True Bliss (25 page)

Which brings me to now. It's baby shower day. We've decided that it should serve double duty as a birthday party since Mac is turning the big twenty-five.        

I've been waiting a long time for this baby shower. Seven months, in fact, ever since I first found out Mac was pregnant. Of course, now we know that there are two babies coming which just means twice the presents, twice the guests, twice the fun. We've decided to hold the shower when Mac is seven month's pregnant so that if the babies decide to arrive early, she won't miss out.

Mac has no idea what I've planned, but Mrs. Lewis has been calling me non-stop for the past month with ideas and updates and checking the details. It's also going to be the first time Daniel's mom and Mac's mom meet. The men will all be down at a local bar having a few beers, but they'll come back in time for presents. Zander made plans with Zach before I could talk to him about it. It just shows how thoughtful he really is. He knows today is about Mac and Daniel and doesn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. I'm still hopeful that in time, we'll all be one big group of friends and any history between Mac and Zander will be forgotten.

Since the baby shower doesn't start until 2 p.m. and Mac's parents aren't arriving until 1 p.m., Zander and I decide we have just enough time for a quickie before he leaves for the afternoon. That is why Mac finds us not twenty minutes later with Zander's jeans around his ankles and my legs wrapped around his hips as he holds me up against the wall and fucks my brains out.

Embarrassment level ten! I scream, Zander starts laughing, and Mac had a look of horror on her face. Good times all 'round, not!

“Oh my fucking god!” she shrieks as she opens the front door to have her eyes assaulted by the two of us going at it. “Seriously! My parents are going to be in this room in an hour, and you guys are stinking up the place with your sexing.”

After Zander let me down, and I rearrange my clothes while giving him time to think of dead puppies or naked grandmas, I turn to look at her and say the first thing that comes to mind. “Really?”

“Really what?” she asks with an annoyed look on her face as she moves into the kitchen.

“You don't remember a similar situation, oh maybe four months ago, where I walked and found Daniel plowing you on the coffee table?”

“This is classic, babe. Hey, Mac.” Zander says, giving me a kiss before whispering, “I better leave you to it.”

Mac watches Zander go before turning her attention back to me. “Wow, these decorations are awesome.”

“Nice subject change. What are you doing here anyway? Apart from clam jamming me.”

She smirks. “Well, I think it's only fair given the number of times you've clam jammed me over the years?”

“The last time I walked in on you and Superman you kept fucking going. Does. Not. Count.”

“True. Although there have been other times that Daniel and I were getting busy and you'd go into the bathroom or come home, and it would totally ruin the mood. That could be classed as clam jamming. Daniel's parking the car, so imagine if it had been him walking in on you two going at it like two teenagers in heat at a drive thru.”

“I would've called him a clam jammer too. You're a bunch of box blockers, the lot of you.” I turn and stamp down the hallway to find my penis- I mean, Zander.

Half an hour later, I'm showered, relaxed-thanks to my handy helper Zander and his magic tongue-and in the kitchen surrounded by Daniel and Mac's mothers who are bickering over everything. I'm busy playing referee while Daniel and Mac sit on the couch and watch the show.

Zander walks out of our bedroom into the living area and goes over to the couch, shaking Daniel's hand and giving Mac a kiss on the cheek before coming to see me in the kitchen. “I'm out of here, babe. Text me when the coast is clear, and I'll be straight back.”

“Are you sure? You don't have to go, Zan. This is your home too now.”

“I know, but today is about Mac and Daniel. And if it were one of your ex-lovers, I wouldn't want him here either. We'll get past this awkward stage...maybe in a year, or five, but right now I'm going to hang out with Zach since he's feeling a little neglected. I'll see you later, love you.”

“I love you too.” I reach up on my toes and turn his light peck into a deep, probing kiss before standing back down on my flat feet again.

“What was that for?” he asks, catching his breath.

“Just wanted to give you a reminder of what's waiting here for you.”

“Won't ever forget that, babe. Wherever you are, I wanna be. Forever and always.”

Well fuck me dead and call me Nancy. Forever and always. There's a new one.

The baby shower is awesome. A lot of Mac's workmates turn up as well as relatives from both her families. We play games like pacifier throwing, sniffing 'dirty' diapers that have chocolate in them, and of course, guessing the size of Mac's now huge baby belly. When the guys return a few hours later for food and presents, the party gets louder. Mac can't wipe the smile off her face, and I'm over the moon to see her so happy.

She has her happy ending, and I'm working towards mine.

ZANDER

Wanting to be out of the house for the afternoon, I go down to the bar to hang out with Zach while he worked. The plan being that we'll grab dinner on his break later on.

I need some time out of the house to get my head straight. My guilty conscience has been making its presence known more and more lately. It's been three months since I've moved in with Kate, and five months since I started talking to her as 'nightdancer.'

She thinks that I'm so noble, so honest and upfront. How can I go on letting her believe that when I assumed an online identity to talk to her? It's eating me up. I love that girl so damn much, and I want to give her everything her heart desires. What she demands is honesty, and my deceit, or what she will see as deceit, could be our undoing. Everything we've been working towards, building together, is at risk.

“You look like your dog just died,” Zach announces as he replaces my empty glass with a full one.

“I haven't told Kate about the online dating thing.”

He looks shocked. “You fucking idiot. Do you want to lose her? Is that what this is about? Dude, that stuff festers and you're gonna ruin everything before it's had a chance to take hold. “

“It's already fucking taken hold, Zach. I'm in love with her, and I want to be with her, but how the fuck do I say 'oh, by the way, you know that guy you've been chatting to on the net? Yeah, that's me. So what's for dinner?'”

He smirks at me. “Well no, but you need to tell her, and soon. Are you guys still talking on the site?”

“Wouldn't have a clue. I haven't logged on for months. Oh shit, what if she's messaged me?” Fuck! I've been so wrapped up in everything Kate that I didn't even think about the site. She was my sole reason for me being on there after I'd fulfilled Zach's dare.

“Well, how about we check.” Zach walks away through the bar's back door, returning a few minutes later with his laptop. “Here. Go wild, just no porn. The boss will chew me out. Again.” I crack a smile, but I have a horrible feeling at the pit of my stomach.

I bring up Chicago Singles and log in, feeling sick when I see one message from Kate which was sent weeks ago.

FUCK! I slam my fist down on the bar, shaking the bottles lining it and grabbing everyone's attention.

Zach looks around the bar. “Sorry guys, won't happen again. What the fuck dude?” he whispers loudly.

I turn the computer around and show him the screen. A minute later he looks at me, his face full of sympathy. “Shit, Zan. You have to tell her asap.”

“I know,” I say, resigned to the fact that tonight may be my last night with Kate. Mac warned me dishonesty was Kate's deal breaker, and I've been lying to her for months. She struck up a friendship with me, but didn't know who she was talking to. She got drunk, laughed and shared her feelings with this version of me, some things she hasn't even told me in real life.  Come to think of it, she's never even told me she was on an internet dating site. Was she ashamed of it?

I'm broken out of my thoughts when I see Daniel and two older guys walk into the bar and take a seat at a table in the middle of the room. There's no way I can avoid talking to them without coming off as a bastard, and I don't have a problem with Daniel. In fact, he should really have a problem with me.

I look over, and lift my chin when he does the same. He grins at me and jerks his head, inviting me to sit with them. Well, this should be interesting at least.

“Hey man,” he says standing up and slapping my back. “This is my father, Will, and Mac's father, John.” I shake both of their outstretched hands before taking a seat next to Daniel.

“We're leaving the women to it and decided to come down here for a few drinks and some pool. You want to join us?” John asks.

“You sure, man?” I ask Daniel.

“Yeah, of course. The past is the past, and I'm looking toward the future in a big way,” Daniel says. I raise my brow and look at him and he gives me a chin lift to let me know everything is fine. I don't miss the fact that his whole body looks tense, and he looks nervous as hell.

“So what do you do for work, Zander?” Will asks as I lift my beer bottle to my mouth.

“I'm a rookie cop. Graduated a month ago.”

“Congratulations. That's a fantastic career. Have you always wanted to be a cop?”

“I've always been protective, so it just seemed like a natural progression.”

“It's the best way.”

“So Daniel, when are you going to make an honest woman out of Mac and give those twins a committed family unit,” John pipes up. I choke on my beer and look at Daniel who takes a deep breath before leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table. 

“John, part of the reason I wanted to bring you here is to talk about that. Mac is the love of my life. I think I fell a little in love with her the first time I met her, and I fall more in love with her every day. I see our children growing in her belly, and I picture our life together in five, ten, fifty years.  I've worked hard to get where I am, and I worked my ass off to get Mac in my life. I'll continue to appreciate every single day that I'm with her and tonight, on our way home, I'm going to ask Mac to marry me, and I'd really like you're blessing.”

Will and I watch as John frowns, considering Daniel's declaration of love for his only daughter. John makes him work for it, keeping him waiting while he makes 'mmm' and 'ah' noises, like he's seriously considering whether to give his permission or not. Daniel starts to shift nervously in his seat, and I swear I can see sweat on his forehead as he waits for an answer.

“John, I think you better put my boy out of his misery. Look at him, he's a mess,” Will says with a shit eating grin on his face.

“Oh, okay. Please take her off our hands, I've been waiting twenty-five years for this. But I'll tell you one thing…”

“Ah yes.” Daniel looks up, looking confused as hell as if he's wondering what he's going to say next. I mean c'mon, he is Mac's dad. Her crazy had to come from somewhere.

“There are no returns, no refunds, no warranties and no money back guarantees. You want her, you've got her. For life. Until you take your last breath.”

“Wouldn't have it any other way, John.” Daniel stand and holds out his hand. John stands up and shakes his hand before pulling Daniel in for a man hug.

“Welcome to the family, Daniel. She couldn't have picked a better husband and father of her children than you.” Well, shit. I feel like an intruder now.

“So you're asking her tonight?” John asks, flagging Zach and ordering a round of whisky.

“I want to ask her before the babies arrive, and since it's her birthday, it will be a day she'll never forget. She'll always remember her birthday as the day I asked her to marry me.”

“Well, this calls for a decent drink to celebrate,” he states emphatically. “It's not every day I gain a son.”

“I'll always do right by her, John. I promise you that.”

“Enough, Daniel. Our Mac needs a superhero to keep her in line,” he says with a wink.

I knew Mac got her crazy from him.

“Should Mac ask our permission too?” Will asks with an amused voice.

“Don't you start, old man. You're gaining another daughter and two grandchildren. You're getting a great deal already,” Daniel says with a laugh.

“Too true,” he replies.

“Now, enough of this sappy shit. Let's grab our drinks and head over to the pool table. I feel like kicking some ass,” John announces, standing up just as Zach returns with four tumblers of Macallan on the rocks each. He quirks an eyebrow at me, and I just nod, letting him know I'm fine.

We all walk over to the pool table and spend the next few hours talking shit and playing pool with Daniel, his father, and his future father-in-law. It was just what the doctor ordered ahead of what could be one of the worst nights of my life.