Hometown Love (Love on the North Shore #2)(50)

Gage Larson and his band started another slow ballad, and Mack locked her in his arms. If there had been anyone left in town that didn’t know about their relationship, which seemed impossible, they knew now.

“You look beautiful tonight,” he whispered. She had never heard his voice so sensual, and her heart raced. “I’m glad you’re staying with me tonight.”

Not caring who saw them, she touched her lips to his in a whisper of a kiss. Even though it barely qualified as a kiss, it sent spirals of desire and excitement through her. Earlier in the week, she’d decided that the next time they were alone, she wouldn’t hold anything back. The idea of giving in to the passion she experienced with Mack made her eager for the reception to end.

When she ended the kiss, he put his mouth near her ear. “You can do better than that.”

She heard the challenge in his voice. Perhaps another woman would’ve taken the bait, but not her. They were in a room full of family and friends; it wasn’t the place for an intense make-out session. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

His eyebrows arched and a smile played at the corners of his mouth. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

They danced to two songs before they returned to the table so Mack and Grace could dance together. As Jessie sat and watched him lift Grace, her heart melted. There weren’t many sights sweeter than a father dancing with his little girl.

“Now that’s a look of happiness.” Jake stopped near her. Since he was looking at her, she guessed he meant her. “Charlie said you were happier than she’d ever seen you.”

Just what expression did she have on her face? “Hi, Jake. Where did Charlie disappear to?”

He pointed over his shoulder to the dance floor. “She’s dancing with Sean. When she asked him, Mia all but pushed him onto the floor. You should have seen the look he gave her.” Jake extended his hand in her direction. “Since we’ve both been left on our own, how about a dance?”

Since the first day she’d met Jake and he’d comforted her and her grandmother in the hospital waiting room, she’d respected the man. Not many people would go out of their way like that for strangers. Now that she knew him better, she respected him even more and was honored to call him a friend. “Sure. Someone has to make sure you behave until your wife gets back.”



Mack dipped Grace, and she rewarded him with a giggle, a sound he never tired of hearing.

“One more time,” she said when he brought her upright again.

“Just once.” She had eaten a large slice of cake and the last thing he wanted was her getting sick. Adjusting his hold on her, he dipped her back again. This time, when he swung her back up, it wasn’t Grace’s giggle that caught his attention but Jessie and Jake Sherbrooke dancing. Although they stood an appropriate space apart, the sight of Jessie in another man’s arms sent a burning sensation through his chest. For a moment, he considered cutting in. Then the red fog in his head cleared and his common sense returned. He trusted Jessie and knew Jake was a friend. Friends were allowed to dance at weddings. He’d expect the same courtesy if he ever danced with a female friend, not that he expected that to happen anytime soon. His list of female friends was rather slim. Even still, he’d be pissed if Jessie overreacted and dragged him away the way he wanted to snatch her away now. And it wasn’t like she was dancing with Tony, North Salem’s resident playboy. No, this was Jake, her friend’s husband.

Mack clenched his jaw and looked back at Grace’s smiling face. Yes, he’d stay focused on his daughter and ignore everything else until the song ended.

“That was fun.” Grace held his hand as they walked back to their table and Mack relaxed his jaw when he spotted Jake and Jessie seated with Charlie and Sean. Then, when they got within speaking distance, Grace rushed forward. “Did you see me dancing, Jessie?”

The soft motherly smile she used with Grace formed on Jessie’s face. He already realized how much Jessie cared about his daughter, but that smile drove home just how perfect she was for both of them. “I did. You looked beautiful.”


Grace’s face lit up. “I want to dance with Daddy again.”

“Don’t forget you owe me a dance, too,” Jake said before looking in his direction. “Assuming it’s okay with you.”

Under normal circumstances if a stranger ever asked to dance with his daughter, he’d cart the guy off in handcuffs, but since both Jessie and Sean considered the guy a friend, he’d allow it. “Go for it. I’m warning you, though, she likes dips.”

“Thanks for the heads’ up.” Grace and Jake disappeared onto the dance floor while Jessie and Charlie went back to their conversation. Before Mack could start anything with Sean, Mia appeared, and the two walked off together. Left as the third wheel at the table, he zoned out and watched Grace, who had suddenly become the envy of every unmarried female on the dance floor.

“I still can’t picture him with a baby. Is he hoping for a girl or a boy?” Jessie’s mention of a baby caught his attention.

“You didn’t see him with his nephew a few weeks ago.” He saw both woman glance toward Jake and his daughter.

“He says he doesn’t care which and I believe him.”

The pieces of their conversation came together in his head. “Congratulations. You didn’t tell me Charlie was pregnant.”