Dick ran back to his room and grabbed a couple of things. He knew where he was going to spend the afternoon and needed only a few supplies. He hurriedly changed into completely dry clothes and found some flip-flops for Mac. Dick returned to the door in under a minute and found a tired but happy Mac waiting for him, leaning against the wall.

The hands she had over her ears earned a laugh from him.

When they got to the basement parking lot, Mac couldn't find Dick's truck.

"It's not here," he said with a cocky grin when he noticed what she was looking for.

"You got rid of your truck?"

"I traded up," said Dick. "It's in here," he led her to an enclosed garage within the Grand's underground parking structure. Inside she saw Logan's Land Rover, several surf boards, a kayak, two motorcycles, and a bright blue Jeep Wrangler. She knew instantly it was Dick's; she thought it looked like him.

"What no sports car? Between the two of you, I thought at least one would have a token Maserati," she teased.

"Eh, we're still too young for the mid-life crisis. Logan and I are trying to be as different from our dads as possible. So, you like?"

"It's blue," she offered, still processing his quip about their fathers.

"Well, that's my favorite color. That's all you have to say, it's blue?"

"Actually, you know, it really suits you," she said, actually impressed he had made a sensible choice for his outdoor lifestyle. "I like it a lot."

"Me too. Give me one second," Dick said as he disconnected the surf board rack and hoisted it to the top of the garage. "I hate feeling caged in driving around." In the now open Jeep, he threw an empty cooler, some towels, and a sweatshirt into the back.

"Okay, here you go," he said as he opened the passenger door and motioned for her to get in. Mac thought it was strange he was being chivalrous, but she chalked it up to the fact that his garage was crowded with toys and there was a Jeep roof now swinging above her.

They drove toward campus in companionable silence. Both were respectful, knowing the other was tired, but more than that, they had had a weird morning. Mac was embarrassed: that morning she wasn't sure if she tried to hit on Dick and that afternoon she had been caught dancing in his house. She had just broken up with Max in a way that involved an entire hotel's staff and apparently became an unconscious drunk at some point. Any one of those was enough to make a girl feel mortified.

Dick was trying to keep it together. In the last few hours he realized he liked Mac and then agonized for hours about how it could never work out. Yet, here he was alone with her, doing something nice for her, at her request. He didn't want to screw this up.

She looked as though she was enjoying the breezy drive. It was a warm but overcast day. Dick tried to keep his eyes on the road as Mac raised her arms and tied her hair back out of her face.

They made a quick stop by the bank and Mac bounced with every step all the way inside. The teller eyed her suspiciously as she reviewed the large check Mac wanted to deposit and went to discuss something with the manager.

"Guess I should have cleaned up a little," Mac murmured to Dick, motioning to her wardrobe choice. "I think it's these oversized flip-flops that are really selling the ensemble."

Dick chuckled at her joke, but was not happy about how this bank, his bank, was treating his friend. If the teller didn't come back in thirty seconds, he was going to call the bank president.

Mac noticed him getting twitchy. She tried to calm him down without drawing attention to them. She reached out and placed a hand lightly on the wrist that hung by his side. "Don't," she said quietly. "Please, whatever you're thinking, don't do it. I'm fine. This is fine."

Dick looked back at her in disbelief. How had she known he was about to make a scene? Was he that predictable? That dramatic? Or did she really know him?

She must not, because she saw his surprised look and took her hand away from him quickly. Mac was embarrassed and mumbled, "Sorry."

Dick laughed at this. He wasn't going to let her misconception stand. He put a hand softly on the middle of her back, leaned over to her, and whispered, "No, I was just surprised. I didn't know you were a mind-reader."

She smiled at this and almost had time to smirk up at him, but before she could, the teller called, "Ms. Mackenzie" just as a robust voice from behind them said, "Mr. Casablancas."

The pair was pulled apart. Mac got her deposit slip receipt as Dick was greeted by a mid-level bank manager who recognized one of their most wealthy clients and wanted to leave a good impression.

They finished up her bank business and headed back toward the Jeep. Dick walked over to Mac's car door and she looked at him quizzically.

"Dick, what's up? You don't have to keep opening doors for me."

"Au contraire. Ladies entering my vehicle always get assistance. Despite popular opinion, I actually possess a few manners."

"That's bull," she said as she allowed him to help her climb up and into the Jeep. "I've seen plenty of girls get into to your truck on their own."

Dick shut her door then sauntered around the back of the Jeep. He grabbed the bar above the driver's side and proceeded to hop over the driver's side door and land gracefully in his seat.

Mac looked at him clearly impressed with his acrobatics.

When he was settled completely, he looked at her and said, "I have it on good authority none of the girls you saw doing that were what you'd call ladies."

Despite her best effort, Mac couldn't stop herself from chuckling.

They took off and were closing in on campus when Mac said, "I'm going to sleep all day," as she stretched out her stiff limbs.

"Did your headache go away?" Dick asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, your remedy worked great. I'll have to remember that. What about you? Where are you going to crash? You look pretty tired too."

"I have a special place I like to go when I get kicked out of my own home," he said cryptically.

"Oh, yeah? What's her name?" Mac said with a smile.

Dick's face dropped. Of course she would think that. Especially after the crack he just made. He preferred to think of himself as a red-blooded American guy. Logan called it being a man-whore.

"Nope, no girl," he said, "Just my grandfather's old place."

The way he said this so quietly caused Mac to bite back the next sarcastic comment. Instead she just nodded.

"I didn't know you had any grandparents around," said Mac.

And there it was. 20 minutes into their alone time together and Beaver made an appearance. Of course she knew more about his family than Dick thought. She had an entire history with Cassidy.

But he stifled all of the feelings that went with that thought, and instead said, "I don't. I don't even have any grandparents living anymore. They all lived on the east coast. But my Dad's dad had a place here and left it to me when he died last fall." He thought it would be impolite to say he also left him a few billion dollars and that's how he got out from under his parents control. The fact that the fortune was left to only him alienated his parents once and for all.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dick," said Mac. "Does it make you sad to go there?" She thought of the timing—his dad leaving, then Cassidy, then Kendall went missing, then his grandfather dying. Dick has had a rough year.

He gave a start. Luckily he was stopped at a red light because he couldn't help but look at her. Her face was full of worry. "Why do you say that?" he asked.

She looked surprised at his serious look, and then Mac fumbled, "Um…uh, I don't know. I guess I mean does it make you sad to remember him? Obviously you don't live there, so I thought maybe you don't like going there."

Dick pulled into the parking lot of her dorm, but her interest into his happiness suddenly made him forget how tired he was. Instead of pulling up to the front door to drop her off, he parked and got out of the car.

She got out too, but was surprised Dick was walking her inside. Mac laughed to herself as she gathered up her dress and shoes; she now fit in with all the slobs walking in and out of the dorms.

"Nope, C-Mac," Dick said with a smile. "It's my favorite place on the planet. I love going there. There is no place better to take a long nap."

This intrigued her. She wanted to know more. Mac knew Dick was pretty open, so she knew he'd talk about it if he felt like it. "Oh," she said as they took the stairs, "I was going to say you could crash on Parker's bed, if you wanted."

Damn it.Dick thought bitterly to himself. Why'd I have to say 'no better place' ? I'm pretty sure Mac's room would rank higher, and now I have no way of accepting without sounding ridiculous.

Mac saw his confused look and took it to mean the idea repulsed him. She tried to lighten the mood and give him a way out. "I mean, unless you snore. 'Cause then the invitation is retracted. Sorry Charlie."

Dick laughed, "I'm pretty sure you were the one talking about 'sawing logs' down by the beach the other day." He finished that statement as Mac swung open her dorm door. In the same second, Mac and Dick were face to face with Parker and her parents.

Mac couldn't believe she had forgotten Parker was coming back this weekend. It was the Saturday before classes started so she knew she should have remembered she was coming back from Colorado either today or tomorrow. It had just been so nice living alone for the last few weeks. Mac had forgotten it wasn't permanent.

"Mac!" she squeeled as she enveloped her roommate in a hug. "And Dick?" she said questioning the blond as she looked over Mac's shouler.

"Hey Park," he said with a five finger stop-sign wave and an annoyed smile.

Everyone greeted one another then Parker's Dad resumed his task: drilling into the concrete wall.

"Isn't it great?" Parker asked Mac who was giving the back of Mr. Lee's head the evil eye. "He's putting up shelves!"

"Yeah, great," said Mac inwardly thinking nothing else could make her more miserable, "Thanks Mr. Lee." He nodded and Mac resumed rubbing her head.

Parker started asking Mac question after question about the summer and Mac replied with only one word answers as she sat down on her bed massaging her temple. Dick was still standing in the doorway, taking in all the commotion. Mrs. Lee was folding and putting away Parker's clothes and kept banging the dresser drawers open and shut. The drill was blaring. But none of these were more bothersome to a Mac's hangover and Dick's fatigue than Parker's incessant questions.

"Hey Mac," said Dick with a knowing look, "Don't forget your shoes. You were coming up here to get some that fit and then we were going to my grand-dad's Remember?"

Hero worship was apparent in the look she gave Dick. "Shoes!" she said so relieved and excited Dick almost laughed. "Yeah, you're right, Dick. I almost forgot. Shoes."

Mac found some flip-flops of her own and then turned to Parker and said goodbye. Her parents were staying in a hotel nearby for a few days, and Mac promised to have dinner with them tomorrow.

Once outside, Mac turned to Dick.

"Dick, you're a genius! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she squeeled with excitement, stopping herself before she touched him again. "My brain still isn't working. I didn't know how I was going to get out of there!"

Dick was glad to get away from the noise too. And glad Mac agreed to spend the day with him. Hadn't she? None of this affected his next words, however. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" He took out his phone and made a production of finding the microphone feature. He placed it in front of her, ready to record.

"Absolutely," Mac said, leaning into the phone but smiling up at him, "Dick Casablancas is an idiot if he thinks I'm ever going to say anything nice about him for him to play back over and over."

"Awesome," he told her as he clicked 'save.' "I'll know what it really means."

"So were you serious?" she asked him.

"About what?"

"About letting me crash at your grand-dad's? I'm about to fall asleep standing here in this stairwell. I mean, is there room? Is that okay with you?"

"Oh there's room," he said smiling at her, not believing his good luck. "I'd love for you to see the place." And it's more than okay with me. "But if you see it and don't want to sleep there, you've gotta' let me know."

"What does that mean?"

"Just what I said. I'll be out in about 5 minutes after we get there, so if you see it and don't think it'll work for you, you've got a small window to let me know."

"Okaaaayyyy…"

"Nevermind. You'll love it."

"Great. Vamos."

When they got back to the Jeep, Dick again walked over to Mac's car door.

"Seriously, this has to stop. I'm not helpless. We're not on a date. Just let me get in by myself. You're driving me nuts with this."

"No can do, Macaroon. Sophomore Dick is a gentleman." She giggled at his moniker, remembering she had called him that. "And I'm just as stubborn as you," he continued. "I help you climb in or we stay here with the drills, and the drawers,"

"And Parker." Mac finished. "Fine, you win. But if you're helping , I at least want to make it fun."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Help me jump the door like you," she explained.

"My pleasure," he said, genuinely impressed with her bravado. Dick showed her how to swing her weight while holding onto the rail above the Jeep. Mac had to do it with enough height and force to clear the door but not so much that she hit the rail or landed past her seat.

She gingerly accepted his step up hand. At least it was better than him holding the door open again, she reasoned. Mac grabbed the rail and put all her weight in her right foot which was in Dick's hands. He gave her a little lift and she easily swung and landed in her seat.

Mac was shocked. She did it right and it was fun! Her smile showed her unexpected enjoyment.

Dick ran around and did the same on his side. As usual, he said what was on his mind, "Fuck it, it's worth it if you slap me,"

"What?" she asked, again impressed by his effortless leap, but clueless about what he said.

"Mackie, that was hot."