Page 64 of Out of My Mind

“I’m Mac’s old roommate.”

Rafe nodded. Still with that smile. It made Gideon itch.

“There’s not much to look at.” Mac remained at the open door. “It’s a studio.”

“I’m glad you found a place.”

Mac didn’t respond, which prompted Gideon to act like more of a jackass. He pointed at the two guys.

“So are you like a thing?”

“Gideon, can you leave?” Mac pointed to the door. Gideon got the hint. Didn’t mean he was going to take it.

That was a yes or no question, and you didn’t give me a yes or no answer.

He swung on his heel and checked out the pathetic lineup of appliances that was passed off as a kitchen. “Oh, no dishwasher. Probably no in-unit washer and dryer, either.”

But there was a full dish rack next to the sink. For some reason, Gideon took pride in it, like it was his influence.

“This studio isn’t so bad. It’s a healthy step up from a dorm room. Actually, though, a bachelor unit is a step up from a dorm room. With those, you just get a hot plate.”

“Thank you for the insight.” Mac nodded his head out the door. He didn’t find a lick of this entertaining.

Not like Rafe, whose smile was holding back laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Gideon asked him.

Rafe looked him square in the eye, shrinking him to petri dish size. “You.”

“What does that mean?”

Rafe got up and in his face. “It means Mac wants you to leave. So leave.”

This guy wasn’t worth making a scene over. Gideon strolled to the door. As he stared into Mac’s unblinking eyes for a sign of their old relationship, he realized how much he missed their talks most of all. He would’ve loved to stay up unloading the wedding drama with Mac over some mac ‘n cheese. He didn’t want his fuckbuddy back. He wanted his friend. He wanted his lover. But neither was a sufficient enough word for what they had.

Mac’s eyes were a pair of big, brown vaults, and Gideon didn’t have the combination anymore.

“I’m really glad everything worked out,” Gideon said right before his throat choked up with emotion. He barreled down the steps before his stupid emotions got the best of him.

CHAPTER twenty-one

Mac

People never knew when their lives could change on the dime. It could be any day. And so when Mac woke up the next morning after that incredibly awkward meeting with Gideon to his phone ringing, he expected it was Delia or Rafe. Or hell, even Gideon with an apology.

It was Helen.

“Mackie…” The dreary, adult tone of her voice already told Mac bad news was next. Helen sobbed. “Well, your aunt…she passed away yesterday.”

He was all logic, the only thing keeping him together. He had to know the cold, hard facts.

“The doctors said she was supposed to make a full recovery. She was fine when I spoke to her.”

“And she was. She was feeling better and getting back to her old self at home. But I came over, and she was on the floor. They said a blood clot had developed after surgery and it got into her bloodstream and caused an embolism in her brain. I don’t even know what all that means!” Helen let out a few sobs. “But she’s gone, Mackie. She’s gone.”

“But she survived a brain tumor!” Mac yelled. “They said it went okay.”

Mac’s jaw tightened and rusted shut. He didn’t let one tear fall. This wasn’t fair. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.