Page 92 of Fallen Hearts

“You’ve been here a while.”

“Yes, ma’am, I have. Glad you came. How was dinner?”

“Amazing. Did you say you’ve been there before?”

“Once or twice. Food is good. It’s too bad the weather sucks,” he said with a slight slur to his voice. “The lakeside patio is one of their best features.”

“I bet. It was still really good. We’ll have to—” I stopped, realizing we might not get the chance.

“Go there sometime?”

I nodded.

“How’s next weekend?”

Because he might not be here much beyond that.“Sure,” I said, trying to drum up some excitement and take my own advice about going with the flow. But at the same time, I could feel myself getting attached.

Not good.

“Works for me,” I added. “So what else have you been up to tonight?”

Mason pulled me close again. “We started early at the house. There are a few things I want to talk to you about as I finish combing through Dad’s books, but no work talk. Decided to get drunk. Parker’s idea. Or maybe mine, not sure. You probably noticed I’ve had a few drinks. And didn’t text you all night.”

He was making about 50 percent sense. “Where is he now?”

“Parker? Stumbled home. Has an early job.”

“And yes, I’ve noticed you had a few drinks. Guess you’re a happy drunk, huh?”

“Sure am.”

“You said you didn’t text me all night. What did you mean?”

“Mmm, that was a slip.”

A slip? Mason didn’t slip. That was the thing about him. Always under control. Maybe, until tonight?

“A slip, huh?”

“Yeah.” He motioned his fingers like he was sealing his lips closed. “You’re not getting anything more from me tonight.”

“No?” I asked, suggestively.

He groaned. “Okay, maybe. But not about how hard it was not to text you or ask to see you.”

I stifled a smile. “Another slip?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

I kissed him on the nose. I liked this Mason.

“I don’t want to abandon the girls,” I said, disentangling myself from him but wishing I didn’t have to.

He pushed me gently toward them, slapping me on the ass. “Go ahead. I’ll just be over here eyeing you up while you do.”

Laughing, I brought myself into the conversation with Delaney and Jules. Every once in a while, I turned back to see Mason talking to either the guy next to him or Beck, and mostly, doing exactly as he promised.

Watching me.

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