“You didn’t forget about Noelle, and I assure you neither did I. We didn’t do anything wrong. All we did was share a few moments of closeness. It’s an essential human need, MacKenzie.” Her look was so tortured Jake thought if it wouldn’t have made matters worse, he would kiss her. Instead, he decided to rile her, from past experiences he knew he was good at it.
Pulling her resisting head close, Jake whispered into her ear, “Don’t worry, lovely MacKenzie, it’s widely acknowledged that I’m almost irresistible, and you just experienced the force.”
As he spoke, Jake could feel her body stiffen by increments. When her eyes practically popped out of her head, he moved with the rapid speed the men in his family were known for. In a flash, he was on his feet, and she was deposited back in her seat, and he had backed away.
“MacKenzie, no!” Jake teased. “You have to wait. I know I’m difficult to resist, but you’re just going to have to try. This is how it’s going to be, coffee now, that’s what you said you wanted, Noelle next that’s what we both want and me later that’s what I want.”
If Jake could have captured the picture she presented with her mouth hanging open, and spluttering for the right words, he would have saved it for posterity.
Chapter 15
Still having heard nothing from Carlos; by 7:00 am Jake was on the phone to the family’s attorney discussing legal options. There were a few questions he needed to ask MacKenzie that would expedite the situation, but she was still upstairs resting, so now his questions would have to wait.
Their family lawyer, Delphine Hudson’s first piece of advice was for MacKenzie and Carlos to make an attempt to work out their differences in an amicable fashion. In the meantime, she would take steps to contact Carlos’ attorney. If both their attempts failed, she would be at the house by 9:00 am at the latest.
Just as Jake was getting ready to go upstairs and wake her, MacKenzie and Aviva put in an appearance.
Following Delphine’s suggestions, MacKenzie attempted to make contact with Carlos at ten-minute intervals, but it was to no avail, Carlos still remained conspicuously silent.
At exactly 8:55 am, Delphine entered the breakfast room where they were all gathered.
Rising to their feet, the men looked at Delphine as though they hoped she brought with her a solution to the problem they faced. When Delphine was seated, Jackson offered her breakfast.
Declining anything to eat, she accepted a cup of coffee. With the steaming brew in her hand, Delphine took a sip while she studied the younger women without comment.
**********
MacKenzie used the moments of silence to do her own perusal of the lawyer. Delphine Hudson was not what she had expected. The woman looked more than a little unkempt; giving the appearance that she had run out of the house without bothering to take the time to comb her hair. True, she wore a suit that MacKenzie could see was probably high end, but it looked terrible on her because she was so thin. So much so in fact, MacKenzie thought she looked emaciated. It took a concerted effort on her part not to fill a plate and insist the older woman eat every last mouthful.
“Which one of you is MacKenzie, afro chick or freckles?”
Pissed at being referred to as freckles, MacKenzie bit back a retort, acknowledged her identity, and waited to hear what the woman had to say.
“Now that surprises me. From what I can gather, you are at best Jezebel incarnate.”
“Did you just insult my wife?”
“Ah, you must be Jason,” without waiting for a response, Delphine turned her startling blue eyes to Jackson and spoke in an audible whisper. “Don’t even think about asking me to be this one’s godmother, two of them are quite enough!”
“Love you too, Delphine,” Josh quipped.
“Of course you do Joshua. The amount of times I’ve had to save your ass will live on in infamy. You can both show your adoration for me at a later date when you buy me lunch. You Jason,” Delphine said pointing across the table. “May also accompany them. Ladies, our luncheon will be taken separately. Now back to business.” Capturing MacKenzie’s gaze, Delphine threw out a question that caught her unawares. “What the hell did you do to piss that man off?”
Startled by the directness of the question, it took a few seconds for the words to register. “I didn’t do anything,” MacKenzie defended herself.
The sound that left Delphine’s mouth could at a stretch be categorized as mirth, but it grated on MacKenzie’s nerves. “I said I didn’t do anything to him!”
“Ah, so you’ve got some backbone have you, good, very good! You’re going to need it.” Still holding MacKenzie’s gaze Delphine continued. “I’ve spoken to Carlos’ attorney, and if there is anyone you don’t want to know what he had to say, I suggest you ask them to leave right now.”
“I’ve already told you; I haven’t done anything wrong, and I don’t care who hears what Carlos has to say!”
“Last chance, MacKenzie, I don’t have all day.”
Delphine’s insistence caused MacKenzie a moment of doubt as she considered what Carlos could have possibly said about her.