Page 4 of Mac Meyers Needs Me

“Not at all,” Mac says smoothly.

I smile and pop a bite of my chicken pot pie in my mouth. Cammie gives the girl two thumbs-up.

She returns her attention to Mac. “Are you going to that big hockey gala thing?”

“Uh, yeah, probably.” Mac pokes at his bacon mac and cheese, eyeing it with the same longing that takes over my insides whenever I steal glances at him. My pining series might be slightly true to life.

“Do you have a date yet? My friend Chrissy is going with Lloyd. He just asked her yesterday. I’d really love to go. I hear it’s a lot of fun.” She bats her lashes and flips her hair over her shoulder.

It’s a smart strategy on her part. My stomach knots as we both wait for Mac’s reply. I shove the sharp jealousy down. Crushing on a guy in my friend group is a two thumbs-down situation. But Mac graduates at the end of the semester, and opportunity feels like it’s slipping through my fingers.

“Cool, cool. Lloyd’s a good guy. I haven’t made any decisions yet. But I’ll keep you in mind.” Mac winks.

The girl’s face lights up like a pinball machine. “Great!” She throws her arms around him in an enthusiastic hug. “I’ll see you at the game this weekend!”

“Sounds good.”

She flits off all smiles, with a bounce in her step and a shimmy in her hips.

Before Mac can take a bite of his meal, another girl comes over and asks the same question. As soon as she leaves, it happens again.

“You should probably just order salad, so you don’t have to worry about your food getting cold,” I say as he shoves a bite of tepid mac and cheese into his mouth and chews furiously.

He manages one more mouthful as girl four approaches. Mac adopts his megawatt smile while still chewing.

I jump in while his mouth is full. “The guy really needs to eat. He burns thousands of calories a day and he’s barely had a chance to touch his meal. Give the poor guy five minutes to nourish himself before you shoot your shot.”

Cammie bites her lips together, presumably to stifle her laugh.

Mac’s eyes go wide.

The girl’s face turns red. “I’m so sorry. I just…I’m sorry. I’ll come back later.”

I smile and aim for friendly and sincere. “Thanks. We don’t want him to end up with indigestion from shoveling it in too fast. It could affect his game.”

“Oh God. Of course not.” She flounces back to her table, glancing over her shoulder a couple of times.

“I bow to you,” Cammie says.

“You didn’t have to do that, but thanks.” Mac forks more mac and cheese into his mouth.

“You should keep eating, because I can only deflect so many girls before your magnetic allure attracts another one.” I motion to him with my fork.

“You’re right.” Mac assumes the feed-the-beast position. He curves one hand protectively around his plate, leans in so his face is only inches from his food, and barely takes a breath between bites. He looks a little feral and I like it. I’d eat like that too if I was interrupted ten times a meal.

“Do you have someone in mind for the hockey gala?” Cammie asks Mac, sort of innocently, sort of not.

She knows I think Mac is hot with his red hair, freckles and enticing dimple, but so does everyone else on campus, so I’m no snowflake.

Mac shrugs. “It’s a lot to take someone to those events, you know? Like so much pressure. I have to make sure they feel included, and that they mesh with my friends and their girlfriends.”

I tip my head. “Then why do you tell them you’ll keep them in mind?”

He swallows his bite before he answers. “I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

“But you’re giving them false hope.”

“I mean…I might ask someone, maybe,” he hedges.