“No problem.” She settled on the seat and rubbed her hands together, wishing for the warm front to return.
Once he’d gotten in and buckled, Mac turned and looked at her, seeming to hesitate. “My truck’s at Deena’s. Do you mind if we pick it up? If not, I can always have Mom drive me there tomorrow.”
“That’s fine. No reason to put it off until tomorrow.” She wanted to probe for information but forced herself to be patient.
They rode down the mountain in silence. Had she made a mistake in offering him a ride home? She’d thought it would be an olive branch and act as a balm to their strained friendship, but other than the initial pleasantries, they were back to not speaking.
He drove onto the final road leading to the cabin where Deena was staying. “I’m sorry for getting upset with you when you only wanted to help.”
The apology caught her by total surprise. “I was wrong to stick my nose where it didn’t belong.”
“I think I only got mad because I knew what you said was true but didn’t want to hear it.”
She crossed her arms and absently stroked her elbow. “Why not?”
He tapped his palm against the steering wheel. “Life threw a lot of confusion at me, and I needed a distraction.”
“So that’s all she was?” Why did she so badly want him to say that was all?
“I guess.” He shrugged. “Plus, it was an ego boost. I know that sounds horrible, but what man wouldn’t be taken in when America’s sweetheart shows an interest in him?”
“A confident one who doesn’t need to look elsewhere for his worth.”
“Ouch.” He blew out a sigh. “That was harsh.”
She cringed. “I’m sorry. Again.”
He waved it off. “I deserved it. I fell into the trap but quickly learned all that glitters is not gold.”
“Deena’s a complex person.” She deliberated on her words before speaking. “Yes, she was obnoxious at times, but then I’d see a different side of her. Granted, you spent a lot more time with her, so maybe you saw more.”
“For what it’s worth, I think she’s a good person who got caught up in the trappings of Hollywood and a glamorous life.” Mac pulled into her driveway. “I’m not sure if she even knows who she is anymore, and that’s sad.”
“It is.” Phoebe stared at the opulent cabin in front of her. “I’ll never live in a mansion or have a personal bodyguard, but I know who I am, and I wouldn’t trade my life for anyone else’s.”
He parked next to his truck and reached over, squeezed her hand. “You’re one of a kind, Phoebe Graff, and don’t you ever forget that.”
Pitter-patters invaded her heart. Considering all they’d gone through, that was the best compliment he could have given her. “Thanks.”
“I know it’s late, but would you want to come back to the house? Have a cup of hot tea?”
She held her breath, warned herself not to read too much into the invitation. “I don’t know… I have to work early tomorrow.”
“I understand.”
His defeated sigh changed her mind. “Then again, I’d planned to relax and watch a movie, so I would be up, anyway.”
“Is that a yes? If it helps, there will be fresh-baked cookies.”
Her nervousness escaped in a giggle. “It’s a yes.”
He nodded his head in the direction of the cabin where Gage stood in the doorway. “We better get out of here. I’ll see you at the house in a few.”
She got behind the wheel and waited for Mac to climb into his truck. She focused her eyes on the road, trying to avoid excess light. As much as she loved her mountains, she didn’t enjoy driving at night, especially on the sharp curves of this road.
Her nervousness grew as she drove closer to Mac’s home. Would his parents still be awake? What would they think about her presence there? Once upon a time, she’d been a frequent visitor, but those days were gone. She hadn’t been there in several years other than the visit to his dad after the stroke.
To her relief, all the lights were off except the one on the front porch. She parked behind Mac and waited for him to come around to the driver’s side door. Funny, how she knew he’d come to help her out of the car. He was too much of a gentleman to walk ahead of her.
