I stared after her, an uncomfortable mix of guilt and frustration settling in my chest.
It was obvious no one in this town trusted me. And I was starting to realize I didn’t trust them, either.
CHAPTER FOUR
Mason
Aurora Bennett lookedlike she wanted to set the whole damn town on fire.
It was the first thing I noticed when I stepped into The Brewed Bean Café. She sat in a booth by the window, stabbing at a plate of fries like they’d personally wronged her.
I grinned.
Poor thing. Medford must have been really doing a number on her.
Might as well make things interesting.
I slid into the seat across from her without hesitation. “You know, if you stab them hard enough, they might fight back.”
Aurora’s head snapped up, green eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”
I plucked a fry off her plate and popped it into my mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “Not bad. Could use more salt.”
She blinked, clearly trying to process the audacity of me stealing her food. “Did I invite you to sit here?”
“Nope.” I stole another fry. “Didn’t think you’d mind, though. You looked lonely.”
Her lips parted like she was about to unleash hell on me, but instead, she sighed and tossed a fry back onto her plate. “Of course. Another Grady.”
I pressed a hand to my chest, feigning deep offense. “You say that like it's a bad thing.”
She arched a brow. “Still deciding.”
Damn, she was fun.
Before I could come up with another quip, Samantha, the waitress, stopped by, giving me a knowing look.
“Mason, she doesn’t look like she wants company.”
“Nonsense, Samantha. We’re bonding.”
Aurora snorted. “Is that what this is?”
“Absolutely.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. “So tell me, what's got you stabbing innocent potatoes today?”
She exhaled, eyes flicking toward the window. “Nothing. Just this town.”
“Ah.” I nodded sagely. “Medford getting under your skin already?”
“That obvious?”
“You look five seconds away from committing a crime.”
“Give it time.”
I chuckled, then gestured for Samantha to bring me a coffee. “So, what's the verdict? You staying or running for the hills?”
Aurora hesitated, her fingers tapping against the tabletop. “I don’t know yet.”