Chapter Two
Mack felt as if hed gone back in time. He shut his eyes and opened them again slowly to see if hed lost his mind. His heart was beating so fast that he wondered if he was about to suffer the same fate as his fathera stroke.
Nope, he wasnt living a nightmare. There sat Jill Walker, looking more gorgeous than she had at twenty-one. Pulling himself together, Mack snarled at her out of renewed angerhow dared she waltz back into his life when shed treated him so abominably? Jilly, he said icily. What brings you to La Mesa? And why in hell are you with my daughter?
Handing him a business card, Jill stared coolly at Mack. I go by J.J. now...J. J. Walker. Believe me when I say Im not here by choice. Im on assignment. I assume youre familiar with Her Own Woman magazine, since Zoey nominated you and you were selected to be our featured man of August. She noticed then how the girls were frantically trying to signal her. She stopped talking, unsure what they were trying to convey.
If thats not total bullshit, I dont know what is. Mack crushed her card in his hand.
The girls swooped around him at the same time the librarian hurried over to shush them. You four need to take your noisy discussion outside, she ordered. There are people here trying to concentrate.
Giving J.J. another angry glance, Mack collected the girls books and bags, and hustled Zoey and Brandy out.
J.J. gathered her folder and camera bag, slower to follow. No matter how prepared she thought shed be to see Mack, he was far more potent in person than in those photographs.
Mack and the girls stood at the base of the library steps when J.J. descended. He was waving his hands, and as she got closer she heard him demanding answers from Zoey. Huge tears rolled down the girls face while her friend stood to one side biting her lower lip. J.J. might not want to be here, but she felt sorry for Macks daughter.
Girls. She broke in. I suspect you havent been up front with Zoeys father regarding my magazines contest. The truth is we cant feature anyone who objects. In fact, Zoey, the magazine mailed you a release you were instructed to have your dad sign.
I, uh, we... Brandy and me thought he could sign it later.
Ive got no intention of signing anything, Mack said, glaring down his nose at J.J. as he hooked his thumbs over his belt. Release for what? Whats going on? I didnt enter any contest.
Nothing, Zoey wailed. Everythings ruined. I didnt think youd win, but if you did I planned to surprise you.
That you have succeeded in doing, Mack said, drawing out a long sigh.
Brandy slid in next to Zoey. Zoey did it for your steak-fry, Mr. B. Every winner gets a check from the magazine for his favorite charity.
Zoey scrubbed her wet cheeks. The magazine people choose a reader to bring the check. And they send you and the reader to a nice restaurant...kind of like a date. Oh, she sobbed, its hopeless. Now youll never go out with someone nice who can help me dress like a girl, she cried. Next year Heather Reed and all the boys will keep laughing at me.
Mack stood in stunned silence a moment, unable to process the bulk of Zoeys ramblings. She was more upset than hed ever seen her, and her sadness cooled his anger the way nothing else could. He used his thumbs to wipe away her lingering tears. Kneeling, he pulled her close.
J.J. noticed how his demeanor changed and his face softened when he gently tugged one of Zoeys braids.
You look like a girl, he murmured. Who says you dont? Help me understand, Bug. What check? What reader? Why do you think that girl laughs at you? And why does it matter if I date or not?
Dont call me Bug. Boys are bugs. Brandys mom and dad call her honey.
Slanting J.J. an embarrassed little smile before he cradled Zoeys splotchy face in his big hands, Mack murmured, Ive called you Bug since you were born, because you were cute as a bug. If you dont like it, Ill stop. But the rest, especially the dating part, isnt a subject to be discussed in public.
Brandy interrupted again. Mr. B., how come you know a magazine photographer from New York?
He didnt answer, still peeved as he switched his focus to J.J. I swear this is the first Ive heard of any of this. I have no idea whats going on. I probably should have asked Zoey why she was stalking me with a camera a few weeks ago. But tell me how any reputable magazine can encourage children to invade a persons life without obtaining that persons permission?
Beginning to steam at Macks holier-than-thou attitude, J.J. flipped her folder open and yanked out a blank sheet of paper. Like I said, the rules state that candidates must sign a release. The girls followed the rules. Our staff found Zoeys essay compelling, and the photos, well, intriguing. I was on a shoot out of the country when the decision was made to put you in the lineup. But no problem, Mackenzie, we can end this ASAP and Ill be on my way home. All I need is for you to jot a brief note declining to be included in our promo. She shoved the folder and pen toward him as he knelt in front of Zoey.
He reached up for the folder. Zoey looked stricken.
Gesturing with the pen, J.J. said, By declining, you will forfeit the five-thousand-dollar donation to your charity. I imagine thats the biggest shame, especially if youre forced to cancel your steak-fry. I admit I was impressed by your charity.
Forced to...? Im baffled as to why youd think theres some doubt about me underwriting our annual steak-fry. His expression even more confused, Mack rose to frown first at J.J., then Zoey. Zoey, please stop crying. Ive left Erma in the E.R. and we need to go see about her.
Do you mean Erma Fairweather? J.J. asked.
Yes.
Id love to see her. Oh, but she probably wont remember me. I always liked Erma. I hope shes okay.
You liked her, yet you had no trouble dropping out of her life and mine?
J.J. flared at his unfair assessment, but rather than strike back in front of the girls, who were clearly hanging on everything passing between her and Mack, she bit back her comment.
Following another uncomfortable silence, punctuated by Zoeys sniffling, Mack threw up a hand. Enough! Lets take a minute and get to the bottom of this. I hate seeing you so upset, Zoey. He knew hed never handled her tears well. And Jill Walker seemed far too anxious to be rid of him. The way shed stomped on his heart before blithely abandoning Texas still rankled. Having her here felt like unfinished business to Mack and he disliked leaving things undone. Maybe hed reconsider this stupid contest for no reason other than to annoy the hell out of Jillor at least put himself in a position to finally extract a bit of revenge.
Dont everyone rush to explain, he said. How about I take a look at the entry the girls sent in? Mack held out his hand to J.J.
Thrown off-kilter by his turbulent gray eyes, she leafed through her folder. As she did, she chanced a glimpse at Zoey. The pleading expression in the girls teary eyes left no doubt that Zoey didnt want her dad reading the story she had concocted. Could it be that Mack wasnt aware of how much his unhappy daughter wanted a mother? J.J. recalled incidents from her own childhood, things her mother later claimed shed done for the sake of giving J.J. a normal life. When the truth came out, J.J. had been resentful. Despite that, she wasnt here to offer the Bannermans advice or otherwise interfere in their lives. She wasnt a psychologist. But...Zoey looked so miserable, the very least J.J. could do was avoid causing added anxiety.