Quinn waved her hand toward her feet. “I have no ankles; my calf goes all the way down to my foot.”
He shook his head and chuckled. “You still have ankles.”
“That’s what I told her,” Bull said, joining us. “You have cute fucking ankles, woman. The cutest ankles I’ve ever seen.”
“Aww,” Addy said. “I wish someone thought my ankles were cute.”
Eves wrapped her arm around Addy. “I think you have cute ankles.”
Addy squeezed her back. “See, this is why I love you.”
“How many women’s ankles have you been looking at?” Quinn asked Bull, eyes narrowed.
Bull frowned, opened his mouth, then closed it.
“There is no right answer to that question, brother,” Mase said.
“What’s that…the steak needs turning?” Bull said to no one, then turned on his heel and hightailed it back across the yard.
We all laughed and Mase again sent a look my way. Then, after ruffling Quinn’s hair and making her curse him out, he strode back to the guys. Jimmy followed him dutifully. Goddamn traitor.
After that, I did my best not to look at him. I partially succeeded, but unfortunately, the times I did slip up, Mase had caught me.
And worse, Jimmy did not come back, which meant I had to go get him before I could leave later that night. Thankfully, I’d only had one drink, so I could drive.
Mase’s eyes followed me as I crossed the yard, and I didn’t know where to look. Everyone else had gotten up and mingled, but I’d stayed away and between them, Lila, Eves, and Addy had made sure I was never on my own.
Mase continued to watch me from the lawn chair he was sitting in as I approached, Jimmy snoozing at his side, and my belly did a somersault.
“Can’t leave without my boy,” I said when I stopped in front of him.
He stilled. “What?”
Oh god. My face heated. “Jimmy,” I said quickly. “I’m heading off. Thought I better try to coax my dog away.”
He took a sip of his beer, his gaze laser focused on me, expression unreadable.
I had a plate with leftovers Quinn had forced me to take, and Mase eyed it. “I’ll help you.”
“No…no, I’m fine. Come on, Jimmy.” Jimmy opened his eyes but ignored me. “Jimmy Chew, come.” He gave me a mournful look and pawed at the ground.
Mase stood. “I’ll bring him.”
Shit. “Thanks.” I hustled through the house and out to my car, and god, I could feel his eyes burning into my back the whole way. I put the plate of food on the front passenger seat and Mase opened the back door.
“Get in, Jimmy.”
Jimmy got in.
God, total traitor.
I turned to thank Mase, because I needed to escape his overwhelming presence, but he’d moved in, standing too close.
“You blocked my number?” he said.
I swallowed, a jagged rock forming in my throat. “There’s nothing left to say.”
He leaned in. “You really think you can keep ignoring this?”
“Mase…”
“We’re not finished.”
Why was he doing this? I needed him to stop. “We both know it was just sex…now it’s over.”
His chin jerked back and his gaze hardened. “Yeah, well, the way you were looking at me back there, tells me it’s far from over.”
I couldn’t do this, it hurt too much.
The Faraday bad luck had struck again, there was nothing to talk about. “I have to go.”
“You really can switch it off, just like that, huh?”
Ouch. “Mase…”
“One day you’re melting for me, the next…cold as ice.”
Another blow, and this one knocked the wind from me. I sucked in a breath and let my anger rush forward. I was so sick of hurting, but anger I could handle. “I’m cold as ice? Are you shitting me right now? You acted like I was some dirty little secret when I walked in on you and your wife. Like I was nothing to you. And I’m the one who can switch it off?”
He paled. “Hang on a minute…I didn’t mean...fuck, I never meant to make you feel that way. Christ, kitten—”
“I’m done, Mason. So goddamn done.” I had to get the hell away or I’d cave.
“Please, can we talk?”
“No.” He reached for me, and I pulled away. “I said, no.”
He made a rough sound, verging on a growl, and shoved his fingers through his hair, but he stepped back and I got in my car and got the hell out of there.
Cal crossed his massive tattooed arms and stared me in the eyes. “Are you positive about this?”
“Yeah,” I said, and my stomach knotted. “You know this was always supposed to be short term, I started on a six-month contract.”
“But you’re settled in Rocktown, you got…good friends here.” That pause was telling. Cal had suffered a traumatic brain injury years ago, and sometimes he still had to slow down or take a pause mid-sentence, especially when he was worked up about something. “Cassy will be cut up, you leaving, and we’ll sure as fuck miss you…around here.”
“I’m sorry for leaving you in the lurch like this, but it’s time.”
He ran a hand over his cropped hair and scowled. “Fine, I accept your notice, but I’m not fucking happy about it.”
“Duly noted.” I was trying to keep things light but, honestly, I was on the verge of tears. See? This was why you didn’t get attached to people. Goddamn it. “And will you…” I had to clear my throat. “Would you mind writing me a reference?”
“Yeah, of course. Not that you’ll need one. They’ll take one look at your portfolio or check out your Instagram page and snap you up.” He scowled harder, then strode away.
I rushed to my workroom, my heart in my throat. One down.
It wasn’t that hard, not at all.
I swiped away a stray tear and got back to work.
If I thought telling Cal was bad, telling my girls was…awful.
It was our day to meet at Lake’s End, but Addy’s cafe was closed, getting new cabinets installed, so we’d
