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“Hey, guys, join us?” Daisy called from halfway across the room. She, Mason, and Spencer were seated at one of the larger tables in the middle of the floor. Daff stifled a groan at the thought of having to keep company with Spencer again, but Lia was already making her way toward them, so Daff sighed before following reluctantly.
Spencer was sitting opposite Mason and Daisy, an empty chair on either side of him. He looked like he was about to slide over to the chair on the end, but of course, Lia—ever accommodating—sat down on his left before he could move. Daff fought back a glower and sat down gracelessly on his right. Immediately aware of the big, hulking presence beside her, she bit the bullet and offered him a perfectly insipid smile of greeting.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” he returned with an equally bland smile.
“So I guess you closed up shop before I did?” Spencer’s sporting goods store—by far the biggest and most popular business in town—was across the road and just a few doors away from the boutique. It was always busy, even in the middle of winter, since people drove from miles around to shop there. She could see the store whenever she looked out the window. Something she had fought against doing today, especially since part of her knew she would only be looking outside in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Spencer.
“I delegate,” he informed her succinctly. “No need to be there for the close of business.”
“Nice to be the boss, I guess.”
“I trust my people to get the job done.” He shrugged. He was wearing his usual uniform, a gray sweat suit with the logo of his store—SC Sporting Solutions—discreetly embroidered in red on the breast of the jacket. He wore the clothes with the ease of an athlete. He looked magnificent as he leaned back, one arm hooked around the back of his chair, massive thighs spread and broad chest pushed out like the dominant male he was.
“How did you get home last night, Daff? Your car was still at the farm when we left,” Daisy asked suddenly, and Daff cast Spencer a circumspect look before replying.
“I was blocked in. Spencer was on his way home and offered me a ride.” His eyebrows, those straight, dark masculine slashes above deep-set emerald eyes, rose almost to his hairline, but he didn’t negate her story.
“Why’d you leave without saying goodbye, Spence?” Mason asked, and this time she watched him carefully for his response. He looked uncomfortable; his mouth—beautiful and bow shaped with just enough fullness in the lower lip to make it highly kissable—tightened for a second, emphasizing the deep, craggy grooves in his lean, tan cheeks.
“You were busy,” he muttered. Spencer always muttered or growled or grunted. It fostered the perception that he was a big, dumb jock, but Daff was beginning to doubt her long-held belief about him. A few of their more recent interactions were making her really question everything she thought she knew about him. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Don’t be silly,” Daisy dismissed. “We’re never too busy for you.”
“Hold up,” Mason said, tugging at one of Daisy’s curls. “There will be many, many occasions when we’ll be far too busy for him.”
Daisy blushed before elbowing Mason in the ribs.
“You know what I mean, Spencer,” she said, ignoring Mason’s chuckle.
“Thanks, honey,” he said with a grin, and the grooves in his cheeks turned into full-on dimples. The smile had a weird effect on Daff, and she touched a quick hand to her chest, not sure what to make of the suddenly off-kilter beat of her heart.
Their beleaguered waitress eventually made her way to the table and everybody paused for a moment to place their orders, nobody bothering to check the menu they all knew by heart.
“Thanks, Thandiwe.” Daisy smiled at the young waitress, who also happened to be an intern at the veterinary practice where Daisy partnered with their father.
“So while you’re all here, Daisy and I have some news,” Mason said, toying with Daisy’s fingers. Daff’s eyes flew to her youngest sister’s face, and she was alarmed to note that Daisy looked . . . subdued. “After the wedding, we’ll be moving to Grahamstown while I complete my studies.”
Mason would be studying architecture, they all knew that, but until he just spoke the words aloud, Daff hadn’t thought any of them had considered that the only way he could do so would be for him to leave Riversend.
“We picked it because it’s closer than Cape Town, so we can still make the drive back to Riversend on some weekends and for the holidays.”
“What about the practice?” Lia asked Daisy, her voice shaking slightly.
“We considered me staying here and Mason commuting back every weekend, but in the end decided that we didn’t want to be apart for such long stretches at a time. I’ve spoken to Daddy about it, and he says he’ll hire someone to help out and when Mason and I return I’ll take over the practice.”
