Page 86 of Tempted Hearts
“Not exactly.”
“Close enough,” he said. “You live in the city. You can’t stay away from this town. And now there’s one woman keeping you anchored here.” He smiled for the first time since walking in. “Pretty ironic, isn’t it?”
There was no point bullshitting him. Mason could smell it a mile away.
“It was one night.”
He held up a hand.
“Stop. I saw you together Friday night. Parker has eyes too. He said you were acting strange in Italy.”
“Strange?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Parker said from behind me.
Of course.
“Literally never seen you act like that around a woman in my life,” Parker added as he went straight to the fridge, opened my cooler, and took a bottle of water.
“Help yourself,” I muttered.
Mason watched him take a sip, then grabbed one for himself.
“Hey,” I said. “Those were mine.”
“Technically, they’re mine,” Mason replied.
Parker pointed at him. “He’s got a point.”
“Parker’s never seen you act like that,” Mason continued, “because we never actually see you with women.”
A blessing, really.
“Guys, listen,” I said. “I didn’t expect Italy. I didn’t expect to enjoy her company. I came up this weekend because I wanted to see her. Last night was her idea. We talked in Italy. She knows I’m not a relationship guy.”
Parker snorted, gesturing toward Mason. “He wasn’t a relationship guy either. You take it to the next level.”
Mason shrugged. “He’s right. I wasn’t. Then I was. And now look at me.”
I waited for the point.
It never came.
“What do you want me to say?” I asked.
Parker ran a hand through his hair. “We’re looking out for Delaney and her friend. But we’re looking out for you too. We just want you to be happy. Whatever that looks like. Preferably without leaving Delaney’s best friend brokenhearted.”
“Who says I’m breaking her heart?” I asked. “We got together once.”
Parker shook his head. “Delaney says she was seeing someone casually who wanted more. She ended it. She wants stability. Marriage. Kids. We know where she stands. And we know where you stand.”
That was the problem.
Mason leaned back, letting Parker finish the job.
I grabbed two more waters from the fridge.
“I appreciate your concern,” I said, “but I’m not canceling today. It’s just a hike.”
