Page 71 of What Started In Deception

“You said Mac’s one of your best friends?”

She nodded. “I’d say she’s my closest friend. She used to own a high-end salon in Shoalmans Bay. I would get my hair done there when I was visiting. She and I clicked from the beginning. I introduced her to Will.”

“Oh, really?”

She nodded as she grinned, tilting her head to look at him. “Apparently, I’m quite the matchmaker.”

He liked that she was smiling—that she seemed relatively relaxed. “What’s their marriage like?”

“Strong. Solid. They adore each other. I want something like they have.”

“And obviously, they have Everly and Maverick.”

She nodded as she smiled again. “Everly’s four. She was born with Down syndrome.”

“I remember that making the headlines.”

She nodded again. “She’s super smart. She’s doing really well. Will and Mac have worked so hard with her. She had some speech delays, and she’s needed some physical and occupational therapy, but she’s right on track with her peers for the most part.”

“That’s great.”

Her smile was back as her palms started to wander along his arms, making it to the hem of his short sleeves before they headed back toward his wrists. “Mac ended up selling her salon shortly after Everly was born. She had planned to work part-time, but Ev needed her more, so she and Will made the decision to let her business go.”

“That must have been tough.”

She shrugged. “Mac’s super dedicated to the kids—to her family—so I don’t think it was all that tough.”

“It sounds like it worked out.”

“I’d say so.” Suddenly, she huffed out a laugh as she shook her head.

He wrapped her up tighter. “What?”

“I’m just thinking about Ev and the swimming pool. She hates everything about it. But her OT and PT want to see her in the water this summer. She can be stubborn, but I have every plan on making pool time happen.”

“You really like to swim, huh?”

She nodded. “I do. I swam competitively in high school, but I just want her to have fun.”

He gave her a gentle jostle. “I have every confidence that you can make it happen.”

She grinned as she looked at him again. “Thanks.”

“So, what should I know about Maverick?”

“He’s a super cute baby whom I can’t wait to snuggle. Mac actually had a really tough pregnancy with him. She was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum during the first few months.”

He frowned as he shook his head. “I don’t know what that is.” But he liked that Lydia was offering up information freely—like in any other normal conversation they typically had.

“It’s extreme morning sickness that lasts all day, every day. She was in the hospital a couple of times because they couldn’t keep her hydrated. I spent most of last summer taking care of Everly while Aunt Cindy and Mac’s mom took turns flying in to help Will take care of her. She was really sick until she hit the five-month mark. It was pretty stressful and scary.”

“It sounds like it.”

She nodded. “But this summer, there are no pregnancies to speak of, so it should be much smoother sailing.”

“I’m sure Mac’s okay with that.”

Lydia chuckled as her hands started wandering along his skin again. “I haven’t heard her complain.”