“I don’t.”
Mack holds up his hands, silencing our bickering. “It’s no problem. Rose is right. I’m not leaving you over here to melt.”
I stare at him, but he’s not flinching. I don’t need much convincing. Rose and I pack a quick bag and practically sprint outside and through Mack’s front door.
“Oh, sweet relief,” Rose lies down on the rug covering the hardwood floor in the living room.
I glance around. It’s sparse, but neat. His living room and kitchen share a wall with ours. I look down the hallway where I expect to see a pair of bedrooms and a bathroom, like we have, but instead, there are only two doors.
“This side is a little smaller,” Mack says, reading my thoughts. “You guys can have my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”
I’m shaking my head before he finishes his sentence. “Absolutely not.”
He crosses his arms, giving me a full view of his tanned forearms. “Why?”
“Because we’re already putting you out, and you’re way too tall to sleep comfortably on your couch.”
He looks down at himself, as if trying to find a loophole in my argument. There isn’t one. He’s got a good nine inches on both Rose and me. But he shakes his head and says, “I insist. There are two of you. It makes sense for you to take the bed. I’ll be fine out here. It’s my fault you’re in this situation to begin with. It totally slipped my mind to call a technician and have your unit checked. That’s on me.” Mack looks like he’s about ready to cry. When he meets my gaze, his eyes are pleading. “Take the bedroom, Boo.”
The desperate way he says my nickname causes something to flutter right underneath my ribcage. A warm sensation trickles out from my core, and it’s like I can feel the blood flowing through my veins. I absentmindedly feel my chest and look down, but then I realize I’m only wearing a sports bra, and there’s no need to draw attention tothat, so I drop my hand.
Rose, who has been watching Mack and me like a hawk, has a wicked grin on her face. “I’ll take the bed, even if Poppy won’t.”
“Second door,” Mack says.
“Thanks. Night, you two.” Rose disappears down the hall.
Mack walks over to his refrigerator and gets out a glass container. “You hungry?” he asks.
“No. The heat zapped my appetite.” I pull out a stool by his bar-height countertop. “I can keep you company while you eat if you want, though.”
“I won’t say no.” He pops his food in the microwave, and the scent of leftover macaroni and cheese fills the air.
He leans back against the counter opposite of me, and I study him for the first time tonight. He looks rough.
“Long day?”
“You could say that.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Nothing much to say. We’ve got a deadline to hit with an inspection coming up, so I’m burning the midnight oil.”
“Is that another electrician joke?”
He chuckles. “I guess.”
“You know,” I say, “maybe if you weren’t so gosh-darn willing to be everything to everyone around town, you could focus on your own work.”
Mack furrows his brow.
“You don’t know you’re doing it.”
“Doing what?” The microwave beeps, and he turns to fetch his food.
“Let’s see.” I hold up my hand and start ticking off fingers. “I’ve seen you at the bakery, helping Inez. The bookshop, helping Mia. You wired your dad’s entire garage since I moved to town. Not to mention all the time you’re spending with me, getting stuff ready for Party in the Park.” I drop my arm to my side and shrug my shoulders. “I’d say you’re spreading yourself a little thin.”
Mack shovels a spoonful of crusty mac and cheese in his mouth, and I grimace. “I don’t mind helping out. I like to be busy.”
