When You're Gone

Rose really had to hand it to Will: less than two weeks later he'd booked the church, the reception hall (a beautiful ballroom in a four star hotel), the caterers and the florists. Everything came together seamlessly. Rose didn't think she'd ever seen her friends so completely happy. It was almost sickening.

"Life is wonderful," Ronny cooed to Will, "Isn't it, baby?" He made a noise of agreement and nestled closer to her. Rose looked away.

"Hey, I gotta get going, Ronny. I have another exam tomorrow." She gathered up her belongings and headed for the door to Will's apartment. "I'll be around in the afternoon if you want to hang out or something."

Ronny sprang up from the couch. "You have to be around. Tomorrow night is our bachelorette party!" She grinned. "Come on Rose, please? It'll be fun. We'll hit a few clubs and make all the men in San Angeles crazy with desire! It's gonna rock!"

"I don't know, Ronny. Clubbing isn't exactly my thing, you know. Can't we just stay in and watch a few chick flicks or something?"

"That's no fun at all, Rose. One night out isn't going to kill you. In fact, it'll probably do you a lot of good. You haven't been out with anyone since Mack."

"I haven't wanted to go out since Mack and I broke up," Rose shot back. "But since I know I'll never hear the end of it if I don't go, I guess it's not going to kill me."

"Yes!" Ronny punched the air. "I win!"

--

Mack watched as Will tipped back his shot glass. "This is the stuff," Will proclaimed. There was a definite slur in the former black ranger's words. Mack nodded so as to shut his friend up, bobbing his head along to the blaring music the club was playing. He took another sip of his beer, trying to be sparing of it. He was going to end up as designated driver, he was sure.

"Hey guys!" called the familiar voice of Dax Lo as he approached the bar where is old friends sat. "Let's get this party started! This is one of Will's very last nights as a free man and he needs to go out with a bang!"

"Amen to that," declared Will, clanking his shot glass against Mack's beer bottle. "Another round, fellas?" Dax noddded enthusiastically to Will's suggestion. Mack was beginning to wonder why he'd ever mentioned having a bachelor party to Will. The club scene wasn't for him. He didn't belong there, and he knew it.

He looked around at the other club goers, wondering what their secret was. They all seemed to be having a good time. Why couldn't he? Mack's attention turned back to Dax and Will, who were still doing shots. That was just great. Just what Mack needed tonight, two drunk friends to deliver home to their significant others.

Mack decided to abandon the beer he hadn't really wanted in the first place. He turned on the stool, leaning back against the bar, watching the heavily made-up girls shaking everything they had against seedy guys in wife beater tank tops. Mack groaned softly to himself. What the hell had he been thinking?

A group of girls came up to the bar, ordering a round of drinks. One of them, a pretty raven haired girl with deep brown eyes, looked at him hopefully. "Aren't you Mack Hartford? The billionaire?"

"Yes," Mack replied dully. 'The billionaire' was not how he preferred to be known. He didn't have anything to do with Hartford Industries, and he certainly didn't sponge off of his father. but the woman was smiling at him. She held out a tiny hand for him to shake. Mack did, but only out of politeness.

"I'm Lilly," she told him. "I think it's really cool how you went your own way in life and became a photographer."

"Thanks," Mack said, genuinely pleased with her words. Most people seemed to think he was crazy for turning down the family business and actually working for a living. It was a welcome change. He told her as much, and Lilly smiled.

"Are you here with anyone special?" she asked shyly. Mack shook his head, looking her up and down once more. She was very pretty, and she seemed to be into him. This could very well be what he was looking for tonight.

Will leaned over Mack and extended a hand towards Lilly. "My boy Mack here is trying to get over his girl tonight. Help him out with that." Mack shoved the black ranger away, grinning sheepishly towards his new acquaintance. "No, really, he is. It's been five years and he's just now coming out again."

"Shut up, Will," said Mack through clenched teeth. "And no more of that, either," he added as he took the shot glass from his friend. Will glared and picked up Mack's abandoned beer bottle.

Lilly was still looking at Mack. "So, um, do you wanna dance? Since you're here with your friends and so am I…" Mack considered this for a moment.

"I don't really dance though," he said apologetically. "I have two left feet. I wouldn't want to embarrass you or anything."

But then the music changed to a slow song and Lilly grabbed his hand. "Come on," she said, "It'll be fun. Slow dancing isn't hard at all, and I know you can." Mack glanced at Dax and Will, who both nodded encouragingly.

"Sure, why not?" Mack answered, allowing the woman he barely knew to pull him across the club to the middle of the dance floor. Without a second's hesitation her arms were wrapped around his shoulders. Rose would never be coming on to a guy she barely knew in a club, Mack couldn't help but think. But he had to forget about her. He moved closer to the young woman in front of him. She smelled like cheap perfume and hairspray.

She was beaming up at him now, and he managed to smile back. "You wanna get outta here?" Lilly whispered seductively. Mack's breath caught in his throat. A sudden flash of silver caught his eye. He followed it to the hand of another woman, petite and dressed in a pink tank top and black skirt. The silver flash was a ring…shaped like a rose. Its owner turned slightly, allowing Mack to see her profile. Rose…smart, sassy, sexy Rose…his Rose…

"Rose," he breathed softly. Lilly looked at him as if he were crazy.

"My name isn't Rose, it's Lilly. And you wanna come back to my place or what?"

Mack ignored this. "Excuse me for a minute," he said unwinding her arms from his shoulders and striding away. He found himself a table near the one Rose, Ronny and Mira were gathered around.

She was even prettier than he remembered. Still petite and delicate looking, her face had rounded out slightly in the five years they'd been apart, giving her a look of graceful maturity. But her pretty features hadn't changed. Same smile, same gorgeous brown eyes. She was laughing at something Ronny had said, her eyes sparkling. It hit him then how much he'd missed her.

"Mack!" cried Ronny, spotting him amongst the crowd. "Come over here!" she waved at him enthusiastically. He noticed that Rose scurried over to the bar to get drinks. "Hey you," Ronny greeted, hugging him. He'd forgotten that she could be overly affectionate.

"Hello Mack," Mira said politely. "Are Dax and Will around here?"

"They're at the bar," Mack answered. Then, suddenly, Rose reappeared. She purposely didn't make eye contact with him. "Anyway, I gotta go home. I have work on my layout to do before I send the photos in to the magazine."

"God he looks good," Rose murmured as Mack walked out of the club.