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She let out a slight chuckle as she shook her head. “You may not be interested in anything romantic with me, Mason, but it’s pretty clear you don’t feel the same way about Palmer. And I think she might reciprocate your feelings.”
For a moment, the kiss we’d shared at Adelaide’s wedding reception came racing to the forefront of my thoughts. But I pushed it away. “Palmer and I are friends, and that’s it. I can promise you, there isn’t anything between us.”
Kelsey raised a brow and then tilted her head slightly. “For someone who could see it so clearly with me, you aren’t looking very hard when it comes to Palmer. I’ve known her a long time, Mason. She doesn’t ever get flustered. Honestly, I was a bit jealous of her, but I’m woman enough to admit when I’m wrong, and I was wrong about you and me. However, I don’t think I’m wrong about you and Palmer.”
Turning, she started down the steps and out to her car.
After doing a sweep of the area to see if anyone might have seen Kelsey leaving, I shut the door and let out a long breath.
I walked back into the kitchen and stared down at the gossip column. Palmer had seemed so agitated by it. After a quick glance at my watch, I pulled out my phone to make call.
“Lori Anne, are you able to come babysit Charlie for an hour or two?”
Palmer
I slammed the front door shut and took off my coat before hanging it up on my entrance coat rack.
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I can’t believe I ran over to his house like that! And Kelsey? Why does seeing her there make me all stabby?”
I paused and stood there for a moment.
“Oh my God. I’m talking to myself. This is how it starts. This is how a person loses their mind over a stupid, good-looking man. This is exactly why you swore off men, Palmer.”
I dropped onto my sofa and rested my head against the back of it. Closing my eyes, I drew in a slow, deep breath, held it, then released.
Kelsey? Why Kelsey? Of all the people in Seaside, why did Mason have to date her?
My body began to relax slowly as I attempted to let go of the tension in my shoulders. Right as I felt myself drifting off to sleep, the doorbell rang.
“Go away!” I called out.
It rang again, followed by loud knocking.
“What in the hell! Do you not understand the words go away!” I shouted right before I threw open the door to see Mason standing there.
“M-mason?”
Glancing behind him, I asked, “Where’s Charlie?”
“Home—Lori Anne is watching him for a bit.”
I stared at him with what I was sure was a confused expression. “Why are you here?”
He looked over my shoulder and then asked, “May I come in? It’s kind of cold out here.”
“Yes!” I said as I stepped to the side. “Sorry about that.”
Mason walked in and took off his jacket. I held out my hand for it and hung it next to mine. He still had a scarf around his neck as he waited for me to invite him in fully.
“Did you want anything to drink or…” My voice trailed off. Or what, Palmer? What exactly are you offering up here?
“No, thanks.”
“Please,” I said as I motioned to the sofa. “Sit down.”
He did as he drew in a deep breath. “Palmer, I know you said you weren’t interested in the nanny position…and I think I might know why.”
I sat opposite him in my favorite chair. It was the very first thing I ever purchased for my house. It was large enough for me to curl up in with a book and a hot cup of tea. And for some weird reason, I felt safe in the chair. I wasn’t sure what from, but at least I wasn’t sitting next to Mason, where I could spontaneously climb on him and beg him to take me.
I closed my eyes and inwardly told myself to stop.
Getting myself in check, I looked at Mason with squared shoulders. “Is that so?” I asked, raising a brow.
“Well, I mean, at first I thought it was because—”
“I wasn’t interested?”
He smiled, and I tried to ignore the way it made my heart skip a beat. “That, and the kiss.”
Ahh yes, the kiss. He would have to bring that up.
“That was a mistake,” I said as I tried not to fiddle with my hands.
He nodded. “Charlie adores you, you’ll already practically be living with us, and I would really love it if you were his nanny.”
Something about the way his eyes gazed into mine when he said that made me want to leap over the coffee table and promise him anything.
“But why me, Mason?”
He shrugged. “For starters, Charlie adores you—as I already mentioned. You’re talented and smart and could teach him things I can’t. You live close by.”
