I leaned back, letting my eyes rest on the bottles behind the bar like they might offer an answer.
“She’s been through enough. The last thing she needs is some guy screwing up her peace just because he’s catching feelings and doesn’t know what to do with them.”
Mason raised a brow. “Sounds like her choice, not yours.”
“Maybe. But I know myself.” I paused. “And I know how this ends if I go in half-assed or still figuring shit out. She deserves better than a guy who’s still crawling out from under his family’s shadow.”
Parker let out a low whistle. “That’s poetic. Stupid, since you nearly lost her once waiting for the stars to align. But poetic.”
I cracked a grin. “Thanks.”
“You want my advice?” Mason asked.
“Do I have a choice?”
Parker made a low sound in his throat, almost a chuckle but not quite.
“I almost lost Pia trying to figure shit out. Don’t make the same mistake. Is it a risk, you guys being such good friends? Sure. But what’s the alternative, especially if Mae stays in Cedar Falls? Being miserable and punching out every guy she meets?”
Parker picked up what Mason dropped. “You said she sees you as a friend and always has? Could that have anything to do with you chasing every girl but her? Who the hell wants to date the guy who’s always chasing tail?”
“What Parker’s trying to say is… grow the fuck up, get your shit together and show Mae there’s more to you than some smooth lines and a halfway decent pour.”
Wincing inside at his words, I couldn’t refute them. “Halfway decent pour, my ass.”
“Not to mention,” Parker added, “sounds to me like you already made your choice. You’re just scared she won’t make the same one. Which I get more than most. Learn from our”—Parker waved a hand between him and Mason—“mistakes.”
“The pact—” I started.
“Was nothing more than four guys who had shitty examples of what being married looked like. Is it a fifty-fifty chance? Maybe,” Parker admitted. “But don’t throw the whole damn thing out just because your old man couldn’t keep it in his pants.”
Coming from Parker, it wasn’t a dig. His parents split because of his own father’s infidelity, and we’d had more than one conversation through the years about it.
I nearly jumped out of my jeans when my phone buzzed.
“Mae,” I said, hoping I was right.
I took out my phone, pulse racing at her signature pink icon.
I’m fine. Can you cover tomorrow? I’ll text you about Sat. morning to be sure we have everything ready.
“What is it?” Parker asked.
I read them her text.
“Think she’s taking off because he’s still in town?” Mason asked.
“Why else?”
Neither of the guys said any more. What was there to say? Our entire discussion was a moot point if Mae was taking him back. My stomach turned at the thought. I grabbed a rag and went to work. Didn’t really matter anyway. I appreciated the guys’ advice, and their perspective having a rocky road with Pia and Delaney to get to this point, but the thought of spilling the beans to Mae… nah. I just wasn’t ready to jeopardize our friendship anyway.
Please don’t listen to his bullshit, Mae.
The next twenty-four hours, until I could see her Saturday, were going to feel like the longest of my life.
17
MAE
