Reckless (The Mason Family Series Book 3) by Adriana Locke (online e reader .txt) 📗

I don’t know,” I say as cheerfully as I can muster. “I think he’s at work.”

She frowns. “He’s not at work.”

“He’s not?” I laugh. “And how do you know?”

“Because I saw his car.”

I tap the Kindle screen. “Watch your show, okay?”

She turns her attention back to the dog chasing an elephant.

I blow out a breath and wonder how hard actually moving here will be. Can I take Rosie’s stuff? Will Boone care? Will he be angry with me and make me leave it?

I can’t see him doing that. But I didn’t see us like this, either.

My heart cracks again as I remember his smile. His laugh. The way he would order Rosie a cake for dinner because her life had just fallen apart.

How he’d taken her to watch cartoons because what else do you do on a Sunday morning?

How he took her to golf with his grandpa.

The way he knew what her fear meant so quickly about him being gone and how he promised her he’d always be there for her.

I sniffle as discreetly as I can.

How he kissed my forehead in the middle of the night. The way he brushed against me at every opportunity. How he looked at me with stars in his eyes.

Even though it’s only been a short amount of time, he has stepped up. He has shown me—us—that we matter. Why fill your house with everything a little four-year-old girl needs if it’s only temporary.

My stomach sinks.

Am I wrong about this? Am I running out of fear?

I am scared. That’s a fact. But does being scared of losing make it okay not to try?

“Miss Thorpe?” Susan says from the front of the room. “Danny will see you now.”

“Come on, Rosie,” I say, pausing her show and then slipping the Kindle back in my bag. “We have to go do a few tasks, okay?”

“’Kay.”

I take her hand and we walk toward Susan. She leads us down a long corridor to a room on the end.

“Good luck,” she says with a big smile.

“Do we go in?” Rosie asks.

I stare at the big wooden door that’s still closed in front of us. Seems odd.

“Let’s knock first,” I say.

Knock! Knock!

“Come in!” a man’s voice booms from the other side.

I twist the knob. “Let’s go baby … girl …”

My voice drops as the door swings open and my eyes settle on the room.

Danny is sitting on the corner of his desk, one leg swinging back and forth. And, behind his desk in an oversized black leather chair is Boone.

“Boone!” Rosie screams as she makes a mad dash for him.

My heart was not prepared to see him. Not even a little bit.

“How’s my girl?” he asks, scooping her up in his arms.

Her arms wrap around his neck, and she buries her head in his chest.

His eyes stay trained on me.

I force a swallow and beg myself to stay together.

I can’t cry in front of Danny.

“Boone! I slept in your bed last night,” Rosie says, grinning. “I didn’t even try to sleep in mine.”

He makes a face at her but then quickly returns his eyes to mine. “Did Jaxi let you get away with that?”

Rosie nods.

“Well, that’s okay,” Boone says. “I bet she had a hard time sleeping last night. Just like I did.”

Tears flicker in the corners of my eyes, and I blink them back.

Danny hops off the desk and, frustratingly, stands right in my line of vision.

“I have to apologize to you, Miss Thorpe,” Danny says. “There’s been some miscommunication, and it’s all my fault.”

I furrow my brows but don’t speak. I don’t trust my voice.

The chair squeaks as Boone stands with Rosie still in his arms.

“I don’t have the authority to rent you an apartment,” he says, smiling at me.

“Why?” My voice sounds like it’s wrapped in a wet T-shirt.

“Because,” he says, “I sold this complex. And two of my others, actually. All rentals have to be approved by the new owners. It’s a stipulation in the purchase agreement.”

My heart pounds in my chest. My body and brain war whether to join Rosie in Boone’s arms or not.

I know he’ll catch me if I jump.

My jaw drops open, and a hurried breath escapes my mouth.

He’ll catch me if I jump.

I’ve never been able to say that about anyone before. I’ve never been confident that someone would even try to reach for me if I fell.

But I know he would. He’d catch me just as quickly as he caught Rosie a moment ago.

“Who should I speak with then?” I ask even though I know the answer.

Danny grins as he heads for the door. “You’ll have to speak to Mr. Mason.”

My gaze flips to his and he snatches it up like he was waiting for the opportunity. The greens are vivid and bright. They pull me like a moth to a flame.

“I’m going to lunch,” Danny says. “We’ll get the details worked out this week, Mr. Mason. It was a pleasure doing business with you.”

“Thank you,” Boone says. “We’ll be out of here in a moment.”

“Take your time.”

With a final smile and a little wave, Danny exits the room.

The room grows smaller in an instant. The temperature increases. I tug at the collar of my shirt.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Making sure you don’t get away from me.”

The tears well up in my eyes again. He wants us. He wants us to stay.

“Boone …”

“The plan I wanted to go over with you yesterday was the purchase of this complex. I thought it might be a good way for you to see if management was really something you liked. Even if it wasn’t, these places are gold mines. It would be money we could set aside for Rosie.”

I don’t fight the tears. There’s no point.

His words are more than a balm to my wounds. They’re a salve to my fears.

“I understand why you were scared,” he says. “I get why you internalized everything wrong. But I’m the one who let you down. And, for that, I’m sorry.”

The pieces of my heart float