“Got a date?” Jude’s hands clenched under the desk.
Mason rolled his eyes. “Damn, you must think I have better game than I actually do. No, I have an appointment with a real-estate agent. He’s found me a sweet sublet on Charlton off Sixth that I can afford if I never go out again and eat ramen until I’m eighty.”
Jude’s heart plummeted at the eagerness in Mason’s face. “Ah, that sounds great, but are you sure you want to make that commitment?”
“Are you kidding?” Mason stared at him like he had six heads. “I can’t keep living in my old bedroom. Even my parents want me out. My mother put my old sheets on the bed.” Laughter filled his face. “Do you know what it’s like to be thirty and sleeping on sheets with cowboys and horses?”
Jude forced a smile. “But what if after Doug comes home, you decide The Company isn’t for you? Maybe you’ll want to go live on a boat again. Maybe Warren Colchester will lure you away.”
Startling bleakness filled Mason’s eyes, and his smile faded. “No. That’s not happening. I’m never going back. My life is here now. I don’t want to live so far away from everyone again. Especially now with Doug and Ilana married. I’m sure they’ll have kids soon, and I want to be around for that.”
“I never pictured you as a family man.”
“You don’t know anything about me. Not anymore.”
Jude gazed down at the desk, thinking back to their night together—the surprising eagerness of Mason’s kisses, the shocking rightness of his body. What would it be like to be clearheaded and have Mason in his bed? Desire exploded through him, scaring him with its intensity, and Jude crushed it immediately.
“All I’m saying is, I’m surprised you’re willing to make the commitment when you don’t know if you’ll still be working here.”
Hurt crept over Mason’s face. “Are you dissatisfied with my work? I thought I was doing well.” He fidgeted with his backpack. “Even Pryce said I was.”
Feeling like the biggest bastard in the world, Jude tipped his head. “Your work is fine.”
Mason’s eyes dimmed. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Even if you end up letting me go, I still need a place. So yeah, if it’s good, I’m taking it.”
Jude couldn’t pull the trigger. It wasn’t fair to Mason, who was doing an excellent job. Jude recognized the fault lay within himself. He would have to control his libido and put the brakes on anything personal between him and Mason. Anything else was too dangerous.
At least for him.
“Okay, well, I don’t want to keep you. If you’re late, someone else can scoop up the deal. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I know. By the way, did you see Doug and Ilana’s pictures from Paris? They look like they’re having a great time. I knew they would—it’s packed during the summer, and there’s so much to do and see.”
Jude’s jaw tightened. Along with the group text including Mason, he’d gotten a brief, breezy text from Ilana—Having the best time!—but other than that, nothing.
“Yeah.”
Mason left, and Jude replied to some emails and went home.
Edith was finishing up with her home-care worker when he entered her apartment.
“Mr. Jude, how are you?”
Philomena had her tote bag over her shoulder, and Jude was certain Edith had been pushing her out the door from the moment she walked in.
“Good. I’m going to walk the dog and then have some dinner. Maybe take a walk. It’s cooled down a little.”
“Miss Edith doesn’t want to walk at all.”
Edith glared at the woman. “I do so walk. The exercises are stupid.”
Jude caught the aide shaking her head and gave her a conspiratorial wink. “Come on, Edith. You know you need to do everything you can to build up your strength so we can go out to dinner at the new Italian place down the block.”
Philomena put her hand on the doorknob. “That’s right. Do your exercises, and you’ll be walking around in no time. I know if a handsome man like Mr. Jude wanted to take me out, I’d be floating on air. Good night.”
The door closed behind her, and Jude faced Edith. “Why do you have to be so difficult?”
“Isn’t that my line?” She cackled, slowly making her way to the living room. “I already ate, so you don’t have to fuss over me.”
