Can’t Hurry Love by Nadine Millard (little red riding hood ebook TXT) 📗

so damned stubborn she’d gone out there and gotten herself one with the first man she’d met.

“The one you scared has to be Paige.” Asher grinned. “She always makes me feel like I’ve kicked a puppy with those big, green eyes.”

“That was it. Paige. Lucky for her, she didn’t have to talk to me because the owner practically jumped me the second I walked in. Not that I’m complaining. I do like a woman who knows what she wants.”

The atmosphere could have been cut with a knife at his words.

Josh didn’t know how Grayson was feeling. Probably not good if his own feelings were anything to go by, because he wanted to reach over the table at Mason Decker and knock him the hell out.

“Ah – Beth, you mean?” Damon asked, a shit-eating grin on his face. “That would be the baby sister of Grayson here.”

Josh would have laughed at the comical expression on Decker’s face after Damon’s words, but he wasn’t exactly in the mood to find anything funny right then.

“Oh, man.” Mason gulped. “Look, I’m sorry I just—“

Grayson just held a hand up. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, much to Josh’s disgust. “Trust me, I know enough about my little sister to know she probably didn’t give you much choice in the matter. Just maybe keep the details to yourself.”

The camaraderie around the table was enough to put Josh in a foul mood. But he knew he had no right to feel that way. Especially after the way he’d bailed on her again this morning.

Why had he even mentioned his feelings for her? He knew it wasn’t fair to her. He just couldn’t seem to stop himself.

And why was it that every time he felt on the cusp of just giving up and letting her in, something from his former life encroached on the moment and reminded him why he shouldn’t.

Ellen had been calling since early this morning. And Josh had no idea why.

He felt awful, but he just couldn’t face hearing about another one of Elaine’s problems.

He knew if it was anything serious, then he’d be told. He’d requested Ellen contact his lawyer if the worst should happen.

He just needed space, he reminded himself guiltily. Just some time to heal.

Ellen’s timing was as bad as it had been a year ago, but it had served as a much-needed reminder. He couldn’t drag Beth into the middle of this mess. He didn’t want to. Letting her or anyone in would only lead to more hurt. More damage.

Tara returned, and Josh gave his order without even knowing what he was asking for.

The chat went on around him. He barely participated. And when the food arrived, he ate it mechanically, barely tasting it.

He was being ridiculous. He knew that. He wasn’t interested in a long-term commitment. Beth wanted the big, over-the-top, movie love that Josh was sure didn’t exist.

But if anyone could find it, she could.

So why was he sitting here feeling like his heart had just been stomped on? Was he so petty that he didn’t want, her but he didn’t want anyone else to have her, either?

Surely, he was a better man than that.

“So, at the risk of pissing off her big brother, any suggestions of where to take the beautiful Beth on Saturday night?”

Mason’s question penetrated Josh’s fog of self-pity.

Well, he had his answer, if the sudden spurt of jealous rage was anything to go by.

He wasn’t a better man at all.

Chapter Eight

“Definitely the black.”

Beth studied her reflection and decided that Paige was right. The black dress she was currently wearing made her look sophisticated. In the blue, she’d looked about sixteen.

And Mason Decker seemed like the type of man who was used to sophisticated.

Since his visit to the bakery, she’d gotten Jenna to quiz Damon about the man in preparation for tonight. Now, she kind of wished she hadn’t.

The man was intimidating, there was no doubt about it. A complete and total city slicker. Mason would stand out like a sore thumb here in Rocky Valley. He sounded like the exact opposite of pretty much every man she’d ever met, and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to even talk to him without sounding like a bumpkin.

“I’m not sure about this, you know,” she confided in Paige, who’d come by the ranch to run over some details about the festival and ended up staying to help her get ready. “It doesn’t sound like we’d have a lot in common.”

“Well, you won’t know until you spend time with him,” Paige pointed out pragmatically.

“I suppose you’re right.” Beth sighed. She should be excited about tonight. It wasn’t often fresh blood rolled into Rocky Valley. Especially fresh blood that looked as if it came straight from a GQ shoot.

The truth was that even though she’d grabbed the opportunity to date him with both hands, she hadn’t really felt anything for the admittedly gorgeous businessman. Nothing. No zing. Not even a little zap.

“He’s just — he’s very urbane. Isn’t that what they call it? I‘m not sure how to talk to people like that.”

“Oh, I don’t know. You never struggled to talk to Dr. Larson, and he went to Harvard and worked as a city doctor.”

The mention of Josh made her wince slightly, but she kept her features smooth.

Besides, Paige was right. When Josh first arrived, he’d oozed city. And though he’d adapted to life in Rocky Valley well — really well — there was no denying that he was cut from the same Ivy League cloth as Mason Decker.

But she’d never felt uncomfortable with Josh. She’d never felt intimidated or nervous. As for zing and zap? There was an abundance of it, which was why she found herself in this situation now.

“You don’t think he’s a little scary then?” she asked, not willing to answer the question about Josh.

“Oh, yeah. I think he’s terrifying.” Paige laughed, a pretty pink blush on her cheeks.

Beth wished she blushed prettily. But whenever she blushed, it looked like an allergic reaction.