He waits a second. “Yeah? How’d that feel?”
I exhale, laughing under my breath. “Made me pretty happy, not gonna lie.”
He nods. “Well, if that doesn’t speak for itself, I don’t know what does.”
“I know.”
“Just be careful. Don’t jump into anything you’re not ready for, but also don’t be an idiot and ignore it.”
I laugh once more and nod. “I won’t.”
The quiet settles again for maybe two seconds before Mason’s line jerks tight.
“Got one!” he yells, leaping up like a kid on Christmas, reeling like his life depends on it.
“Easy,” Jesse laughs. “We’re not in a tournament.”
But Mason’s locked in…until the line suddenly goes slack.
His whole body freezes. “That sucker!”
We lose it, cracking up as he stands there like he just got his heart broken.
Chapter 21
Karissa
The big house is quieter now that Ella left with Cora. Maureen’s in the kitchen, wiping down the counter even though it’s already clean. Addison and I are sitting at the table. The guys are still fishing but should be back soon.
Emma’s sleeping in Addison’s arms. I keep glancing down, like if I look away too long something will go wrong.
“You know…” Addison says casually, “he really liked that card.”
“What?”
“The one you gave Cody this morning.” She grins. “I could see it in his face. He tried to act like he didn’t want to talk about it, which is basically the same thing.”
I smile. “He didn’t say much to me.”
“He wouldn’t,” Maureen chimes in from the counter without looking back. “That boy holds more in than any man I’ve ever met. Always has.”
That makes something twist in my stomach. Good and scary at the same time.
I clear my throat. “I wasn’t sure if I should do it. I asked Addie if it was weird or if it would mean something else.”
“Not weird at all,” Maureen says as she disappears down the hall to put something away. My chest still feels a little tight. Addison lowers her voice.
“Do you want it to mean something else?” she asks. “Like…more than what it is?”
I exhale slowly. “I don’t know.”
She just smiles.
“I mean, part of me feels things,” I admit quietly, eyes still on Emma. “But I also just had a baby, I’m tired, my hormones are a mess… It’s like I don’t even know what’s real right now.”
Addison’s expression is soft. “But you trust him.”
I nod. “Oh yeah. More than I trust anyone else I’ve ever known.”
