Page 47 of Hypnotized By Love

Huh. He must not have heard me.

“I’ve never been into shots,” Mason said. “I prefer to savor my drink.”

I wouldn’t mind being savored,I thought, but out loud said, “I never understood that. Taking a drink and saying you get, like, notes of bog and sea foam. Just drink the thing and enjoy it.”

Romeo had poured barely any into a shot glass, and Mason took a small sip and grimaced a little when he put the glass back down. “That is potent. I picked up the taste of indifference mixed with subtle notes of disdain.”

“Subtle is overrated. Palpable disdain is much better.”

“I’ve come to find that I agree,” he said with a wink.

“You’re not going to have a full shot? It’s much more fun,” I said.

“I get the feeling I should keep my wits about me tonight.” He looked at my empty nacho platter. “Did you have some nachos?”

“I’m pretty sure I ate the restaurant’s entire nightly supply of nachos,” I said conspiratorially. “I’m a strong woman who is capable in so many areas, but restraining myself around chips and melted cheese is not one of them.”

He laughed again. “I’m hungry. I’m going to get a menu.” He called Romeo over, and the bartender pointed to a piece of paper that Mason could scan to get the menu.

“Pfft,” I said. “I’m with the boomers on this one. I’m not scanning a QR code to retrieve some menu.”

“I need to know what they’re serving because I’m starving. I got caught up in something I was working on and forgot to eat.”

“That would never happen to me. If I missed one meal, I would turn into the Tasmanian devil fromLooney Tunes, and two meals? That would be total organ failure.”

“You’ve never done a cleanse?”

“I’m more into clogs,” I said.

“No intermittent fasting?”

“Nope, just intermittent feasting for me. That’s where you eat a huge breakfast, way too much lunch, overindulge at dinner, and then go to bed early.”

He laughed for a third time, and again I couldn’t quite remember why I didn’t spend all my time making him laugh. “You used to be really into fitness,” he pointed out.

“It takes sixteen muscles to throw back a shot. Does that count?” I got a big smile from him, and then I said, “I kind of stopped when Sierra got sick. It was hard for her when I went for a run or to the gym because she used to exercise for hours. I could probably go now, but I just don’t ever feel up to it. I know it would give me energy, but I need energy to go. Which feels like some kind of massive pyramid scheme.”

“You could work out with me.”

My brain was flooded with images of all the kinds of ways I would like to work out with him. While I was enjoying my mind candy, that nagging voice returned, and it reminded me that I was mad at him and why.

“You stood me up,” I said, poking his chest with my finger.

“I didn’t stand you up. I’m here.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “But you were late. I should make you leave.”

“Yes, I was late. And I can explain. And I brought you a peace offering if you’ll let me stay.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I liked presents far too much to say no, and well he knew it. “Fine. You can stay.” I held out my hands, and he picked up the object he’d laid on the bar when he first arrived.

It was something wrapped in brown paper, and it took me a second to figure it out. It was a “bouquet,” but instead of using flowers, he had taped bags of M&M’s to long sticks.

Mason had created something that he knew I would love. My stomach started doing little flips of excitement. “Okay, this is super cute, but I am still mad at you.”

“My mom had a flat tire, and I had to take a rideshare to get to her because she didn’t know how to fix it. Then I had to call a tow truck because she didn’t have a spare.”

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