Page 34 of Fallen Hearts

“Nashville?”

“Yeah. I’ve never been.”

“Do you like country music?” I asked as Parker rejoined us.

“I do.”

“Then you’d love it. Actually, they have music of all kinds, but for a country fan, there’s nowhere like it.”

“Mason loves country music,” Parker said, sitting.

“So we have at least one thing in common,” she teased me.

I didn’t correct her, but it was at least two.

“Maybe you should do a company retreat in Nashville,” Parker suggested.

I was going to fucking kill him.

“Company retreat,” she said, giggling. “With two people.” Pia never giggled. She was nervous. The tension between us that had been ignited last night had only been more inflamed by this conversation. Starting tomorrow, I was going to avoid any innuendos or flirting, no matter how innocuous it seemed.

“Good idea, Parker.” Then, to Pia, “Talk to you soon.”

“See ya,” she said, leaving.

I glared at my friend just as the music began.

“What?”

“I’ll give you ‘what.’ Are you trying to get me to break the pact?”

Parker eyed me carefully. “You only truly break it if you get engaged or married.”

Although there were “rules” to the pact, we’d agreed that if anyone got engaged, they would have to add $250 to the kitty. Marriage was $500. Not to mention the shame of backing out on a promise we’d made for one damn good reason.

Marriage didn’t work.

“Maybe you haven’t noticed, but Pia isn’t exactly a one-night stand kind of girl.”

“Ahhh, so he finally admits it.”

I was done with this conversion. “I admit nothing. Now pick something out before the waiter comes back. I’m hungry.”

Parker had a bad habit of being indecisive with his meals.

“And grumpy.”

I ignored that.

And also tried to ignore the fact that Pia was sitting in the same restaurant as us. The first was easy. The second, absolute fucking torture.

13

PIA

Since I didn’t technically have days on or off, even though I’d worked every day this week, I walked from my small apartment toward the inn anyway. It had nothing to do with seeing Mason and everything to do with the fact that guests would be coming back tomorrow.

As I approached, I was still far enough away that when I heard banging, I decided now was a good time to panic. Parker was making mostly cosmetic changes to the foyer and reception, so what was with this noise?

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