Page 37 of Fallen Hearts

“I have not.”

Emilio didn’t seem to take exception to Mason’s dry tone. “Fix that, son.”

He handed Mason back his credit card just as a person got in line behind us.

“Yes, sir,” he said, his deference and politeness to the older man oddly appealing.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Pia Russo.”

“And same to you, Emilio Russo.”

“She’s a keeper, Mason.”

“See ya, Emilio.”

As we walked out, I couldn’t help but point out, “You didn’t agree with him.”

“That you’re a keeper?”

“Exactly.”

“It’s too soon to tell.” He held the door open as I walked through it.

“Funny,” I said, remembering why I’d come to find him in the first place. As soon as we hit the street, I stopped walking. “Not funny, the fact that we have guests coming tomorrow and Parker is ripping up the foyer floor.”

Mason stopped with me. “You were at the inn already?”

“I was.” Why was he looking at me funny?

“On a Sunday?”

“I just wanted to make sure everything was set for tomorrow. Which, I might add, it is not. We can’t have that torn up, never mind the noise, with guests coming.”

Realizing both of Mason’s arms were full between his hardware store and wine purchases, I reached for the wine bag.

“I got it.”

“I’m not carrying anything,” I argued.

“I got it,” Mason repeated, as if he hadn’t heard me.

“You are so frustrating.”

We began walking toward the inn.

“So I’ve been told.”

“Soooo?”

“We decided to do it last night. Parker thinks he can hammer the whole thing out today with mine and Beck’s help.”

“The whole thing, as in ripping up the tile and replacing it with hardwood floors? In a day?”

“That’s what he said.”

“But that wasn’t even on the list of renovations.”

“I know. But I finally finished going through my dad’s things and found some notes. Including…” His sidelong gaze wasn’t lost on me. “Ones about you.”

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