Page 72 of The Ghost of You

“I thought we said we weren’t going to talk about this anymore,” I say as I look around to make sure no one can hear us.

“Nah, you said you weren’t, I never agreed.”

Mason walks up to us with the darts in his hand to turn back in at the bar. “Agree about what?”

“That time I saw Anna nak—” I cover his mouth with my hands before he can finish the sentence. No doubt trying to find a way to get Mason to stop flirting with me.

“Nothing,” I say. I look over at Mason who is glaring at Noah. I hope they haven’t talked about the fact they both want me. Well, Mason does for sure; Noah is questionable. But I can tell he does not want me dating his brother.

I walk away from them both to go check on my tables.

Noah yells at me. “I’m going to need that towel back.”

I shake my head. I have no problem giving him the towel back but I really do like it. He just doesn’t need to announce to the world or his brothers he has seen me naked.

By the time midnight rolls around, I am dead tired. The long day starting with early morning yoga and no nap is getting to me. It finally slows down enough for me to take a break. I grab my coat from under the bar and push my way out the back door to the patio to get fresh air despite the cold temperatures.

I nearly scream when I feel a man come up behind me. The patio is closed tonight but we don’t lock the door for fire reasons. And I know a few patrons prefer to come out back to smoke rather than use the front door.

I check my pockets for pepper spray but then the smell of soap infiltrates my nose and I know it’s Noah. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry, I said your name. I thought you heard me.”

I turn around to face him and shake my head. “What do you want, Noah?”

“I told you we need to talk.”

“Talk,” I say a bit short. I don’t mean for it to come out that way but I am tired and grumpy and all I want is my bed or a shot of tequila.

“What’s going on with you and Mason?”

Okay, I definitely need that shot of tequila now. “What do you mean?”

“He has been acting weird around you.”

“And you haven’t?”

He grips the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about Thanksgiving. I just—I’ve been dealing with things I haven’t dealt with in years.”

“What kind of things?” I ask as I prop myself on the edge of a table.

He looks me straight in the eye. “Feelings.” He takes a deep breath before he continues. “I was married, Anna. To the woman I thought was the love of my life. And then she just walked away from me. She left me and to this day I haven’t let myself feel anything for anyone because I don’t want to go through that pain again.”

I bite my bottom lip as I process what he is saying. “You mean you haven’t felt things about anyone since she left?”

He nods.

“How long ago was that?”

“Five years ago.”

I grab the rings around my neck and fiddle with them. “And you mean to tell me you have feelings for me?”

He walks up to me and braces his hands on the table on either side of me. “Yes.”

“Then why don’t you act on them?” I ask boldly, making my intentions clear.

He drops his head down before he answers. “I am afraid if I let someone in I will hurt them in a way I don’t know and drive them away.”

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