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“Don’t I fucking know it. What’s up? I’ve got ten minutes before a hypochondriac Pug gets here.”
“Dogs can be hypochondriacs? That is so cool. How can you tell?”
“Did you rub up against Cara on your way back here, because I think you caught the airhead bug.”
“Meanie.” Katie stuck out her tongue. “Why so cranky, big brother? I prefer the new, improved Mason, the guy who smiles all the time. And whistles. The one whose girlfriend will be making my wedding dresses.”
“Shit, Katie-Kat. Hiring Andie isn’t the greatest idea.”
“It’s a spectacular idea. She’s crazy talented.”
“What if we break up, won’t it be awkward?”
Katie pushed his feet off the desk and plopped in front of him. “A couple of days ago you’re gushing about her—”
“I wasnotgushing. Guys don’tgush.”
“Fine, expressing your heartfelt affection, and—”
Mason cringed. “Stop, please, before they come and take my balls away.”
“Loser,” she said with a laugh. “Whatever. Now you’re talking breakup?”
If he didn’t tell her, she’d continue to poke him, verbally and physically, until he kicked her out, then she’d call and text incessantly. He didn’t stand a chance.
“One of the things I liked about Andie was her openness. Honesty, no bullshit.”
“Uh-oh. You saidlikedandwas, as in, past tense.”
“This’ll sound low, but I didn’t expect a woman her age to play games or fuck with my head.”
“Oh boy.”
“Yeah. She called it a stupid little test, but a lie is a lie, and I’m not going there again.”
It was a rare day when Katie sat still. Or shut up instead of pumping him for information. Both at once—major red flag territory.
“Um, if the stupid little test happened yesterday, it’s probably my fault.”
“Your fault?” He checked his watch. Five minutes ’til Mrs. Cleary got here. Fuck. “Talk fast, bullet-point form is good.”
“We went to her house for a consult. Mom was a bitch. Andie tried to reassure her by insisting the thing between you is a casual, short-term fling. Both Mom and I interpreted it to mean fuck-buddies. After sending Mom out to the car, I disagreed with Andie and suggested she test our two theories. Take sex off the table.”
“You disagreed. And how the hell would you know what our relationship is really like?”
“Because you totally gushed.” Katie jumped off the desk before he could get her. “And you keep calling it a relationship. Not seeing each other, not dating. Arelationship.”
Shit, two minutes left. “So you advised the woman you think I’mgushyabout to lie to me and trick me, because it’s worked so well for me in the past.”
Katie turned a shade of red she didn’t sport very often. Yeah, she hadn’t thought about his experience with Stacey when she came up with that stupid suggestion for Andie.
“Don’t blame Andie,” Katie said as she slunk toward his office door. “She went through with the test, that means she cares about you.”
Psycho woman logic if he ever heard it. He shooed her out and prepared himself mentally for Mrs. Cleary and her pug. Poor, tormented dog had to be sick and tired of Mason shoving a thermometer up his ass during their totally unnecessary weekly visits. With any luck, that’s all he’d be sticking up there today.
He pasted on a smile as he reached the exam room door. First thing he saw…Mrs. Cleary holding up a plastic baggie of shit. So much for his luck—and the pug’s.
* * *
