Page 83 of Fallen Hearts

“But you asked why I was here.”

“Right. I didn’t ask why you weren’t at the inn.”

“Mason?”

“Yes, Pia.”

“Did you sell?”

His smile fell. Mason became so serious, I knew his answer before he said it. No number of shots would dull the pain of his next words because I knew, without a doubt, he had. Mason had sold the inn.

He was leaving.

“Yes, I did.”

28

PIA

The immediate pit in my stomach… no, the giant hole that opened up and swallowed me, told me more about my feelings about Mason than I wanted to know at the moment.

“I’m teasing.”

It took a second for his words to penetrate. When they did, I swatted him. “You just wanted to see my reaction.”

“Maybe. Does that make me evil?”

“Yes, it does.”

“What’s the word?” Beck asked in a break between customers. It was getting busier by the minute.

“He was prepared,” Mason said. “And made an offer that was hard to refuse. I almost told him I’d sit on it but…” He turned toward me. Our eyes met. Locked. Then, to Beck, he said, “I can’t sell. My fatherwasHeritage Hill. And now I have a viable way to keep it, even if I go back to the force.”

Even if I go back to the force.

This was good news. Why did it feel like it wasn’t?

Beck reached across the bar to shake Mason’s hand. “Congrats, man. That’s a big decision that I know was tough to make.”

“Thanks,” he said, but when Beck started pouring shots, I waved my arms. “No way, not for me.”

“Fair enough,” he said as the pair clinked glasses to celebrate.

When he left, I shook my head. “He’s out of his mind.”

“You don’t know the half of it. I could spend the night telling you Beck-in-college stories.”

I made a face. “Not sure I want to hear most of them.”

“You don’t. Let’s get you some food, and I’ll tell you about the meeting.” Mason waved down Beck. “Wings are great here, have you had them yet?”

“Nope, but I’ve never met a hot wing I didn’t like.”

“Ahh, so the girl likes it hot, does she?”

“In more ways than one,” I teased back.

“Two orders,” he said to Beck, who was in the process of tossing a bottle into the air. Must be a cute girl around. Looking down the bar, I found her. “Of wings. Hot and extra crispy.”

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