Marie Harte - Working Out

“You’ll sit and listen.” Ian’s eyes shone, and Mac stared, shocked to see unshed tears there.

“I know I made some mistakes with you. Your father was a dumbass who took too many chances. Instead of taking care of his boy, he was out gambling and found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mac, it could easily have been him mowing someone down in a DUI instead of going under.

“Then your mother, never a strong person to begin with, left. Good riddance, I still say.”

Mimi put her hand comfortingly on Ian’s shoulder.

“But when Julie left,” Ian continued in a shaky voice, “I should have kept it together more. I was stressed and tired and having a hard time when she took off. I didn’t handle things right, and you saw more than a young kid should have.”

“You did your best,” Mac offered, not wanting to talk about any of this. He just wanted to sleep.

“But my best wasn’t good enough. Look son, I’m trying to tell you, I know what this is. People who love you leave you, right? That’s what you’re thinking. Your father dies, your mother deserts you, then on the heels of that Julie, another mother-type, does the same fucking thing.”

Mac still heard the anger in his uncle’s voice.

“None of it was because of you, Mac. And Maggie hasn’t left you either.”

He shrugged. “I know that. There was nothing to leave, anyway. We’re just friends.”

“Bullshit,” Mimi swore. “You and that girl are the best things to happen to each other since… Well, since Shelby and Shane. Ron and I did the cards before we got preoccupied with love.” She kissed Ian smack on the lips, then rolled up her sleeves and started poking Mac in the chest with each word. “The Tarot doesn’t lie. That girl loves you. Maggie is stubborn. She’s been hurt plenty. You think it was easy for her to give you a chance? The great Romeo of Jameson’s Gym?”

“Mac, really.” Ian frowned.

“What? That wasn’t my doing. Romeo’s not a nickname to be proud of unless you’re a seventeen-year-old.” Like Geo, who truly fit the description. “And she doesn’t love me.” Could she? Did she really? Then why had she taken off? Why couldn’t she stay?

“But Maggie did give you a chance,” Mimi continued. “She worked for you because she liked you. Then she fell in love with you.”

“Love.” Mac scoffed, but inside he wanted to flee. He hated these kinds of discussions, and the thought of Maggie loving him scared the shit out of him, because he wanted it so much. “She and I had a few good times. She’s a good person.” His throat closed up, and his eyes burned. She couldn’t possibly love him. He wasn’t all that loveable.

“Oh Mac.” Mimi gave him a pitying glance.

He swore if she threw her arms around him he’d—“ Hey. ” He rubbed the back of his head where she’d smacked him.

“If you’re that thickheaded that you don’t see Maggie for the wonderful angel she is, you don’t deserve her. She’s coming back to town tomorrow. We’re throwing her a surprise party at six. I suggest you pick her up from the airport with a damn good excuse as to why you’re shutting her out. It’s one thing to say you don’t like talking or texting, but if you don’t show up to welcome her home, she’ll know you were just using her for sex.”

“I was not using her for anything,” he growled.

“Oh? So the girl gets successful and all of a sudden you two are done? Is that why she asked Trevor to look out for you? She’s worried, you idiot. She thought you might have been hurt because you weren’t talking to Shane and we hadn’t seen you either. So she asked her brother to involve himself in her personal life, something she’s never done.”

Mac swore. He knew he’d felt someone watching him the other day, but then he’d gotten sidetracked feeling sorry for himself.

“Maggie asked Shelby to tell Shane to butt in. She knows something’s wrong because you aren’t talking to him either, and she’s worried about you. Poor, poor Mac.” Mimi kicked him in the shin. “Grow up.”

“ Ow. ”

Ian grinned. “Nice one, sweetheart.”

“Thank you, sexy.”

“Stop. My ears are bleeding.” Mac still felt miserable, but his load had lightened. “Look, she won’t want to see me anyway. I was a dick about her going to Philly. She’ll be happier without me there.”

“Oh? So you want nothing to do with her?”

“No, I didn’t say that. She and I are friends. We agreed we wouldn’t get weird for Shelby and Shane’s sake.”

“How nice.” Mimi smiled, and he inwardly cringed. She looked predatory and scary, for all that she was old enough to be his mother. “Then I suppose I should invite Brent and a few of the single men I know to her party. No time like the present for her to make new friends. Ian, get my phone, would you?”

“ All right. ” Mac stood up so fast his stool flew back. “I’ll fucking pick her up at the airport. Send the damn directions. And I’m sorry I’m fucking cursing, okay?” He stomped out of the kitchen into his room and slammed the door. And that’s the last time I’m inviting Ian to spend the night. Jesus, he’s banging Shelby’s mother under my roof. How pathetic am I that my uncle is getting more tail than me?

God knew it wasn’t for lack of opportunity. As if they could sense his vulnerability, women seemed to be fawning over him lately. At the gym, Megan had become a real problem. His favorite coffee shop and a few local hangouts had netted him more phone numbers and offers than he could handle. In the six days Maggie had been gone, he’d been offered sexual ease from half a dozen women. It was weird.

But he couldn’t feel any excitement for anyone but his little sub.

I fucking love her. Shit. As he showered, he couldn’t help wondering if that stuff about his mother and Julie affected him now. Was he really letting his fucked up mother and that bitch Julie ruin a decent relationship? He’d served in the friggin’ USMC. He could handle a pint-sized blond and the emotional rat nest that came with her, right? He was no pussy.

The day flew by in a rush while he tried to come up with some excuse for acting like an idiot. In retrospect, being so down just because she’d gone away for a few days made him look like a fucking dick. His girlfriend —he thought and took a deep breath—had just been handed the best news of her life, and instead of supporting her, he’d turned sulky and acted like one of her many exes.

Later that evening he sat down at the local watering hole, not surprised when Trevor joined him on one side and Shane took the other stool.

“Well what do you know, Shane,” Trevor said with false cheer. “Pussies-R-Us must be meeting here, because lo and behold, it’s the president. Hey Mac.”

“Fuck you.”

“Mimi called me,” Trevor said.

“And Ian called me.” Shane sighed. “We’re here to talk to you.”

Mac groaned. “Please. No more talking, okay? I’m fine. I’m picking up Maggie from the airport tomorrow. Then we’re going back to my place so I can apologize and we can have hot monkey sex with leather and chains. Good enough for you?” He glared at Trevor.

Trevor nodded. “Sounds fine.” His fist shot out before Mac could duck, and the next thing Mac knew, Shane was picking him up off the floor.

Trevor stared at him with disdain. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got? And you think you’re good enough for my sister?”

Mac flew at him. They knocked several chairs and tables around, and only the fact that the sleet outside kept bar practically empty stopped them from hurting anyone but themselves in the scuffle. Mac nailed Trevor in the face and gut and took a few more punches. But in his state of rage, he didn’t feel much.