Cole straightened up, looking down at her. He smiled back at her. “Not tonight, darlin’. Sorry.”
She smiled back at him. “You sure? Maybe I could buy you one. You look kind of lonely.”
“I appreciate it. But, I’m gonna have to pass.”
Natalie looked over Mack’s shoulder at the exchange. “I bet that happens a lot.”
Mack turned to look back. He nodded. “Yep. It does.” He looked back down into Natalie’s face. “You okay?”
Natalie watched to see what Cole would do. She saw him say something to the girl, and shake his head. The girl turned, and walked away.
Mack studied her face.
“Yeah. I’m good.” She smiled back at him.
“He loves Angel. He has since the moment he first laid eyes on her. I saw it right off.”
“Is that why you sent her away?” Natalie asked him pointedly.
Mack looked away. “You know about that?”
“Angel told me.”
“I see.”
“I have to tell you that you’re not her favorite person.”
Mack closed his eyes. It was hard for him to ever admit he was wrong, but he felt he had to make Natalie understand. “I thought I was protecting Cole. Protecting the club. I was wrong.” He shook his head. “And now Cole’s kids are seven hundred miles away from him, and it’s my fault.” He looked down at her. “All I can say is, I’m sorry.”
“And now? What if they get back together? How would you feel about that?” Natalie asked him, leveling a stern look at him.
“I’d be fine with it. I hope it works out. They belong together. He needs his kids, too.”
Natalie smiled. “I’m glad to hear you say that, because I intend to do everything in my power to make that happen.”
Mack smiled back at her. “I bet you do.” And then he pulled her close, and bent his head, and kissed her.
Cole glanced back at them, to see if Natalie had seen the girl come on to him. He didn’t want her thinking he was interested in anyone but Angel, because he wasn’t. Oh, he still could appreciate a beautiful woman, and he definitely wasn’t above looking. But looking was all he allowed himself these days. He hadn’t been with another women since he’d returned from Arizona. And that wasn’t easy. He struggled with it. He was a very sexual guy, and going without for this long was taking its toll on him, both physically and emotionally. He wasn’t always in the best of moods. Sexual frustration. Fuck. Who would have ever thought that would be his problem? And now, here he was, playing chaperone, of all things. He shook his head at the irony of life.
Cole looked back at Mack and Natalie. He saw them kiss, and knew this was their first kiss. He felt a little funny knowing he was witnessing it. He smiled, and turned back to his beer. Who would have ever thought in a million years? Mack and Natalie. Things sure did have a funny way of turning out.
Later that night, they headed back to Cole’s house. Cole went to bed, leaving the two lovebirds alone. He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Angel.
He never did hear Mack’s bike pull out.
The next morning, Cole got up, and wandered into the kitchen. He looked out the kitchen window, which overlooked the driveway. Mack’s bike was still parked in the drive. Smiling, he turned, and looked at the closed bedroom door. You old dog, he thought, and he started a pot of coffee.
Cole was sitting at the dining room table, drinking his third cup of coffee, and smoking a cigarette when he heard Natalie’s door open. A moment later, he could hear the sound of someone pouring coffee, and then Mack walked through the archway from the kitchen into the dining room.
“Mornin’,” Mack said, pulling out a chair.
Cole smiled. “Mornin’. You sleep okay?”
Mack looked across the table at him, and smiled.
Cole looked from Mack past him to the doorway. “She still asleep?”
Mack shook his head. “No. She’s awake. I told her to stay in bed, though. She didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Cole smiled. “I see.”
Mack grinned back.
“Maybe you should bring the lady coffee in bed,” Cole suggested.
Mack lit a cigarette, and smiled as he blew smoke at the ceiling. “If I do, I’ll never get out of here.”
Cole nodded. “Oh, really?”
Mack looked back over his shoulder, and then leaned toward Cold. “That is one fine piece of ass.”