Never failed, whenever Jeff set eyes on the man, a gaping hole opened in his chest. A dark, empty void where the man used to be. And though Jeff had managed to insert himself back in Mack’s life as of late, it wasn’t going quite the way he’d hoped.
Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to continue the pursuit. Jeff wasn’t one to avoid an opportunity when it presented itself, and until Mack told him to get lost, he had every intention of finding his way back to the man he loved.
“Hey, Sheriff. How’s it goin?” Chester Sharpe slurred, leaning against the hood of Dwayne’s cruiser, probably using it to keep himself upright.
“Good, Chester. And you?”
“Oh, same ol’, same ol’. You know how it is.”
Yes, he did.
“You hear? Mack’s talkin’ about sellin’ this place.” A big, meaty hand rose to encompass the wooden structure at Chester’s back. “Whaddya think ’bout that?”
Jeff’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the sign attached to the wall above the porch. The wooden structure had turned gray with age, much of the wood siding needing to be replaced, yet it seemed fitting somehow. The place was as worn and weathered as its owner but still standing strong.
Mack was going to sell Moonshiners? No fucking way.
“That boy of his came in tonight, said he’s talkin’ to a Realtor or some shit.” Chester smiled, revealing two missing teeth on the lower set. “Said we need to start callin’ him Michael.” Chester snorted. “Michael. Right.”
That familiar ache built in Jeff’s chest. Looked as though Daniel Schwartz was still working on his father. He’d been chipping away for the past four years now, trying to turn Mack into … well, honestly, Jeff didn’t know what Daniel was hoping to accomplish aside from making his father miserable. Had that been his only goal, he would’ve accomplished that already.
“Stupid shit, huh?” Chester continued. “I ain’t callin’ him Michael.”
Jeff thought about the times he called Mack by his given name. It was only during intimate moments, those times when Jeff wanted to connect with the man on a much deeper level. He still remembered the look on Mack’s face the first time he’d done it. Jeff liked to think that name was only for his use, but as with plenty of things, he was stupid to think so. He had no claims to Mack, even if they’d spent damn near every night in each other’s arms since Christmas.
“You have a good night,” Jeff told Chester.
“Yes, sir.” Chester offered a wave. It took two attempts for him to stand tall, but he managed, stumbling back toward the door.
With a sigh, Jeff turned back to his car. Still another hour before the bar closed down for the night.
Just enough time to go home, shower, and change.
Because closing time was exactly what he was waiting for.
Chapter Two
Saturday, January 18, 2020
“Good night, Mack,” Bailey called out asshe headed for the front door.
Mack paused his efforts to restock the small refrigerator beneath the bar, turning his full attention on her. “You want me to walk you to your car?”
“Oh, no.” She smiled brightly. “I’m good. But thanks.”
He snagged the keys from the hook under the bar and headed toward the doors. It was their nightly ritual. He would offer to walk her to her car, she would decline, and Mack would use the excuse of ensuring the parking lot was cleared out to follow her.
“Why do you bother to ask if you’re gonna do it anyway?” Bailey teased, hitching her purse on her shoulder as he stepped out into the chilly January night.
“So you think you’ve got a choice,” he told her.
Bailey laughed. “You’re a good man, Mack.”
Yeah, he knew that wasn’t the case, but he didn’t bother to argue. The less this woman knew about the hell that had become his life, the better. In fact, Mack preferred no one in this town knew his business, though that was often easier said than done.
Bailey hit the button to unlock her car. “Can I ask you somethin’?”
Mack narrowed his eyes on her, waited.
