Page 31 of Mack

Mallory thought about the coat wrapped around her son on horseback. The handshake for the dinosaur. Do you like my mama? “Good,” she said. “He was good with him.”

“And with you?”

“Mom.”

“I’m just asking.” Georgia tilted her head. “Is he why you’re not sleeping, or is it someone else?”

Mallory shook her head, but she’d stop taking up for Troy in front of her parents. She sighed.

“I keep dreaming about…” She glanced at T.J. “you know.”

“I do. Why are you having dreams about that son of a bitch?”

Mallory bit back a grin. Leave it to her mother.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I met Mack. I really don’t know.” She looked at her mother. “I don’t want Troy anywhere near my child. I’m just hoping he doesn’t come after me.”

“We have no idea where he is, but if he does show up, you don’t fight this alone. You have your father and I, and now Mack. With Mack being a deputy, I wouldn’t think Troy would have the balls to go up against him. Mack is a big man, Troy’s a stick with legs.” Georgia laughed and Mallory did too.

The bell above the door chimed before Mallory could answer, and she looked up.

Mack stepped inside, hat in hand, and stopped when he took in the scene. His eyes went from Mallory to Georgia to T.J. on the floor, and he read the room, quickly and without showing it.

“Morning,” he said.

“Mack!” T.J. was on his feet and across the shop before anyone could say anything else.

Mack crouched down and the two of them exchanged a handshake that had apparently become their thing, and Mallory watched her mother watching all of it with an expression she recognized. Georgia Nichols had made up her mind about something.

Mallory wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or terrified.

“Mom,” she said, “this is Mack Reinhardt. Mack, my mother, Georgia Nichols.”

Mack straightened and extended his hand. “Ma’am. It’s nice to meet you.”

Georgia took his hand and looked up at him. Mallory knew that look. She was measuring him.

“Likewise,” Georgia said. Then she smiled, warm and genuine. “T.J. hasn’t stopped talking about you since Saturday.”

“He’s a good kid,” Mack said.

“He is.” Georgia glanced at Mallory with an expression that said they would be talking later, then looked back at Mack. “I hear you have quite a spread out there.”

“It’s a good piece of land. My parents held onto it for a long time.”

“Smart people.” Georgia nodded approvingly. “You should come to dinner sometime. I’m sure Mallory’s father would love to meet you.”

Mallory closed her eyes briefly.

“Mom.”

“What?” Georgia set down her coffee cup and looked at T.J. “Come on, sweetheart, get your coat on and gather your things. We’re going to Nana’s.” She looked at Mack one more time with perfect innocence. “It was lovely to meet you, Deputy.”

“You too, ma’am.”

T.J. waited while his grandmother zipped his jacket, then he gathered Rex and Blue from the floor, took her hand, and then they were gone, the bell chiming behind them, leaving Mallory standing in the middle of her shop with heat in her cheeks.

She looked at Mack. He was watching her with that almost smile.