She raced outside—only to run straight into a large chest.
She reared back, gasping. “Tony? What are you doing here?”
He cleared his throat. “Hi, Sky. I, um…well…I’ve been thinking about us.”
Really?Now?He came over at almost nine on a weekday morning to talk about them?
“Us?”
He moved closer. “Yeah. I’ve been thinking about how we kind of grew up together. And how our families would always joke about how we would end up together.”
Jesus. This was not happening.
She took a breath. “Tony, our familiesweregood friends growing up. My parents still really like you, and yes, they would like to see us together because of your connection to the church. But we have nothing in common. And I’m with someone else. I’m sorry if that disappoints you.”
A deep frown cut into his brow. “But—”
“I really need to get to work.”
She tried to step around him, but he snagged her arm.
“Tony—”
“Hey.”
They both turned at the deep, angry voice.
* * *
Becket turned off the shower.He was trying to think of something,anything, but Sky. The way her blue eyes had widened when he touched her. The curve of her waist beneath his palm.
Fuck, he was losing his goddamn mind. He needed to get her out of his head.
Maybe he’d go pound the shit out of the bag at the fire station. That always took the edge off.
He’d just pulled on a shirt and some jeans when his phone rang. It was his mother.
He answered on the second ring. “Hey, Mom.”
“Becket James Hayes.”
Shit. Why was his mother middle-naming him? The last time she’d done that, it was because he’d been away with his SEAL team for over three months and hadn’t called her to check in. Was that it? Was he not checking in with her often enough?
No. He’d called her last week. “Whatever it is, Jesse did it.”
“Becket,” she scolded.
Well, it had always worked as a kid. “What’s wrong, Mom?”
“Clara called.”
He stopped beside his coffee machine in the kitchen. “And what did my darling sister have to say?”
“She told me that you’re dating someone.”
He cringed. He’d known it would get back to his mother, but he hadn’t thought it would happen this quickly. He should have. This was a small town, and with all of his family members here, it made it feel even smaller.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Uh, yeah, I am.”
