Page 29 of Protect My Heart
The baby at the table next to ours giggles as her dad picks her up and holds her.
‘She’s adorable,’ I say, staring at the baby.
‘She is,’ I hear Jason say. I look back and see him gazing at the baby, smiling at her. ‘She reminds me of Nash’s baby.’
‘Who’s Nash?’
‘My cousin,’ Jason says, looking back at me. ‘He lives in Chicago. He’s Austin’s brother. Remember the guy playing in the band that night? The one with all the muscles?’
‘Yes, I remember him. His brother has a baby?’
‘She was born last February. Nash and his wife, Callie, come up here all the time. My mom insists on it. She can’t go more than a few weeks without seeing the baby. Nash and Callie lived up here last fall while Nash fixed up a house on my parents’ property.’
‘Who lives in the house?’
‘Nobody. My dad offered it to me and my brothers, but none of us want to live that close to our parents. My dad might end up renting it out. I can show it to you if we go over there tomorrow. Nash did a really nice job on it. It’s got that modern farmhouse look people are into right now.’
‘I’d love to see it.’
‘I should also take you to Kate’s shop. She’s Brody’s girlfriend. She’s opening a home store just down the street from here. It’s almost done. I think you’d like it. You could be one of her first customers.’
‘It’s nice she’s opening a place in her hometown. Supporting the local economy.’
‘She’s not from Haydon Falls. She’s from Chicago. She moved here to be with Brody and open her shop. Same withGina, Sawyer’s girlfriend. She’s from Green Bay. She moved here to open her brewery. Nick’s the only one who ended up with a local. He went to high school with Lyndsay.’
We finish our meals and Jason pays the check.
‘Ready to go?’ he asks, pushing his chair back.
‘Yes. I’ll just need your address to put in the nav system.’
‘You can just follow me.’
We go outside and he walks me to my car, then I wait as he walks to his truck. I didn’t know what he drove. I imagined him driving a small car, not a huge pickup. He looks really sexy in it, all rugged and manly.
I need to stop this. I can’t be getting turned on by Jason. We’re not dating. We’re not even friends. I haven’t talked to him in months. But it feels like we’re continuing where we left off. After some initial awkwardness, we both relaxed and talked like we did that night, like we’d known each other forever. But we can’t repeat the part of that night that resulted in my current situation, which is why my hormones need to get in line and stop making me want Jason.
‘Welcome home,’ he says as we go into this apartment. ‘Or home for the night.’ He laughs as he picks a shirt off the floor. ‘I don’t normally throw clothes on the floor. I was just in a hurry to change after the gym so I wouldn’t be late for dinner.’
As soon as he mentioned the gym, my thoughts went back to that night, in his room, when he took his shirt off and I saw his chest. I couldn’t believe how ripped he was. I still remember how his body felt, the weight of him when he was on top of me, how it felt when his—
‘Mia?’
I wake from the memory and see Jason by the couch. I’m still standing at the door.
‘You can come in,’ he says, laughing a little.
‘Yeah, sorry. I’m kind of out of it. I’m just tired from the drive.’
‘You want to go to bed? I know it’s early, but if you’re tired you should sleep.’
‘I’m fine.’ I walk up to him. ‘Want to give me a tour?’
‘Sure.’ He motions to the room. ‘The expansive living area is perfect for lounging around watching sports, making a late-night snack, and hosting friends.’ He walks over to the wall by the couch. ‘Take note of the artful decor.’ He points to a painting on the wall, then the wooden bowl on the coffee table that holds his remotes. ‘The comfortable furnishings.’ He points to the gray leather couch. ‘And of course, the entertainment options.’ He points to the huge TV on the wall.
I laugh at his performance. ‘Very impressive.’
‘The tour isn’t over.’ He comes over to me and takes my hand, leading me down a short hallway to the one and only bedroom. It has a dresser, two nightstands, and a king-sized bed covered in a dark blue comforter. ‘I think you’ll find the bed very comfortable and spacious.’ He points to a walk-in closet. ‘Feel free to use the closet if you need to hang anything up. Any questions?’
