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“I knew you’d come,” her father said and propped the pitchfork against the wall. He crossed the short distance between them and gave her a bear hug with arms that weren’t as strong as they once had been.
“Did I have a choice?”
“Always.”
She laughed as he released her. “No one has much of a choice when you set your mind, Dad. Mom used to say that stubborn was your middle na—” She bit her tongue and reminded herself that her mother, proud and ever faithful, was gone. And her father was hell-bent to marry someone else.
“That she did,” John agreed. “That she did.”
The moment was suddenly awkward and Bliss, as much to change the subject as anything else, said, “I hope I didn’t hear you shouting a couple of minutes ago.”
“Me?” Her father’s eyes twinkled. “Never.”
She turned to Mason. “He’s not supposed to get overly excited.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Shoving callused hands into the back pockets of his jeans, Mason smiled, a sizzling slash of white that was neither friendly nor warm, just downright hit-you-in-the-gut sexy. Well practiced. A grin guaranteed to turn a young girl’s heart to mush.
But she wasn’t a young innocent anymore and all of Mason’s wiles, to which she’d been so vulnerable long ago, couldn’t touch her. Not now. Not ever again. Her fingers curled into fists and her fingernails dug deep into her palms.
“Good.”
His gaze raked up and down her wrinkled blouse and the tangle of her hair, only to pause at her eyes. “How’ve you been?”
As if he cared.
“Fine…I mean, great. Just great. Really.”
“You look it.”
She felt a blush climb up the back of her neck. “It must be because of all the clean living I do, I guess.”
Mason laughed. “Right.”
Her father snorted.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I know you.”
“Did know me. A long time ago. I—I’ve grown up.”
“I noticed.”
Bliss wasn’t fooled by Mason’s well-honed charm. N
ot a bit. How many nights had she cried bitter tears over this two-timing, thoughtless bastard? In an instant, she wanted to strangle him and wasn’t about to listen to any of his cheap compliments. She’d made that mistake before. Years ago he’d cut her loose and broken her heart; she’d never trust him again. Folding her arms under her breasts, she asked, “So what’re you doing here?”
His smile only broadened as if he was amused by her discomfiture. Amused!
“Tryin’ to buy the ranch out from under me, that’s what he’s doin’,” her father said, his blue gaze blistering. “I told him I’m not selling.”
“Why would you?”
“Because it’s too much for him.” Mason was matter-of-fact.
“Who’re you to determine that? Just ’cause I had a little heart attack don’t mean I’ve got one foot in the grave.” Her father was as irascible as ever. Good. That meant he was getting better.
“Just think about it, okay?” Mason suggested. “And while you’re at it, you might want to talk to Brynnie.”
