Kennedy took off her apron, hanging it on a peg. “I’m with you this afternoon.”
I hung my apron up by hers and headed for the door. “How is Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome?”
The goofy smile that stretched across Kennedy’s face had me averting my gaze. “He’s good. Busy. They’re about to start on a big new project.”
Kennedy’s husband had built a second headquarters for his security company in Sutter Lake. Halo was one of the best in the business and had brought a lot of new jobs into the community. “That’s exciting.”
“I don’t understand a word he says when he’s talking about it, but it’s adorable how excited he gets.”
I snickered as I pulled open one of the double doors that led to a massive outdoor space with a playground, sports fields, and a picnic area. “Somehow, I don’t think Cain would appreciate being called ‘adorable.’”
Kennedy bit her lip. “Probably not. Better to only call him that behind his back.”
“Smart woman.” My steps faltered as I took in the scene on the playground. Kids ran around screaming and laughing, a whirling flash of limbs as Justin chased them. But in the center of it all, a tall man held Lyla and another little girl upside down by one ankle each as they cackled. “What’s he thinking?” I asked as I started towards the fray.
Kennedy caught my arm. “Mason?”
“Yes, Mason. That’s dangerous. One of them could fall and get seriously hurt.” I could only imagine how injuring one of her children would halt the progress of my slowly mending relationship with Chelsea.
Kennedy’s lips twitched. “He’s like six-foot-four and has muscles for days. I’m pretty sure Mase isn’t going to drop them.”
My cheeks heated. I knew what he looked like. It was the kind of size that was hard to ignore. But he was always gentle and unassuming as he moved through the shelter, as if he understood that his size could be intimidating to the women and children there—people who had fled situations where size had been used to terrorize. “It doesn’t matter how many muscles he has. Accidents happen.”
She sobered, studying my face. “What is it with you and him?”
I clamped my mouth shut. It was impossible to explain just how or why Mason Decker got on every last nerve I had. “He…he’s too nice.”
A laugh bubbled up out of Kennedy, building on itself until she had to brace an arm on my shoulder to hold herself upright. “I’m sorry, did you say he’s too nice?”
I scowled in her direction. “No one’s that nice all the time. It’s weird.”
She patted my shoulder. “Oh, my paranoid friend. It’s no wonder you and Cain get along so well. You both think everyone is a potential serial killer.”
“Hey, if you would listen to those true crime podcasts I keep sending you, you would, too.” I kept my tone light, but pain lit a path along my sternum. A sensation carved by all the stories I’d heard in juvie. All of the things I’d seen. Hellish nightmares that would never leave. I knew that the worst of humanity could hide under a pleasant expression. Worse, it could hide under a face you’d always trusted.
Kennedy wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I think it might be time for a breather from the creepy podcasts.”
“One woman’s creepy is another woman’s Zen.”
“That’s really messed up.”
“Anna! Anna! Did you see? I was upside down, and Mase made me fly.” Lyla ran at me, crashing into my middle and wrapping her arms around me with an oomph.
“I did see. Looked like…fun.” Incredibly dangerous fun, but at least she’d have a high before her concussion.
“Hey, Kenz. Anna.”
I looked up from my niece’s face to meet swirling hazel eyes. Something about the dance between gold and green was hypnotizing, which only annoyed me more.
“Hey, Mason,” Kennedy greeted.
I nodded in his direction. “Mason.”
The corner of his mouth quirked. “I’ve told you time and again, call me Mase.”
“Sure.” But something about using his nickname was simply too familiar, too comfortable. I wanted clear boundaries. Those had been hard to come by since Mason had started volunteering here. Cain had a program where he encouraged his employees to get involved with organizations in the community for a certain number of hours a month while still getting paid as if they were working at their desks. As vice-president and chief operations officer of the company, Mason led by example and worked every single one of his hours at Hope House.
“I need to head back to Halo. But, Anna, the kids want to come over and go fishing in the lake this weekend. They’re welcome anytime. Just text me.”
