when I was a teen and wanted contacts badly, I
didn’t ask my parents for them. They worked so hard it seemed foolish to bug
them for something I didn’t really need.”
Mac wondered about growing up like that. He’d never wanted
for anything that money could buy. He’d always had too much stuff. After a
while, it all became invisible to him. “Your parents had a tough time of it?”
“Not as much as now.” She ran her finger over the rim of her
bagel, capturing a dab of cream cheese.
Mac wanted to ask what she meant but didn’t want to seem as
though he was grilling her. “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen. If not,
that’s cool too. Whatever’s good for you.”
After licking her finger, she murmured, “Dad lost his
manufacturing job when his company shipped the work overseas. For nearly two
years, he couldn’t get anyone to hire him. He’s a hard worker but everyone kept
saying that his skills were obsolete or he was too qualified, which means he’s
too old.” She frowned then sighed. “This place in Encino finally hired him. He
drives a delivery truck and stocks convenience stores with chips, candy and
other stuff. It’s a crappy job with weird hours and no benefits. If it weren’t
for my mom’s pay, they wouldn’t be making it.”
Mac sipped his coffee, not knowing how to comment. He felt
inadequate and slightly guilty because he’d had so much. “What’s your mom do?”
“She’s a part-time cashier at a grocery chain. She keeps
begging for more hours but can’t get them so she has to sell Avon stuff on the
side. I bought as much as I could of the products to help her out.”
He smiled. What an amazing daughter her parents had. “I have
noticed how good you smell.”
Jodi chuckled. “Avon would be pleased to hear that.” She
grabbed a melon ball. “What do your parents do?”
Mac spoke of them so infrequently it was a moment before he
could get started. “Dad owns an IT company in Silicon Valley. Last I heard,
he’s worth a couple of billion. Mom inherited her millions early so she’s never
worked.”
Jodi’s mouth hung open. She closed it quickly and asked,
“They’re actually that rich?”
“Yep.”
“You don’t seem impressed.”
“It’s only money.”
“Well yeah, but…” She popped the melon ball in her mouth,
chewed slowly then swallowed. “Don’t you guys get along?”
“You mean do I see them on a regular basis?”
“Yeah.”
He ran his toes over hers. Jodi smiled.
Her reaction to his touch meant more to Mac than his
parents’ wealth, not that he could confess such a thing to her. “Dad’s on his
sixth—no wait—his seventh marriage. Mom’s working on her fifth. They had kids
with a couple of their numerous spouses. I was the first, so they’ve been kind
of busy with other people since then.”
Her smile had already frozen and looked deeply pained. “I’m
so sorry.”
“About what?”
“Your family—your lack of one. It must have been tough
growing up. Are you close to your siblings?”
“Not really. They live all over the world.”
“How sad.”
Mac grinned self-consciously then joked, “Hey I survived. It
wasn’t that awful.”
Jodi didn’t look convinced. She rested her hand on his
thigh. “You must have been so lonely at times.”
Well yeah, but he’d been that way most of his life and had
just accepted being by himself as normal. After he’d gone crazy over women in
college, Mac had lost himself in his work. Right now, he couldn’t have cared
less about photography or his family. His head buzzed from her fingers stroking
him. “I like this song.”
Jodi looked over at the radio, her expression saying she
just noticed the music—a lyrical oldie with soft strains and subdued bass, the
singer crying the words, making a listener’s heart break.
Mac wrapped his fingers around hers and pushed to his feet.
She looked up, her gaze questioning.
“Dance with me?” he asked.
Surprise and pleasure flooded her
didn’t ask my parents for them. They worked so hard it seemed foolish to bug
them for something I didn’t really need.”
Mac wondered about growing up like that. He’d never wanted
for anything that money could buy. He’d always had too much stuff. After a
while, it all became invisible to him. “Your parents had a tough time of it?”
“Not as much as now.” She ran her finger over the rim of her
bagel, capturing a dab of cream cheese.
Mac wanted to ask what she meant but didn’t want to seem as
though he was grilling her. “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen. If not,
that’s cool too. Whatever’s good for you.”
After licking her finger, she murmured, “Dad lost his
manufacturing job when his company shipped the work overseas. For nearly two
years, he couldn’t get anyone to hire him. He’s a hard worker but everyone kept
saying that his skills were obsolete or he was too qualified, which means he’s
too old.” She frowned then sighed. “This place in Encino finally hired him. He
drives a delivery truck and stocks convenience stores with chips, candy and
other stuff. It’s a crappy job with weird hours and no benefits. If it weren’t
for my mom’s pay, they wouldn’t be making it.”
Mac sipped his coffee, not knowing how to comment. He felt
inadequate and slightly guilty because he’d had so much. “What’s your mom do?”
“She’s a part-time cashier at a grocery chain. She keeps
begging for more hours but can’t get them so she has to sell Avon stuff on the
side. I bought as much as I could of the products to help her out.”
He smiled. What an amazing daughter her parents had. “I have
noticed how good you smell.”
Jodi chuckled. “Avon would be pleased to hear that.” She
grabbed a melon ball. “What do your parents do?”
Mac spoke of them so infrequently it was a moment before he
could get started. “Dad owns an IT company in Silicon Valley. Last I heard,
he’s worth a couple of billion. Mom inherited her millions early so she’s never
worked.”
Jodi’s mouth hung open. She closed it quickly and asked,
“They’re actually that rich?”
“Yep.”
“You don’t seem impressed.”
“It’s only money.”
“Well yeah, but…” She popped the melon ball in her mouth,
chewed slowly then swallowed. “Don’t you guys get along?”
“You mean do I see them on a regular basis?”
“Yeah.”
He ran his toes over hers. Jodi smiled.
Her reaction to his touch meant more to Mac than his
parents’ wealth, not that he could confess such a thing to her. “Dad’s on his
sixth—no wait—his seventh marriage. Mom’s working on her fifth. They had kids
with a couple of their numerous spouses. I was the first, so they’ve been kind
of busy with other people since then.”
Her smile had already frozen and looked deeply pained. “I’m
so sorry.”
“About what?”
“Your family—your lack of one. It must have been tough
growing up. Are you close to your siblings?”
“Not really. They live all over the world.”
“How sad.”
Mac grinned self-consciously then joked, “Hey I survived. It
wasn’t that awful.”
Jodi didn’t look convinced. She rested her hand on his
thigh. “You must have been so lonely at times.”
Well yeah, but he’d been that way most of his life and had
just accepted being by himself as normal. After he’d gone crazy over women in
college, Mac had lost himself in his work. Right now, he couldn’t have cared
less about photography or his family. His head buzzed from her fingers stroking
him. “I like this song.”
Jodi looked over at the radio, her expression saying she
just noticed the music—a lyrical oldie with soft strains and subdued bass, the
singer crying the words, making a listener’s heart break.
Mac wrapped his fingers around hers and pushed to his feet.
She looked up, her gaze questioning.
“Dance with me?” he asked.
Surprise and pleasure flooded her
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