After Today (The After Series Book 1) Page 13

  Jake responded by tugging her closer, wrapping strong arms around her as he settled his chin on top of her head. “The virus isn’t going to breach Sanford.”

  “It’s not the virus that has me most worried,” she admitted. “I mean, it is. But it’s the effect it’s had on everything. We have no idea what’s happening, and the council is acting crazy.”

  “What do you mean, crazy?” He pulled back, his brow furrowed. “The council is keeping us safe. They’ve got a plan to get us through this.”

  Mackenzie weighed her response. It unnerved her that Jake wasn’t seeing where she was coming from. “Who is going to keep us safe from the council?”

  Jake cocked his head. Sitting heavily on a stack of overturned milk crates, he patted another for Mackenzie to join him. “Why would we need to be kept safe from the council?”

  Unable to sit still, she paced before him. “Don’t you find the level of control they’re exerting disturbing?”

  Surely, he could acknowledge that. Nothing about this new world was normal, but having a gun-toting, self-promoted militia “protecting” them wasn’t normal.

  “I know that no one has breached the blockades set up along the roads leading into Sanford,” Jake said, “and men are risking their lives in patrols to ensure our safety.”

  “Exactly. Men. What’s with all the patriarchal bullshit about keeping women in the kitchen? And don’t you wonder if the patrols are more about keeping us in, rather than others out?”

  “We’re not prisoners, Mac.” Jake’s voice had hardened, and he was looking at her like he didn’t know her. “Where’s this coming from?”

  “Kat just heard that Mrs Murray was assaulted because she didn’t hand over all her gas.”

  “I’ll admit someone got carried away, but the council were requisitioning gas for a reason. Everything is unprecedented at the moment,” he defended.

  Mackenzie breathed out in frustration, coming to a stop in front of him. “She was beaten up for hiding gas!”

  They stared wordlessly at each other, knees touching, but a world of difference between them.

  “I don’t like the council taking everything,” she said finally, watching her boot make patterns in the loose gravel. “If we can gather supplies of our own, we won’t have to rely on the council.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  Her head snapped up. “Excuse me?”

  Since when did Jake have the right to speak to her like that? To dictate her actions?

  “Absolutely not,” he repeated.

  “Just because we’re, whatever we are,”—she waved an emphatic hand between them—“doesn’t mean you can tell me what I can and can’t do.”

  “You go outside the Safe Zone, and you could be shot trying to reenter.”

  She gaped at him.

  “There’s a reason for everything Townsend is doing, Mac.”

  Her head was spinning, and she slumped down onto the crate. She didn’t care about the reasons. She cared that men in their town thought they could punish with impunity. She cared that Jake agreed with them.

  “So get that idea out of your head, Mac. I forbid you from leaving the safety of the Safe Zone.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Mackenzie snapped. “You forbid me?”

  An imminent headache began knocking with persistence.

  “I don’t want to fight with you,” he said, grasping at her suddenly chilled hands. “You know I just want to keep you safe. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

  The word forbid was echoing between them, and she couldn’t force her hands to grip his in return.

  He carried on, oblivious. “I came to let you know I’m going to go on the raid to Dutton. We leave late this afternoon.”

  Pulling her hands away, she pressed her back against the wall to create some distance between them.

  Distance that physically pained her even as her insides were flayed with each word he spoke.

  “It’s not a raid,” he amended. “It’s just a scavenging trip to get a fuel tanker.”

  Disbelief made her rigid. “I can’t go out there, but you can? What if you get infected?”

  Regardless of her anger at his pigheaded and misdirected intentions, Mac was petrified for his safety. Petrified that he was leaving her. She stood on unsteady legs, and he followed suit.

  “I won’t. We’re taking precautions, and we’ll make sure not to get too close to anyone. The fuel depot is on the edge of town. I’ll be back before you know it,” he promised.

  But she was not to be deterred.

  “So Townsend’s now a general and you’re his little soldier, going out on commando missions?”

  “It’s a quick trip to do a little recon and grab some gas. I promise it’s not a big deal.”

  “Not a big deal?” she cried, pushing her hands against his chest to make him back away. “The world is dying out there. It’s chaos. And you know it’s not safe.”

  “Mac! Are you out here?” came Kat’s voice.

  They both started, turning toward the back cafeteria door.

  Kat’s head popped around, scowling when she saw them. “Seriously? We’re trying to feed a shit ton of people right now and you’re having a deep and meaningful conversation?”

  “I’m coming,” Mackenzie mumbled, trying to push past him.

  “Hey. Hey! Babe, you’re not leaving like this.”

  “You’re right, I’m not leaving you, you are,” she retorted, sidestepping him. “See you when you get back.” She tossed over her shoulder as she went inside.

  Jake watched her go, reeling at how fast his dreams had crashed at his feet. How many nights had he lain awake over the years thinking of Mackenzie? Dreaming of kissing her, touching her. None of those fantasies had come even close to the real thing.

  She was beyond his wildest imaginings.

  And now she was so pissed at him she hadn’t even met his eyes when she’d said goodbye.

  “Fuck!”

  Checking his watch, he groaned inwardly, before spinning on his heel and heading around the front of the school to meet with Jim Boston.

  The next few hours with Jim and the other six men reassured Jake of his decision. Jim had a family to come home to, so he wouldn’t be taking any unnecessary risks.

  When the meeting finally broke up, he had half an hour before they were to head out, and Jake was hoping he’d catch Mackenzie in the cafeteria before the dinner rush started.

  Walking into the familiar room, he had the instinctive urge to check for incoming spit balls. God, they’d been unruly kids.

  Smiling, he glanced around and waved when he caught sight of Chloe attempting to wrangle several small children.

  “This is much harder than it looks.” She huffed, putting her hands on her hips and surveying the damage they’d caused with cups of red Jell-O.

  “I’m not saying it looks easy, but, sis, you’re a teacher. Shouldn’t you be all over this?”

  “I’m a high school English teacher. These terrors are five and under, way outside my experience. Give me hormonal teenagers any day.”

  “So who has the teenagers?”

  Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen many kids around at all.

  “I’ve seen a few groups roaming around but, to be honest, I’m not sure how many are left,” she admitted.

  “And their parents?” He waved at the children.

  “Dead.”

  “Did you get to the community garden?” Jake asked, changing the subject.

  Chloe’s face brightened. “It was a goldmine. I’ve got a wheelbarrow of vegetable seedlings that the kids and I are going to plant tomorrow.”

  “And Grams? I didn’t get a chance to stop in and see her.”

  “The doors were locked, and no one answered my knocking. I went straight to town hall, and Jefferies tried to tell me they were probably napping,” she said doubtfully. “I’m going back after dinner. Want to come with?”

  “Can’t. I’m heading out w
ith the group going to Dutton.” Jake waited for Chloe’s reaction. His big sister wasn’t known for holding back her opinions and, like Mackenzie, he knew she’d be worried about his safety.

  “Okay, just be smart,” she surprised him by saying. “And if you get the chance to talk to anyone, can you ask about Ash? If he was making his way home, he’d have to come through Dutton.”

  “Of course.” He pulled her into a hug. “I’ll be back later tonight.”

  He found Mackenzie alone in the kitchen, stirring an enormous pot of meat and vegetable stew that, despite its appearance, smelled delicious.

  Coming up behind her, he slid his arms around her waist, dipping his head to kiss the back of her neck. She stiffened, but then relaxed back into him. He smiled against her skin.

  “I’m still mad at you,” she said, continuing to stir.

  “I know, babe.”

  “And when you get back, we’re going to have a serious discussion about your attitude. We’re a team. You can’t go around telling me what to do.”

  “We are way more than a team, baby girl,” he murmured into the sweetness of her neck. “But you’re right.” He turned her to face him. “I should’ve talked to you about it. I know it’s a shit show out there, but I’m going to be careful.”

  “I know you’ll be careful, but what about everyone else? You’re going on a stealing mission for the stupid council. Don’t we have gas in our own depot?”

  “It was due to be refueled when this all happened, and we think the tankers were held up at Dutton.”

  He realized Mackenzie was no longer relaxing into his embrace. She was definitely still pissed.

  “It doesn’t mean you have to go,” she said.

  “You know I’d do anything for you, but…”

  “Anything?” She raised an eyebrow.

  “Babe, please don’t ask me not to go. I’ve committed to the team, and I can’t back out now. I promise we are taking every precaution and you’ll wake up tomorrow morning with me in your bed.”

  He could see the indecision warring on her face, his insides warming because he knew her anger was born from fear. Fear for him.

  The girl didn’t know it yet, but she was totally falling for him.

  “You do what you have to do, Jake.” She turned her back to him, resolutely stirring the stew.

  He hated he was upsetting her. But he had to be proactive about their situation.

  “I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” Moving to her side, he reached out to grasp her chin, tilting it so he could kiss her lips.

  She twisted her head, and he grazed her cheek instead. Steeling himself, he stepped back, hoping she’d at least look at him before he left.

  Her eyes stayed downcast as he walked away.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mackenzie was in a daze walking home from the cafeteria. Night had fallen while she’d been inside planning for tomorrow with Mrs. White, and she was wrecked. Her legs were leaden, and it was as though the air had a density that made it impossible to move at any pace.

  Not that she was in a hurry.

  She couldn’t believe Jake’s recent attitude and that he’d left on that stupid raid. He was taking unnecessary risks. And he was leaving her. Which, she had to admit, was a small part of why she was so mad. Okay, maybe not so small.

  Ever since she’d returned to her apartment to find him waiting for her, Jake had become her rock. He was safety for her.

  Was it only a few days ago? It felt like a lifetime.

  A lifetime in which she’d aged immeasurably. Her body was struggling with the physical demands she’d placed on it—first walking back to Lincoln Park and then fleeing the city. Even the walk from Chloe’s house to downtown Sanford was more exercise than she was used to. Having always maintained the same curvy build no matter how much pizza she did, or didn’t, consume, she’d seen no reason to cut into her Netflix time by exercising.

  Which meant, in addition to a bone-deep weariness, her muscles were aching with fatigue. Putting one foot in front of the other was becoming an effort. She seriously needed to reconsider her attitude about getting fit.

  The overhead streetlight flickered, and instinct made Mackenzie pick up the pace. The last place she wanted to be right now was alone in a darkened street.

  She had no idea where the closest power plant was, and how much manpower it relied on. If there was no one to manage it, how long would it continue to supply electricity?

  The workings of the world were not something that Mackenzie had ever bothered herself with. Regardless of how neglectful her father was, she’d grown up taking for granted that water would come out of a faucet when turned on, and electricity would light a room when she flicked a switch. She’d never stopped to consider the how of these functions.

  Sure, she knew where the town’s water treatment plant was because it was right beside a park she used to frequent in her early teens. But how did the water get there? How did it get distributed through the town?

  The lack of knowledge tightened her chest with helplessness.

  Tears threatened, but she swallowed them back. She shouldn’t have let Jake leave the way he had—she didn’t even say goodbye.

  She was just so tired. She couldn’t even attempt rational thinking in this state. Thankfully, the lights of Chloe’s front porch beckoned, and she mustered the energy to jog—albeit slowly—up the driveway, greeted by an overenthusiastic Dex.

  “I wouldn’t have thought to put an apple into this, but it’s good,” Rachel commented, crunching her way through a salad Mackenzie had prepared using produce Chloe had scavenged from the community garden.

  They had decided that for as long as they had supplies, they would eat together at home.

  “I have a feeling our food choices are going to get a lot more creative going forward,” Mackenzie answered. “The cafeteria is pretty well stocked, but putting together three meals a day for three hundred people is going to put a major dent in those pretty quickly. Townsend should get everyone to dig up their front gardens and plant vegetables, instead of putting together raiding parties.”

  “Do you think we need to be thinking so long-term?” Chloe asked. “I mean, not everyone died, right? We’re still alive. So it stands to reason there are still scientists and government people out there, working on a cure and getting civilization functioning again.”

  Rachel narrowed her eyes with skepticism.

  Looking between the two of them, Mackenzie felt the tug of that rising tide of helplessness again and sought comfort by petting the ever-present Dex, whose tongue lolled in appreciation.

  “Things will go back to normal eventually,” Chloe insisted. “They have to.”

  Mackenzie uttered a noncommittal murmur and Rachel shoved a forkful of spinach leaves into her mouth, chewing with unnecessary vigor.

  “Thanks for making dinner Mac, but I’m going to go to bed,” Chloe said, pushing her half-eaten plate away. “I’ve got a headache.”

  “And you’re worried about Ash,” Mackenzie said. “You’re going to cry in the dark, aren’t you? Want me to come curl up with you?”

  “Love you, but no. I just need to be alone.”

  Mackenzie and Rachel watched with concern as Chloe left, shoulders slumped. There was no way she could add to Chloe’s emotional burden right now, even if the secret of Jake was a burning itch.

  “I just got busted sneaking food to Maggie at The Strumpet by that asshat Charlie Nixen.” Kat said, bursting through the front door and flinging her shoes off as she entered the kitchen. “He’s such a do-gooding weasel. And honestly, did he really think he was going to tell me what to do? He can’t even tell himself what to do. I’m pretty sure he still lives with his mother. Jesus. He’s lucky that Quinn was there and saved his skinny ass.” Dropping into the seat beside Mackenzie, Kat started picking tomatoes from her plate.

  “Saved him from what?” Rachel asked.

  “Me. I had him backed up against the jukebox. Honestly, if you�
�re going to get all righteous about rules, you better have the balls to follow through.”

  Rachel snorted. “You probably scared him half to death.”

  “Back up a bit,” Mackenzie requested. “Why were you sneaking food to Maggie?”

  “Townsend wouldn’t give her rations today because she didn’t go to the town meeting last night,” Kat answered through a mouthful. “Apparently he thinks it’s 1939 and we’re living in Soviet Russia.”

  “Are you kidding? He can’t deny people food!” Rachel was outraged.

  “He thinks he can,” Kat said. “Maggie is putting together a group of people who also think this is bullshit, and we’re going to meet soon to figure out a way to handle the assholes.”

  “The sooner the better,” Mackenzie said. “When? Where?”

  “I know we don’t speak of James O’Connor, but he’s offered the distillery as a safe place for us to meet without being found out,” Kat replied.

  Rachel stared at Kat, brows lowered.

  “I know, I know. He’s a jerk, that’s old news. You know what isn’t old news?” She sang, “That Mac has a boyfriend.”

  “Kat!” Mackenzie huffed, tugging her plate away. “Can you keep it down? Chloe’s just in her bedroom.”

  “You two better not have discussed the juicy details before I got here.” Kat snatched another apple slice from Mackenzie’s plate.

  “Hang on,” Rachel interrupted. “What do you mean, boyfriend?”

  Mackenzie shrank back in the seat as she became the sole focus of Kat’s formidable energy.

  “Come on, little hussy. Tell us everything,” Kat demanded, leaning into Mackenzie’s personal space until their noses touched.

  Kat sat back expectantly and Mackenzie despaired at the telltale flush she knew would be staining her face.

  Pressing the backs of her hands to her burning cheeks, Mac took a deep breath. “Okay. But this is going to require wine. Lots of wine.”

  Grinning, Kat bound up to rummage through the fridge, loudly denigrating Chloe’s choice of Sauvignon. “I’ll drink it if I have to, but tomorrow, we’ll get Maggie to stock us up on the good stuff.”