Page 69 of Rival for Rent

“I’m not complaining,” I said. “I’m just saying you kind of took charge of the kitchen like it’s your own.” I turned to Dana. “Your brother is a man of many talents, but hedoeslike to get his own way.”

Mason snorted. “And you don’t?”

“He has a tendency to do that,” Dana said mildly. “Just wait until he gets started on your backyard.”

“Ooh, is that a euphemism?” Amir asked, eyebrows doing the conga.

“Oh my God, stop.” I glared at him, knowing my cheeks were flaming red. Then I deliberately turned and looked at Dana. “He started talking about how I should have a waterfall.”

“I thinkyoubrought up the waterfall,” Mason said.

“Yeah, but only afteryoustarted talking about water features. Then you went on about how I could have a whole little creek ecosystem.”

“I never used the wordecosystem,” Mason said. “Not once did the word ecosystem escape my lips.”

“But you were thinking it. I could tell.”

“Oh, so you can read my mind now?”

“Yeah,” I said, laughing. “So you should probably stop referring to me as ‘that idiot’ in your head, or I might start to take offense.”

Mason laughed. “Oh, trust me, those aren’t the words I use when I think about you.”

“Saucy,” Amir said.

“Saucy is right,” I agreed. “Did I tell you about the béarnaise sauce he made to go with our steak?”

It was a really nice dinner, even if Mason started sulking at the end when Dana and I refused to let him help clean up. We made him lie down instead. The two of us did dishes together, and I couldn’t help thinking it was a shame I’d never been friends with her in high school. But back then, I’d been too scared that Mason would find out and somehow make my life even worse.

“He’s different with you,” Dana said suddenly, scrubbing dried rice off a plate in the sink.

I blinked, dish towel in hand. “Hmm?”

“Mason. He’s different with you. More talkative.”

“Oh,” I said, caught off guard. “Is that…a good thing?”

“Very good.” She rinsed the plate and handed it to me to dry. “I haven’t seen him this engaged in life since before the Marines.”

“Oh,” I repeated, still unsure how to respond. I put the plate away, absently scratched behind Bella’s ears, and grabbed another dish.

“He was like a different person when he got out. Shut down. Like the old version of him was just gone. But around you…” She shrugged. “Something’s different.”

“Did something…happen…over there?” I asked. I felt stupid. I didn’t even know where ‘over there’ was. “He never talks about his time in the military. He didn’t even mention he’d served, at first.”

“That’s more like the Mason who came back,” Dana said. “Taciturn. Irritable.” She sighed and picked up another plate. “I’ve wondered if something happened, but he won’t talk to me about it either. All I know is that he was honorably discharged, and he hasn’t held a steady job since.”

“Huh,” I said. “I guess if he were going to tell anyone, he’d tell you.”

“Maybe. But I don’t know. You could try asking. You might get more out of him than I could.”

“Really?” I said, doubtful.

“You bring something different out of him.”

“Yeah. Annoyance,” I said with a laugh.

“No, it’s more than that.” She turned and looked at me, her eyes soft. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but you’re good for him. He’s different around you, and it’s a good thing. I approve.”

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