“And yes,” Daniel continued, “I waltzed right in here, tried to upend your life because you seem so amenable. And still, you have no backbone. You don’t know how to stand up for yourself. If you did, you wouldn’t be agreeing to sell your house, would you?”
Mack nodded. “Actually, I would. Because I’m movin’ in with Jeff.”
Daniel’s eyes went wide as saucers.
For once, the boy was stunned into silence.
*
In a way, Jeff felt sorry for Daniel. He’d heard the vicious things people said when they passed judgment, so he understood. Mostly.
“That’s the only good thing that’s come out of this,” Mack continued, his shoulder tense beneath Jeff’s hand. “You pushin’ me sent me back to where I’ve belonged all this time. I’m just damn lucky he was still there, that I hadn’t lost him forever.”
Jeff squeezed Mack’s shoulder, then dropped his hand. He honestly hadn’t intended to get in the middle of this. He’d stopped by to talk to Mack before he went on duty. It was what he’d done for years when they were together, and he fully intended to add it back into his routine going forward.
“So yes,” Mack continued, “I’m sellin’ the house, but I’m not sellin’ the bar, and I’m damn sure not movin’ to Austin. As for what that means for our relationship, I’ll leave that up to you. I just want you to know, I would’ve stood by you, Daniel. I would’ve backed you no matter what. My love for you has always been unconditional, and I’ve spent the past four years feeling as though I’d failed you in every way. You didn’t need to manipulate me.”
At least Daniel looked remorseful, if not a little angry.
When neither of them spoke, Jeff tapped Mack on the shoulder. “I’m goin’ in to work. I’ll see you at home after?”
Mack slowly turned, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “Yes. I’ll be there after I close up.”
Before Jeff could turn toward the door, Mack surprised him by grabbing his arm and tugging him forward. Two big hands cupped his face seconds before Mack’s lips covered his. It was a brief kiss, but it lingered long enough for Jeff to feel the emotion being delivered in it. He smiled and pressed his forehead to Mack’s.
“If you get home before I do, there’s meatloaf in the fridge.”
Mack chuckled softly. “Okay.”
As Jeff walked out of the bar, he was aware of the way Chris and Daniel were staring at him, and while he didn’t really care, he couldn’t help but wonder what they were thinking.
After a slow Monday night, Jeff was glad to call it a night a little after three in the morning. For the first time in a damn long time, he was excited to go home, knowing Mack would be waiting for him. That was one of the things he’d hated most, coming home to an empty house. Ever since Teddy passed, it had gotten worse. There for a while, he’d considered getting another dog, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to do it. Jeff knew he would never be able to replace those he loved. Not Mack, not Teddy.
He found Mack in the kitchen stirring a pot of noodles on the stove.
“You too good for my meatloaf?” he teased. “What’re you makin’?”
Mack smiled over at him. “Wasn’t in the mood.” He lifted the fork he was using. “I’m makin’ spaghetti.”
“That explains the garlic stinkin’ up the place. Do I have time to change?”
“Change, yes,” Mack told him. “Shower, no. We’ll do that after.”
Smiling to himself, Jeff made his way to their bedroom, and he realized his steps were a little bit lighter because it was theirs once more. No, Mack hadn’t technically moved in yet, but he knew it wouldn’t be long. Last night, they’d made a list of all of Mack’s things—what he wanted to bring, what he wanted to toss—and before he went to the bar last night, Jeff had shifted his clothes around, ensuring Mack had half of the closet and three drawers in the dresser.
After securing his weapon in the gun safe in his nightstand, Jeff changed out of his uniform into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. When he returned to the kitchen, Mack was dishing the spaghetti onto plates, adding chili—Mack was not a fan of sauce—then a slice of garlic bread for each of them. While Jeff grabbed silverware, Mack doused his food with Parmesan and carried the plates to the table.
“So, is it safe to ask how things went after I left?” he asked when they both sat.
“Honestly, I don’t know.” Mack stared back at him. “I’m not sure Daniel can even rationalize what he did anymore. He kept sayin’ he wanted to push me because he didn’t believe I loved anything enough to fight for it.”
“But he never saw what was right in front of his face? That you loved him more than everything else?”
Mack’s face fell and he set his fork down. “I am so goddamn sorry,” he rasped. “I never meant—”
Jeff reached out and touched Mack’s hand. “I’m not makin’ accusations here, Mack. Daniel’s your son. You love him. Trust me, I get that. I honestly can’t say I would’ve done anything differently if Kennedy had backed me into that corner.”
“She never would have.”
