.
"Your friends are nice," Rachel said finally.
"They can be a lot," Mac admitted. "I'm sorry if it was overwhelming."
"It's fine."
There was that word again. Fine.
"Rachel—"
"Mac, can I ask you something?" She stopped walking. "Why did you invite me to meet your whole team? Officially? Like... like we're a couple?"
