Many thanks to iworkwithpens for all of her input!
Mac was sitting at her desk late on a Saturday morning. For once there wasn't anyone else in the office. She had been working on a few projects that she couldn't get to during the week.
After she'd finished up all she wanted to get done she began looking for a place to have lunch. She was craving a hamburger. An honest to God greasy burger made from beef. She rarely ate red meat but for some reason she was craving beef. She was Googling for a recommendation.
Will had stopped by his office to pick up something he'd forgotten when he saw Mac's light on. He walked over and stood in her doorway. "Hey"
Mac smiled and looked up at him. "Hi, what are you doing here?"
"Came to pick up a file, you?"
"Currently I'm looking for a place to have a great hamburger."
He was taken aback. This was Mac. She rarely ate red meat and he couldn't remember the last time she had a hamburger. "You want a hamburger?"
"I know. I've had a craving for a couple of days now for a hamburger. Where would you go? Best place around here."
He came fully into her office and sat down. "I know the perfect place. It's a little hole in the wall but they have the best meat. It's never frozen and they cut their own fries."
"I'm sold. Where is this place?"
He smiled at her. "Come on, my treat," he said getting up. "Let me buy you lunch."
"You don't have to do that…."
"Please have lunch with me Mackenzie. How often is it that you're craving a hamburger?"
She smiled at him. "Thanks. I'm not exactly dressed appropriately," she said.
"You're fine," he said. "Meet me in my office when you're ready."
"Thanks. I'll be right there."
He walked back to his office with a smile on his face. He found the file he originally came in for and was cleaning up his desk when she walked in. She was wearing running tights, bright purple and gray running shoes, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. She was pulling her hair back while she stood there waiting on him.
"Are you sure I'm dressed appropriately?"
"You look great," he said coming around his desk. He put his arm on her back and said, "come on."
Lonny drove them to a very small restaurant not too far from the studio and waited in the SUV after making sure the restaurant was clear for Will.
"So, what do you get here?"
"How hungry are you," he asked placing his hand on her back, leaning down a little. She was so much shorter than normal.
"I'm pretty hungry."
"Okay," he said pointing out a couple of different options for her. She ordered and then he placed his order and paid for their lunch. She got their cups and filled them with Diet Coke and found a place to sit.
He joined her in the booth. "Thanks," he said when she pushed his soda to him.
"Thank you for lunch," she said smiling at him. They really hadn't had any time alone out in public.
They chatted about office gossip and when their food arrived Mac smiled. "This is exactly what I was craving, thank you," she said and placed her hand on his arm.
He smiled and said, "you're welcome. I hope you enjoy."
They both ate their burgers and shared fries. He even remembered to get her mayonnaise for her to mix with ketchup for her fries.
"Thank you," she said smiling at him.
"What are you doing this afternoon," he asked. He was hoping to persuade her to go to Brooks Brothers with him. She had great taste in clothes and she had always helped him shop.
"No plans, why?"
"Do you want to go shopping with me?"
"Where are you going?"
"Brooks Brothers and maybe Armani."
"I'd love to go. What are we shopping for?"
He thought she was excited about shopping. She actually was excited to be spending time with him outside of the office. "Casual clothes. I'm playing in a celebrity golf tournament next weekend and need some nice casual clothes."
"Where's the tournament?"
"Martha's Vineyard."
"The Vineyard will be nice this time of year. Is it a charity event?"
"It is, that's all I know. My agent set it up."
She finished her burger and put her napkin on her plate. "That was great, thank you."
He smiled at her. "You're welcome. Thanks for coming with me." They were being very careful around one another. They hadn't been out alone at a non-work function in a long time. He was having a great time with her. He always had a great time with her any time they were together.
As they left the restaurant he asked, "do you feel like walking?"
"It's going to freak Lonny out, but I'm in." Will spoke to Lonny, who as Mac predicted, didn't like the idea of him out on the street, but he agreed to trailing them in the SUV. Will grabbed a ball hat and his sunglasses and put them on.
As they made their way to the store Will saw a large tourist group coming their way, taking up the entire sidewalk. He stepped back against a building and pulled Mac against him just as they started by. She was holding herself very still. Will had his hand on her hip and partially across her stomach, holding her to himself. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "gotta love tourists," he said with a smile and she relaxed back against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He was enjoying this closeness, as was Mac. He was concentrating on her neck and how close he was to her. He thought he caught a scent of vanilla. After the last of the tourists passed, he stepped out and they began walking again, very close to one another.
When they entered Brooks Brothers he took off his sunglasses and hung them on his shirt. They had refused assistance as they walked in explaining they wanted to look around.
Mac went to a rack of pants and found a pair of nicer corduroy pants in a camel color that would look great on him. She found his size and held them, continuing to look. She picked up some golf pants and chinos for him to try on as well. She picked out some sweaters and casual shirts for him to try along with the pants.
When she met him at the belts he had a few items he wanted to try on as well. He smiled at the items she'd picked out. He was touched that she knew what size to pick out, she remembered.
"Thanks. Come sit while I try these on," he said walking to the dressing room area. He took his hat and sunglasses off and asked Mac to hold them for him and walked in to a dressing room. Mac sat just outside in a very comfortable chair holding his things for him.
"Any requests," he asked from within the dressing room.
"The cords with the dark oatmeal sweater, and a collared shirt, do you have one in there?"
"No, no collared shirt."
Mac asked the gentleman assisting them for a button down dress shirt in a sixteen and a half collar size. Will smiled to himself.
The gentleman handed Will a shirt to try on to see what the sweater would look like. Will put the outfit on and came out to show Mac. "What do you think?"
She smiled at him and looked at him, head to toe. "Turn to the side," and she looked from that angle and then, "turn around," and finally, "face me, please." She got up and walked all the way around him, looking at him from different angles, her hand running along his waist as she came around him and winked at him.
"Well?"
"Perfect," she said smiling at him. "You look great."
He smiled at her. "Thank you. What would you like to see next?"
"Your choice. I think this is my favorite one. I love this color on you," she said touching his arm.
He smiled and said, "right back."
While she was waiting on him she took a seat again. He showed her everything that they both picked out. He ended up purchasing all of the items that she chose and none of the ones he chose. She had great taste and knew what would look good on him. While they were packing his purchases he stood behind her chair and placed his hands on her shoulders, causing her to look back at him. She smiled and wondered what he was up to. He leaned down and kissed her head. "Thank you for helping me pick out clothes."
She turned and said, "you're welcome. I love to do this." All the while she was wondering, what did the kiss mean? "Are we going to the Armani store?"
He didn't want her to leave, so he said, "please, if you have time."
"I've plenty of time," she said handing him his hat and sunglasses.
"Thank you."
The drive to the Armani store was full of chatter and teasing between Will and Mac. Lonny wasn't sure what had changed, but something had, he thought to himself, smiling. He parked and walked them to the store, keeping back as far as possible. Will, once again, had his hat and sunglasses on.
When they were greeted at the door Mac asked if Vincent was working. The greeter called Vincent and he appeared. "Mackenzie," he said, kissing her cheeks and broke into Italian. Will had never heard her speak Italian and didn't know she knew the language.
"Will McAvoy this is Vincent Roselli." Will shook his hand. "Vincent and I used to be neighbors in Rome when we were teenagers," she explained. He smiled and nodded.
"Have you lived here long," Will asked.
"A few years now. What may I assist you with today? What are we shopping for, anything specific?"
"Will is looking for some casual clothes. Dressier but still casual."
"Let me show you a few things," he said.
Will placed his hand on her back and said, "I didn't know you spoke Italian."
"Vincent taught me Italian and I taught him English."
"Look around here and I have a pair of pants that I think you'll like. Do you prefer a flat front?"
"Pleated," Mac answered for him. "Sorry," she said placing her hand on his arm, "do you want flat?"
He smiled at her. "Pleated, please." Vincent left them to find the pants and he pulled her to his side. "Thanks for your help."
"You're welcome. Vincent will find us, let's look around and see if you see anything you want to try on."
They wandered around looking at the clothes, each touching the other to get their attention. They moved to the underwear section and he asked her, "do you like boxer briefs?"
She smiled at him and said, "yes. I think they are very sexy, but I'm not the one wearing them. Have you tried them?"
He shook his head.
"Do you want to try some?" When he hesitated she added, "you'd look great in them, trust me."
He didn't know how to react. They were flirting with one another but was he just torturing himself. He'd had a great time with her, he always had, the voice in his head argued. Was he ready to be with her again? He needed to decide.
"I don't know, Mac."
"You don't have to," she said, squeezing his shoulder. "There's Vincent."
Will took the clothes and the pants that Vincent brought to a dressing room. Mac was waiting outside for him. He tried on the pants and loved them. When he showed them to her, she agreed, he had to have these pants.
After deciding on the clothes Vincent said he would take them to the front. Vincent kissed Mac and thanked her for stopping by and suggested they have dinner soon, to which she agreed.
"You and Vincent," he asked her when Vincent had left.
She figured out that he was asking if there was anything going on with them. She smiled and said, "he would prefer you over me, sweetheart."
He nodded, accepting her answer.
"Why?"
"You seemed close."
"We've been friends for a long time."
"I miss you, Mac. Today reinforced that. Yes, I see you almost every day and we talk everyday, but it's about work or the news. We don't hang out and go do things together."
"I didn't know that you wanted that, Billy."
"I do want that, I want to spend the day together and go to movies, all that. I guess today just reinforced that for me."
"Okay, we can do all of those things. " She could tell he was still worked up. "How about we go get your clothes and we go talk some either at your apartment or at the brownstone?"
"Brownstone."
"Okay, we'll go to the brownstone and sit on the roof, how about that?"
"Sounds nice. I'll go pay for the clothes."
Mac found Lonny and waited with him for Will to finish up. He had his sunglasses on when he joined them. They made their way back to the SUV and Will explained that they were going to Mac's.
