Page 21 of Mac

Kate

Icouldn’t think of a time I’d ever been this nervous. Viking had invited me over to his house for dinner tonight, where I was going to meet his wife, Meredith, for the first time, as well as his sons, my half-brothers.

The last week had been a calm one, and I was getting into a regular routine. I saw Mac, usually with Wolf, almost every day. I took my breaks with the boys, and while our conversations weren’t deep or personal, Mac always asked how I was doing and if I needed anything. Thewayhe’d ask if I needed anything made me blush every time, and Mac would smile that slow, knowing smile.

And when I was working, when his lunch hour stretched to another hour, I always felt his eyes on me the whole time. It should have weirded me out, but it didn’t. When Jonathan would openly stare at me, withthatlook in his eyes, it’d been a huge turn-off, but with Mac, it was a major turn-on. It made no sense, it just felt…good.

Today, at lunch, when I’d blurted to him about tonight, he told me to have fun, be myself, and say whatever was on my mind. Simple but well-meaning. I could almost forget the darker, seedier side to him and the club, but I knew I’d have to deal with that at some point, just not right this moment.

My car was parked in the driveway of a large, modern-style home, and had been for the past ten minutes. It was not at all the house I thought a biker would live in. The rooflines were all different heights, the windows all different shapes, and the red brick façade on the lower half of the house was a nice contrast to the cream-colored paint. The landscaping was beautiful, there was a small, lush patch of grass, and the rest was a mix of rocks and succulents.

Inside the house was my newfound family and it was all a little overwhelming. I never had a problem with the fact that I was an only child, but I always wondered what it would have been like to grow up with siblings. Now that I had the chance to be a part of a real family, all of my fears came rushing back. What if they hated me? What if they were pissed I’d appeared out of nowhere and disrupted their dynamic?

I was so lost in my head, I didn’t notice someone walking out of the house.

“Everything okay out here?” A beautiful brunette with bright emerald eyes asked through my slightly open window.

“Um, yeah, everything’s fine,” I replied as I turned off my car and got out. “You must be Meredith.” I stuck my hand out for her to shake.

“And you must be Kate.” She smiled at me when she took my hand, and her kindness put me at ease. Maybe this wouldn’t be as awkward as I’d imagined it. “Welcome.”

I started to follow her back up to the house but then remembered something.

“Oh, wait,” I said as I went back to my car and opened the back door. “Can’t forget this.” I held up the chocolate pie I’d picked up at the diner on my way over.

“That looks great!” Meredith said, smiling. “Viking has a bit of a sweet tooth, so you’ll make him a happy man when he sees this.”

We walked into the house, and I was just as shocked by the inside as I was by the outside. The front entry led into a large, open living area where three cream-colored couches surrounded a dark coffee table. Off to the right was a dining room, large enough to hold several people. Most everything was done in neutral colors with just small pops of color. I loved it.

“Viking’s in the kitchen. We can go sit in there while he finishes up dinner.”

“Okay.” I followed Meredith into the kitchen, which was nothing short of a chef’s dream. The large island took up the center of the room with state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances all along the walls.

“Wow!” I realized I said that out loud when both my father and Meredith chuckled.

“What can I say? I love to cook.”

I laughed at his response, setting the pie on the counter. Cooking was the last thing I expected Viking to be into. But now that I was here, I couldn’t wait to try whatever he was making for us.

“I’m glad you were able to make it tonight,” he said, as he took a quick peek in the oven. He looked so relaxed in his blue jeans and a black T-shirt. He leaned back against the countertop with his massive arms crossed over his chest, a simple smile on his face.

“Me too,” I replied, taking a seat at the breakfast bar.

And I was really happy to be here. As much as my grandmother tried to show me love, I never felt like I was a part of a family. How could I, when the men of the house constantly reminded me how unwanted I was.

This was different than anything I had ever experienced, and I could feel my chest getting tight from the emotions it was invoking in me.

“Is she here yet?” I heard someone yell from down the hallway. My feelings were getting too intense, so I was grateful for the interruption.

Before anyone could answer, two tornadoes, one blond and one brunette, came tearing through the kitchen.

“Boys! Be careful,” Meredith reprimanded from her seat next to me.

Viking playfully caught them both by the collar of their shirts and turned them around to face me. “Guys, I want you to meet Kate, your sister.” They both looked at me with a little question in their eyes. “Kate, this is Gunnar,” Viking said as he pushed the blond forward a little bit. “And this is Finn.” He did the same with the brunette.

“Hi there. Nice to meet you.”

It was weird, but I could see the resemblances between all of us. I hadn’t looked like my mom’s side of the family at all, and now I was in a room with three other people that clearly looked like me.