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6
Choosingthe right grapefruit was a tricky business. Faith weighed one in her hand, tested it for firmness, then swapped it for another. Even though she wasn’t technically supposed to manhandle the fruit in the mini-mart, no one complained because they were used to her eccentricities. It didn’t hurt that the locals wanted to have the best possible ice cream available at The Shack. The better the produce she purchased, the tastier her final product.
Selecting three perfect grapefruit, she added them to a basket and moved over to view the feijoas. Many tourists to the bay enjoyed sampling her feijoa-and-ginger ice cream because the fruit was something of a local treat. She added several to her basket and rounded the corner to the refrigerated section, where she helped herself to a couple of blocks of butter to use for frosting. Ever since Megan had moved to town a few months back, The Shack had been serving specialty cupcakes in addition to ice cream.
“Faith?”
Raising her head, she turned and found Shane, with his two boys, immediately behind her. He was wearing a scarf, his cheeks and ears flushed, and looked positively edible.
“Oh, hey there. Fancy running into you.”
Hunter raced over, and she set her basket down and hefted him into a hug. Dylan scowled, and the expression bothered her. She recalled the way he’d warned her away from Shane and wondered if that’s what he’d been talking to his mother about the night Shane had called her, concerned about him. If so, she knew Dylan hadn’t raised the matter with him like she’d suggested he do. Not that she was surprised. Typical tween boy. Thinking he knew better than everyone else. To be fair, he was a clever kid, but he hadn’t grasped what difference a little life experience could make.
Arms aching, she lowered Hunter to the ground. “Are you helping your dad do the shopping for the week?”
“Yup. He reads the list and I find the things.” Hunter’s dirty blond hair fell over his eyes, and he had to tilt his head back to see her. So. Freaking. Cute.
“I bet you’re super helpful.”
“He can’t reach the high things,” Dylan broke in. “I have to get those.” Based on his petulant pout, he wanted her to butt out. Well, too bad. She was doing her own shopping, and they were the ones who’d approached her. If he had a problem with her, he’d just have to get over his budding male ego and talk to Shane about it.
“Then you’re a great team,” she said evenly.
“They are,” Shane agreed, scanning her from head to toe in an absent-minded way that made her doubt he was aware of even doing it. Unfortunately, her body was aware enough for the both of them. It heated as his gaze passed over her chest, which was covered by the bodice of the maroon dress she’d chosen to pair with her calf-hugging boots. After Mason ruined her senior year of high school, Faith had lost a lot of confidence and she’d avoided wearing anything this eye-catching so as not to attract unwanted attention to herself. These days she gave a one-fingered salute to anyone who said redheads shouldn’t wear red and did her own thing.
“I meant to ask, are you free to come over this Friday so I can go to poker?”
“Absolutely. Same time as usual.”
“Thanks.” He smiled, and her silly knees became weak. “You’re the only reason I have any semblance of a social life.”
I wish your social life included me.
She didn’t say it. He had enough on his plate without a woman he considered his friend throwing herself at him. Although from what he’d said during their phone conversations, the attraction wasn’t entirely one-sided. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind going beyond friendship with her.
Stop dreaming. You’re not relationship material, and he’s not the kind of guy who has casual affairs.
“You’re very welcome. It was lovely to see you all, but I had better....” She trailed off at the sight of a familiar pair of broad shoulders entering the mini-mart. Shoulders that were topped by a crazy-handsome face with a square jaw and carelessly styled brown hair.
Oh, God. It couldn’t be.
Not here. Not yet.
The man turned toward her, and his green eyes locked with hers. She massaged a hand over her heart, which was going absolutely bananas. He started her way, and she shuffled back a step, bumping into the chiller. She whimpered.
“Faith?” she heard Shane ask, as if from a distance. “Are you okay?”
No, she wasn’t. She was very much not okay. What was Mason Delphine doing in the mini-mart in Haven Bay? He hadn’t been to town in years, and that’s how she’d liked it. This was her turf. And yeah, maybe he was returning for Erica’s wedding, but he shouldn’t be here yet. She hadn’t had time to mentally prepare.
Mason didn’t stop until he was directly in front of her, standing shoulder to shoulder with Shane. He was a few inches taller and broader, but thankfully his mere presence didn’t send her hormones into a meltdown anymore. No, instead of the magnetic pull she used to feel toward him, he simply brought back awful memories she’d done her best to suppress.
“Hi, Faith.” His voice rumbled exactly as she’d recalled.
“M-Mason. You’re here.” Her lips trembled and her words tripped over each other. “Hi.”
He smiled, and twin dimples popped in his cheeks. He’d always had those, the bastard. There had been a time when she’d playfully licked those dimples and told him how sexy they were. She’d thought she’d had something special with him, and then he’d tossed her heart aside and humiliated her.
“It’s really great to see you,” he continued, apparently oblivious to her inner turmoil. “You look spectacular, as always.”
