“It’s a hell of a lot harder to wake up at the crack of dawn with a woman like Pia by your side.”
“I bet.”
“Speaking of Pia and her friends…”
“Were we though?”
“She’s been through hell, Park. Pia worries about her.”
“I can tell.” I turned toward my friend. “Did you meet him?”
“Makis? Yeah, once. He’s as much of a douchebag as you’d think. But a charmer. She’s way too good for him.”
“Obviously.” I turned toward my friend. “I like her.”
“I figured you would. It’s hard to believe the two of you never met before now.”
“From what I understand, she wasn’t in town a lot.”
“True. But still.”
I caught his eye. I might not have grown up with him like Cole and Beck, but the four of us were inseparable since freshman year of college. I knew him pretty well, and Mason was worried.
“What?”
Mason took a deep breath, let it out and stared me down. “You’re the only one I’d let date my sister.”
“You don’t have a sister.”
“But if I did.”
“What about Cole?” Beck, I got. But Cole was just about perfect. Smart. Successful. Cultured.
“He’s a fucking sexual deviant.”
I laughed. “That’s stretching it, I think.” The four of us didn’t go into detail about our sex lives, but we knew enough. He liked things kinkier than the average guy.
“Maybe, but if I did have a sister, I wouldn’t want to imagine her?—”
“I’ll pass on those details,” I said. “Your point?”
“My point is, Pia cares about Delaney. A lot. She was the first person who befriended her when Pia came to Cedar Falls. Just… keep that in mind.”
“Seriously?” Mason should know me better than that. I wasn’t the sort of guy to screw someone over. Not Pia’s friend, or any woman.
“You took the pact for a reason,” he reminded me. “I think you agreed to it because you didn’t want to end up like your father. Delaney’s been through the wringer already. That’s all I’m saying.”
“I’m well aware.” I took a sip of coffee, trying not to be offended by Mason’s words. He was just looking out for Pia’s friend. And was right. “I’m not promising anything I can’t deliver on. We’re just getting to know each other.”
“Never stay the night.” Cole. Also an early riser, but not usually this early. “Good coffee, Park.”
“Thanks,” I said as he joined us. “I’m not sure the rule classifies.”
“Certainly does,” he said. “You two will be staying here. Alone. Fits the definition to me.”
“Except, we’re not dating,” I argued, well aware Cole was trying to weasel his way into me putting more money in the pot. We’d each chipped in two hundred and fifty bucks when we came up with the pact and its “rules,” agreeing to a hundred dollars if we broke one and five hundred for the biggie… marriage.
You took the pact for a reason.
