Chapter Six: A Day At the Beach

Mackenzie pulled on her size sixteen jeans. She smiled to herself, 'I can't believe I can fit these.' It had been at least a month and a half since she had started training with John and she had lost twelve pounds. John had made sure she took the natural route, and losing weight was a slow process, it seemed, but the results were still showing. She had already dropped two sizes.

Mackenzie looked in the mirror. She still wasn't where she wanted to be, but she couldn't rush things. If it kept going like this, that forty pounds would be off in no time. She was feeling very optimistic when her cell phone rang. Smiling, she flipped it open without looking at the caller id, "Hello?"

"Mac? It's mom."

"Mom? I just called you last night!"

"Jeez. I love you too! You little-"

"Sorry. I was just on my way to a meeting."

"Really? Well that's great dear, but you seem to have forgotten something."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"You didn't call your father last night or send him a card or anything, did you?"

Mackenzie's eyes widened, "Shit! I forgot all about it being father's day. Oh my gosh, is he mad?"

"No, saddened is more like it," Natalie Moore couldn't help but smile a little bit after remembering the obvious look of hurt on the old man's face. 'Humph, serves him right.'

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Is it obvious? I guess my conscience got the better of me, and I decided to call and remind you. Not that I really wanted to…"

"Mom, I know dad has done a lot of shady things, but he's still my father. I'm going to call him as soon as my meeting is over."

"I assume by 'shady' you mean the fact that he abandoned his wife and only child for some blonde, big-breasted bimbo, young enough to be your sister?!"

Mac let out a sigh, "Yah, I suppose that's what I meant."

"Listen, I understand you feel the need to wish him a happy father's day, Mac. Just don't do it because you feel obligated. You don't have to be so understanding, you know?"

"Mom, I know, believe me. I'll admit, I do feel a bit obligated, but dad is still my father no matter what he's done. I was twenty when he left you, mom, not ten. He didn't abandon me, and as much as it hurt me, dad was there through the important times in my life. Just like you. So, in my eyes, he deserves something for father's day, just like you deserve something on mother's day."

Natalie let out a sigh, "Well, when you put it like that."

"I know…"

"It's just…"

"Mom, don't do it to yourself. Just because I love dad, it doesn't mean you have to."

"I know, and you're right. The only person your father abandoned was me. That's alright though, because I may have found him a replacement!"

"WHAT!"

"I'll tell you about it later, dear. You have a meeting to get to, and I have to get some things done too."

"Alright…I'll talk to you later, mom."

"Oh, and I understand you'll be close to home this weekend?"

"Yah, we're going to be in Norfolk."

"So you'll be popping by to see your mother?"

"Of course I will. Just don't invite anyone over, okay?"

"Mac-"

"MOM! Don't do it, or I won't come by again, and I won't call from the road anymore. Got it?"

"Fine."

"Good. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. Bye."

Mackenzie plopped down on the bed and let out a breath as she flung her phone onto the other bed. She had forgotten father's day. She looked at the clock. There was no time to think of it now. Mackenzie had to get over to Vince's office and turn in her folder. She had lied about there being a meeting. Mac had just thought it would get her mom off the phone sooner. She had been wrong, apparently, as they had talked for nearly thirty minutes.

Yawning, Mackenzie finally pulled her butt off the bed, grabbing her purse and her folder as she did. She checked around the room to make sure she had everything, then left. As she drove toward the arena, Mac still had this sneaking feeling she forgot something back at the hotel. She tried to shake the feeling as she parked her rental in the lot.

"Hey, Mac!" She heard a familiar voice call from behind her as she climbed out of her car. Mackenzie turned around to see Rene Dupree waving from his car. 'What is he doing here?' She decided to ask him, "Hi, Rene. What brings you here?"

Rene smiled as he made his way over to her, "So, how are you doing today?"

"I'm good, but that doesn't tell me why you're here," Mackenzie caught him trying to evade the question.

A slight blush crept onto Rene's face as he looked around to make sure no one was in ear-shot, "You promise to keep a secret?"

Mackenzie shrugged, "Sure. What's up?"

"I am looking for…" he trailed off and looked around. He then motioned for her to lean closer. Mackenzie let out a breath and leaned in, "I came here because Jackie said she would meet me."

"Jackie? Jackie Gayda?" Mac held in a giggle, "Why is that such an important secret?"

"I don't know…I just…" Rene could feel himself blushing again, "I really like Jackie and I have been trying to get her to go on a date with me for weeks, but she had this thing where she didn't want to date co-workers, you know?"

"Okay…so what changed to make you think you have a shot?"

"Yesterday, I bumped into her at the mall. We went to a couple shops together and then she dropped something and…"

Mackenzie looked up at him to urge him on, but when she did, she saw that while his face only portrayed a little pink, his ears were scarlet red. "Rene," she chuckled, "did something happen? C'mon, finish the story."

"Okay…she dropped something and we both went to pick it up. Well, we bumped heads, and the next thing I know, I'm kissing her. When it was over, she tried to walk away, but I stopped her and apologized." He paused then looked around again, "Then, she said, 'Why are you apologizing? I liked it just as much as you did.'"

Mackenzie smiled, "Gee, I had no idea that you felt that way about Jackie."

"No one does-except John. He's the one that told me I should come here today and ask her out. He said that if she says no, then just grab her and kiss her until she says yes."

Mackenzie laughed aloud, "That sounds like something he would say."

"Yah-Hey! How is the training going? You've been really pushing it in the gym. You're looking good, Mac. Sorry I haven't been going with the two of you these past couple of weeks," Rene smiled. The gym is where he and Mac had gotten to know each other better. In fact, Rene had become a real motivator and an assistant of sorts to John. Mackenzie had to admit, it was fun training with the both of them. Mackenzie had wondered what happened to Rene when he stopped joining them, but now she had a pretty good idea of what he had been up to.

"So, let me guess, Rene. You've changed your workout schedule so that you go to the gym on the same day as Miss Jackie?"

Rene's ears, which had started to go back to normal, flared up again as he bent his head down, "Yah…" he shrugged, "she asked me to after the first time I asked her out. I guess she felt bad or something for turning me down."

"I don't think so. She probably just wanted to spend time with you without being so obvious. I bet she wants the same thing you do. John's right. You should go in there and ask her out on a date. If she says no, just follow John's advice and kiss some sense into her."

Rene smiled, "Alright. I'll see you later, Mac. Thanks."

"No problem," Mackenzie waved as she watched him walk away. She couldn't believe how different he was from his on screen character. 'Rene may have the appearance of a grown man, but he's still only twenty…and it shows,' she thought to herself as she grabbed her things and headed in as well.

John dialed the number again. He held the phone up to his ear, but still received no answer. He flipped the phone closed again, then tucked it in his pocket. It wasn't like Mac to not pick up her phone. He glanced back at the ocean behind him. He had been trying to get a hold of Mac all morning, but she wouldn't answer.

He had told her last week that he was going to go to beach, and had asked if she wanted to come. Her exact words were, 'I don't do the beach and I certainly don't do bathing suits either.' He figured she knew what he was up to, and was trying to avoid him. John let out a sigh as he began to walk back toward his rental. He'd just have to go over to her hotel and drag her out by her hair.

Mackenzie stuffed her key into the door of her room. She checked her watch as she opened it, "I can't believe it's only eleven. I feel like I've been out all day." When she walked in, she tossed all her crap on the floor and waltzed over to where her phone lay innocently on the bed.

"AND YOU! You stupid phone! I knew I forgot something this morning, and you choose that time of all times not to ring! You just wanted to stay home and sleep, is that it?" Mackenzie chuckled slightly at herself before picking it up and checking the id for missed calls. 'Seven missed calls?' She looked them up. Two were from her father and five were from John. 'Hmm…' she mused, 'wonder what was so important that he had to call me five times…'

Just as she was about to flip her phone open and dial his number, there was a knock at the door. Mac shrugged and tossed the phone back on the bed as she crossed the room to open the door. She looked into the peephole to see John sticking his tongue out at her.

She opened the door allowing John to walk past her as she began to talk, "I was just about to call you back. I forgot my phone this morning and I just got back." When she finished shutting the door, she began to pull off her shoes. She didn't even think to look at him as she continued to talk, "My feet are killing me. I went to the arena today at eight to turn in my folder. Well, that's what I thought, anyway. I bumped into Stephanie and we ended up going through some more of the plans for the pay per view this weekend. I ended up staying there for the better part of three hours. I wish they would tell me these things before hand so I would've known what I was getting into this morn-" Mackenzie stopped abruptly when she turned around to face him. Her stomach dropped as soon as she laid eyes on him.

He was sitting her bed playing poker on her phone as she looked him over. He had taken off his hat and sunglasses and was wearing a wife beater, swimming trunks, and a pair of old tennis shoes. He looked up and half-smiled. She felt her knees going weak.

Mackenzie swallowed, trying to regain her composure, "You weren't listening to one word I said, were you?"

"Nope. You caught me. Sorry," he stood and crossed the room to where she stood. "I came here to drag you out to the beach with me."

Mackenzie's eyes widened, "I told you I don't do beaches."

"Yah, I remember, and you 'don't do bathing suits either', right?"

"Correct," Mackenzie confirmed as she began to walk around him to the bathroom. She was almost past him when he grabbed her by the wrist lightly, but to the point where she couldn't pull away. He then languidly pulled her back to him in a way that left them in a position where he stood behind her, one arm holding her wrist and the other wrapped firmly around her. Her back pressed against his chest and her free hand rested instinctively on the arm around her waist.

Shock waves ran throughout her veins as a reaction to the sudden closeness to him. She prayed he didn't know what this was doing to her as she felt his chin come to rest lightly on her left shoulder. She kept herself from trembling as he spoke normally-as if holding her this way was just an everyday gesture. She fought to keep her breathing normal and her cheeks from flaring. Through all of this concentration, she heard him speak, "C'mon, Mac. It's just a beach. It'll be fun."

She took a silent breath and tried to practice some of his nonchalance, "I grew up around the beach, John. I don't need to see it all the time."

"That's not the point, Mac. I thought you might like to take a break from training and build a sand castle or something."

Mackenzie chuckled slightly, "It's just that I…" she could feel his breath on her cheek and it caused her stomach to flutter again. She forced herself to continue, "I don't like bathing suits."

"No one likes bathing suits, Mac."

"I don't feel comfortable in them. I'll feel like everyone is looking at me," her admittance surprised even herself.

John's grip tightened slightly around her waist, pulling her closer, but keeping her far enough away to keep the effect of this nearness to her a secret, "No one's going to see except me. It'll just be us two, and besides, you'll be in the water most of the time, and when you get out, you can cover up with a towel."

Mackenzie let out a sigh, but before she could protest he was squeezing her tighter, "Pleeeeaaaaaassssseee???"

Mackenzie thought it over again, then sighed. She knew John wouldn't laugh at her, and it's not like he'd look at her in any light other than that of a friend. So what did it matter? Mac nodded her head, "Alright. Let's go."

John spun her around to face him and smiled, "Great! Grab your shit-I'll be in the car."

Mac nodded before he released her and headed for the door, "Don't keep me waiting too long!" John said before leaving the room and heading down the stairs toward the car. He had to get a few minutes away from her in order to calm himself down. One more minute of being that close to her, and he may have ravaged the Hell out of her.

He shook his head of all those thoughts. He took a few deep breaths and thought of something completely un-arousing. He closed his eyes and pictured the Big Show in a thong. He grimaced at the thought, but it had worked. Little did he know, that Mackenzie was in her room trying to do the exact same thing-calm down.

Mac wringed her hands several times in order to stop their trembling. He had been so close to her. She could still feel his breath on her cheek, his arm around her, and the warmth on her back where she had been pressed against him. She shook her head violently as she tried to forget it.

She rushed over to the sink and splashed cold water on her face. She took in another deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her heart beat began to regulate and her hands regained their composure. Her head now finally cleared, Mackenzie changed into her one-piece, navy-blue, white outlined bathing suit.

She tied her hair up, tossed on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and some flip-flops. Not even caring to look in the mirror (she already knew she looked like a mess), Mackenzie grabbed a body towel and some money, then headed out the door. She'd have to borrow some sun block from John or buy some from one of the shops. It was noon when she shut the door.

four hours later

Mackenzie screamed as John picked her up and body-slammed her into the ocean. She retaliated with a spear, but her plan back-fired as he dragged her down into the water with him. He resurfaced first then pulled her up, "Having fun yet?"

"Yah, actually. I haven't had this much fun since…" Mackenzie broke off with another laugh, "John, I don't think I've ever had this much fun."

John smiled, "I told you so!"

"Shut up!" She knocked him off his feet and into the water, then took off running toward the shore. When she made it, she grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her waist. She turned back to the shore to see John using his hand to summon her back into the ocean and 'bring it on.'

Mackenzie shook her head and impersonated Stone Cold's most famous move as she flipped him the bird. She laughed when she saw John's jaw drop, but she stopped when she saw that he was, in fact, coming her way with that little smirk on his face. She swallowed hard as she watched him emerge from the water. She turned around abruptly and tried to think of something-anything other than John's wet, dripping bare chest. "Ah!" Mackenzie pulled out her phone-that's what she'd do! She'd check the time!

She turned around and came nose to nose with John, who had snuck up on her. She screamed and fell right on her ass and into the sand. John laughed, "Oops."

Mackenzie narrowed her eyes playfully at him as she picked up her phone and checked the clock. Her eyes then widened in disbelief, "John, it's already four-thirty."

"Really?" He pretended to be interested, and took her phone. He then shrugged and tossed it aside.

Mackenzie stood up and guffawed, "That's an expensive phone!"

He just smiled and leaned closer, "You know, you really shouldn't give a man an invitation, only to bring him to you so you can tell him the time and yell at him."

Mackenzie blushed, "That wasn't an invitation!"

He chuckled, "I know. I just wanted to see you blush."

Mackenzie's blush deepened, "That's it. You're in for it now!"

"No, actually, you're in for it!" John corrected as he heaved her over his shoulder, practically without effort, and started carrying her back toward the ocean water.

Mac kicked and punched, but eventually gave up and tried logic, "John, it's nearly five. We should be getting back. You're going to be exhausted and you have a show tomorrow. Besides, neither of us have eaten anything yet…aren't you hungry?"

"Yah, I'm hungry, and I know I have a show tomorrow, but I'm not done splashing around yet," John informed before tossing her in.

When Mac came back up she glared at him, "I swear, on everything that's holy, I'm going to get you for that." The words were a calm, even threat.

"Yah, but you've got to try and survive the rest of the day first."

It was six o'clock when they finally made it back to the hotel. Mackenzie let out a yawn before plopping down, stomach first, onto the bed closest to the door. John followed shortly, landing on his back right next to her. "Damn, I'm really fuckin' tired."

"Well what did you expect?" Mackenzie's voice was muffled somewhat by the pillow in which her face was buried. "I mean, really, did you have to toss me back in?"

John yawned, "Of course."

There was a comfortable silence as they lay there and tried to regain some strength in their legs. It was their stomachs that were the first to say anything, as they growled simultaneously. Mackenzie chuckled as she clumsily reached for the phone book with the intention of finding a restaurant that delivered. When she dropped it, both of them cracked up.

"Good one," John chuckled.

"Shut up. At least I tried," Mackenzie stated as she attempted to roll over. When she bumped into John, she realized she was going the wrong way, "Sorry." She apologized before rolling the other way and almost completely off the bed. John had turned on his side and grabbed her before she could.

He pulled her to him and sighed into her hair, "We'll eat later. I think it's time for a nap."

Mackenzie could feel those surges coursing throughout her body again, but she could do nothing to stop it. Weakly she agreed, "Okay."

John yawned before burying his face in her neck and seemingly dozing off to sleep. Mac couldn't sleep right away though. She was thinking about how close she and John had grown since he started training her. Today had been the first they had actually spent an entire day together in a long time though. Not that it mattered, she supposed, but she loved being with him. They always had a good time and she never felt awkward around him.

Well, except in instances like this. Whenever she got close to him, or he got close to her, she would react. She believed she kept her secret hidden pretty well because she was able to appear calm when on the inside she was flustered as Hell. For some reason she thought back to the discussion she had with Rene earlier that day. He was brave to tell Jackie how he felt. She wished she had that kind of bravery, but she didn't want to mess things up with their friendship.

No, that wasn't it. She knew revealing herself to John wouldn't ruin anything. She was just scared as Hell that it was only one-sided. She let out a sigh. They had known each other for a little over two months now. It had gone by so fast, that now it seemed like ages ago since that night he kissed her. If whatever had compelled him to kiss her was still inside him, then maybe she had a chance…even if it was just an accident.

Mackenzie picked up one of his hands and laced her fingers with his, something she figured he wouldn't notice since he was out cold. She didn't want to move anything too quickly. Hell, she didn't want to think about it anymore. All she wanted to do was sleep, and that was her last thought before she drifted off. When her breathing slowed and her muscles relaxed, John squeezed the hand that was interlaced with his own, closed his eyes, and did the same.

HEY! Why are you still on this chapter??? Go! Go forth and read the next one!!!