I look down at the doorknob, and for the sheer heck of it, decide to give it a turn. And what do you know, it opens. I slip inside and kick the door shut with my foot. “Mac?” I repeat, looking around the deserted living room. I step over to the kitchen, but it’s empty as well. Hmm.
I turn and head across the room and down the short hallway to her bedroom. Sure enough, the door’s ajar, and I can hear her moving inside. I nudge it with my elbow and enter the room.
An open suitcase is lying on the bed, and Mac’s at the other end of the room with her back to me, rummaging through one of her drawers. Then, without warning, she tosses a pair of sweatpants over her shoulder. However, instead of falling into the suitcase, they fly straight towards me. I barely have time to duck before they sail right over me and land in a heap by the doorway. “Hey, Mac, next time you start launching missiles, give me a heads-up, OK?”
Mac turns in surprise. “Harm! I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.” Her expression is one of distraction. Her hair’s wet, so she must’ve just taken a shower, and she’s changed out of her uniform into a pair of old jeans and a Duke University shirt. In my eyes, she’s never looked more beautiful.
“No problem.” I hold out a cup of cappuccino. “This is for you.”
She walks over to accept it gratefully. “Thanks.” She takes a long drink, then sets it down on her nightstand and returns to rifling through her set of drawers. I can see anger in her movements… she’s grabbing things and throwing them out of her way with a fierce intensity. She’s got “Cresswell” written all over her.
“I got our flight information from Coates before I left. Takeoff’s at 1700.” I fall silent for a moment, staring down into my coffee as I gently swirl it in the cup. “You OK?”
“What do you think?” she fires right back.
I take a deep breath. “I think you’re getting yourself all worked up over something that you have no control over.”
“Can you blame me?!” She whirls around, eyes blazing.
I meet her gaze calmly. “No, I can’t. But, Mac, you have to remember that we’re all human. Every single one of us makes mistakes.”
“Mistakes like that could cost me my career.” Mac fairly spits the words out, obviously infuriated with herself. “Everything I’ve worked for could be gone at the snap of his fingers.” And with that, she hurls a pair of socks into the suitcase. Taking a quick glance inside it, I see a combination of workout clothes and a few assorted items stuffed in there, along with a couple of pairs of Victoria’s Secret underwear that would’ve intrigued me had the situation been different.
I return my attention to Mac. “Let me ask you a question.”
She fidgets, but gives a reluctant nod.
“After seeing how he interacted with everybody at the office today, don’t you think you might be jumping to conclusions about his character a little too quickly?”
She shrugs helplessly, staring at the floor.
I repeat the advice I gave her on the frigate. “Give him a chance, Mac.” I take a few steps toward her. “Worrying isn’t going to help the situation.”
“I know, but…” She lets the sentence drift off and turns her big brown eyes up at me, and I can see the tears starting to form. “I feel so helpless.”
I put my coffee down and reach over to squeeze her shoulder. She slides into my arms, and I wrap her up. “It’s going to be all right, Mac. I promise.”
With the slightest sniffle, she tells me, “I want to believe that.”
I pull away from her a bit, forcing her to look at me. “Have I ever lied to you before?”
“No,” she says immediately. “You haven’t.”
“I don’t intend to start now. Trust me.”
She nods, lifting her chin just barely. “I do.”
I give her a grin. “Good. Now, you want some help packing?”
“Sure. I could use a couple more workout shirts.”
I do my best to pout. “Couldn’t you think of something a little more creative?”
That actually got me a laugh, and it’s music to my ears. “In your dreams!”
