Page 1 of Hammered and Nailed
Chapter One
Mason
Somethingwaswrongwithme. Sitting across from me in one of Cedarvale’s most expensive restaurants, leaning forward and showing off her ample cleavage, was Brittany Merriam. The room was rich with ambiance—soft lighting, gentle music playing, white tablecloths and servers dressed all in black. It was a top-notch location for a romantic date, especially considering Cedarvale didn’t have many fancy restaurants to speak of, if that was your idea of a romantic date. It wasn't mine. And unfortunately for both of us, even though Brittany was hands-down Cedarvale High School’s hottest teacher, I couldn’t seem to summon an ounce of interest in what she was so clearly hinting at.
Instead, all I could think of was how it was finally summer break, and my best friend Emery, another teacher, would have weeks of free time ahead of him. Time we could spend fishing or hiking or camping, going to the lake for a swim, doing all of our favorite outdoorsy stuff. As an independent contractor, I hadthe freedom to schedule my own work, and I’d intentionally left myself with a little free time over the next few weeks.
“So, what do you think?” Brittany asked.
I raised my eyebrows and offered her a weak smile. I hadn’t heard a word she’d said, but I could probably guess. "I’m sorry. Can you say that again?"
With an exasperated sigh, Brittany shifted in her chair, exposing more of her cleavage to me. "I was just saying we should head back to my place. Finish this date somewhere quieter. What do you think?"
Normally, I’d have been all about it. Not only was she hot, she was smart, funny, kind… the whole package. For someone. Increasingly, as the date had gone on, I’d realized I definitely wasn’t going to be that someone. "Listen," I said in an attempt to turn her down gently. "You’re great, but…"
She leaned back in her chair and gave me a soft smile. "But you’re not interested. I get it."
"I’m really sorry."
She waved my apology away. "It’s fine. I’d rather you be upfront about it than pretend you’re into me."
I rubbed the back of my neck and gave her a sheepish look. "Thanks."
“Can I ask you a question though?”
“Yeah, anything.”
Brittany bit her bottom lip slightly and hesitated before speaking. “Did I… do something wrong?”
“No,” I said hurriedly. “Not at all.” I paused, racking my brain for an explanation that made sense. I wasn’t entirely sureIknew why we weren’t headed back to her place at that very moment. “It’s just that my head is somewhere else tonight.”
She nodded slowly, and a moment later, the server stopped by our table to deliver the check. Relieved, I scooped it up without hesitation before tucking my credit card into the check holder.
“You really don’t have to—"
I held up one hand to stop her. "Nope. I asked you on this date, I’m going to pay."
A few minutes later, we were outside and walking toward her car. "This was fun," she murmured as we slowed to a stop in front of her little red two-door. "We should hang out again sometime. As friends, I mean."
"I’d like that."
She reached out and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. "You’re a good guy, Mason. You’re going to be a real catch for the right person."
"Thanks, Brittany. You too."
With that, we parted ways and I headed back to my car. About two seconds after I pulled out of the parking lot, my phone rang—and it was my brother. I made sure it was secure on the dash mount before swiping to answer.
"Hey, Josh."
My brother’s voice came out of the speakers. "So? How’d it go?"
I sighed and rolled my eyes. "It was fine. She’s great."
"You going back to her place tonight?"
"No." I chuckled. Of course his mind would go straight to whether I was going to hook up with her. In his defense, there was precedent for me sleeping with practically anyone I went out with.
"Are you at least going to see her again?"
