Page 15 of Mack

Mack handed the rose back to her.

“I’ll put this in water, then get T.J. Have a seat. Dinner’s almost ready.”

“It smells incredible. I wasn’t kidding about the fried chicken.”

She smiled over her shoulder as she disappeared into the kitchen, came back through the living room, then went down the hall, leaving Mack standing in the middle of the living room holding a stuffed Brontosaurus and wondering if he looked as ridiculous as he felt.

“You’re a grown ass man holding a stuffed dinosaur,” he murmured, then decided that he probably did look ridiculous.

He heard Mallory’s voice down the hall before she reappeared, holding the hand of a little boy who looked exactly like her. Same dark hair, same brown eyes, same shape to his face. T.J. spotted the toy in Mack’s hands immediately and went still, eyes wide.

Mallory crouched beside him. “T.J., this is Mack. Can you say hi?”

Mack crouched down to the boy’s level. “Hey, T.J.” He held out his hand.

T.J. pressed closer to his mother but kept his eyes fixed on the Brontosaurus.

“You like this guy?” Mack held it up and gave it a gentle shake.

T.J. nodded without moving.

“He’s yours if you shake my hand,” Mack said quietly.

T.J. looked at his mother. Mallory gave a small nod. The boy considered this for a moment with the seriousness only a three-year-old can manage, then stepped forward and put his small hand into Mack’s.

Mack shook it with great ceremony. “Pleasure to meet you, T.J. Nichols.” He held out the dinosaur.

T.J. grabbed it and hugged it to his chest with a giggle.

Mack straightened and looked at Mallory. “He’s cute.”

“He’s a handful. Still hanging on to those terrible twos.”

“I’d hang on to them as long as I could if I were him.”

“Easy to say when you don’t have to deal with it.”

He felt a tug on his jeans and looked down. T.J. was staring up at him with those big brown eyes; the Brontosaurus tucked under his arm. Mack crouched back down.

“I have a bunch of dine-sores,” T.J. announced.

“You do? What’s your favorite?”

“Rex.” He said it with great authority. “I’ll get him.” He turned and bolted down the hallway.

“What did I tell you about running, Timothy Joseph?”

“‘Kay.”

He came running back into the room clutching a stuffed T-Rex that had clearly lived a full and eventful life.

T.J. shoved the T-Rex toward Mack. “This is Rex. I’ve had him since I was little.”

Mack dipped his head to hide a grin, then raised it. “That’s a long time.”

“I know.” T.J. bounced on his toes. “Are you a cowboy? Cause you got a hat.”

“You have a hat,” Mallory corrected.