Chapter 15

Mac stood in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear. She could only remember one other time AJ had been in her apartment, she'd been in uniform and he'd only stayed a few seconds. But now he was here making coffee and it looked like he might stay awhile. Should she wear something sexy, or just comfortable? 'What was wrong with her?' Here she was thinking about seduction with Harm just dead and knowing AJ had a new girlfriend! 'What kind of woman was she? One in love!' As she put on jeans and a sweatshirt she told herself, 'Just cool your jets Mackenzie! He's no more available to you here in your apartment than he is when you are at work together!'

'I need to go out there, drink the coffee and get him to leave,' her sensible side said.

'Ask him to stay for dinner!' her lovesick side advised.

'He has a date!'

'With a woman you think is trying to kill him!'

'But that's not why you want him to stay!'

'What does the reason matter as long as he stays?'

'Because it's not right!'

'Being in his arms today felt right!'

'Because I was crying about Harm dying!' the sensible side insisted.

'You could cry about that again, it might get him to hold you…and comfort you…and who knows where that could lead?!'

'Stop it! He's hurting about Harm's death too!'

'Great! Then offer to comfort HIM!'

"Oh shut up!" she told herself out loud as she went to join AJ…no…think of him as 'the Admiral' that will keep your head on straight.'

'But would we love to get him out of that uniform!?'

Ignoring herself as best she could, Mac took the cup of coffee AJ…the Admiral held out to her and said, "Thank you Admiral. I'm sorry I was so long, I took a shower."

"It's all right Mac, I heard the water running and figured that was what you were doing. Since we're out of the office, and after what happened today, why don't you call me AJ?"

'Great, AJ, why didn't you come in and wash my back?' her lovesick side wanted to ask, while her sensible side wished he'd not asked her to use his name. It would be rude to refuse and all the harder to keep things impersonal. Before she could stop her lovesick side from doing so, she heard herself ask, "So why don't you stay for dinner? I could order a pizza."

"I'm sorry Mac, I'm going to meet Vicky for dinner this evening."

"Oh, of course, I'm sorry…it was just that I really didn't want to be alone tonight," she heard her lovesick side claim and added a sigh for good measure.

With a sympathetic look, AJ said, "I can understand that, let me just call Vicky and reschedule," he was already pulling out his cell phone.

"Oh, no, that's not necessary AJ! Really you don't have to do that."

"Mac, it's not a problem. I'm sure that Vicky will understand and it would be nice to be with family tonight."

She couldn't help it, the thought of spending the evening with him won out over being practical. Nodding, she gave him some privacy to make his call. Still, the apartment was small and there was no way she could avoid hearing his side of the conversation, "Vicky, it's AJ."

"No dear, I won't be able to make dinner this evening at all."

"No, I'm not home. I'm at Colonel Mackenzie's and we're going to share a pizza."

"Vicky it's not like that at all! Mac and Harm were partners and very close, she doesn't want to be alone right now."

"There's no cause to worry about any thing like that. I'll call you when I get home tonight."

"Tomorrow? I'm not sure what will be happening. If Harm's mother gets into town, I'll imagine she'll need some help with arrangements, and as his Commanding Officer, I should be available to her."

"Yes, I'll keep you posted on what's going on and we will see each other sometime this weekend."

"Yes I promise."

"No, don't wait up for me, it might be late if Mac wants to spend the evening talking."

"Yes dear, I'll be missing you too. I'll talk to you soon."

"Sorry about that Mac. Vicky was in a talkative mood, but I'm all yours for the evening now," AJ told her when he joined her in the living room.

To be continued…..