"You're scared of commitment," Mason corrects.
"And you are too," I say to Mason, raising an eyebrow. "Or were, until about an hour ago when you asked me out."
The table erupts in noise. Colt's laughing so hard he nearly chokes on his sandwich. Boone's grinning like he just won money. Tucker's shaking his head with amusement. Even Rhett looks impressed.
"She's got you there," Boone says, clapping Mason on the shoulder.
Mason's grip tightens on my thigh, and I can feel the heat radiating off him. He's embarrassed but also pleased, like he wants his brothers to know he's claimed me even though he's getting shit for it.
"At least I had the balls to ask someone out," Mason shoots back. "What's your excuse, Rhett?"
"I'm waiting for the right woman," Rhett says with exaggerated dignity.
"You're waiting for a woman who doesn't exist," Colt corrects. "Your standards are impossible."
The banter continues, and I find myself relaxing into it. This is what family sounds like. Teasing and laughter and people who know each other well enough to push buttons without causing real hurt.
Lunch winds down slowly. The men clear the table without being asked, working together like a well-oiled machine. Emma and Rosie are now best friends, planning elaborate games involving horses and unicorns. The afternoon sun streams through the windows, warm and golden.
This could be my life. This house, these people, this sense of belonging. If I let it. If I'm brave enough to take the risk.
Mason's hand is still on my thigh, and when I look at him, he's already watching me. His dark eyes are intense, full of things he's not saying in front of his brothers. Promise. Desire. Hope.
I'm not a princess, and this isn't a fairy tale. But maybe, just maybe, it could be something real.
Chapter 10 - Mason
Things are going so well that everything feels like a fucking dream.
She said yes to the date. My brothers are okay with her being here. More than okay, they're welcoming her with open arms. We're all bantering like we've known each other for years, and she's participating. Laughing. Fitting in like she was always meant to be part of this family.
She's incredible.
Lunch winds down, dishes are cleared, and I'm mentally preparing to take Lily to meet Sarah when she turns to me, her green eyes bright with something that might be nervousness.
"Do you think I could shower first?" she asks quietly. "I want to look my best when I meet Sarah. Make a good first impression."
"Of course." The answer is automatic. "You can shower at my place."
"Your place?" Her eyebrows rise.
"My cottage. It's closer than Wade's, and I've got clean towels and better water pressure." I'm already standing, ready to take her there, when I notice Rosie's eyes drooping. The kid's exhausted, practically falling asleep in her chair despite Emma's best efforts to keep her engaged with coloring.
"Rosie's wiped," Lily says, following my gaze. Her voice holds that single mom tension calculating how to handle her child's needs while also trying to do what she needs to do for herself. "Maybe I should just—"
"I can take both girls for a nap," Tucker interrupts smoothly. He's already moving toward the girls, his dad instincts kicking in. "Emma needs one anyway, even though she'll fight me on it.Your daughter can sleep in Emma's room, and I'll keep an ear out for both of them."
Lily's face goes through several expressions. Gratitude. Uncertainty. The instinctive fear of trusting someone else with her daughter.
"Rosie will be safe."
"I know, I just—" She bites her lip. "I've never left her with anyone except my mom, and that was years ago before everything went to shit."
"First time for everything," Tucker says gently. "And Mason's right. I've got experience with stubborn toddlers who think naps are punishment. She'll be fine, I promise."
I open my mouth to tell Tucker he doesn't have to do this, that we can figure something else out, but he cuts me off with a look.
"Shut up and seize this opportunity," he says bluntly. "You've been miserable for months, and now you've got a woman who actually likes you despite your terrible personality. Don't fuck it up by being a martyr."
