The Keys to my Diary ~ Fern

Sunday, August 16

It is Sunday night, and I just had another fantastic weekend with Mac. That man is absolutely amazing. I don't know what I did to deserve having him in my life, but I hope it never changes.

He was starving when he got here on Friday, so we decided to walk down to a little pizzeria on the water a couple of streets over. We couldn't seem to agree on what kind of pizza to get. I like pepperoni, and he likes sausage. He told me that pizza is a priority in his life and that this might be a deal-breaker for our relationship. He was so serious when he said it, that I stopped chewing my breadstick and just stared him. Inside, my body had gone into a complete panic. Before long, Mac broke into a huge grin and told me he was kidding. We ended up getting half-and-half, and we ate every bit of it.

By the time we walked home, the sun had started to set and the mosquitoes were out in full force. When I say mosquitoes, I don't mean the wimpy, little things they refer to as the pests up north. The quarter-sized creatures that attacked us were clearly seasoned veterans in swarming unsuspecting bare legs and arms. We must have looked completely bonkers taking a step or two and slapping a random spot on our own body, then repeating the spastic ritual over and over.

We finally realized that there were just too many of them to fight off, so we ran for it. While I consider myself to be in decent shape from all of the lagoon walking I did in my recreation department days at the club, I haven't actually jogged (more than across the street) since high school. It quickly became apparent that I am not in nearly as good of physical shape as I thought.

I was huffing and puffing and sweating and fairly certain that I wouldn't be able to make it up the stairs to my apartment. Mac, of course, was barely even breathing heavy. He gallantly picked me up in his arms, carried me inside and flopped me down on the bed. He got us each a bottle of water, and I downed mine greedily.

I didn't feel like I could move another inch, but when he started kissing me, I got a lusty second-wind. We spent the rest of the night with our bodies entwined, and this time, Mac was breathing just as hard as I was.

He did not like it that I had to work on Saturday and couldn't be with him during the day. I told him in no uncertain terms that it couldn't be helped, and he accepted that (after trying unsuccessfully to get me to call in sick). Work really seemed to drag, especially since I knew that I was missing out on precious Mac-time. Sometimes being a responsible adult totally stinks.

When it was finally time to go home, Mac met me at my car. He then asked me what I would like to do for the evening. I knew that some of the gang was going out for dinner because a big night dive had been cancelled due to rough conditions on the water, but I wasn't sure if Mac would have any interest in meeting my friends. I also wasn't sure if I was ready to share him with them.

I couldn't think of anything else to suggest, so I tentatively brought up the idea. He enthusiastically said that he would love to meet my friends, so it was settled.

As I could have predicted, everyone loved Mac (with the possible exception of Marina). He told diving and fishing stories with the guys and had all of us in stitches with funny recounts of his years in the Coast Guard when he encountered real-life pirates, pet monkeys, bales of drugs, and boats full of naked people. He was entertaining, but he didn't try to monopolize the conversation, even though we all enjoyed hearing his tall-tales.

He seamlessly fit into our group, just like he seemed to belong everywhere he went. The man was truly an enigma. I tried to picture him being serious and stuffy in front of a boardroom full of people. I can't quite envision it, but I'm sure that he feels just as at home and comfortable there as he does with my crazy crew.

We spent Saturday night making love, and I really did consider calling in sick on Sunday. My darn conscience just wouldn't allow me to get away with it, even though Mac was trying to tempt me by offering to give me a sensual massage and saying we could stay in bed all day. I think I deserve extra karma points for doing the right thing and going to work. It was not at all easy to muster the motivation to leave for work, especially not with gorgeous, naked Mac reaching out to me from my bed.

He brought my iced tea to me in person this morning at my desk. I was so surprised to see him that it took a moment to register that he was really in my office. He walked in chatting with one of the stars from the '80's television show Cheers. I can't remember the actor's name, and it took me a few minutes to realize why I recognized him. The other ladies in my office fluttered their eyelashes, giggled, and mooned over both men. Employees of the club were always told not to treat celebrities different than anyone else. They probably like it here because they aren't elevated over the other members. If anything, most celebrities have a lot less money than the typical club member. I guess my flirty co-workers chose to ignore the 'don't bother celebrities' portion of the employee handbook. Not that Mac is famous, but he certainly has that irresistible aura about him.

I just reread that last paragraph and can't believe that this is actually my life now. My hot, billionaire boyfriend and an '80's TV icon saunter into my workplace one day to deliver iced tea to me. Whose life have I stolen? I definitely want to keep it.

Mac had to leave right after I got off work, so we didn't get to make love again. We had a hot make-out session by his Jeep before he drove away, though. It was fabulous, until he told me that he wouldn't be back for a month or so. What does 'or so' mean? Why isn't he coming back sooner? How will I survive a month without him?

It's too much to worry about. I'm going to bed early. Maybe a good night's rest will give me a fresh perspective and a month won't seem so much like an eternity. Yeah, right. Dream on, Fern.

I went to bed, but Marina called and we had a terrific chat, so I decided to get up and write about what she just shared with me. Trixie went to dinner with us on Saturday night and ordered the grilled cheese. That wouldn't be a big deal, except she made a point to say how the restaurant we were at "has the BEST grilled cheese." Our gang is used to her over-the-top raving about the cheapest meal on the menus. She's always saying that she "loves the hot dogs at this restaurant" or "they have amazing bean soup." I'm not sure why she feels the need to cover the fact that she's watching every penny. We all are to some degree, but her money seems to be especially tight.

Anyway, there's an unwritten rule that we all just nod when she goes on and on about how she's been "dying for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich all week." We don't want to embarrass her, and she seems to feel the need to justify her frugal choices. I had been concerned that Mac might call her out on it, but he didn't seem to even notice when she claimed that she had "never had a better grilled cheese."

Apparently, he was paying attention because Marina just told me that Trixie found an envelope with five one-hundred-dollar bills slid under her door. There was no return address or contact information, and she has no idea who it's from. I have a pretty good idea who it's from. I just don't know how he found out where she lives. He seems to have ways of finding out anything he wants to know.

In any case, it was an incredibly kind, generous gesture. I think he may have even won Marina over with this one because she, of course, figured out where it must have come from. She knows the details of Mac's financial situation, but we haven't publicized it with the rest of the group. I didn't want them to be uncomfortable around Mac, and, in person, he certainly doesn't give off the impression that he has that kind of money.

Mac is handsome, funny, sweet, thoughtful, interesting, kind, smart and creative. Now I find out that he's incredibly generous too. Where is his flaw? It must be a big one with all of these great qualities to balance it out.

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