in a minute,” he said as he climbed a set of stairs tucked in an alcove.
Jade made her way from the foyer through the living room to the kitchen that adjoined a large family room. Muted shades of moss green and marigold set off the tasteful Mediterranean furnishings and accessories that flowed from room to room.
The townhouse is so beautiful and elegant, she thought, so different from his last house. Her mind drifted back to the night five years ago when she’d driven Mac home from a retirement party. He was intoxicated, and as his “boot,” it was her responsibility to see he got home safe. When she’d crossed the threshold of the cozy bungalow, she’d never imagined she’d wind up in his arms and in his bed.
Her reminiscing was interrupted when Mac bounded down the stairs carrying a black nylon gym bag.
“Ready to go? Did you get some coffee?”
“Yeah, I’m ready. I’ll pass on the coffee. Your home is beautiful.”
“Thanks,” he said opening the front door for her. “I can’t take the credit though. I hired a decorator to do the place. If I’d done it myself you’d be looking at four white walls, a black leather couch, and a zebra skin rug on the floor. It was well worth it. Not only did I get a color-coordinated house, I got the decorator too.”
An instant stab of jealousy pierced her. Although it was perfectly logical, it’d never occurred to her Mac would have a woman in his life. He was handsome, smart, and since he’d stopped drinking, he seemed like a downright nice guy. But if he was so nice, what had prompted him to kiss her the other night? Maybe Jade had Mac all wrong. Maybe he was a big time player. Lasko kept throwing out insinuations she’d slept with Mac, and now he was telling Jade he had a girlfriend right after he’d kissed her in her apartment. Guilt flooded through Jade’s body. You didn’t do anything wrong, she thought. Mac kissed you .
“I guess we should get going. You know how awful the traffic on the 405 can be.” Jade hated the shakiness in her voice as she fought her emotions. On one hand, she was terrified Mac would find out her secret and take Donnie away. On the other hand, she hated the idea of another woman in Mac’s life. But apparently, he was a cheater as well. You can’t have it both ways Jade, she thought to herself. It’s safer to keep your distance from Mac .
On the way to the training, Mac surprised her. “I’ve thought about what you said about not talking about my problems,” he said, adjusting the car’s visor to keep the sun out of his eyes. “So, I’m going to tell you about my drinking. It was hard at first. I was so sure I wasn’t an alcoholic. I thought my drinking was something I could control.” He shook his head smiling. “Even though alcohol caused me to lose my job, what didn’t hit home was the fact I had a problem.” He ran a hand over his face. “It took me several months to realize I needed help. One of the things I had to accept was that I couldn’t have prevented the murder of my wife and child. It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t easy, but I made it. Of course, it’s still a struggle. There are days it’s so tempting to pour myself a short one. It’s so effortless to drink, and so very hard to stop.”
Jade understood and feared the battle he fought. She recalled memories from her childhood.
“My dad’s drinking began after my mother died from a stroke. I was only eight, but by the time I was ten, I’d learned to roust my dad out of bed and into a cold shower and send him off to work. Then, I’d get myself ready for school. By the time I was twelve, I was paying the bills and running the household. Dad would always promise that tomorrow would be different, but it never was. Not until one of the neighbors called Children’s Services. They almost took me away, but he agreed to start A.A. that very night,
Jade made her way from the foyer through the living room to the kitchen that adjoined a large family room. Muted shades of moss green and marigold set off the tasteful Mediterranean furnishings and accessories that flowed from room to room.
The townhouse is so beautiful and elegant, she thought, so different from his last house. Her mind drifted back to the night five years ago when she’d driven Mac home from a retirement party. He was intoxicated, and as his “boot,” it was her responsibility to see he got home safe. When she’d crossed the threshold of the cozy bungalow, she’d never imagined she’d wind up in his arms and in his bed.
Her reminiscing was interrupted when Mac bounded down the stairs carrying a black nylon gym bag.
“Ready to go? Did you get some coffee?”
“Yeah, I’m ready. I’ll pass on the coffee. Your home is beautiful.”
“Thanks,” he said opening the front door for her. “I can’t take the credit though. I hired a decorator to do the place. If I’d done it myself you’d be looking at four white walls, a black leather couch, and a zebra skin rug on the floor. It was well worth it. Not only did I get a color-coordinated house, I got the decorator too.”
An instant stab of jealousy pierced her. Although it was perfectly logical, it’d never occurred to her Mac would have a woman in his life. He was handsome, smart, and since he’d stopped drinking, he seemed like a downright nice guy. But if he was so nice, what had prompted him to kiss her the other night? Maybe Jade had Mac all wrong. Maybe he was a big time player. Lasko kept throwing out insinuations she’d slept with Mac, and now he was telling Jade he had a girlfriend right after he’d kissed her in her apartment. Guilt flooded through Jade’s body. You didn’t do anything wrong, she thought. Mac kissed you .
“I guess we should get going. You know how awful the traffic on the 405 can be.” Jade hated the shakiness in her voice as she fought her emotions. On one hand, she was terrified Mac would find out her secret and take Donnie away. On the other hand, she hated the idea of another woman in Mac’s life. But apparently, he was a cheater as well. You can’t have it both ways Jade, she thought to herself. It’s safer to keep your distance from Mac .
On the way to the training, Mac surprised her. “I’ve thought about what you said about not talking about my problems,” he said, adjusting the car’s visor to keep the sun out of his eyes. “So, I’m going to tell you about my drinking. It was hard at first. I was so sure I wasn’t an alcoholic. I thought my drinking was something I could control.” He shook his head smiling. “Even though alcohol caused me to lose my job, what didn’t hit home was the fact I had a problem.” He ran a hand over his face. “It took me several months to realize I needed help. One of the things I had to accept was that I couldn’t have prevented the murder of my wife and child. It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t easy, but I made it. Of course, it’s still a struggle. There are days it’s so tempting to pour myself a short one. It’s so effortless to drink, and so very hard to stop.”
Jade understood and feared the battle he fought. She recalled memories from her childhood.
“My dad’s drinking began after my mother died from a stroke. I was only eight, but by the time I was ten, I’d learned to roust my dad out of bed and into a cold shower and send him off to work. Then, I’d get myself ready for school. By the time I was twelve, I was paying the bills and running the household. Dad would always promise that tomorrow would be different, but it never was. Not until one of the neighbors called Children’s Services. They almost took me away, but he agreed to start A.A. that very night,
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